MoonglotexasFrom Kel:
T.E. Kinsey’s writing is always top-notch and this is no exception. Back with the lovely Lady Hardcastle and her friend and lady’s maid Flo, the book is full of witty repartee and fun moments.
The mystery in this one is of global espionage so the story’s location and format are different from the usual which I enjoyed. Fans of history will spot a number of ominous foreshadowings of the war to come which Kinsey has elegantly worked in. Lady H and Flo are in fine form both in detecting and in succeeding in a male dominated society!
It was a lovely time spent with wonderful characters and a fantastic tale. It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale and highly recommended.
From Ka:
Once again this was a most enjoyable read. I’ve read it twice. Already. And I’m sure I will be back to read it again.
Lady Hardcastle and Flo are just the most delightful characters. They balance each other so beautifully. The banter has me in stitches at times. Lady Hardcastle is a character who refuses to be ruffled, despite the extreme rudeness of some of her opposite numbers. She’s quite the example to us all. And Flo, always ready for a tussle. There is so much more than a cozy murder mystery here!
This time, we are in full-on-agent mode which means the entire story is set away from the village. I can find a change in setting a challenge ( I often enjoy the broader ensemble of characters) but as Lady H’s brother (and family) are now a key part of the story, I didn’t feel that loss as greatly. It was also a clever plot. Chuffed to say I got quite a lot of this one right, but that did not reduce the enjoyment one iota. Well done indeed T E!!
I can’t recommend this one enough, Its five out of five on the enjoyment scale for me
We received complimentary copies of the book from Thomas & Mercer through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in these reviews are completely our own.
From the back cover:
July 1912. Lady Hardcastle and her tenacious lady’s maid, Florence Armstrong, are enjoying a convivial gathering at the home of their dear friends, the Farley-Strouds. The only fly in the idyllic ointment seems to be the lack of musical entertainment for the forthcoming summer party—until, that is, Lady Hardcastle’s brother Harry calls with news of a murder.
Harry dispatches them to Bristol on behalf of the Secret Service Bureau, with instructions to prevent the local police from uncovering too much about the victim. It seems an intriguing mystery—all the more so when they find a connection between the killer and an impending visit from an Austrian trade delegation, set to feature a very important guest…
Summoned to London to help with some very important security arrangements, the intrepid duo will have to navigate sceptical bureaucrats, Cockney gangsters and shadowy men in distinctive hats in their attempts to foil an explosive—and internationally significant—threat.
