I would like to thank Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy of A Fire at the Exhibition, the tenth novel to feature Lady Emily Hardcastle and her lady’s maid, Florence Armstrong, set in the fictional Gloucestershire village of Littleton Cotterell in 1912.

The art exhibition in honour of the newly refurbished village hall has just opened when there is a shout of “fire” and a lot of smoke. In the ensuing rush to get out a valuable book and a painting and bust lent by Sir Hector Farley-Stroud are stolen. When the Farley-Strouds reveal that they are broke and that the missing painting could save their home Lady Hardcastle and Flo are keen to help. The next week the inaugural Woodbury and Littleton Cotterell Cycling Club’s Annual Race and Convivial Ride is marred by the murder of one of the participants. The ladies find their attention split between theft and murder.

I thoroughly enjoyed A Fire at the Exhibition, which is a fun read with a good mystery attached. It is told from Flo’s first person point of view, so that creates intimacy while the fun comes from her slightly cynical take on life and ongoing banter with Lady Hardcastle. They both embrace a take no prisoners attitude in this verbal jousting so it’s tough but funny and obviously stems from deep affection.

The plot is equally fun, but still has enough of a mystery to keep the reader occupied and turning the pages. They have several suspects, the unpleasant insurance investigator, whom Lady Hardcastle knows from her youth, the former circus performer who is acting suspiciously and whom Flo knows from her youth and the amateurish treasure hunters, whom neither of them know. They investigate in their own inimitable style, basically no idea until Lady Hardcastle has a brain wave, and it all comes together in a dangerous showdown, this time underground to ratchet up the tension or simply the fun. I can’t get into the detail without issuing spoilers, but the plot comes together nicely in a well thought out way.

A Fire at the Exhibition is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Is there a better dynamic duo than Lady Hardcastle and Flo?

I simply love these cozy books. The mystery is always compelling and it's always hard to guess the conclusion. I love the relationship between the two ladies and the ensemble cast are always a great time. These books are laugh out loud and so fun. Please never stop writing these wonderful adventures!!!


Thanks to #Netgalley for the ARC!

This story was so much fun! It might even be my favorite of the series to date. It's set entirely in the village and focuses mainly on the Farley-Strouds, both of which please me to no end! The mysteries are not as complex or interesting as some of the previous investigations. I figured out one pretty quickly and most of another but not the murder. That was a surprise. That's OK because I love immersing myself in quaint English villages populated by quirky characters, which this series has aplenty!

As always, Emily and Flo are delightful! They needle each other on purpose and put up with one another's eccentricities. They can communicate without speaking and know they always have each others' backs. I love their relationship! While I sort of missed their siblings, they have Daisy and a new friend to banter with. Daisy has been crowned May Queen and she makes her friend Flo call her "Your Majesty." It's all in good fun though because they're such good friends. Daisy doesn't let it go to her head. She's still working hard for her parents and Old Joe. In fact, she even helps with the investigation. Daisy is more observant than she realizes and figures out a clue that even Flo didn't get! I enjoy Daisy and her parents are a riot. Her mother is awful but her dad pretends to be deaf in order to ignore his wife's constant complaining. They're too funny! I simply adore the Farley-Strouds, always have, especially dear Hector. His affectionate nicknames for his wife cracked me up! As a pastry aficionado, he wormed his way into my heart with that one! Lady F-S is a little more stuffy and proper but I think she loves her husband. They're too funny when they talk about Clarissa, who in the past has been rather feather-brained. It would break their hearts to lose The Grange and mine too. I hope they find the paintings or the treasure to pay their bills and save their home! The war is coming though and I can't see them saving The Grange past that when so many other homes were lost but this is a light, fantasyish sort of world so anything can happen!

Basil Westbury, a Shakespeare obsessed businessman, has commissioned a bejeweled one-of-a-kind book worth 1 million GBP (1912 money)! I recognized the inspiration behind it of course, Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám. Unlike the real book, this one is merely stolen and not on board a doomed ship (which has already sunk and surprisingly no one comments on it!). This Shakespeare book is one for the ages and everyone comes to gawk at it. When it goes missing though, no one seems terribly upset. It's not like you can sell it on the open market but there is the black market and one could remove the gemstones and sell those separately. I can see it being a target of thieves. However, Basil Westbury had it insured and the insurance company sent along two security guards, if you can call them that. Basil is the only one who seems concerned about the book. He keeps lurking around the hall hoping his book will miraculously turn up.

Sergeant Dobson is trying his hardest to do the best he can to locate the missing items but he's not too quick. He needs help from the more clever lady sleuths and their inspector friend. He doesn't trust the local police and calls in the Bristol CID and Inspector Sunderland for help. That's very wise of him and noble of him to admit he can't do this on his own. He's a heck of a lot smarter than the two security guards hired to guard the Westbury Shakespeare! Dan Porter is talkative but not too bright. He's hired to stand guard and as long as he gets paid, he doesn't care if he's guarding anything! Um Ok... His colleague, Larry Templeman, doesn't talk at all! Fat lot of good these two did guarding the priceless book. Unless they're smarter than they look? Maybe someone paid them to look the other way while the book was stolen? Maybe that someone was Basil Westbury himself, for the insurance money? He's loaded though so that doesn't make a lot of sense but if it were anyone else, I'd guess insurance fraud.

That's a job for Cordelia Harrill, an insurance investigator sent to discover the whereabouts of the Westbury Shakespeare. A more unpleasant woman you could not hope to meet. She's a catty mean girl type and doesn't understand that Emily has the upper hand now and is insulting her with sly humor. Cordelia doesn't have a sense of humor, fun, playfulness, or anything. She's narrowly focused on finding the book but she can't get anywhere because she's rude to the villagers. Once she insults Daisy, game over! Emily and Flo know this, of course, but Cordelia won't take their advice so I think her investigation is doomed until Emily and Flo figure it out.

The Littleton Cottrell Cycling Club has organized a big event for all the bicycle riders in the area. Emily and Flo are now novices riders but eager to ride along for fun. Mr. Parslow, Mr. Blackmore, Mr. Screen and Mr. Nurse are the sexist men who run the club. They're pleasant enough but have a slight condescending air. Miss Irene Vibert may or may not have feelings for Blackmore who flirts with Lady Hardcastle. Emily is oblivious but Flo and Irene pick up on the vibes and Flo picks up on Irene's annoyance at her friend's flirting. This moment becomes important after Blackmore turns up dead. Blackmore does not seem like he was a wonderful person. Not only did he flirt, he worshipped money but was the only one unimpressed by Westbury's book. He worked for Westbury's company. Is there a connection? Maybe he stole the book for personal gain or he stole it for money and was double crossed and killed? Or maybe Irene killed him for flirting with another woman?

Angelina Goodacre, new tenant of the Dower House, seems like a fun, modern lady. A former circus trick cyclist, she has moved to the village in her retirement. She seems very modern, like Lady Hardcastle and I think the three women are on the verge of friendship. That would be interesting for the pair to have other friends in the neighborhood. However, Angelina becomes a prime suspect when Daisy notices something unusual happening at the Dower House at night. What is going on? What Flo discovers doesn't look good for her new friend but maybe there's a good explanation? Or is Angelina Goodacre a murderer and thief?

Zeke and Zibbie Freer are treasure hunters come in search of a Peninsular War hero's treasure hidden on the property now belonging to Sir Hector Farley-Stroud. These two are weird. They must be twins with their secret language and unspoken dialogue. They seem a little shady but they also appear to check out. Are they really treasure hunters or is it something else they want? Did they steal the book and hide it on Sir Hector's land? They didn't seem to appear until after that but there were so many people at the exhibition, how to know who was there? The treasure hunt is a lot of fun but I think they're going to be dismayed because there's no treasure. They don't seem legit to me though so maybe not. Never fear, leave it to Emily and Flo to keep track of the siblings and find out what's going on.

The chief suspect for the exhibition thefts is Mickey Yawn, a local ne'er do well youth who has a bad reputation. However, his reputation may be unearned because people say he's more often NOT caught doing what he was accused of. Mickey is a piece of work though and his girlfriend, Olive Churches, sure has a mouth on her. She comes from a crime family and claims her dad knows who did the job. Is she bragging, telling the truth or totally misleading the sleuths? I wouldn't trust her. Both of the youths seem like braggarts who like to shoot their mouths off. Are they innocent this time of anything other than canoodling while he's supposed to be working?

I want to stay in the pages of this book for longer but I must move on. It sounds like Lady H and Miss Armstrong are going back to government spying. The war is coming and they will be needed. I vastly prefer visiting with them at home, in the country.

The author has done it again. A wonderful investigation by the two intrepid ladies, as murder takes place rather close to home. Mix in some cycling, art theft and suspicious treasure hunters and you have a brilliant and exciting story which is perfect to read whilst having tea and cake!

A well told, witty and fun - but - serious tale or murder and theft. This is the First Lady Hardcastle story I've read and it worked well as a stand alone, and makes me want to read more of them.

Loved it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

Another fun and witty read in the series.

I love a good mystery but when it has wonderful characters and a laugh, its even better!

Lady Hardcastle and Flo are once again drawn into another mystery and murder this time which includes fire, theft, murder and treasure.

I can't wait for the next installment! Thank you T E Kinsey for another uplifting, laugh along intriguing book!

T.E. Kinsey was the author that started by obsession with and now I love all things mystery! When I saw she had another book coming out, I HAD to read it and review it. This duo will always find themselves in trouble and rely on their quick wit, charm, and a CRIME BOARD to save the day.

I can't say enough good things about this story and this series. I have had the privilege of reading them all and enjoy going back and revisiting the stories. There is so much more than a cozy mystery here!

This time we are back in the village, in Littleton Cotterell, revisiting all the key characters. This time we have an Art Exhibition and a Bicycle Race to enjoy. Along with the possibility of the Farley- Strouds losing their home. Plenty to keep you reading. So many threads to follow, a lovely dose of red herrings and a very satisfying end, Well done indeed T E!!

There were times I just couldn't stop laughing, "I explained to the flowers that it was the risk they took when they accepted free board and lodging in our garden, ..." (Flo) ... I thought only I was this sort of weird. I could go on.

The relationship between Lady Hardcastle and her lady's maid, Flo, is reason enough to pick up any of these books as is the dialogue of Emily, whenever someone is intentionally rude or hurtful. Lessons to be learnt here.

I cant recommend this one enough, Its five out of five on the enjoyment scale for me

With thanks to Amazon Publishing UK, #Netgalley and the author for my advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

Book 10 in the Lady Hardcastle Mysteries series. In this one we have not one, not two, but three mysteries to solve! First, there is an art exhibition in the village during which someone screams “Fire!” and in the chaos that follows a very expensive book is stolen along with a painting and a bust that belong to sir Hector Farley-Stroud. Second, a week after that there is a bicycle race where someone ends up murdered. And lastly, a pair of treasure hunters show up in the village claiming that there is a hidden treasure somewhere in the Grange. To top it all off, the Farley-Strouds are about to go bankrupt so it is very vital for that painting to be found or at least the treasure. And of course our favourite characters investigate it all!
This was a lot of fun but still not my favourite book in the series. For the majority of the book Emily and Flo haven’t a clue what to do with all these mysteries and how to go about solving them. And only in the last 50 pages the plot gets going with nonstop action and we get the answers to all plot lines. I guessed pretty much all of it, which in a cosy mystery novel is not a problem really, I am mostly in it for the vibe and the characters. But yes, I wish there was more investigating throughout the book and not just the last 50 pages. Still a great instalment in one of my favourite series and as always, I look forward to future books.
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lady Hardcastle and Flo from A Fire at the Exhibition by TE Kinsey were a hoot!  A quaint little English village, that made me feel like I was watching a PBS/Masterpiece series the likes of Sanditon or Downton Abbey; a smart sassy Lady with her ladies maid (more companion) that made me feel like I was watching Gentleman Jack (minus the love story between the women), and a mystery that reminded me of an episode of Murder She Wrote.  What else could a cozy mystery fan ask for?  Despite the fact that I gravitate towards cozy’s that are paranormal, this was a lovely little story, with a number of excellent new words for even a serious reader (my vocabulary is pretty good when reading even if I am a speaker of simple words) and a number of British phrases that I must find a way to incorporate into my everyday vernacular!  

I picked this up (thanks NetGalley) after having just been disappointed with another cozy, realized this was well into a series, and yet had no trouble picking up the characters or setting.  And for what was a complex story, with multiple mysteries (and yet not too many even though 3 at once might seem like it borders on the excessive, it works here), it was enjoyable and fun to read.  There were great characters, with fascinating histories (which I hope to learn more about by reading some of the earlier installments that I missed), amusing dialogue, witty banter, some fascinating historical facts (I actually googled historical bicycle makers and fell down a rabbit hole reading about old British bikes), and like all cozy mysteries a bit of suspense and pure dumb luck in solving the crime.  While I guessed the “who dun it” correctly, it was fun to read the reveal and watch the characters lay it all out for the reader.   

After clearing out the NetGalley shelf I fully intend to reacquaint myself with Lady Hardcastle and Flo - hopefully to partake in some of the adventures they reminisced about in this installment!  I have yet to develop any sort of rating system for cozy’s but this would rank top scores on such a scale, if I had one!  (Only critique - needs a little more cleverness injected into the title.)

Another fun ride with Lady Hardcastle and Florence in which the focus is upon the retrieval of stolen goods instead of murder (while somebody does get it fairly early on). I was a little bummed at the identity of the victim as I think the character could have been a fun cat among the pigeons of Littleton Cotterell and the death doesn't really advance our main plot that much, but these are small quibbles in what is a very fun read. We are also introduced to perhaps the only person in England that doesn't like Lady Hardcastle and she's an absolute a**hole so that's all right. The clouds of WWI are gathering at the horizon and I can't wait for Flo and Emily to their spycraft to use in subsequent volumes. A recommend for sure.

I was completely delighted to get an advance copy of this book, the tenth in the Lady Hardcastle series of cosy crime / mysteries. I've been reading this series since the first book and it has never failed to raise a laugh, always improving my day and my mood. The characters are excellent as always, with the standout relationship between Emily and Flo as deliciously naughty as ever. The plot of this mystery was great - plenty of diversions, red herrings and clues scattered about so that you're kept guessing until (close to) the end, while always feeling that the author is playing fair with the reader.

There's not many authors (and even fewer series) for whom I'll dump whatever else I'm reading when their latest novel comes out, but I've consistently prioritised reading Kinsey's work whenever I can get my grubby paws on the latest book.

Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys light-hearted mysteries with great characterisation!

A Fire at the Exhibition goes into my top favorites of the Lady Hardcastle series along with Death Beside the Seaside and A Fatal Flying Affair. There were three intriguing mysteries going on in this story, a fire to facilitate a theft, a murder and a treasure hunt. The treasure hunt had some Indiana Jones vibes and I found it so fun to follow along with Lady Hardcastle and Flo as they bring all the clues together. Florence Armstrong is just one of my favorite POV's to be in.

The only thing I will say that is a little less glowing than the rest of the review is that there are beginning to be some continuity errors in the books as they get farther along. In a long series I guess it's expected that there will be some things mixed up but I did find myself being pulled out of the immersion a couple of times. It didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book and I will absolutely continue the series if TE Kinsey keeps writing.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I do adore these books. The humour and intelligence shine through, the characters are all lovely, and I wish I could time travel back to 1911 and the fictional village of Littleton Cotterell. Kinsey never disappoints with this series.

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

'A Fire at the Exhibition' by T E Kinsey.
This is the 3rd book in this series that I have read and I think this one was probably my favourite.
Lady Hardcastle and her maid Florence attend the village art exhibition where some precious art works have been stolen including some belonging to their very dear friends. Throw in a village cycle race, a murder, an insurance investigation and talks of hidden treasure, the duo have really got their hands full.
If you love cosy crime and adventure then I would definitely give these books a go.
Thankyou to NetGallery UK, the author and the publishers for letting me read the book in exchange for an honest review.

This is Book 10 in the series and my love of Flo and Lady Hardcastle is still as strong as the first book in the series!

I love the storytelling and characters and really recommend the series.

I found the plot line quite obvious and there weren't as many red herrings as I would have liked. The plot seemed a little less murder mystery and had more side quests.
However overall. Still really enjoyed it.

Thanks for the arc.

I absolutely adore Emily, Flo and their hilarious friends in the village of Littleton Cotterill. In the latest adventure the ladies go sleuthing to discover the theft of a rare book, also a painting and bust belonging to the Fairley-Strouds' who have contributed these items to the villages inaugural art exhibition. That is the start of it and as usual there is much more to this theft than meets the eye. This is a series which never fails to please, the narrative is a delight and the characters become people we feel we have known forever. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a great deal of humour this is the series for you.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advance copy of A Fire at the Exhibition. By the way, the audiobook ofthe series is excellent. I have both versions of each book, because Elizabeth Knowelden does a fantastic job narrating.

It is May, 1912 and the village of Littleton Cotterel as holding an art exhibit to celebrate the restoration of the village hall. Lady Hardcastle and her lady's maid Florence Armstrong were in attendance on opening day when someone yelled fire and the packed hall was quickly evacuated. Upon returning, it was to find that a prized book from Mr. Westbury was missing along with a painting and bust that belonged to friends of Lady Hardcastle. Sir Hector and Lady Farley-Stroud asked if Lady Hardcastle and Flo could find these items. As they began to investigate ,they were side tracked with a bicycle race, two siblings who were hunting for lost treasure and a murder.
This enjoyable British cozy mystery series has quirky characters, witty dialogue and a nicely tied up solution at the end.
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this e-galley of "A Fire at the Exhibition".

I love the Lady Hardcastle and Flo books, They are good old fashioned harmless fun and we really need this these days,
Once again the usual characters are there and this time they are investigating a murder and a theft from the village hall. The way they go about solving the crimes is so ingenious and has all the elements of a golden age of crime book. Far to many crime books relay on science to detect the murderers today and we seem to miss the old ways with proper detective skills using the clues available and no convoluted hidden methods. Yes i agree that the culprits were more obvious in this book more so that before, but that does not detract from the story itself or how Lady Hardcastle and Flo put together the clues.
This series is an absolute must read and are so addictive that you will be desperate for the next in the series.

A Fire at the Exhibition is a delightful addition to the Lady Hardcastle series. This series is always such a joy to read. The characters are fabulous, and the humor always makes me laugh out loud. The mystery is intriguing as always, but it's the characters and their relationships that really set this series apart and keep me coming back for more. Highly recommended! Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC!