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Murder on the Rocks
Not yet published
Expected 26 May 26February 1913. Lady Hardcastle and her diminutive but mettlesome lady’s maid, Flo, have been invited by their friend JB McIntyre to spend the weekend at his recently renovated Tudor fort on a remote island off the Devonshire coast. But the holiday quickly turns sinister when first a number of valuable jewels go missing—and then a fellow guest is murdered with a most unusual weapon.
Asked by JB to investigate, the stakes are raised for the sleuthing duo when a violent storm traps the group on the island and cuts them off from help. Is the murderer in their midst? With everyone claiming to have an alibi—but each also having a skeleton in their closet—can Lady Hardcastle and Flo unravel this complex web of secrets and deception before the killer strikes again?
Asked by JB to investigate, the stakes are raised for the sleuthing duo when a violent storm traps the group on the island and cuts them off from help. Is the murderer in their midst? With everyone claiming to have an alibi—but each also having a skeleton in their closet—can Lady Hardcastle and Flo unravel this complex web of secrets and deception before the killer strikes again?
- GenresHistorical Mystery
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 26, 2026
163 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 16, 2026
I adore this series and the characters. Feisty women, humour, culture, and always a good mystery. I spotted whodunnit, but not why… and there was still a twist I didn’t spot, so bravo for still managing to keep you guessing right to the end. And yay for bringing this book down to Devon! I would happily read this series all day long, and already can’t wait for the next book. If you love funny, cosy historical mysteries with awesome women leads, please read this series!
I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.
I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Emily and Flo travel to a rock off the coast of Devon at the request of an old friend, JB McIntyre, an American millionaire who owns an old Tudor fort turned luxury hotel. JB has gathered a group of his eccentric friends for a preview of his hotel. It's February and during a winter storm the ladies have to solve the problem of missing jewels. At first what seems like a prank turns sinister and then they have to find a murderer, all before Tuesday when the police can arrive!
The premise is very Christie-esque but with the usual coziness of this series. There were enough twists to keep me guessing. I did figure out some of it but there was a last minute plot twist I didn't see coming! It gets a little repetitive in the middle and bogged down at times by descriptions of the latest inventions but overall, it's a fun story. I always enjoy hanging out with Emily and Flo. There are references to previous adventures, some they've told us about in previous books and some I wasn't aware of.
Usually I miss the Farley-Strouds and Daisy when the ladies travel but this story has a bunch of new quirky characters to enjoy. The banter between Emily and Flo is delightful as always and others are now seeing Flo in the way Emily sees her. They're an inseparable duo and quite famous for their exploits by now. They like to keep their skills under their hats, especially Flo, who being small, is always underestimated. Anyone who knows her knows to back Flo in a fight though! The bond between these two women is incredible and unmistakable to anyone who cares to see it. They've been through a lot together and always have each other's backs. They remind me a lot of the Gilmore Girls. Emily appears scatterbrained but she's sharp as a tack when she wants to be. She's always cracking jokes and teasing Flo who answers back. Flo is the more practical one and without her, Emily would never eat, get dressed or be able to find anything. I can relate a lot to Emily LOL! They're both so much fun to spend time with though.
JB McIntyre is based on JD Rockefeller but unlike Rockefeller, JB has gotten out of the robber baron game. He's more of a philanthropist now and a businessman of smaller ventures. His latest project is turning an old Tudor fort on an island off the coast of Devon into a luxury hotel with all the latest modern amenities - except ice, apparently refrigeration has only just been invented and not commercially available yet and no one will deliver natural ice to the island. JB is into the latest gadgets and things and also a collector of antiquities. He collects, among other odd objects, a narwhal tusk. Cringe yes... it was legal in 1913 ... and various weapons. JB is eccentric but friendly and kind. He's generous with his friends, of whom there are many.
This group of friends is a mixed lot of business and artistic interests who have known each other a long time. Granville Bridgewater, JB's English attorney is the life of every party. He cracks jokes and tells the same long-winded stories over and over again. (They're funnier when everyone is drunk, otherwise the friends tease him about how tired his jokes are). He's quick to welcome the ladies to the friend group and always jovial and friendly. His wife, Dorothy, aka Dotty, is also friendly and welcoming. She's delightful because she speaks her mind and everyone thinks she's "dotty" (no brains) but I don't think she really is. She's just even tempered and good natured with a sense of humor about her memory. Robert Sidwell-Plant (RVSP) and his wife Patience are a mixed match couple. He's very, very proper. He never sets a toe out of line and likes his life orderly. Patience is more lively and fun and probably tired of being married to a stuffy bore. I don't blame her. He sounds controlling and horrid. They don't appear to be a loving, happy couple. George Wilson is on hand to help JD with his antiques collection. Wilson is the youngest and newest member of the group. He seems a little aloof and brooding but also a ruthless businessman who always thinks about the value of an object. He claims his wealthy clients typically think that way and not about sentiment so he's gotten into the habit of assessing everything. Unbeknownst to Wilson, he's actually been invited because JB is trying to play matchmaker. He thinks his new friend Lily Thacker, a photographer, would be a good match for George and wants to fix them up. Oh dear! The young people don't seem to want to be fixed up but also may be on their way towards coupling up naturally. Lily seems anxious and like she doesn't fit in. She was hired to take photographs but doesn't bring a professional camera. She says she only brought one for snaps right now and will bring the professional to the hotel later. Yet she doesn't know Emily's friend and doesn't seek Emily out to discuss photography. That raises red flags for me but that doesn't mean she's not who she says she is. She does say she's new to photography and doesn't know the greats yet. It IS a newish medium, especially for art and for women so she could be telling the truth and just feeling like a fish out of water because she doesn't know anyone and they're all from the smart set. She's a working gal, middle class probably, but not in the league of JB's older and wealthier friends.
Mrs. Clarice Everett is a concert violinist, virtuoso, very famous and also blind. She seems to have a chip on her shoulder about her blindness. She has caustic comebacks for every dumb assumption and question people make but ALSO innocent word usage like "watch" and "see." I'm not blind so I cannot speak to what it feels like but she's known these people a long time and considers them friends. She should know they don't mean anything by it. Clarice is a bit edgy because her husband is abusive. He's one of those "A Star is Born" characters who can't stand to see his wife's fame eclipse his. Once a famous concert pianist in his own right, Edgar Everett is now reduced to being known as Clarice's accompanist. I can't stand men like that and no one really knows why Clarice puts up with it. They all side with her, even the men, and while she explains her reasons for staying, "inertia" doesn't sound like a good excuse. She has an offer of a place to stay and help making concert bookings and finding a new accompanist. Edgar is awful and no one likes him. He shouldn't have been invited to the party.
Mr. and Mrs. Crawford are the caretakers of the hotel. She's kind, grandmotherly and a good cook. He seems lazy and unwilling to help. He tends to arrive late when he's called and he's not a good enough servant to anticipate the needs of the guests. I suspect they're up to something and it's not efficient hotel management.
Granville lives beyond his means. Credit cards don't exist yet and he must work hard to make money off wealthy individuals like JB. His wife is always decked out in the loudest, most expensive jewels. Dotty and Patience are locked in a rivalry over who can wear the most expensive, brightly colored gems at any given house party. When their jewels go missing, it causes a great deal of consternation. The ladies think it may be a prank, probably Grenville teasing them about their rivalry and love of expensive gemstones but what if it's not? Then there's a thief among them. Now who would be so stupid as to steal a friend's jewelry that is easily identifiable? I wonder if George Wilson stole them to sell to a wealthy collector? Or did Granville steal them for the insurance money? If he did take the jewelry, RVSP is in on it. Are they trying to teach their wives a lesson? It seems cruel if they are. If this is a prank, it goes on too long. If it's insurance fraud, I don't think RVSP would be in on it. He seems too stuffy and proper. However, the comments and the wink Flo observed could be a misunderstanding about something else entirely or perhaps Sidwell-Plante does mean he's tired of Granville borrowing stories from other people, embellishing them and retelling them as his own. Maybe he borrowed one of his old friend's stories and it's embarrassing the staid gentleman and has nothing to do with the missing jewels. Whatever is going on, these men don't seem to be friends anymore. Is their beef something worth killing over? Granville doesn't seem the type. I like him and want him to be innocent. Sidwell-Plante is too proper to commit murder and that leaves the women, JB, the Crawfords and George Wilson. Are the thief and the murderer one and the same? How can any of this have happened when everyone has alibis? It's up to Emily and Flo to figure out the HOW in order to figure out WHO.
Flo contemplates writing down their stories, but who would read them? ;-) I sure would and hope they have more adventures soon!
On board the train to Devon, the ladies meet Paul Dymond, a toy bear collector. He doesn't have any relevance to the story and seems to be a nice guy. He's traveling with a rare Steiff bear to commemorate the sinking of the Titanic. I had to STOP reading and go look up this bear. My first thought was "I want!" and my second was "Oh no that's creepy! https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-..."
Anyone have a spare 250,000 GBP? And a house without moths?
https://auctiondaily.com/news/steiff-...
or $500 for a replica?
https://samanthasdolls.com/product/ti...
(This repro is not so cute but the moths will eat it only after they finish with wool. https://www.steiff.com/en-us/teddies-...)
The premise is very Christie-esque but with the usual coziness of this series. There were enough twists to keep me guessing. I did figure out some of it but there was a last minute plot twist I didn't see coming! It gets a little repetitive in the middle and bogged down at times by descriptions of the latest inventions but overall, it's a fun story. I always enjoy hanging out with Emily and Flo. There are references to previous adventures, some they've told us about in previous books and some I wasn't aware of.
Usually I miss the Farley-Strouds and Daisy when the ladies travel but this story has a bunch of new quirky characters to enjoy. The banter between Emily and Flo is delightful as always and others are now seeing Flo in the way Emily sees her. They're an inseparable duo and quite famous for their exploits by now. They like to keep their skills under their hats, especially Flo, who being small, is always underestimated. Anyone who knows her knows to back Flo in a fight though! The bond between these two women is incredible and unmistakable to anyone who cares to see it. They've been through a lot together and always have each other's backs. They remind me a lot of the Gilmore Girls. Emily appears scatterbrained but she's sharp as a tack when she wants to be. She's always cracking jokes and teasing Flo who answers back. Flo is the more practical one and without her, Emily would never eat, get dressed or be able to find anything. I can relate a lot to Emily LOL! They're both so much fun to spend time with though.
JB McIntyre is based on JD Rockefeller but unlike Rockefeller, JB has gotten out of the robber baron game. He's more of a philanthropist now and a businessman of smaller ventures. His latest project is turning an old Tudor fort on an island off the coast of Devon into a luxury hotel with all the latest modern amenities - except ice, apparently refrigeration has only just been invented and not commercially available yet and no one will deliver natural ice to the island. JB is into the latest gadgets and things and also a collector of antiquities. He collects, among other odd objects, a narwhal tusk. Cringe yes... it was legal in 1913 ... and various weapons. JB is eccentric but friendly and kind. He's generous with his friends, of whom there are many.
This group of friends is a mixed lot of business and artistic interests who have known each other a long time. Granville Bridgewater, JB's English attorney is the life of every party. He cracks jokes and tells the same long-winded stories over and over again. (They're funnier when everyone is drunk, otherwise the friends tease him about how tired his jokes are). He's quick to welcome the ladies to the friend group and always jovial and friendly. His wife, Dorothy, aka Dotty, is also friendly and welcoming. She's delightful because she speaks her mind and everyone thinks she's "dotty" (no brains) but I don't think she really is. She's just even tempered and good natured with a sense of humor about her memory. Robert Sidwell-Plant (RVSP) and his wife Patience are a mixed match couple. He's very, very proper. He never sets a toe out of line and likes his life orderly. Patience is more lively and fun and probably tired of being married to a stuffy bore. I don't blame her. He sounds controlling and horrid. They don't appear to be a loving, happy couple. George Wilson is on hand to help JD with his antiques collection. Wilson is the youngest and newest member of the group. He seems a little aloof and brooding but also a ruthless businessman who always thinks about the value of an object. He claims his wealthy clients typically think that way and not about sentiment so he's gotten into the habit of assessing everything. Unbeknownst to Wilson, he's actually been invited because JB is trying to play matchmaker. He thinks his new friend Lily Thacker, a photographer, would be a good match for George and wants to fix them up. Oh dear! The young people don't seem to want to be fixed up but also may be on their way towards coupling up naturally. Lily seems anxious and like she doesn't fit in. She was hired to take photographs but doesn't bring a professional camera. She says she only brought one for snaps right now and will bring the professional to the hotel later. Yet she doesn't know Emily's friend and doesn't seek Emily out to discuss photography. That raises red flags for me but that doesn't mean she's not who she says she is. She does say she's new to photography and doesn't know the greats yet. It IS a newish medium, especially for art and for women so she could be telling the truth and just feeling like a fish out of water because she doesn't know anyone and they're all from the smart set. She's a working gal, middle class probably, but not in the league of JB's older and wealthier friends.
Mrs. Clarice Everett is a concert violinist, virtuoso, very famous and also blind. She seems to have a chip on her shoulder about her blindness. She has caustic comebacks for every dumb assumption and question people make but ALSO innocent word usage like "watch" and "see." I'm not blind so I cannot speak to what it feels like but she's known these people a long time and considers them friends. She should know they don't mean anything by it. Clarice is a bit edgy because her husband is abusive. He's one of those "A Star is Born" characters who can't stand to see his wife's fame eclipse his. Once a famous concert pianist in his own right, Edgar Everett is now reduced to being known as Clarice's accompanist. I can't stand men like that and no one really knows why Clarice puts up with it. They all side with her, even the men, and while she explains her reasons for staying, "inertia" doesn't sound like a good excuse. She has an offer of a place to stay and help making concert bookings and finding a new accompanist. Edgar is awful and no one likes him. He shouldn't have been invited to the party.
Mr. and Mrs. Crawford are the caretakers of the hotel. She's kind, grandmotherly and a good cook. He seems lazy and unwilling to help. He tends to arrive late when he's called and he's not a good enough servant to anticipate the needs of the guests. I suspect they're up to something and it's not efficient hotel management.
Granville lives beyond his means. Credit cards don't exist yet and he must work hard to make money off wealthy individuals like JB. His wife is always decked out in the loudest, most expensive jewels. Dotty and Patience are locked in a rivalry over who can wear the most expensive, brightly colored gems at any given house party. When their jewels go missing, it causes a great deal of consternation. The ladies think it may be a prank, probably Grenville teasing them about their rivalry and love of expensive gemstones but what if it's not? Then there's a thief among them. Now who would be so stupid as to steal a friend's jewelry that is easily identifiable? I wonder if George Wilson stole them to sell to a wealthy collector? Or did Granville steal them for the insurance money? If he did take the jewelry, RVSP is in on it. Are they trying to teach their wives a lesson? It seems cruel if they are. If this is a prank, it goes on too long. If it's insurance fraud, I don't think RVSP would be in on it. He seems too stuffy and proper. However, the comments and the wink Flo observed could be a misunderstanding about something else entirely or perhaps Sidwell-Plante does mean he's tired of Granville borrowing stories from other people, embellishing them and retelling them as his own. Maybe he borrowed one of his old friend's stories and it's embarrassing the staid gentleman and has nothing to do with the missing jewels. Whatever is going on, these men don't seem to be friends anymore. Is their beef something worth killing over? Granville doesn't seem the type. I like him and want him to be innocent. Sidwell-Plante is too proper to commit murder and that leaves the women, JB, the Crawfords and George Wilson. Are the thief and the murderer one and the same? How can any of this have happened when everyone has alibis? It's up to Emily and Flo to figure out the HOW in order to figure out WHO.
Flo contemplates writing down their stories, but who would read them? ;-) I sure would and hope they have more adventures soon!
On board the train to Devon, the ladies meet Paul Dymond, a toy bear collector. He doesn't have any relevance to the story and seems to be a nice guy. He's traveling with a rare Steiff bear to commemorate the sinking of the Titanic. I had to STOP reading and go look up this bear. My first thought was "I want!" and my second was "Oh no that's creepy! https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-..."
Anyone have a spare 250,000 GBP? And a house without moths?
https://auctiondaily.com/news/steiff-...
or $500 for a replica?
https://samanthasdolls.com/product/ti...
(This repro is not so cute but the moths will eat it only after they finish with wool. https://www.steiff.com/en-us/teddies-...)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Flo and Lady Hardcastle are invited to a remote castle on an island by an American friend, JB, who has plans to turn it into a B&B. An assortment of colourful characters - from a blind pianist prodigy to a photographer to a solicitor - congregate to test out the sprawling estate and its modern appliances courtesy of JB’s vast fortune. As they enjoy a retreat of leisure and pleasure, one of the guests is found dead.
Oh I loved this!! I really love this series and I’d forgotten how much. I don’t ask for a lot in my historical mysteries as it’s one of my favourite subgenres and I’ll happily read just about anything but the best have a good puzzle, levity, and plenty of historical detail. Food is a plus. Murder on the Rocks has all of this and more!
The writing is so clever and I kept highlighting entire paragraphs. The banter between Lady Hardcastle and Flo is sharp and so incredibly funny and there’s a guest who makes a joke of everything in this too - his puns added to my enjoyment of the story so much. JB is also a goldmine of information so we’re treated to quite a lot of trivia in this - the origin of the American passion for ice, liquor and more. There’s also a stuffed bear collector in this - an arctophile - who immediately made me want to look up interesting teddy bears. I enjoyed each of the guests and Clarice above all. She’s a blind pianist and her passion for music and lovely nature were a treat to read about. I also loved all the author’s notes at the end which go deeper into the historical details in the story.
I guessed some of the ending but the journey getting there was so good I didn’t mind in the least. This book was such a wonderful way to spend a Sunday!
My endless thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!
Oh I loved this!! I really love this series and I’d forgotten how much. I don’t ask for a lot in my historical mysteries as it’s one of my favourite subgenres and I’ll happily read just about anything but the best have a good puzzle, levity, and plenty of historical detail. Food is a plus. Murder on the Rocks has all of this and more!
The writing is so clever and I kept highlighting entire paragraphs. The banter between Lady Hardcastle and Flo is sharp and so incredibly funny and there’s a guest who makes a joke of everything in this too - his puns added to my enjoyment of the story so much. JB is also a goldmine of information so we’re treated to quite a lot of trivia in this - the origin of the American passion for ice, liquor and more. There’s also a stuffed bear collector in this - an arctophile - who immediately made me want to look up interesting teddy bears. I enjoyed each of the guests and Clarice above all. She’s a blind pianist and her passion for music and lovely nature were a treat to read about. I also loved all the author’s notes at the end which go deeper into the historical details in the story.
I guessed some of the ending but the journey getting there was so good I didn’t mind in the least. This book was such a wonderful way to spend a Sunday!
My endless thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!
I started on the Lady Hardcastle series during covid, while in quarantine, and have been fervently reading all the new books in the series as they get published. After I received the previous book from Netgalley, I have been looking out almost every month for book #13, and it was as delicious as ever.
Lady Hardcastle and Flossie's banter, Flossie's wit and many unexpected abilities, besides the good murder that is bound to happen with them around, the main difference being that this story did not happen in their little village with the usual characters. Besides the main plot, I am always excited to read about the contraptions/inventions during the times of the story - and this time there was mention of the Titanic bear and I suppose Teddy bears are coming into trend, and the dumbwaiter made an appearance.
I can't wait for book#14!
I started on the Lady Hardcastle series during covid, while in quarantine, and have been fervently reading all the new books in the series as they get published. After I received the previous book from Netgalley, I have been looking out almost every month for book #13, and it was as delicious as ever.
Lady Hardcastle and Flossie's banter, Flossie's wit and many unexpected abilities, besides the good murder that is bound to happen with them around, the main difference being that this story did not happen in their little village with the usual characters. Besides the main plot, I am always excited to read about the contraptions/inventions during the times of the story - and this time there was mention of the Titanic bear and I suppose Teddy bears are coming into trend, and the dumbwaiter made an appearance.
I can't wait for book#14!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Lady Hardcastle series is my absolute favorite, so it always makes my day when I get to read the newest one. Murder on the Rocks is a wonderful addition to the series. Though I always miss the locals when the book takes place somewhere else, I have to say that I loved this cast of characters. They were all so interesting and colorful. My favorite was Clarice. The island setting was great too. As always, I loved the humor, the banter, the mystery and the historical details. I did figure out some of the big reveal this time, but certainly not all of it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and already can't wait for the next one! Highly recommended!
Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK/Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.
Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK/Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Another fabulous book. The team of Emily and Flossie never fails to be wonderful. The repartee and humor is just as fresh as the first story and the mystery this time excellent. I absolutely love and most highly recommend this amazing series.
Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A classic mystery set-up of an island with a limited number of suspects trapped there by the weather. Lady Hardcastle and sidekick/maid Flo display their usual banter and investigative skills in this mystery, which stays lighthearted throughout. The pacing felt slow, especially in the middle chapters. Thanks to NetGalley and publisher Thomas & Mercer for the eARC.
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