"Lady Emily Hardcastle is an eccentric widow with a secret past. Florence Armstrong, her maid and confidante, is an expert in martial arts. The year is 1908 and they've just moved from London to the country, hoping for a quiet life. But it is not long before Lady Hardcastle is forced out of her self-imposed retirement. There's a dead body in the woods, and the police are on the wrong scent. Lady Hardcastle makes some enquiries of her own, and it seems she knows a surprising amount about crime investigation. As Lady Hardcastle and Flo delve deeper into rural rivalries and resentment, they uncover a web of intrigue that extends far beyond the village. With almost no one free from suspicion, they can be certain of only one fact: there is no such thing as a quiet life in the country."--Page 4 of cover.
A perfect cosy mystery. I loved the banter between Armstrong and Lady Hardcastle. It was hilarious. Their relationship had such an easy give and take and both clearly cared for each other - even while being employer and employee. The mystery of their past adventures is riveting and I can't wait to find more. And I'm also interested to meet Mrs Sunderland because she clearly gives her husband fantastic advice. Inspector Sunderland was funny and fit right in with the odd duo. The mystery itself was fairly straightforward with a few twists and turns but was mostly obvious. Loved it. Can't wait to read the next. 3.5 stars, rounded to 4.
