Rotten to the Core

Anyone who enjoys historical mysteries which involve minutiae, merriment, and musing really needs to make the acquaintance of Lady Hardcastle and her (so much more than a) maid, Florence Armstrong. The banter between these two main characters is the highlight of the series, but there is much more to T.E. Kinsey's mysteries than laughs.

In Rotten to the Core, I learned about the cider industry in England and about some of the ancient organizations created to make the business thrive. (That's one of the things I love about this series so much-- Kinsey focuses on "something new" at the turn of the twentieth century in each book, so I've learned about automobiles, flying machines, the movie industry, etc. as I follow along in the two show more characters' wake.) I also learned that butterfly in Welsh means "living ember," one of those trivial nuggets perfect for squirreling away to bring out to amaze and amuse your friends at a later date. And how about those librarians who disobeyed orders and began creating the newspaper archives that became important sources of information for Lady Hardcastle and Florence? Three cheers for librarians!

As the hunt for a murderer becomes dire, Kinsey's two intrepid sleuths find their list of suspects growing instead of shrinking, and even though Lady Hardcastle believes that the mysterious woman staying at the Dog and Duck has more to do with this business than meets the eye, Florence urges caution: "The mysterious stranger is always a red herring. You should read more."

Is that mystery woman a killer? You'll just have to get your hands on a copy of Rotten to the Core to find out. The book has enough backstory so that new readers should not feel lost, but I will warn you: these books are highly addictive. Don't be surprised if you read one and find yourself looking for all the rest. They are little gems of light-hearted fun.

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley) show less

I didn't know exactly what to expect when I read the first Lady Hardcastle mystery, except that it was a cozy mystery with “quirky” characters (if I remember the description correctly). And I was absolutely delighted with what I read. That is equally, if not more so, true for this latest in the series, Rotten to the Core. Lady Hardcastle and her associate Flo Armstrong are in their hometown of Littleton Cottrell, learning about the upcoming autumn harvest festival when someone is killed (surprise, surprise). An apple orchard owner was stabbed and placed with an apple in his mouth.

The amateur sleuths' begin clue-searching via conversations with their friendly barmaid-gossip Daisy and their in-the-know cook Edna. Of course, show more complications abound created by local suspects, a newcomer to the village, and secrets held by a mysterious apple warden group (they may have coined that term).

I know that many other readers of T. E. Kinsey's series are like me – I read these books more for the incomparable repartee between Emily Hardcastle and Florence Armstrong than I do for the who-dunit. Superb, droll badinage that clearly resonates with a mutual, long-standing comprehension of each others' personality and foibles. And this iteration has much more of those comical conversations than the last couple of novels – in which I was sorely missing the abundance of humor, given the times we live in.

If you haven't read any of this series, do so as soon as possible! There are a few references to previous plot points from earlier books, so reading an earlier one-- or reading them all in order (my recommendation!) – might slightly improve the reader's appreciation of Rotten to the Core. But it is sufficiently stand-alone to more than repay the time taken to relish in the goings-on of Littleton Cotterell.

I want to thank publisher Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. This is an honest review. show less

This delightfully entertaining, witty, and well-written series just keeps getting better and better! This latest installment brings us a mysterious ‘secret’ society that does good works (or do they?); victims who are likable, but certainly have secrets; past murders to solve; and some pretty nasty villains, Our usual cast of funny and entertaining characters are out in full force as is our intrepid former spies turned investigators – Lady Hardcastle and her lady’s maid, Flo. If you are looking for a refreshingly entertaining read, this is the one for you!

With the unseasonably hot weather bringing on an early apple harvest, the villagers are tickled to have an early cider festival. Everyone is busily planning events and all of show more them are centered around apples and cider – from food on the square to the secretive rituals of the Weryers. Those Weryers are an ancient group with darker roots than the current participants utilize. They do good works, support charities, and generally help the areas. But, maybe those dark roots haven’t completely disappeared – because one of them is found murdered in his apple orchard. Then in a matter of days, two more Weryers are also found murdered.

Who in the world could have it in for the Weryers who do nothing except help residents of the area? Could it be another Weryer who wants to move up within the organization? Could it be the stranger who is visiting the village? Does it have anything at all to do with a murder that happened twenty years ago?

As always, the constabulary turns to Lady Hardcastle and Flo to help solve the case. Will they solve the case or become victims themselves? This villain doesn’t care how many bodies there are as long as he doesn’t get caught, so a couple of amateur sleuths wouldn’t bother him in the least.

I can highly recommend this book and this series. I love the lively banter between Lady Hardcastle and Flo as well as all of the antics they get up to. When you add the locals into the mix, you have a wonderfully entertaining read. I’m already counting the days until the next release! show less

England, punny, sly-humor, amateur-sleuth, situational-humor, light-hearted, women-sleuths, historical-fiction, historical-research, history-and-culture, 1910s, cosy-mystery*****

All of the Lady Hardcastle books are a fun escape from reality and this one is no exception! The personalities of the characters are as much fun as the dialogue, the sleuthing is creative, and the descriptions are exceptional. The plot twists are inventive and the whole thing is a blast! Never a dull moment, even if some of the old catch phrases sound like something from Beowulf! Of course I loved it!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Amazon Publishing UK/Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley. Thank you!

Yes, I have thoroughly enjoyed the two spin-off novels from this series, the new series featuring the Dizzy Heights: The Deadly Mystery of the Missing Diamonds and A Baffling Murder at the Midsummer Ball. But O how I missed the humorous exploits of the indomitable Emily, Lady Hardcastle, and her sassy maid and sidekick Florence Armstrong! And, finally, author T.E. Kinsey has obliged and released the eighth entry in this series!

In the summer of 1911, the members of a secretive men’s charitable society with the Old English name of the Weryers of the Pomary begin to die, one by one. Who would want to eliminate some cider-guzzling but otherwise harmless men? You can bet that Lady Hardcastle and Flo will ensure that Inspector Oliver show more Sunderland of the Bristol Police will solve the village of Littleton Cotterill’s latest crime. What a wonderful read! show less

Lady H and her diminutive sidekick are recruited to assist the police when a member of a secretive local men's group is found murdered. Other deaths follow before they sort it out and eventually delve into the recent history of this group. Much about cider and good fun as the team does its thing.

I love Historical Fiction, and when a mystery is added to the mix, I find it even more enjoyable. This is what has made this series special to me. While this 8th installment isn't the best of the bunch, it is still quite good. Emily and Flo will always keep me coming back for more. Definitely an amusing and light diversion.