Amazon.com: Customer reviews: A Quiet Life in the Country (A Lady Hardcastle Mystery Book 1)

Top positive review

Delightful!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 27, 2022

One jumps into this book without knowing much about the characters. Little by little, parts of their background are revealed cleverly as they fit comfortably into the story, unlike another writer I follow who goes over the same background details in the beginning of every book for pages and pages. I very much enjoyed the humor and the relationship between Lady Hardcastle and Flo, and I appreciated a story in which the police inspector was respectful of their input, instead of telling them to stay out of it and let the experts find the killer.(Yes, I’ve read many cozy mysteries!). The different parts of the story were cleverly woven together to a logical conclusion. I only wish that Lady Hardcastle were older-40 to have had all those adventures and retired to the country? I’m looking forward to the rest of the books in the series.

2 people found this helpful

Top critical review

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Kindle Customer

A Quiet Life in the Country

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 10, 2023

Emily and Flo are great partners, but even better friends. A cause a stir because their relationship is unusual, servant and aristocrat. But they continue on as they have for 14 years. They are better than Sherlock and Watson. Enjoyed the book.

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From the United States

Dr. Cynthia Smith Goodwin

Delightful!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 27, 2022

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2 people found this helpful

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Erin Grey

Thoroughly Entertaining

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 21, 2023

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The banter between these two unlikely friends provided endless amusement. These are the most laidback, serene amateur detectives you'll ever meet, and I couldn't ask for more from a relaxing, hilarious read.

One person found this helpful

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Kindle Customer wisdom seeker

Wow

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 2, 2023

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Absolutely love the story and characters. Its a note worthy book that makes you laugh out loud, this one will....several times. Then when I get to the end I find out a man was the author! Very good Mr. Kinsey. I look forward to reading the rest of the series . Thank you for such an entertaining book.

One person found this helpful

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Melissa Schott

great read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 5, 2023

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I loved The characters in the book. There is a lot of humor with a great story line. It is a captivating mystery. I couldn't put it done.
I'm sure that the other books in ther series will just a good.

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Joel Brehm

character is everything

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 2, 2023

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This story is loaded with clearly defined people whose character contributes to their rank in the narrative.
Carefully it is revealed that our two heroines are both extraordinary ladies whose sharp observations and witty verbalizing makes this story shine.
I eagerly await their next adventure.

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KymmLisa

Excellent Start to a Fun New Series!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 27, 2022

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I put a ton of weight on the first book in a cozy mystery series, it's got to really hook me for me to continue with the series. "A Quiet Life in the Country" (Lady Hardcastle Mysteries, #1) by T.E. Kinsey checked all my boxes for a good start to what will be a fun and entertaining series. Great characters starting with a titled older woman who's not overly impressed with her title by marriage deciding to settle down in the country with her lady's maid, both of whom have quite a history together and are more friends and companions than boss and servant. While out walking during their first week at their new country digs, they discover a body which leads them into crime solving mode. Not satisfied with who the police arrest for the crime, they take it upon themselves to figure out what the heck happened. But this murder leads to another and now they're really peaked to investigate. Since the latest murder takes place in the estate of one of their wealthy neighbors, Lady Hardcastle and her lady's maid are happily welcomed into the home under the guise of "research" for a detective story they're writing. Little does anyone know these ladies have some experience with detecting and even the investigator is stunned at their abilities. He's a stickler for the rules but also a funny little man and does welcome their input!

I laughed, I tried to figure out whodunnit and found this one quite entertaining! I love when book one is this fun, it makes me excited to read on. I can't wait to see what Lady Hardcastle and her maid get into next, whatever it is I don't doubt they'll figure it out! Happy Reading!

9 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Great read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 29, 2022

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I found this book and it's characters smart, funny and thoroughly entertaining. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

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Fun Seeing Where it All Begins for the Fantastic Amateur Detecting Duo

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 22, 2019

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I started with book three in this series, progressed forward, and finally took the opportunity to go back and get the first book in the series. The whimsical, cozy mystery paired with historical Edwardian setting was light and whimsical.

Actually, when I started listening, I realized that the first book introduced Lady Hardcastle and her ladies' maid, Florence Armstrong along with their new home and the other regular characters, in such a way that it didn't feel like the first book so much as the first of the stories that had been recorded. There are hints of their unusual, dangerous work abroad and no big explanation why the pair happened to be set upon 'a quiet life in the country' or why Lady Hardcastle and Florence have a relationship that is nearly family rather than an employer and servant from separate classes. The author trickles out the details and the reader/listener must catch them and piece them together as they go. Because I had experienced later books, those pieces stuck out easily to me. The meeting with Inspector Sunderland and the local villagers and neighborhood was fun.

There are two murder mysteries that have interesting crossover people and facts. One seems to involve a dead man from the village cricket team whose death was meant to appear like a suicide and then later, the death of a rag-time band trumpeteer that played at the engagement party of the local squire's daughter. A theft is tossed in for good measure.

I figured out one of the murders and part of the theft and the second murder, but the ultimate solution took me by surprise. Loved seeing the intrepid Flo able to get in some of her martial arts ability and spend time trailing along as they teased out the solution along side Inspector Sunderland.

Elizabeth Knowelden is an absolute gem of a narrator and the voice of this series for me. She laid out the Edwardian country village world, the variety of genders and accents, and kept the pace and tone for this series just right.

All in all, I thought this first entry was as fabulous as the later books and do not hesitate to put it out there as a good bet for historical cozy mystery lovers.

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