Tuesday, June 07, 2022

Rotten to the Core by T.E. Kinsey

 
First Line: The hedgerow along the lane was alive with birds of every shape and hue as we walked into the village in the Monday afternoon sunshine.
 
Fresh from a successful investigation concerning a fatal flying affair, Lady Hardcastle and her faithful servant Florence Armstrong are looking forward to some rest and relaxation-- especially since the summer weather is scorching and has all the farmers in the area scrambling to bring in an early harvest.  

Their plans are scuppered when a local man is found dead in his orchard, stabbed through the heart with one of his apples stuffed in his mouth. The police are at a loss and ask the dynamic duo for help. The two intrepid sleuths have barely begun when a second man is killed. Both victims belonged to an ancient society tied to the local cider-making industry, and both Lady Hardcastle and Florence need to find out more about this mysterious organization. And then there's the unsociable woman who's shown up and is staying at the local pub. Has she got anything to do with the murders?

Nothing will stop these two amateur detectives from finding out the truth-- even if their lives may be at stake.

~

Anyone who enjoys historical mysteries which involve minutiae, merriment, and musing really needs to make the acquaintance of Lady Hardcastle and her (so much more than a) maid, Florence Armstrong. The banter between these two main characters is the highlight of the series, but there is much more to T.E. Kinsey's mysteries than laughs.

In Rotten to the Core, I learned about the cider industry in England and about some of the ancient organizations created to make the business thrive. (That's one of the things I love about this series so much-- Kinsey focuses on "something new" at the turn of the twentieth century in each book, so I've learned about automobiles, flying machines, the movie industry, etc. as I follow along in the two characters' wake.) I also learned that butterfly in Welsh means "living ember," one of those trivial nuggets perfect for squirreling away to bring out to amaze and amuse your friends at a later date. And how about those librarians who disobeyed orders and began creating the newspaper archives that became important sources of information for Lady Hardcastle and Florence? Three cheers for librarians!

As the hunt for a murderer becomes dire, Kinsey's two intrepid sleuths find their list of suspects growing instead of shrinking, and even though Lady Hardcastle believes that the mysterious woman staying at the Dog and Duck has more to do with this business than meets the eye, Florence urges caution: "The mysterious stranger is always a red herring. You should read more."

Is that mystery woman a killer? You'll just have to get your hands on a copy of Rotten to the Core to find out. The book has enough backstory so that new readers should not feel lost, but I will warn you: these books are highly addictive. Don't be surprised if you read one and find yourself looking for all the rest. They are little gems of light-hearted fun.
 
Rotten to the Core by T.E. Kinsey
eISBN: 9781542031462
Thomas & Mercer © 2022
eBook, 333 pages
 
Historical Mystery, #8 Lady Hardcastle mystery
Rating: B+
Source: Net Galley 

12 comments:

  1. Oh, this does sound like a good read, Cathy. I know very little about cider making, so I'd find that interesting. And I do like solid female lead characters. It also sounds like a lighter book that's not too - is 'frothy' the word? - and shallow. Those sorts of books can be just the ticket.

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    1. You're right-- these books aren't too frothy, and they never fail to boost my spirits.

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  2. A mystery set around cider making does sound fun. It's been awhile since I've read a lighthearted historical fiction/mystery. I'll have to give this series a try. :)

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    1. It should be a series that you'll really enjoy, Lark.

      You seem to have a gremlin following you around. I've seen your second comment that you left on this post, but it has yet to officially show up. A similar thing happened to you on a previous post-- you left a comment that took at least two days to officially show up. Not nice at all! I wonder whom we have to bribe so the gremlin will leave you alone?

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  3. This certainly sounds like it would be right up my alley! If the opening line is any indication, I would thoroughly enjoy the rest of the book. Thanks for bringing this series to my attention!

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    1. You're welcome, Gretchen! It's a series that I've learned will put a smile on my face (and even teach me a thing or two) every time I open one of the books.

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  4. I REALLY must get into this series!

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    1. I really enjoy it, Dorothy. I also enjoy keeping an eye peeled for the author's tweets when he shares videos of the badgers visiting his bird feeder at night. :-)

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  5. Love the whole series..I woke up early to buy this and unfortunately I finished it too soon. Now, I have to re-read.

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    1. Yes, that is the only problem with this series, isn't it, Chris? The rapid reading leading to the interminable wait for the next book. *sigh*

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  6. I've enjoyed the first couple in this series, so I'm glad there's another entry since I'm likely to get caught up all too soon!

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    1. They can be quite addictive, that's for sure!

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