A Fire at the Exhibition

A Lady Hardcastle Mystery, Book 10

By: T E Kinsey

Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden

May 1912. After the previous year’s deadly heatwave, it’s been an uneventful spring in Littleton Cotterell. Though for Lady Hardcastle and her fiercely loyal lady’s maid Flo, at least there are the provincial delights of the village’s inaugural art exhibition—and bicycle race—to look forward to.

But at the exhibition opening, there’s a panicked shout of ‘Fire!’ In the confusion, the main attraction—an extremely expensive book—is stolen from under everyone’s nose, as is a valuable painting lent by Sir Hector Farley-Stroud. Then the race, which starts as a charming day out, ends in a shocking death. And to top it all off, the Farley-Strouds reveal they’re in debt and might lose their house.

The sleuthing duo soon find themselves torn between a murder investigation, an art theft mystery, and trying to help their pals. All with a suspicious figure from Flo’s past, a supercilious insurance investigator, and a pair of rather bizarre treasure hunters on the loose…

©2023 T E Kinsey. (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Excellent

I love this series, and the narrator takes it to the next level! the nuances, the sarcasm, love it! fun period mystery with strong, intelligent, women! funny, British humor.

Love this series!!!

I’m sad it’s over, but can’t wait for the next adventure! ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS SERIES!

I’m Just Sorry It’s Over!!

I loved every minute of the story and the ending was very satisfactory. I have to admit I figured out one part of the theft but the rest was surprising. Great plot! Loved spending time with Flo and Lady H again.

Another wonderful audiobook

I have enjoyed this narrator’s voices very much in her telling of the T.E. Kinsey Lady Hardcastle stories. This one didn’t disappoint at all. Well written with excellent narration. Highly recommend.

Great!!

I love when I start these books and I hate when they’re over! I am ready for the next one already

Another Riveting Tale

This latest adventure of Emily and Flo does not disappoint. The fact that it has such a wonderful ending for the Grange and the Farley-Stouds was the cherry on top.

Well Done!

Always love these adventures! The mysteries are always stimulating, humorous and just fun. Love the characters, story and the narrator. Would highly recommend this author, characters and adventures.

Great Story Telling and Narration

Always love these books. They are just what I need during recuperation from surgery. I laugh and backup to make sure I heard right!

Fun!

I really enjoy these lady Hardcastle books, it is a wonderful distraction in this difficult time. Demonstrates how dealing fairly with others and being kind really is the right way to go.

Fun!

I'm yet to be disappointed by a Lady Hardcastle mystery! T.E. Kinsey has a gift for period writing, never straying into the pitfalls modern vocabulary or syntax, while also managing not to be so bound to the era that the dialogue becomes stilted. Instead, the writing is witty, charming, and often laugh-out-loud funny. His plots are almost always ridiculous in the best possible way, combining the sensibility and humor of Jane Austen with the adventure of Rider Haggard.

This time Lady Hardcastle and Flo find themselves solving both an art theft and a murder, learning about the new craze for bicycle racing, and searching for buried treasure. We meet an old circus pal.of Flo's, and old schoolmate of Lady Emily's, and a half dozen other quirky characters along the way. It all adds up to the usual smorgasbord of red herrings, cheesy jokes, and pretzel-like plot twists that we've come to love in this series.

I cannot finish without giving due credit to the amazing narration provided by Elizabeth Knowelden. Too many audio versions of good books are ruined by sub-standard narration but Ms. Knowelden is the perfect reader for this series. Her excellent character voices of both genders bring each one to life and she maintains exactly the right tone throughout which is especially important since these are written in the first person. She is the quintessential Flo.