March 14, 2021

A Quiet Life in the Country

 


Lady Hardcastle Mysteries #1
Mystery
2016 Brilliance Audio
Read by Elizabeth Knowelden
Finished on March 9, 2021
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

Lady Emily Hardcastle is an eccentric widow with a secret past. Florence Armstrong, her maid and confidante, is an expert in martial arts. The year is 1908 and they’ve just moved from London to the country, hoping for a quiet life.

But it is not long before Lady Hardcastle is forced out of her self-imposed retirement. There’s a dead body in the woods, and the police are on the wrong scent. Lady Hardcastle makes some enquiries of her own, and it seems she knows a surprising amount about crime investigation…

As Lady Hardcastle and Flo delve deeper into rural rivalries and resentment, they uncover a web of intrigue that extends far beyond the village. With almost no one free from suspicion, they can be certain of only one fact: there is no such thing as a quiet life in the country.

A Quiet Life in the Country is a delightful book and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Elizabeth Knowelden's performance of this cozy mystery. It was an especially nice change of pace after the heavier books I've recently read.

The mystery (or mysteries, as there are actually two murders to solve) wasn't terribly interesting, but I loved the bantering and exchange of dry wit between Lady Hardcastle and Flo, which is very much like my husband's sense of humor. I chuckled out loud on more than one occasion and had I read the print edition rather than the audio, I'm certain I'd have several passages to share. I didn't waste any time downloading the second installment and look forward to more of the duo's antics, as well as (hopefully) the return of a couple of the supporting characters. 

Highly recommend.

12 comments:

  1. This does sound nice, glad that you enjoyed it. I'm done with thrillers for March but, I do have one mystery. I've been enjoying historical fiction it seems which has been a genre I passed on a lot previously.

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    1. Diane, it was a fun listen and I'm looking forward to more in the series.

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  2. This sounds like a book I'd enjoy. I'm plan on getting a copy.

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    1. Vicki, I've already downloaded the second in the series. It was a fun read!

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  3. I remember seeing this one on NetGalley but wasn't quite sure. Glad to hear you enjoyed it and sounds like the potential of a great mystery series.

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    1. Iliana, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I remember hearing the couple on He Read She Read (podcast) rave about it, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'll start in on the second installment later next month.

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  4. I really enjoyed this one, too, especially the banter between Lady Hardcastle and Flo. Audio was definitely the way to go. I'll be listening to the second installment next time I need a change of pace.

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    1. JoAnn, the bantering and dry wit is what I enjoyed the most. Yep, audio is the way to go and I've already downloaded the second book. Jolly good fun! ;)

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  5. I love the sound of this one. By the way, I don't know why but when I comment on any blogger blog from Chrome, I get an error. I don't know if you actually see the comment since it errors out. But, I will try to remember to use Firefox for now.

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    1. Ti, it was a nice light read after a few heavier ones.

      Don't know what's going on with your comments, but this is the only one I saw today for this post.

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  6. This is a series that I really enjoy, and -- as you said-- the banter between Lady Hardcastle and Flo is marvelous.

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    1. Cathy, this is such a perfect series for those looking for something a little light and humorous. I loved this first book and can't wait to read more.

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