Book 12 in the adventures of Lady Hardcastle and her tiny servant Florence.

I love the relationship between these characters and the selection of locals in the village. In this adventure the pair investigate the appearance (and disappearance) of mysterious creatures around the village.

Laugh out loud and an enjoyable read. I look forward to more from this pair!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy to review.

What starts out as rumours of a wild beast killing a local farmers sheep quickly devolve into something else.
This is the third book by the author that I have read featuring Lady Hardcastle. As ever I find the character to be slightly eccentric and quirky which adds a flair to the tale. The plot flows well giving the book an easy read with splashes of humour.

i just adore this series and these books so so much !!! they're an absolute joy to read every single time. i love flo and lady hardcastle, i love all the supporting characters, i could read a million books in this series and never get bored.

Another enjoyable read with Lady Hardcastle and Flo, this time involving the mysterious deaths/injuries of locals—is it a dangerous wild beast on the loose or something just as deadly but much more quotidian? Our favorite detectives are on the case.

As always, the ladies are engaging, witty, and generally a good hang. Is the mystery the most intricate and diabolical thing you've ever read? Probably not, but who cares? I'm here for the vibes, not the brain teasers. We spend less time with Daisy, which is kind of a bummer, but we do get to meet Lord Farley Stroud's terrible sister and her dog Minty. Nice to have someone to be irritated with in a village of sweethearts.

In conclusion, turn on your AC, wrap yourself in a blanket, pour a brandy, and sink into the comfort of the book. I highly recommend it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review.

This was a fun cozy mysrey novel, and I enjoyed it a lot. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

5 Stars

Oh goodness this story was so much fun! I can't believe this was my first foray into the Lady Hardcastle mystery series...and it's already book 12! I now find myself desperately needing to catch up on the series. Lady Hardcastle and Florence Armstrong are wonderful characters and their dynamic was hilarious. I found myself at a minimum snorting out loud when I read their dialogue and more often than not full-on chuckling (which doesn't happen as often for me anymore - I've been reading too much dark and tense literature apparently). The mystery was satisfying with enough clues scattered throughout that one could presumably figure out the perpetrators but of course I had no idea until the very end - something which makes the reading all that more enjoyable in my opinion. All of the side characters were vividly written and interesting in their own right. Even their various styles of speaking didn't jump out of the page but rather played aloud in my head which is a sign of a great writer. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series while simultaneously recommending it to all the mystery lovers I know. Well done.

https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/a9727386-5d6a-4ad5-83aa-cbd12dc8acb8?redirect=true

I'll be adding a review to my blog shortly as well!

Strange things are afoot in the village of Littleton Cotterell. A series of deadly maulings raises local superstitions about a beast roaming the woods nearby. Some insist it’s a huge dog, others swear they’ve seen a panther, and publican Daisy describes a rat the size of a house cat. Whatever 4-legged beast may be behind the attacks, Lady Hardcastle and her ‘tiny servant’ and loyal companion Flo realize one of the deaths was a murder cleverly hidden amongst the others.

With the addition of familiar side characters and a few new ones — including the Farley-Strouds’ irritating relative Mrs. Adaway and her beloved dog Minty — and the easy banter between Emily and Flo, reading this was like visiting with old friends. Not a mystery that will keep you in anticipatory suspense, but comfy like your favorite pjs.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The newest Lady Hardcastle mystery is yet another delightful read! This one follows Emily and Florence as they try to find what dangerous beast lurks in the Littleton Woods. After several far-fetched sightings, a farmer is killed and our two sleuths must investigate because not everything is as it seems. Alongside this death are mislaid mail, a mysterious but adorable creature, and an ill-fated romance.

While this mystery had a lot going on, I think it all came together in the end, although one less mysterious instance would have been an improvement. I always enjoy Emily and Flo’s banter and I love the books set in their village. I’m mad I didn’t see the villain coming since it really couldn’t have been anyone else in retrospect for one very important reason, but I’m also glad it wasn’t immediately clear to me. Overall the mystery shows us what can lurk behind a friendly face. Highly recommend and I can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this early arc! All opinions are my own.

I am sorry that I have not come across this series before. I enjoyed the village setting, the era, the determination of the two ladies who were brilliant in their detection, and brought such a genteel and a lot of understated humor typically British to the story.

Set in Littleton Cotterell it all starts with a sheep mauled to death. The stories start with the brutality of the hilling and when Sid Hyde is found mauled to death, the stories of a panther let loose in this English village abound. When Sids death is confirmed as murder, followed by another similar death, people in the village are in turns terrified and in a frenzy.

The story was intriguing and one knew the solution lay within the village itself. I will be looking out for more of Lady Hardcastle.

It's great to be back; with these very special characters in their lovely village. I look forward to each book in the series.

Unfortunately, this particular storyline just didn't do it for me. While it took me a little time to discover the culprit, the essence of the plot was clear from the beginning. And somehow, Lady H and Flo seemed to be a little slow on the uptake.

T E Kinsey is such a great writer that I still enjoyed my visit (the connection with the many and varied characters in the village,) the many sub-plots. as well as his ability to create a great narrative. There is always so much more than a cozy murder mystery here!

It's four out of five on the enjoyment scale for me. I'm already looking forward to the next book!

With thanks to Thomas & Mercer, #Netgalley and the author for my advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

The Lady Hardcastle series is one of my favorites, last year I read all of the ones that were out. As this is book 12 there is not much that I can say as to spoil it but you could read out of order. There might be some plot points that you miss out on. I really enjoy Lady Hardcastle and Flo's dynamic together and banter. This one is set in the town that they live in and you get all of the side characters that from the others.

I adore Flo and Lady Hardcastle. They are hilarious together as a team and I love their banter. I've loved the entire series. There is a wonderful charm in the characters, the setting, the humor, everything. And I loved this book too but I'm going to confess something. The first 11 books, my husband and I while traveling, listened to the audiobooks narrated by Elizabeth Knowelden. And that is how we quickly fell in love with Lady H and Flo. The narration is soooo well done that Ms. Knowelden BECOMES Flo telling their stories. This time I got a copy of the ebook and not the audiobook. The book was fun to read and in some places I was able to 'hear' Flo in my head with Ms. Knowelden's voice but my brain just isn't as good at accents as she is. So, the short of it is that even though I loved reading the book, I missed having the audio version. I purposely haven't told my husband anything about the story and I'll buy the audiobook so we can listen to it on our travels.

Delightful as always- loved it.

The Beast of Littleton Woods is T E Kinsey’s twelfth novel in his Lady Emily Hardcastle series and there is no diminution in the quality. It’s Autumn, 1912; and Sid Hyde, a local farmer, found one of his sheep ripped to shreds and a local lad stated that he saw a large cat drinking from the stream that morning. Sadly, Sid is killed that night, possibly by the same wild animal. The villagers panic, impelling Emily and her maidservant, Flo, to investigate.

Tim Kinsey pokes fun at himself beautifully with characters making self-referential (or is it meta?) statements such as, “There’s always a murderer loose in the village. Part of livin’ in Littleton Cottrell, that is.” Given the volume of murders in the previous eleven novels, she makes a valid point! There’s another brilliant comment in a similar vein from the same character, but I’ll leave you to find that one yourself.

As often happens in Kinsey’s novels, sub-plots are casually introduced, such as a mix-up with letters being delivered to the wrong houses, even though the post-mistress swears she had sorted them correctly before handing them over to the postman. When Daisy tells Emily and Flo that she saw a giant rat, just for once, I had an inkling as to what was happening. I haven’t felt so smug for a loooong time! However, even though my guess was pretty accurate, I didn’t care. I read T E Kinsey’s books for the joyfulness of the writing; the audacious dialogue; and the anticipation that Emily and Flo will triumph, hopefully causing the villains physical pain. Although the novels can be read in any order, it would be much more enjoyable to read them in order, with recurring characters being introduced in various books.

Kinsey is on top form in this book and I do recommend it, but you really ought to read the other eleven first for optimum enjoyment.

#TheBeastofLittletonWoods #NetGalley

Lady Hardcastle and her maid/sidekick Florence Armstrong investigate a series of attacks, apparently caused by a savage beast. As villagers report sightings of the animal, the investigative duo must determine whether an animal is behind the attacks or if they are all too human. The banter between the two leads is delightful as ever, and the recurring characters make this a comfortable read. Kinsey ties together all of the disparate threads in a satisfying conclusion. Thanks to NetGalley and publisher Thomas & Mercer for the eARC.

Another great addition to this series; little did I know, back when I got the first book in a Kindle First choice that I'd still be here, twelve books later, absolutely loving the series, the characters, and their little corner of England.

This book finds Lady H and Florence getting ready for the cold weather and just enjoying life. Naturally, that means a murder must occur [and what a mystery this is]. Wild animals, an unexpected crush [this part of the book is hilarious], and very nefarious "badduns" and you have a completely fantastic read. The mystery was very good [I absolutely smacked myself on the forehead at the reveal; sometimes I cannot see the forest for the trees LOL], the reveal satisfying, some fantastic food mentions [I SO want to have a starter breakfast brought to me each day] and just some really good adventures. As always, I learned things that I never knew before and that just was the cherry on top. It was just the read I needed and it was fantastic.

I absolutely love Elizabeth Knowlden as a narrator and I highly recommend listening to her read this series. Her narration truly adds to the story and her portrayal of Florence especially always has me cracking up [Florence is hilarious, with a very dry sense of humor]. I 100% percent recommend this audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley, T E Kinsey, Elizabeth Knowlden - Narrator, Amazon Publishing UK, and Brilliance Publishing/Brilliance Audio for providing both the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

Another outstanding outing for Lady Hardcastle and Flo. I do look forward to these books, they are a joyous read with no overly complicated redherrings. The books are a wonderful way to spend a few hours, whilst keeping updated on the lives of the villagers. Throw in a few exotic animals, a train line and you have another case for Lady Hardcastle and Flo to investigate. Please keep these books coming.

Oh how I love Lady H and her “tiny servant”
Gloucestershire 1912.
When a local farmer loses a prized ewe to an animal attack, and then himself comes a cropper it’s up to ex spies Lady Emily Hardcastle and her companion Florence Armstrong to work out who or rather what is causing these attacks.

This is the 12th book in this series and I admit that I’m a fan of anything T E Kinsey writes. Especially on audiobook which are beautifully narrated by the very excellent Elizabeth Knoweldon.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free arc copy of this book which I read while listening to the audiobook (which I had already pre-ordered on audible) All opinions are my own.

This series has become like a go to cozy blanket for me and I’m just thrilled that we have 12 amazing mysteries to enjoy from the dynamic duo of Lady Hardcastle and Flo Armstrong. I’m not sure what I love more- the charming cast of characters or the fun mystery. Maybe it’s the fantastic combo of the two that really make this series something special. If you love historical and/or cozy mysteries you simply must give this series a go. The books can be enjoyed as standalone reads, but are even more enjoyable when read in order.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book! All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

A new Lady Hardcastle is always a joy, and reading of their latest adventure feels like catching up with old friends. Our fun and feisty duo are investigating a trio of mysteries including the death of a local farmer who appears to have been savaged by some a beast. Several sightings appear to have been made but no one can agree on what they saw.

Sit yourself down to enjoy with lashings of hot tea, and don't forget a generous slice of CAKE... ;)

Littleton Cotterell, October 1912. Finally the storm has abated but farmer Sid Hyde of Top Farm discovers one of his sheep ripped to bits. The next day he is found dead. Lady Hardcastle and Florence decide to collect information for the Ministry of Agriculture. But then there is another death and a third attacked. Is it a wild cat or murder.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery. With its interesting main characters. Another good addition to this enjoyable series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.