Death Beside the Seaside

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the eARC.
In July 1910 Lady Hardcastle and Flo, her 'tiny assistant' are heading to the seaside for a week of donkey rides and promenades on the boardwalk. They're staying at a 'boutique' hotel' where they are served exquisitely by waiters who appear and disappear as out of thin air. Their enjoyment is marred by the disappearance of one of the guests. Murders follow and the poor hotel manager is beside himself. There's nothing for it but for Lady Hardcastle and Flo to do some sleuthing.
I loved the 2 characters, they have a great relationship and made me smile often. The mystery itself was ok, it was the 2 women's interactions that were the highlight for me. All in all a pleasant read for lovers of Golden Age mysteries.

4 stars

Lady Emily Hardcastle and her trusty sidekick Flo are on the trail of some disappearances in this the latest entry into the cozy amatuer detective stories.

When they go on a long awaited vacation to the seaside, they stay in a charming little hotel. Over dinner the first night, they meet a charming, if rather bumbling, scientist named Dr. Goddard. He is attending a conference, but can't give them the details of this top secret meeting.

The next day, he goes missing from his room. A strongbox that was under his bed is also missing. The manager of the hotel is anxious to avoid the police and the press and asks Lady Hardcastle and Flo to investigate.

They begin their search by interviewing the staff and other guests at the hotel. The Lady and Flo come up with a potential suspect and they look good for the crime. But lo and behold, to their dismay, the person is killed! More guests disappear. What is going on? Is it connected to this “secret” conference that Dr. Goddard was supposed to have attended? The Lady appeals to her brother Harry to assist. He works for one of those shadowy intelligence agencies.

Flo narrates these stories in a factual and humorous way. I especially like the way that Lady Emily and Flo tease each other. Their lighthearted ramblings brighten my day. The story is written in Mr. Kinsey's usual style, that it to say well and linear. The gentle manner in which the story is told is easy to follow and relaxing to read. I strongly recommend the Lady Hardcastle and Flo series to anyone who likes cozy mysteries, historical cozies or just fun reading.

I want to thank NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for forwarding to me a copy of this nice little book for me to read, enjoy and review.

Great read, light, humorous, an adventure that just keeps on giving.
I just could not put it down, a real joy to read.
Stories within story with lost of twists, characters are such fun, period in time captured in writing style and the banter just adds a special touch to the story
Loved the book, another great read from TE Kinsey.

Thank you Net Galley. Another enjoyable book in the Hardcastle and Armstrong series. A fun and relaxing read for the commute/ bedtime or the weekend.

I really like this series and jumped at the chance to read the newest installment. The mystery in this book has a bit of a keystone-cops flavor: lots of running up and down staircases, looking for missing suspects, murdered bodies, and a mysterious strongbox; and the story does get bogged down in one or two places. But the ongoing relationship between Hardcastle and Armstrong, their witty, idiosyncratic dialogue, and their deft (and sometime dubious) management of everyone and everything around them remain as delightful and clever as ever. I love their complete refusal to take themselves, or anyone else or any situation too seriously, while at the same time time maintaining an absolutely authentic friendship, and dedication to the cause. The author remains mostly true to the strictly proscribed, but changing roles of women in early 20th century England, but the characters exploit those external proscriptions to their own wickedly successful advantage. They also use those stereotypes to hide the unusual skills and experience they posses that make them so successful at solving mysteries and outwitting criminals—and sometimes, even their own, plodding, proper (male) police and British forces.
I highly recommend this fun series, but do yourself a favor: start at the beginning and read all six (so far) in order to really enjoy the full effect.

Another genuinely fun outing with Flo and Lady Hardcastle - this time surrounded by nefarious spy types at a bijou hotel in a not-quite-Brixton seaside town. This is honestly one of the most enjoyable cozy-ish mystery series out in these streets; the writing is stellar and the characterization honest and insightful. If I had one small quibble it was that I got very, very lost during the "who did what" summary in later chapters but that's likely my fault and not a slur on the clarity of plot. A new reader can jump in and not be overly lost, but why deprive yourself of a good time? Start at the beginning! A strong recommend.

I do love this series of books. This time Lady Hardcastle and Flo are off on their holidays (busman that is). Even though their outrageous romps seem ahead of the time period the books are set in they are wonderfully believable and true escapism. I cannot wait for the next installment.

This is the first book by this author I've read. It was a fun, enjoyable read. I loved the interactions between the characters, the stories they told the other characters and the way they solved the mystery. I look forward to finding the other books by this author.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have read or listened to every story by T.E. Kinsey in the Lady Hardcastle series. They are delightful mysteries. The interaction between Lady Hardcastle and her "tiny servant" are sarcastic, funny and heartwarming. The secondary characters that fill the houses they visit and the villages and town are unique, interesting and believable. Death Beside the Seaside didn't disappoint. I can't wait to read the next one!!

Just finished and was absolutely addicted from the beginning. I love this series and it just keeps on getting better. This is by far the best book yet. I love the level of factual accuracy, alongside a certain amount of poetic license. Learning more about Lady Hardcastle and Flo's past together along a with a cracking mystery to boot, all combined to make this a spiffing romp of a read!

A seaside boutique hotel where virtually every guest is a spy, the waiters are on invisible roller skates and in the employ of the secret service. Add a missing strongbox and it all sounds pretty much like an old fashioned farce. In a way it is but none the less delightful. I confess to being an avid fan of Flo and Lady H and as per all the others this book held me from start to finish. Personally I always get the “feel good factor” having read each book in the series so thanks to Amazon Publishing and Net Galley once again.

A delightful mystery, 'Death Beside the Seaside' is full of suspense and surprises with every turn of the page. This story is intriguing because it has many twists and turns. My two favorite genres are historical novels and cozy mysteries. Lady Hardcastle's and Miss Armstrong's story in 'Death Beside the Seaside' by T E Kinsey is a fun mystery set in the 1930s. It has it all. The characters in this book are colorful and fun. Each guest has a quirky air about him. The description of the period is wonderful, however, I would have liked to hear more. I received the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. In my opinion this book is a winner. I give it 5 stars.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. This was an ok read but did not realise that it was No.6 in the series.

I have not read any of the previous books in this series, but this one stands well enough on its own.

I enjoyed this book a lot. Despite being a murder mystery, it is light hearted and silly. The joking between Lady Hardcastle and Florence is what makes the book. The cast of other characters are all well written.

The whole book is amusing and the perfect kind of silly. I will definitely be reading the previous books in this series.

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great, easy read series and whilst it could be read as a stand alone I'd recommend you the read the rest in order first.

This isn't my favourite book in the series, I prefer trying to solve the mystery rather than have as much action. I also felt that the characters could have been explored a bit more. I think I missed the usual characters in the village and felt something was missing.

I like the end where the author goes through the research and what I'd fact and fiction.

Overall I did enjoy the book and look forward to reading more.

Thank you netgalley for giving me an arc.

England, sly-humor, verbal-humor, spies, punny

Lady Hardcastle and Flo are the most hilarious 'retired' spies ever! Off on 'vacation' near Clevedon, they share the wonderful old hotel with a number of people from other countries who suddenly wind up missing or dead, one after another, along with a messing strongbox. The staff have interesting names, the manager has a penchant for fainting, and the weather is abysmal. Lady Hardcastle's brother is employed by an agency of the government and sends along a bumbling pair of operatives to 'help' with things like body removal. Add it all together and have tons of fun! I loved it and plan to hunt down some of the earlier books!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Amazon Publishing UK via NetGalley. Thank you!

This is one of my favorite series. I love the creative mysteries and unique historical bits. But most of all, I love Florence and Lady Hardcastle. I love them individually but as a pair, they Re wonderful. I always am sad to reach the end. I can only hope for another installment soon!

Four out of five strongboxes to Death Beside the Seaside by T. E. Kinsey.

Oh, this was a delight! After the gloopy tediousness of the last book I read, Death Beside the Seaside was fun, silly, witty and trotted along at an excellent pace.

I actually have read the first book in the Lady Hardcastle series, but it was a couple of years ago, when I was finally realising that I basically hated any new (to me) book that I read. I thought a nice cosy crime might be all right but apparently not – looking back on Goodreads I see that I gave it a lukewarm three stars and a pretty negative review. It’s rather sad that it suffered because I couldn’t take in New Stuff at that point, so I’ll definitely go back and read it again.

In the meantime, this one was a romp from beginning to end. Indeed, there was a point where it bordered dangerously on farce! The plot is entirely unbelievable and even after all is revealed it makes very little sense – it’s one of those things where people have made incredibly complex plans which depend heavily upon other people, who know nothing about it, just happening to make exactly the right decisions so that everything will fall into place. Whatever. It was fun and I didn’t really care about the plot as long as it made enough sense that I could handwave the rest.

The main characters, Lady Hardcastle and her maid, Florence, are delightful. I love how capable and clever they were, and how resourceful. Between the pair of them I should think they could vanquish pretty much any criminal – they certainly drive the one in this book to distraction! I particularly enjoy the parts where Florence beats people up but that may just be because I’m bloodthirsty. Also, she narrates the books and her thoughts on her friend and employer – as well as everything else – are most enjoyable.

One of the oddest things about Death Beside the Seaside was the way it reminded me incredibly strongly of Agatha Christie’s At Bertram’s Hotel. I’ve no idea if it was a deliberate homage or parody, but there were several things, especially in the set-up of the book, that sent sparks of recognition through my brain. This led me to be extremely suspicious of the American young lady, Eleanora – after all, it’s not so far from Elvira! But you’ll have to read the book to see whether my suspicions were justified or not.

There’s not much more to say about Death Beside the Seaside. It’s pretty much what it looks like: a fun, light-hearted prance around a seaside town, with lots of murders and two splendid women to solve them. I'm very glad I requested this from Netgalley, because sometimes that’s all I want!

3.75 stars

Another fun outing with Lady Hardcastle and her associate/maid/chum Flo. With every book we find out more about this interesting pair. I do believe that this one would be confusing without having read earlier entries.

Lady H and Flo decide on a seaside holiday only to find themselves in an odd lodging situation. There seems to be an international group of suspiciously nosy people and rumors of a hidden chest. When Lady H's spy brother warns her to keep out of things, she and Flo are convinced this is a gathering of spies. And then the bodies begin accumulating.

Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in return for my honest review. I recommend this series.

A new mystery featuring Flo and Lady Hardcastle is always a reason to celebrate! T.E. Kinsey writes with a wonderful sense of humor and wordplay and this book adds a touch of madcap farce too, ans, as always, the mystery aspect is also well done. Flo and Lady Hardcastle finally take a well earned vacation at the seaside. Unfortunately, their vacation is interrupted by a missing hotel guest and his strongbox, numerous international spies, and of course a murder. I'm so glad I happened across a Lady Hardcastle mystery in a used book sale a few years ago, this series has filled a figurative hole in my bookshelves (literally speaking my bookshelves are filled to bursting)..

Lady Hardcastle and Flo take a well deserved trip to the seaside. Unfortunately, the guests at the hotel are not what they seem and the hotel manager is unable to cope. It's down to the intrepid duo to solve the mystery. The relationship between Flo and Lady Hardcastle is such fun and makes for such an enjoyable read.

Loved this book. I've read every book so far and this author/series has become one of my absolute favorites. I love the author's clever, sharp writing and his wonderful characters. Exchanges like this one (paraphrased from memory below) are trademark Kinsey and are what make his writing so very enjoyable for me:
Emily: That was excellent advice. I really should heed you more.
Flo: That's what I always tell you. But you never heed me.

I love the uniquely drawn characters, the gentle, absurd dialogue, the mystery (which felt slightly more haphazardly executed in this one), the unique relationship between Emily and Flo... I can't wait until the next installment. Please keep them coming!!!!

My thanks to the publisher for provider an ARC via netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is probably the best Lady Hardcastle book. They are fun to read and Lady Hardcastle is way ahead of her time. For a women in 1910, she and her maid, Flo Armstrong are smart, strong, and clever. In this book they go to the Steep Holm View Hotel, a boutique hotel on the English seashore, in Weston-super-Mare. They find it's a fairly small hotel and when they go to dinner, there are only six tables; four are each occupied by one well dressed man, and one by two women, one middle aged and other quite young. After sitting at the last table, a fifth man comes in and they invite him to join them. He is introduced as Dr. Goddard. He is a scientist working for the government. They meet after the theater and have a drink, and the next morning Dr. Goddard has disappeared.

Since they were to see him the night before, the hotel manager asks Lady Hardcastle and Flo to do a little investigation. The room has been ransacked, but the valuables are not missing, but a large heavy strongbox under the bed was missing. The best prospect was soon found murdered, himself, and then the next - one by gunshot and the other by knife. Lady Hardcastle calls her brother in the "special branch", and he sends his men to get the bodies and tells her not to get involved. Of course, that doesn't stop Lady Hardcastle.

Soon there are two more deaths, and the young woman is missing. Lady Hardcastle and Flo are left to resolve everything on their own.

This is a wonderful addition to the series. Characters are familiar and fun to read about. Eagerly wanting the next adventure!!

Mrs. Hardcastle and Florence vacation quickly turned into a mission that of a missing scientist and a few dead bodies turning up quite fast I would say. This puzzle quite baffles the ladies as soon as they think they have figured out who donnit then they turned up dead. This murder mystery leads them on a merry ride, one that had them grasping at every little clue. A mystery with a lotta twist that confuses and gripped your attention.

Another enjoyable historical mystery by T E Kinsey.

Lady Hardcastle and trusty ladies maid Flo are back, this time on holiday. Of course, a holiday with these two also includes murder!

Anyone else would think that multiple deaths and missing people would make for a bad seaside vacation but not Lady Hardcastle and Flo Armstrong. These two women are an awesome team of totally intrepid and very humorous cozy heroines- in 1910 UK. Wow. I've only read one in this series, and thoroughly enjoyed that one, so this was more or less a standalone for me and I was fine with it. Here, Lady Hardcastle and Flo have gone on vacation to a seaside hotel and then Dr. Goddard, a scientist in town for a mysterious conference, goes missing, as does his strong box of secrets. Then there's a murder (no spoilers) among the suspects and then another one and, well, it's just a lot of bad news. Luckily, Lady Hardcastle reaches out to her brother, who sends some of his colleagues in the Special Services, and all's well that ends well (no thanks to those guys but they are a help). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a romp.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of Death beside the Seaside, the sixth novel to feature Lady Emily Hardcastle and her lady’s maid, Florence Armstrong.

It’s July 1910 and Lady Hardcastle decides it’s time for a summer holiday so she and Flo depart for the Steep Holm View Hotel in Weston-super-Mare, a nice, genteel hostelry or it was until a guest disappears and another one is murdered.

I thoroughly enjoyed Death beside the Seaside which is a highly amusing romp through pre-war England. The plot is absurd with murders, spies and double crosses but it’s a lot of fun and highly entertaining. It held my attention throughout and I finished it in one sitting, unable to put it down. The absurdity is very well done and obviously a lot of thought has gone into it with all its twists and chaotic solutions, meaning there is never a dull moment and the reader can’t help but get caught up in the sheer fun and exuberance of it all.

Much of the fun revolves around the characters of Flo, the narrator and her boss/friend/accomplice Lady Hardcastle. If they’re not spinning tall tales of their previous escapades they’re getting stuck in to their investigation or outwitting the bad guys. Their adventures are spiced up by amusing dialogue between them.

Death beside the Sea is a fun read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

I have enjoyed all the books of this series so far and Death Beside the Seaside is by far the most complex and funny one of the series. Lady HardCastle and her sidekick Flo set about to take a well deserved holiday by the seaside, only to find themselves leading their hands to help solve the disappearance of their fellow hotel guest. In between dealing with secret agents, top level secrets, and multiply murder suspects, Lady HardCastle and Flo still manage to find a little time to enjoy what the charming seaside had to offer. It was an absolutely funny, witty, and wonderful read!

*Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Like all the books in this series this one was just so readable. It was funny with really entertaining dialogue, there was a good story and the author writes so well. As I started Death Beside the Seaside I felt I could relax and just enjoy myself for a few peaceful hours.

Starting with the beautiful cover we can see the amazing Lady Hardcastle and Florence her "tiny servant" on holiday in Weston-Super-Mare, England. Florence would take issue with the depiction of the blue sea since she firmly believed there was none. Apparently Weston has very extreme tides which means that for most of the day there is just a large expanse of mud flats. She does however manage to fulfil her wish to see Punch and Judy and to take a ride on a donkey.

Trouble follows our intrepid pair wherever they go but I think this book exceeds the usual body count even for them. In between kidnappings, murders and other mayhem they enjoy cocktails and high teas and generally have a very English good time.

I had a very good time too just reading about it all. I will definitely be keeping a look out for the next book.

I have a grand time with this historical cozy mystery series set in rural Edwardian England with a clever and quirky Lady Hardcastle and her intrepid maid, Florence Armstrong both former spies now retired. Lots of fun wisecracks, intriguing historical details, engaging characters and settings that make the reader feel amused and engaged each time.

Death Beside the Seaside is the sixth Lady Hardcastle mystery that can be read out of order since each mystery is self contained in each book, though there is a mild series build if that is something which might bug some readers.

The latest adventure takes them from their village of Little Cotterell to the seaside where they hope to promenade along the boardwalk and pier, enjoy ice cream, the musicals at the theater, donkey rides on the beach and excursions about the local seaside town. But, not long after their arrival at the hotel recommended by a neighbor, they spot an intriguing international group of guests shortly before one goes missing as well as his mysterious locked box. Then the poor hotel manager is begging them to find out what goes on in his quiet, respectable establishment when a murder happens.

These are generally light and rompish, a little over the top, and a few good twists for the mystery. Death Beside the Seaside took that to an extreme giving winks to the old-style comedic spy capers and mysteries that invite the reader or movie-watcher to laugh at the antics that go with the excitement.

Lady Emily Hardcastle and Flo ignore her brother's admonishment to stay out of it and do a great job hunting down clues and villains while getting in their holiday. I had a few laughs, but not a lot of surprise over the unfolding events. I think other installments in the series have had a sharper edge to keep my focus more, but I wouldn't say I was disappointed, either. I look forward to their next caper and I would recommend these who like a historical setting with their cozy mystery.

Death Beside The Seaside is the seventh book in the A Lady Hardcastle Mystery series.

I like this series. The main characters, Lady Hardcastle and her sidekick/best friend/maid, Flo, are humorous and interesting and one of my favorite duos. They have been through many harrowing experiences together. They trust each other to have the others back when necessary. For the most part, Flo handles the narration of the story along with most of the humor, but Lady Hardcastle also gets her chance with humor.

Lady Hardcastle and Flo decide that it is time for a much-needed vacation and set off for Weston-super-Mare. Their new motor is loaded and off they go. Once they arrive at their hotel and get settled in their rooms they head downstairs for dinner. They have ordered drinks when a gentleman enters the dining room and Lady Hardcastle offers to share the table the gentleman who identifies himself as Dr. Goddard. He says he is a scientist for the government and is the area for a top-secret meeting. Lady H. and Flo soon learn that there are three other men from different countries also staying at the hotel who are also part of the secret meeting. A couple of days later Dr. Goddard and a strongbox he had in his room have gone missing. The hotel manager says he has heard of Lady H. and Flo to solve mysteries and asks them to find what has happened to Goddard. Before long the other three men are dead and the strongbox still not located. Since Goddard disappearance, Lady H has been in touch with her brother Harry who works for a secret government agency and Harry tells her to stop her sleuthing but knows she won’t. Hopefully, the killer will be found before anyone else loses their life.

Well written story with interesting and believable characters that kept me guessing until the end. The author in his Authors Notes provides some interesting historical information and explains where he has changed some facts to fit his story.

I will be watching for the next book in great series.

Another lovely addiction to this series. It's a fun read, engrossing and entertaining.
I loved the humor, the character development and the style of writing.
The mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
I look forward to reading the next instalment in this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

An absolutely delightful Edwardian thriller. On a vacation in Weston-super-Mare, a retired spy duo, Lady Hardcastle and her maid, Flo, are staying in a hotel where they are almost the only British guests among a group of assorted roguish types. When the other Brit, a scientist, disappears, the pair investigate.

Murders happen another abduction iccurs, and a villian from their past seems to appear, although Hardcastle kiled him. Will the pair solve the mystery? Will they find those who were kidnapped?

Read this delightful and humorous gentle thriller to find out.

Seaside Murder Complete with Spies

Lady Hardcastle has finally, much to Flo’s delight, decided to take a holiday by the sea. Flo is looking forward to strolls on the boardwalk, ice cream, Punch and Judy shows, and donkey rides on the beach. However, when they check into the hotel recommended by their neighbor, they are struck by the strange behavior of the other guests. Each guest is seated at a separate table, and they’re all foreigners.

There is one Englishman who the ladies get to know. Doctor Percival Goddard, a rumpled, absent-minded scientist is looking for a seat at dinner. All the tables are taken, but Lady Hardcastle invites him to join them. They enjoy each other’s company and continue on to drinks after dinner. Goddard is on his way to a conference and has scientific information with him in a trunk.

The next morning the ladies are shocked when Goddard doesn’t appear. This is only the first of several unfortunate occurrences, including murder. It gets Lady Hardcastle and Flo back into the game in spite of Lady Hardcastle’s brother warning her off.

I enjoy this series primarily because of the clever repartee between Lady Hardcastle and Flo. They are characters you can’t help liking, and they attract other interesting characters in their exploits. The scenes from Edwardian England are well done and give the novels a realistic background.

This was not my favorite of the series. I felt the bumbling chasing of spies was a little too campy. The plot is not that hard to figure out, although there is an interesting twist at the end. If you enjoy a romp through the British seaside in 1910, this is a fun read.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

July 1910 and finally Lady Hardcastle has agreed to Florence's pleading for a holiday. So they are off to Weston-super-Mare for a week and staying at the Steep Holm View Hotel. Unfortunately instead of a rest they are asked by the manager Mr Valentine Hillier, knowing their reputation, to investigate the disappearance of a guest. But it gets more complicated when the first body is discovered.
Enjoyable diaglogue between the main characters makes for another delightful cozy mystery in this series.

It's July of 1910, and Lady Hardcastle has finally given in to her "tiny servant" Flo Armstrong's request for a seaside holiday. Their destination is not far from home, the village of Weston-Super-Mare on the Bristol Channel. A last-minute recommendation from their friend, Lady Gertie, takes them to a relatively new small hotel with a reputation for being elegant and refined. Upon their arrival, they find a somewhat odd assortment of guests. Except for an American spinster and her niece, the guests are all single males; British, Austrian, French, Japanese, and Russian. The ladies befriend the British Dr. Goddard, who is vague about what he actually does, other than science. When he goes missing, with signs of a struggle, the hotel manager asks Lady Hardcastle to help. A heavy strongbox belonging to Dr. Goddard is also missing. The owners are panicked about bad publicity and aware of Lady Hardcastle's reputation for solving mysteries. Then the guests are murdered one by one. Lady Hardcastle sees national security issues in this baffling series of events and contacts her brother, Harry, a highly-placed British Government official. Harry orders her not to get involved, but there is no hope of her obeying.

The Lady Hardcastle Mysteries are a favorite, and I think Death Beside the Seaside may be the best one yet. The humorous banter between Lady Hardcastle and Flo shows that these women have an unbreakable bond and respect, forged in extreme adversity. The details of their adventures together as spies continue to be revealed in each new book. The supporting characters, a somewhat hysterical hotel manager, the waiters, and staff are all vivid and often humorous. Harry's government men are either arrogant and incompetent or stupid and incompetent. They have no idea that they are dealing with two consummate professionals with skills beyond their own. As Europe moves toward war, I wonder if these professionals will be able to stay retired.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an advance copy of Death Beside the Seaside. I highly recommend this series for its humor, complex puzzles, and historical detail.
The opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this book! I have been following this series for quite a while now and I have enjoyed all the books so far. If I had to choose one, I would say Death Beside the Seaside is the best in this series.
Brilliantly concocted mystery, likeable characters and well-maintained suspense, this book is absolutely worth a read or two or more!
The mystery of the missing strongbox kept me on the edge of the seat - well, when it is connected to 'matter of national security', one is curious enough to know 'what happens next?' Spies, missing scientist and secret documents, a vacation-no-more and tiddly-om pom-pom, this was an entertaining and totally engrossing read.

Once again author TE Kinsey has held me enthralled from beginning to end in Death Beside the Seaside; 6th in the Lady Hardcastle Mysteries. Lady Emily Hardcastle and her “tiny servant” Flo embarked on a week’s holiday at a seaside hotel in a small village called Weston-Super-Mare in England. It wasn’t long before Lady Hardcastle and Flo were in the thick of things once again with missing people, murdered others and few clues. As their investigation continued, against the express wishes of Lady Hardcastle’s Secret Service brother, a sudden blast from the past shocked the two sleuths who were determined to solve the case.

I loved this one – though I’ve loved them all – but the humour and dry wit from both Lady Hardcastle and Flo had me laughing out loud on occasion. A fabulous read, this is historical mystery; cosy style; at its best. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

What a splendid read!! This is the 6th book in the Lady Hardcastle series but my first and, after reading this terrific mystery, I intend to track down the previous books in the series, and soon.

Lady Hardcastle and her maid and friend, Flo, are on vacation at a seaside hotel when the other guests start dying off.

Humor and a clever mystery follow.

Highly recommended!!

This is the sixth book in the Lady Hardcastle series featuring Lady Emily Hardcastle and her maid/associate, Flo. The book is a lighthearted look at the world of spycraft and adventure with two unlikely heroines; Lady Hardcastle who is a 40 something year old aristocrat and Flo, her right hand woman, a tiny woman, raised in a circus, who is adept at all manner of martial arts. They often allude to their past daring dos, when they were both working for Her Majesty’s government as spies although now they are attempting to retire and live quiet lives in the country.
The book, and series, is written with great humor, and is a tongue in cheek type of view of the world according to Lady Hardcastle and Flo. Both women are delightfully eccentric, with Lady Hardcastle being gifted at endeavors such as pioneering moving pictures and an in-depth study of botany while Flo keeps herself busy performing many of the tasks normally done by a ladies maid unless called upon to employ her more combative skills. Their relationship to each other is one of two friends who know each other so well, they can read each other’s minds. Their conversations are entertaining for both the content and the humor with which they are written. Lady Hardcastle spends most of her time pretending to be a ditzy, slightly off-balance lady who takes nothing seriously while Flo pretends to be a servant when they are in public and clearly is a friend and equal to Lady Hardcastle when they aren’t in the presence of others.
In this novel, Flo, who technically works for Lady Hardcastle, has finally badgered her into a vacation to the seashore. They set off to have what they believe is to be a calm, relaxing time at the shore, going on donkey rides, watching Punch and Judy shows, eating fish and chips and in general being tourists. The trip doesn’t turn out to be anything like they expected, which leads to hilarious entertainment in the form of a new adventure for the two women.
The hotel they reserve features five other guests, all from different countries, one of whom identifies himself as an employee of England doing some type of secret work. Lady Hardcastle quickly identifies the other “guests” as being foreign agents and proceeds to engage their attention and learn what exactly is taking place. Almost immediately after meeting the English scientist, he disappears, along with a strongbox he had secreted under his bed. As Lady Hardcastle engages first one then another of the guests she learns each of them believe the contents of the now missing strongbox contains information their respective governments might want. The questions are, is the scientist dead or missing? what’s in the strongbox? and where is it now?
Before Lady Hardcastle and Flo can begin much of an investigation, another guest is murdered, forcing Lady Hardcastle to contact her brother who works for the government and ask for his help in dealing with the murder. Of course he helps, encourages her to not get involved, she ignores his demands, and on the book goes to the next adventure.
If you like lighthearted intrigue books with agents which are just on the other side of believable, then this may be the book for you. Lady Hardcastle are delightful in their banter between each other as well as other characters in the book. The adventure itself is well plotted and fun, even though the reader is required to suspend disbelief a little in order to fully enjoy it. While it is a series, it isn’t necessary to read the books in order as each adventure is a complete story within itself. There are some recurring background characters, and the reader's enjoyment may be enhanced somewhat by reading the books in order. If you can’t find one, though, don’t let that stop you from sampling this highly entertaining series.
My thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced digital read copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

What a blunder? A bucolic seaside holiday turning into… A murder or two… or four.
Deaths Beside the Seaside is amazingly funny, witty and airy for a murder myster. To call it 'cozy mystery' wouldn't do it justice. It is a bit of historical novel and paints a picture of British seaside towns at the beginning of 20th century, with their toffee apples, donkey rides and opera on the pier. It is a bit of gender and class relations picture as well with glimpses of upstairs downstair, skirt and pants kind of thing.
Overall, Death by the Seaside is a wonderfully restful read where murders do not take away from witty exchanges between Lady Hardcastle and her companion Florence Armstrong.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Net Galley for the ARC of this book.

I give this book 4,5 stars, but 1/2 star is not available on the rating scale.

This is the first book I have read in this series, and I had two slight issues with it.

1. It would have been helpful to have more background information on the main characters; however, I could probably get that from reading the previous books in the series. In fact, this is the sixth book in the series! The characters were still well-developed, even though I didn't know much about their history.

2. When I first started reading, I thought the character speaking to Lady Hardcastle was her husband and that she was quite bossy. Again, had I read earlier books, I would have known that the other main character was Flo, Lady Hardcastle's long-time sidekick and assistant. Once that distinction was made clear to me, the rest of the book was great!

I loved that these two women had served as spies and had special sets of skills. In the world of 1910, women were not viewed as being able to handle espionage. This actually made them better able to come and go with ease, which they did!

Lady Hardcastle and Flo were on a seaside break, staying at a lovely hotel that a friend had recommended. They found it interesting that the other guests appeared to be from a variety of countries, all men traveling alone with the exception of one woman and her niece.

When Dr. Goddard, a scientist who joined Lady Hardcastle and Flo for drinks after an evening's entertainment, disappeared, the two began to wonder if his disappearance had anything to do with the top-secret work he said he was doing for the government.

As other guests meet untimely ends, the two women contact Lady Hardcastle's brother Harry, who also works for the government. Harry tells them to stay out of whatever is going on. Naturally, they ladies do just the opposite.

I enjoyed the plot and especially the banter between Lady Hardcastle and Flo. I will be going back to read the books I have missed. T.E. Kinsey does a great job writing cozies!

I have read one of the Lady Hardcastle mysteries by T.E. Kinsey before. I wasn’t completely sold on it. I downloaded Death Beside the Seaside because I wanted to give these characters and author another go. I could not put Death Beside the Seaside down. I had to read it right through. I love the era in which this series is written and more so I love the relationship Lady Hardcastle and her maid and friend Florence Armstrong have. The dialogue between the two in this book is spot on.

The series is a new one for me and one which is mix of Agatha Christie as well as one of the Classic Crime series.

Lady Hardcastle and her companion Flo have been partners in crime and have supported each other through thick and thin. They have endured hardships together, solved crimes, escaped from prisons but this time all they seek is a peaceful seaside holiday of their own choosing (which is what they thought) complete with donkey rides, Punch & Judy shows and all the attractions of a British seaside holiday.

They did not think they will end up in a hotel where guest by guest gets murdered (or abducted) one by one - at the end it is both of them and the two American ladies (also involved). Told in a matter of fact manner, the detection of the victims as well as the suspects continue in a very understated tone complete with high teas, entertainment and dinners as scheduled.

I loved the tongue in cheek humour, very reminiscent of a British comedy. Not a style of reading found often nowadays.

Death Beside the Seaside from T E Kinsey is one of his best. I get the sense of the writing flowing easily and of Kinsey really enjoying himself as he wrote this book. Possibly as much as I enjoyed reading it.

There is much humour, as always. One recurring trope is that of paired names. For example, the waiters in the hotel are Ribble and Kibble; two Special Branch men have pseudonyms of Perch and Tench, which Emily, Lady Hardcastle, deliberately changes to Stickleback and Minnow, later Dace and Chub. Two chambermaids are May and June. There are many other examples.

I do enjoy it when Florence Armstrong, Lady Hardcastle’s lady’s maid, has to use her strong right arm to quell troublemakers. I always see it as bullies getting their rightful come-uppance. This book satisfied my disgraceful thirst for violence.

Without offering spoilers, I think I can say that Lady H and Flo decide to take a holiday in a small select hotel in Weston-Super-Mare. The fellow guests are all mysterious characters and one of them, Dr Goddard, disappears, along with a strong-box that may contain amazing secret documents. Lady H and Flo are asked by the hotel management to investigate the mystery whilst Emily’s brother, Harry, tells them to stay well out of it. Surely, he must know that instructing two grown women to just do as he tells them could lead to them doing the opposite? More murders occur – this is a book with a high body count!

I am very impressed with Kinsey’s notes at the end of his books, giving us an idea of his sources and the historic research he carries out for these books, ranging from the tide times at Weston in July 1910 to the founding of what became MI6.

#DeathBesideTheSeaside #NetGalley

Book six in the Lady Hardcastle mysteries. Seaside fun turns deadly when fellow guests begin to vanish and gruesome finds uncovered. It's up to Lady Hardcastle and sidekick Flo to uncover the mystery. As ever, this is a fun yarn and thoroughly entertaining reading.

So nice to be among old friends! However, Littleton Cotterell will not be our setting this time. Instead, in “Death Beside the Seaside,” Lady Hardcastle and Florence Armstrong’s sixth adventure, we’re heading to Weston-super-Mare for a little seaside time away, in “Phyllis”, their wonderful motorcar.

As always, the book’s perspective is from Flo - Florence - Armstrong’s viewpoint. Lady Hardcastle’s erstwhile companion. Lady and Lady’s maid -- but they’re much more to each other than that -- in fact, we get an explanation later in the book, a lovely explanation from Flo.

Soon, it’s time for a meal. A Dr Goddard shares a table. And tells them he is working for the government. And there are a bunch of foreign gentlemen also eating dinner at the hotel. Can we see where this is going? Then, Dr G goes missing. And since their hotel is ever so private and discreet, the hotel management wishes to avoid publicity -- bad business, doncha know. So, could our daring duo see their way clear to undertake a bit of private investigation? Of course, they could.

T.E. Kinsey knows his characters, and knows what his readers like and expect, especially after six books. The main attraction of the Hardcastle/Armstrong books for me is the interaction between the two main characters. The banter between these two is what makes these books a joy to read.

Russian spies, Japanese spies, missing English scientists and their strongboxes, and brothers from the Foreign Office. And throw in an American and her niece. And trouble from the past. You might need a score card to keep track of it all. Especially after brother Harry explains the huggery muggery of it, as Lady H might say. It all adds up to more merry mayhem for Flo and Lady H, of course. But there are storm clouds brewing on the horizon – World War I is coming, alas -- and the Great Powers are putting out feelers and trying to figure out who’s jockeying for power above and beyond. Read <i>Death Beside the Seaside</i> and see how T.E. Kinsey thinks that they might have picked a quiet, oceanfront hotel in an English holiday town to go about it.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a copy of this book, in exchange for this review.

Flo and Lady Hardcastle are on the road again. This time they are heading to the seaside to enjoy time away from the country. But the country isn't all it's cracked up to be. Though they found a quaint little hotel by the seashore, they seem to be the only English people staying there. Except for Dr. Goddard. He's a scientist with loose lips since he seems to be telling all and sundry that he is working on a top secret project and he has brought it with him.
Well, not surprisingly, Dr. Goddard disappears somewhat abruptly and so does his strongbox. But then dead bodies start cropping up and Flo and Lady Hardcastle are dragged back into the world of spy vs. spy.
This book probably could have been cut by 100 pages and still had the same story. There was so much exposition it got rather boring. There were touches of humor here and there (Mr. Righty and Mr. Lefty) but I wish the pacing had been more along the lines of previous books.

Three stars
This book came out October 22nd
Follows The Burning Issue of the Day
ARC kindly provided by Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Lady Emily and her companion Flo are off on another adventure.This time they are off to the seaside hoping to enjoy all that it has to offer but things never go as our ladies hope.They uncover an unexpected murder.
I love the humor and wit in their banter.
Thankyou Netgalley for this ARC

This newest book in the series might just be one of the best. Great dialogue, interesting characters and a good mystery as well. Can't wait for the next book.

This is one of the best series to cozy up with and enjoy and this latest book of their adventures is just as witty, charming, compelling, and cleverly plotted. I love these characters, the surprises in the story were genuine and fun, and the way the mystery comes together was a lot of fun. I’m eager to read the next Lady Hardcastle book!

Typical me, to choose a book that is number 6 in the series!

I have read a book in this Lady Hardcastle series and really enjoyed it, so I thought that i would be able to catch up.

I love how these books read and I am determined to actually get myself book one and start from the beginning, as i think they are worth time spent on them.

I really enjoy the writing, the charecters and plot, the author is very clever at weaving thier craft and making you invest in the story and all that is within the pages.

This is for sure a great little story and I for one totally recomend this, especially if you like a cozy mystery!

A web of rather too much intrigue, I can not say I disliked this book because it was an enjoyable read, however I did find it a little far fetched. Then again who says all stories must be believable. Give this one a go

A great mystery series with interesting characters and an engaging lead i recommend for anyone who likes a good cozy mystery

I love this series! This installment was so very good. Lady Hardcastle and Flo are at it again, and this time they have murders and kidnappings to solve. I loved the humor in this book and found myself laughing out loud at times.
Many thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

First, I want to thank Net Galley and Thomas and Mercer Publishing for providing me an ARC of this book.

I love a good cozy mystery series, and this series always delivers. In this book, Emily and Flo decide to go on a vacation to the seaside, and, as usual, they end up embroiled in a mystery. It seems that wherever they go, death follows. However, our heroines are always up for the challenge.

The only issue I had with this book is that it was a little too long. Honestly, cutting 50 pages about two-thirds of the way through would have kept the suspense going and not let the story drag, which it did a bit, unfortunately.

Still, I love these books, and happily give it 4.5 stars!

I've listened to a few in this series, which can be read or listened to out of order, and they are charming and great on audio. I've found them to be comforting and easy to listen to with excellent characters and narration. This one had a fun setting too and the mystery was definitely interesting. Highly recommend them on KU!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lady Hardcastle and her lady's maid/sidekick Flo are taking a long overdue vacation at a luxurious seaside hotel in a small English village called Weston-Super-Mare. Unfortunately, their relaxing holiday turns into a nightmare when four hotel guests are murdered, two are kidnapped, and a mysterious strongbox goes missing. Something sinister is going on at the hotel and Lady Hardcastle and Flo are determined to get to the bottom of it.

Death Besides the Seaside is a fantastic addition to the Lady Hardcastle Mysteries. It is a humorous, entertaining historical cozy mystery, with great characters, excellent writing, and a complex mystery. Lady Hardcastle and Flo had me laughing out loud several times throughout the book, and I cannot wait to solve more mysteries with them. If you're looking for a lighthearted, historical cozy, then I highly recommend this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an easy to read, cosy Murder mystery. It follows Florence and Lady Hardcastle on their holiday, where they stumble across a mystery...it was amusing and quirky!

A delightful read!
Lady Hardcastle and Flo are such eccentric and colorful characters, I absolutely loved their dialogue.
The mystery was alright, not impressive, but the overall package and the time period made me really like the story.

I thank Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an ARC to read and review.