Hardcastle's Airmen

Hardcastle Series

By: Graham Ison

Narrated by: David Thorpe

In February 1915, the Great War is still raging on the Western Front, but in Westminster, at the centre of Hardcastle's bailiwick, a policeman is shot dead. At first, Hardcastle believes the murderer to have been a disturbed burglar.

But as enquiries continue, attention focuses on an antiquarian bookseller, a struggling artist, a reporter, officers of the Royal Flying Corps, both in England and in France, and the activities of Isabel Plowman, the wife of one of them and the lover of others.

©2006 Graham Ison (P)2013 Audible Ltd

very good story.

The characters were really interesting and wonderfully funny. The story was very original and exciting. The narration was really very well done. I absolutely loved the accents.

Narration

This was, absolutely, the best narration I’ve ever heard on Audible. The plot led me to the conclusion as the detective reached it. Very satisfying.

This is a good story; however...😏

This is a good story; however, it loses one star in each category. Firstly, Mr Thorpe reads too fast. Secondly, Mr Ison's use of profanity is unwanted. Lastly, although the story is about the RAFC during WWI, the airplane on the cover picture is a WWII North American Texan, with US markings. 😏

Just OK

I'm new to this series. I love historical fiction but this one just didn't really do much for me. It's ok but I doubt I will listen to any more. Seemed kind of slow and plodding. I would have liked more history mixed in as it does take place during WWI. Just not one of my favorites.

Most Entertaining and Funny Mystery Series

This is a great series. It has good story, well plotted mystery and on top of that it is very humorous. The reader, Graham Thorpe, adds so much to the book. He does the voices so well and gives each one its own character.

Of course the star is Detective Inspector Hardcastle who bring so much wit to the series as he deals with his subordinates and intimidates all around him, especially the person he is interviewing. He never lets their title or position stand in his way.

In this book Hardcastle is dealing with the murder of one of his constables. As he intestigates it turnes out the constable was NOT the target, but rather the lady next door. This lady claims to be a widow but as the body count continues, it turns out she is not a widow, but more of a "good time girl" who loves men in uniform. Unravelling this mystery takes Hardcastle to the corridors of power. A great book. All too short! I can't stop listening to one once I start.

Great setting and premise, missed opportunity.

A great opportunity: it's early WWI in London: a murdered policeman, a murdered merry widow: alas, you know within the first chapter whodunnit, and it's plenty of 19th century class warfare and misogyny to follow, where women are mothers, whores or murder victims.
The narrator does a great job with various classes of male voices, and he and the interesting military history save this from being a 1.5* review.

Not for me :(

I guess that I didn't read the narrative well enough. I was expecting a "cozy" murder series without foul language or descriptive sexual scenes. I was disappointed and did not finish the book. The narrator was very good, however, I will not read more G. Ison books.

First Book I haven't finished in a long time

Would you try another book from Graham Ison and/or David Thorpe?

I can't believe I kept on listening! Being an optimist I kept thinking the plot would get better! It was awful.

I expected more

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Can't Say.

Has Hardcastle's Airmen turned you off from other books in this genre?

Not sure. I loved Foyle's War and thought this might be good too. It wasn't

Would you listen to another book narrated by David Thorpe?

Narrator was fine.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Hardcastle's Airmen?

General Re-write

Any additional comments?

This story is very predictable