This is a review of the audiobook, read by Elizabeth Knowelden.

A Quiet Life in the Country is the first in a cosy murder mystery series, featuring Lady Emily Hardcastle and her maid Flo, who is more of a friend and sidekick than a maid.

When Emily and Flo leave London to live a quiet life in the country in rural Gloucestershire, the last thing they expect is to find a young man murdered, with at least two possible suspects. As they don't trust the swift conclusion of the investigating police officer, they decide to conduct their own investigation which leads them into murky waters...

As a book to pass away the time while out running or driving to work, this was perfectly passable. However, it doesn't bear up to examination; while it's clearly not meant to be taken seriously, the allowances made for Lady Hardcastle and Flo especially by the police, are just ridiculous. The murder plot itself - which then takes in a second murder and a smuggling operation - gets quite convoluted, and the ending tangles itself up slightly.

However, I really liked the character of Flo (Lady Hardcastle was a bit more annoying, and far too much of a busybody - also the voice given to her character grated on me after a while) and would really like it if she became the main character in later books in this series.

As far as introducing the characters to the reader, this book did a fairly good job and hinted at exciting adventures and escapades in the two protagonists' pasts which I would hope are further explored in subsequent books (if I ever get round to them), but I feel this one was a bit let down by the plot.

Elizabeth Knowelden did a good job narrating, with distinctive voices for the characters, although as mentioned earlier I found the voice of Lady Hardcastle annoying. That could have been because the character herself was a bit annoying!

If you're a fan of cosy crime, you might like this story but my own entirely unimportant opinion is that there are better books in this genre out there. ( )

I thought this was a cute mystery. I loved that it also read a bit like historcal romnance but with no romance. I also thought it gave massive veronica speedwell vibes!! I also like the mytery team was lead by two women and that was awsome twist. I thought it was a cute quick read and will def read more in this series!! ( )

I thought this was a cute mystery. I loved that it also read a bit like historcal romnance but with no romance. I also thought it gave massive veronica speedwell vibes!! I also like the mytery team was lead by two women and that was awsome twist. I thought it was a cute quick read and will def read more in this series!! ( )

I thought that the mystery was pretty good but the main characters, Lady Hardcastle and her maid Florence Armstrong, while a pleasure to read about, didn't strike me as being very realistic for 1908. ( )

In 1908, Lady Emily Hardcastle and her lady’s maid Flo Armstrong moved from London to a new country home in Littleton Cotterell, Gloucestershire. On their first walk exploring the countryside, they make a discovery that requires contacting the local police. Accepting the formal invitation for an engagement celebration, neither woman anticipated the morning after would bring the police to their door following another tragic discovery. There’s a lot to investigate as the police are not yet aware of a missing emerald.

I loved the friendship between Lady EH and her lady’s maid for the past 14 years. Their camaraderie, repartee, mutual respect, and loyalty are a few of the qualities of their priceless relationship, with no delineation between upstairs and downstairs. They bring out the best in each other, from their pleasure in dining together with comfortable conversations to their individual sleuthing methods that meld efficiently and effectively. I wish I could have slipped into the drawing room when Lady EH played piano with Armstrong on banjo or the dining room at The Grange when the two women sat in on the interviews with Inspector Sunderland.

There were so many fun interactions not only between Lady EH and Armstrong but also between Lady EH and other individuals and Armstrong and others. One favorite was when a drummer nicknamed Skins engaged with Armstrong about her name. As for Lady EH, one never knows what expression or tidbit of knowledge will be forthcoming as her next comment. Terrific!

I highly recommend spending time with this effervescent duo! ( )