I can never get enough of Florence and Lady Hardcastle. The rapport is top notch and so clever. The mystery in this one was great as we stick close to home. Another fabulous story.

The Beast of Littleton Woods by T.E. Kinsey was exactly the kind of cozy-yet-creepy mystery I didn’t know I needed. I picked it up expecting a charming countryside whodunit with a touch of the supernatural, and what I got was all that plus an irresistible sense of playfulness and atmosphere.

Kinsey has a knack for crafting settings that feel lived-in and slightly eccentric. Littleton Woods feels like the sort of place you’d want to visit—if it weren’t for the mysterious creature rumored to be lurking in the trees. The mix of folklore, small-town gossip, and old-fashioned detective work gave the story this delightfully nostalgic feel, like a classic British mystery with just enough bite to keep things fresh.

What I loved most was the balance between the light and the dark. There’s humor and heart, but also genuine suspense and a few moments that made me pause. The characters, as always in Kinsey’s books, are where the story really shines—clever, curious, and full of personality. I found myself smiling at their banter one minute and scanning the woods for shadows the next.

The mystery itself is paced well—never too fast, never dragging. Just a steady build-up of clues, red herrings, and eerie moments that kept me guessing. And the reveal? Satisfying without being overly tidy, which I appreciated.

In this book #12 of the Lady Hardcastle mysteries, it appears that a wild animal has killed a sheep. The villagers become a bit concerned. But then when a member of the community is ripped to shreds the fear grows rapidly. There are reports of seeing a panther in the area which are dismissed as there are no panthers in England. Lady Hardcastle and her tiny assistant, Florence Armstrong (ladies maid) decide to see what they can deduce. Other things happen in the village that cause even more questions. What is happening with the mail? The new postmistress is at wits end. She is sure that she has sorted the mail properly. And yet, when the postman delivers it, people are getting the wrong letters.
Could all these mysteries be related? With few clues, Lady Hardcastle and Flo bring the "mystery board" into use for all of them at once.

Will they be able to solve these mysteries or will they be the next victim of the Beast of Littleton Woods?

I love these characters with their interesting history of exploits. The characters are well written with enough wit that occasionally you will laugh. Sometimes you may see your own foibles in their manner. Good Job Mr. Kinsey.

Excellent - all the bits I love of this series and characters, I don’t think Kinsey has a bad book in him. There is humour and knowledge, and I am happy I vaguely guessed some of the plot points and one of the animals (the smiley one, no spoilers). It had an interesting plot that was out of the box, especially the mixed up letters bit!

If you love cosy historical mysteries with feisty, intelligent women then you’ll love this. I only wish new books in the series came along more often…

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers Thomas & Hudson, in return for an unbiased review.

This is of course a five star book. I love this charming series so much. All the usual suspects are here - Flo, Lady H and their bantery relationship (I really love those two) and all our favourite townspeople. There's tea, sandwiches, gossipy village life and a gruesome murder or two. I thought this one in particular was quite violent, and there are a lot of various animals in this story, some quite frightening. This is a fun book overall though and the end seems to hint at a Christmas book next, which would make me so happy. Lovely stuff.

My endless thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!

The Beast of Littleton Woods is another excellent addition to my favorite series! I was thrilled to see that this one takes place in Littleton Cotterell because I always miss the townspeople when they take place elsewhere. But you get to see plenty of the supporting cast in this one! The plot was a little different this time but was still very intriguing. There are a lot of strange happenings and seeing how it all came together was great fun. As always, I loved the banter and the humor. I laughed and smiled and just generally had a wonderful time. If you haven't read this series yet, I highly suggest you start from the first one. T.E. Kinsey is a fantastic author, and his books never let me down. I already can't wait to see what Lady Hardcastle and Flo get up to next!

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC.

Lady Hardcastle and Florence are once again on the job - this time to save the village from a mysterious beast. As always they have a lot of fun along the way. You will fall in love with this charming village and the murders that abound.

Was a fantastic book that i thoroughly recommend and will be buying as I need a trophy version lol. I enjoying the different dynamics at play between the main characters especially towards the end.