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  • A Quiet Life in the Country

  • A Lady Hardcastle Mystery, Book 1
  • By: T E Kinsey
  • Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden
  • Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (1,314 ratings)
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A Quiet Life in the Country cover art

A Quiet Life in the Country

By: T E Kinsey
Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden
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Summary

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.

Revised edition: This edition of A Quiet Life In The Country includes editorial revisions.

©2016 T E Kinsey (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

What listeners say about A Quiet Life in the Country

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Amusing

Where does A Quiet Life in the Country rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Nice easy listening

What did you like best about this story?

Characters were amusing, not exactly high brow literature but that wasn't what I was expecting.

What about Elizabeth Knowelden’s performance did you like?

Her accents were pretty good, easy to distinguish between different characters. I enjoyed her narration and would happily listen to her read more books.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?





Any additional comments?

Some of the previous reviews were unfair, if you want literature listen to something by the wonderful Jane Austen. This story doesn't pretend to be serious, it is a light hearted listen when walking the dog!

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67 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable Cozy Romp

What did you like most about A Quiet Life in the Country?

Mostly I liked the way the characters interacted, especially Lady Hardcastle and Flo. The book is not up to the standard of Christie or Sayers but then it's not meant to be. It's a cozy mystery romp with humour included.

What other book might you compare A Quiet Life in the Country to, and why?

I can't think of another book I've read or listened to that compares exactly to this.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Probably the opening scene, where our intrepid heroines discover and explore their new rented home in the country.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No. There were, however, a lot of places where I laughed out loud. Some of the humour in this book is superbly done and very well written.

Any additional comments?

An adorable book, filled with mystery, humour and a leading lady who flouts the rules of convention between mistress and servant. It's set in 1908 and probably the class system was coming to an end anyway. This book just gets to it faster than it probably happened.

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43 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Not for me

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Cozy Mysteries are my go to but this one was not for me. I know suspension of disbelief is sometimes required in this genre, but this one was just too ridiculous and I found my mind wandering whilst listening. The eccentric Lady Hardcastle and her maid Flo move to a rural country house and irritatingly take over the case of two murders in the most tedious manner. The Inspector in charge of the murders (Inspector Sunderland - actually my favorite character) is constantly forever grateful for their help and always thanking M'lady and Flo for noticing obvious clues any plod would get straight away. A bit more backbone for this character would have been a better read. He also allows them to sit in on all the interviews with suspects when a bit more sleuthing to get clues maybe would have held my interest. There are so many excellent ones out there this one didn't make the grade for me.

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33 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Exceedingly Amusing

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I'd absolutely reccommend this to af riend - it's a wonderfully amusing and very engaging mystery.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Quiet Life in the Country?

Teaching Mr Haddock to keep his hands to himself.

What about Elizabeth Knowelden’s performance did you like?

Each charcater is clear and distinct and she doesn't attempt any accents she can't manage.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It amused me greatly

Any additional comments?

I hope it's the start of a long series.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Such a good story and so much laughter!

I think the narrator does an excellent job! Also, each character is portrayed in a nice way, I love the author's humour and how he uses it throughout the story. Loved every minute of this book. Kept me entertained throughout. Looking forward to the next book in this series!

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good read laugh out loud

Good read loved it enjoyable light hearted feel good story interesting characters we source more

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A QUITE LIFE IN THE COUNTRY

A good stab in the dark. Easy to listen too. Excellent storyline just downloaded the 2nd audiobook in the serries.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Marvellous

Loved every minute of this book. A good story, read well. Kept me entertained throughout. looking forward to the next book

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fab

The characters are really well thought out. Very funny dialogue between the two main characters and the "murder bit" wasn't bad either. I've bought all the books in the series so far and they just get better. Definitely recommend.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

fantastic!

Really enjoyed this book. Would definitely recommend it to everyone who enjoys a good mystery

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4 people found this helpful