Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Murder on the Rocks by TE Kinsey Series: Lady Hardcastle Mysteries #13
Published by Thomas & Mercer on May 26, 2026
Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction
Pages: 296
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible
February 1913. Lady Hardcastle and her diminutive but mettlesome lady’s maid, Flo, have been invited by their friend JB McIntyre to spend the weekend at his recently renovated Tudor fort on a remote island off the Devonshire coast. But the holiday quickly turns sinister when first a number of valuable jewels go missing—and then a fellow guest is murdered with a most unusual weapon.
Asked by JB to investigate, the stakes are raised for the sleuthing duo when a violent storm traps the group on the island and cuts them off from help. Is the murderer in their midst? With everyone claiming to have an alibi—but each also having a skeleton in their closet—can Lady Hardcastle and Flo unravel this complex web of secrets and deception before the killer strikes again?
Lady Hardcastle and Florence are invited to the grand opening of an island hotel only to be trapped on the island with a murderer. TE Kinsey’s Edwardian Era historical cozy mysteries continue to entertain and enthrall with a little whimsy with one’s murder.
Murder on the Rocks is the thirteenth installment in the Lady Hardcastle mystery series. While the book could standalone, I’ve found reading the series in order has been fun getting to know Emily and ‘tiny servant’ Flo through each of their adventures including the wealth of background that has been gleaned into their previous life as spies before retirement brought them to a tiny English country village.
Murder on the Rocks begins when wealthy American, JB McIntrye pulls together a colorful cast of characters to his new island resort off the coast of England for the momentous grand opening. All sorts of personalities are present among the mix of backgrounds, interests, husbands, wives, and singles. The party atmosphere is charged when some jewels go missing in what most see as a prank until a murder supersedes it. Emily and Flo are on the spot and get cracking.
I was happy to note the change in setting doesn’t dampen Emily and Flo’s verve as they wisecrack, tease, and work the case in their own ways. Lady Hardcastle comes across as batty and convivial though there is a first-class mind noticing things and analyzing in the background. Florence is diminutive and, to an extent, properly deferential as a servant, but she, too, has her talents and the least obvious is her fighting prowess. They balance each other out and have quite a bit of experience nosing out things from their former days as British spies to more recent detecting ventures.
They’ve got quite a motley crew of suspects among the guests and others on the island and the backgrounds and activities need to be sifted to flush out the killer. The isolating storm and island situation gives it a nice atmospheric vibe, too.
I love how each of these mysteries seems to focus on a different historical element each time and developing photography seems to be the it technology getting the focus with a lady photographer and Emily’s interest in the subject. Overall, the Edwardian period is subtle, but obvious in the background.
All in all, it was cozy and fun, a little dragging in spots, but otherwise an entertaining read I can heartily put forward to other historical cozy mystery fans.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing.Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators.Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance.Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
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