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.

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!!

Last year, I listened to the first book in the Lady Hardcastle Mysteries series, A Quiet Life in the Country, and I really enjoyed the characters. I have not continued with the series, but when I saw book 6 Death Beside the Seaside at NetGalley, I had to request it.

I wrote in my Goodreads review for book 1, that I enjoyed the characters but wasn't too keen on the mystery. Book 6 started a bit slow for me and I feared that I wouldn't make it to the end as I was kind of bored with it. But once Lady Hardcastle and her maid Flo Armstrong got to the hotel for their seaside vacation, the story picked up, and, this time, I not only enjoyed the characters but the plot as well.

If you aren't familiar with British humor, you may have some trouble getting some of the remarks. But if you are a fan of British humor then this book will delight you.

A lot of background information is given throughout the story about Lady Hardcastle and Flo as the visit with the various guests at the hotel. As I said I haven't read the intervening novels, but I got the feeling that these exploits occurred before the series started.

I also don't think it is necessary to have read the previous books in the series to enjoy this one. I don't remember much about book 1 and I still really enjoyed Death Beside the Seaside. Lady Hardcastle, Flo, and Harry (Lady Hardcastle's brother) are the only characters that appear in the previous books so there aren't a lot of character relationships to figure out.

A few times Lady Hardcastle and Flo reminded me of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. But at other times, they felt like their own unique characters. They are fun and have some witty dialogue.

I like when authors of historical novels share what is true and what is fiction in the story. If you like that too, then be sure to read the author's note at the end as the author gives details from his research.

Overall, this is a fun mystery with delightful characters. It is a great novel to look forward to coming home to each evening. Though it is set during a summer seaside vacation, the weather is on the gloomy side, making it a perfect book to curl up with a hot drink and a fuzzy blanket in front of a cozy fire.

Review is published at Girl Who Reads - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2019/10/death-beside-seaside-by-te-kinsey-review.html

I was sent a free eARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for reviewing it.

But I would happily have bought it anyway. I love this series.

I love the characters and their cheerfully implausible adventures, especially Lady Hardcastle and her "tiny servant" Flo and the badinage between them. I love the Westcountry setting and the whole joyful atmosphere of the series.

This book is no exception to that, and has the added fun for me of featuring places I've been to. Lady H and Flo set off for what is supposed to be a relaxing week at the seaside (well, Weston-Super-Mare, which is almost the same thing!) but soon become embroiled in murder, kidnapping and espionage. And that's just the first day...

Lots of sleuthing and derring-do ensue. Will the murderer ever be caught?Will Lady Hardcastle work out what's going on? Will Flo ever get a donkey ride on the beach?

If you enjoy "cosy" period mysteries and you haven't met Lady Hardcastle yet, do yourself a favour and go and read this series.

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*