A Quiet Life in the Country (2016) by T.E. Kinsey: An Audiobook Review

💙 Lady Emily Hardcastle and her maid Florence Armstrong have moved from the hustle bustle of London to the rural countryside of Gloucestershire, to seek for a quieter life. However, just a few days after their arrival, they found a body hanged from a tree on their morning stroll. It appears like a suicide, but Lady Hardcastle's watchful eyes soon found evidences that it was a foul play.

💙 The police seem to take the wrong way, though, that our unconventional amateur sleuth pair decided to investigate by themselves. During this time, Lady Hardcastle received an invitation for a house party at the Granger, while Flo (Florence) was asked to help with the service.

💙 That night one of the band members was murdered, and the hostess' emerald was stolen. Lady Hardcastle and Flo were joining the police inspector in investigating the murder, but the stolen emerald was secretly handled by Lady Hardcastle due to its family secret.

💙 I loved everything about this book! First off all, the mystery was well thought of. The clue were scattered proportionately along the investigation, that the story is never dull. The interviews conducted by the inspector -and attended by our sleuths - unfolded slowly secrets and undoings of people involved.

💙 My favorite part is the dynamic duo of the lady and the maid. Their relationship is not like what a lady and her ladies maid had had in 1908. Lady Hardcastle and Flo seem more like a friend despite of class difference. I love their silly banters and teasing, and these are often the funniest part of the book, just like this one:

Flo: ...A maid with bad knees called Edna.
Lady H: She has knees called Edna?
🤣

💙 The unique personalities and mysterious past of Lady Hardcastle and Flo, added certain charm to the already delightful cozy mystery. We get glimpses of their past dangerous adventures abroad, which might have honed their detecting prowess, and gave them an ultimate weapon - hidden strength and confidence beneath their polite feminine manners.

💙 Needless to say, this will become one of favorite cozy mysteries this year, and a series I'm excited to read on - or listen on, I should've said, as I enjoyed the audiobook, nicely narrated by Elizabeth Knowelden.

Rating: 4,5 / 5