In the Market for Murder (2015) by T.E. Kinsey: Lady Hardcastle Mysteries #2

🥧 The duo Lady Hardcastle and her maid Florence Armstrong are back in a new murder mystery. It's 1909, several months has elapsed from the end of 1st book (A Quiet Life in the Country) where Lady Hardcastle was injured. She is now recovered, but is bored and dejected. So, her friend and neighbor in the little village of Littleton Cotterell, Lady Farley-Strouds, brings her and Flo to the cattle market in Chipping Bevington during market day. The fun trip is capped with a visit to the local pub, enjoying its delicious beef and mushroom pie, while at the same time being introduced to the local farmers.

🥧 A week after, also during market day, one of the farmers, a Spencer Carradine, was found dead at the same pub, while eating the same beef and mushroom pie. Inspector Oliver Sunderland requested Lady Hardcastle to help him in the investigation, as he's quite busy at that moment. A request which, of course, was warmly welcomed by our duo.

🥧 A case which seemed at first to be simple, proved otherwise. The deceased made everyone's life miserable, and he quarreled with them often. Everyone could be suspect, then. Moreover, the police couldn't decide on what caused the death. It seemed like poison, but it could also be something else. Being stuck in the investigation, Lady Hardcastle and Flo were by no means idle. Two small mysteries unexpectedly appeared.

🥧 First, the local rugby club lost its precious memento - robbery? Then, a seance, in which Lady Hardcastle and Flo participated for fun, turned nasty when a "spirit" accused one of the guest of committing murder in the past. Who, or "what" caused it? Of course, our duo finally solved the cases nicely, just in time when a revelation from unexpected quarter turned up, and... eureka! Lady Hardcastle solved the murder mystery!

🥧 Just like its predecessor, In the Market for Murder is a light, humorous, charming story. The dynamic and unconventional relationship of the lady and the maid is one unique point of this series, and their everyday life in the countryside village forms a charming backdrop to every crime mystery comes their way. My only complaint is that I feel Flo's rudeness to her boss is a bit too impertinent to my liking. The rest is just refreshing and charming. Now I can't wait to read the third, which, as the end of this book hinted, sounds interesting!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐