January 1910. A journalist has been killed in a suspicious blaze. Everything points to a group of suffragettes, but the apparent culprit insists she is innocent.

When Lady Hardcastle receives a letter from a suffragette requesting her urgent help, the retired spy turned sleuth knows only she stands between an accused young woman and the gallows. Evidence at the scene makes Lizzie Worrel’s innocence difficult to believe, and with the police treating it as an open-and-shut case of arson, Lady Hardcastle faces a barrage of resistance as she tries to dig out the truth.

With her trusted maid and confidante, the formidable Flo, Lady Hardcastle sets off in pursuit of the truth as time runs out for the accused suffragette. Was she set up? And if so, is the real culprit a traitor to the cause - or part of a darker conspiracy?

Listening Length

9 hours and 19 minutes
Author

T E Kinsey
Narrator

Elizabeth Knowelden
Audible release date

18 April 2019
Language

English
Publisher

Brilliance Audio
ASIN

B07PXG9LNZ
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
See all details

Final days - Don't miss out!

Limited time offer: 2 month free trial
An audiobook of your choice each month
Listen all you want to the Plus Catalogue of Audible Originals, audiobooks and podcasts
Exclusive member only discounts
After 2 months Audible is $16.45/month, cancel anytime

Learn more about membership

By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible’s Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice.

Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company

People who bought this also bought

Page 1 of 1Start OverPage 1 of 1

Product details

Listening Length	9 hours and 19 minutes
Author	T E Kinsey
Narrator	Elizabeth Knowelden
Audible.com.au Release Date	18 April 2019
Publisher	Brilliance Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B07PXG9LNZ
Best Sellers Rank	8,570 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) 41 in Amateur Sleuth Mysteries (Audible Books & Originals) 46 in Traditional Detective Mysteries (Audible Books & Originals) 46 in Private Investigator Mysteries (Audible Books & Originals)

Customer reviews

5 star		64%
4 star		29%
3 star		5%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

How are ratings calculated?

Review this product

Write a customer review

Top reviews from Australia

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Quaint

Reviewed in Australia on 22 February 2020

Verified Purchase

This is a murder and daring robbery mystery set in 1910 Bristol. In style it’s reminiscent of Agatha Christie and Marjorie Allingham (who was a favourite of J K Rowling). Lady Hardcastle and her diminutive Welsh sidekick Florence Armstrong (who narrates) bicker aimiably and often wittily, while solving the problem, which involves suffragettes. While the plot itself requires a certain suspension of disbelief, everything else is a delight: the surrounding history of the time, the social attitudes prevailing, the stuff about new-fangled cars, ciphers, food and so on, is spot on, as you’d expect from an author trained in history. An agreeable way to spend a few hours. I’ll be reading more.

Helpful

Rick J.

A really good laugh with a mystery entangled.

Reviewed in Australia on 4 April 2021

Verified Purchase

I have enjoyed all five of his books and currently on book six. Will be sad at the end of the series. He weaves an interesting tale into some very interesting places, people and times. It is fun to read the background at the end of the book and see how he has used real places and how in some cases they still survive a hundred or more years later.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Angela

Aaaaah T E KINSEY

Reviewed in Australia on 9 November 2021

Verified Purchase

I simply can't get enough of his Lady Hardcastle books! Fabulous read! His sense of humour is superb, the narrative is totally engaging and the mystery really well thought out. I just don't want them to end!!!

Helpful

Henpatch

Another simply unique story of Ladies and riminals

Reviewed in Australia on 7 August 2019

Verified Purchase

I have read several of the adventures of Lady Hardcastle and her companion Florence.
I love the old fashioned descriptions of life in the early 1900s - taking tea at all hours, quaint language that has now been forgotten - a lovely intriguing murder mystery etc. I highly recommend this story- you cannot help but love it.

Helpful

Amazon Customer

The burning issue number five of Lady's Hardcastle stories

Reviewed in Australia on 15 June 2019

Verified Purchase

I always enjoy Lady Hardcastle stories and this one was no exception, I can’t wait for the next one I enjoyed them so much, it takes you back to The turn of the 1900s and the characters are so good in them all, One can almost picture yourself amongst them all, I read every book so far and thoroughly enjoyed them.

Helpful

Entertaing.

Reviewed in Australia on 28 February 2020

Verified Purchase

T.E. Kinsey has a light reading and entertaining style. However his books are historically accurate. His characters, Lady Hardcastle and Florence are amusing and different. I hope it will not be long before we join them again.

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Interplay of characters is always entertaining

Reviewed in Australia on 4 July 2020

Verified Purchase

It's helpful to have read this series from the beginning, as Lady Hardcastle and her maid refer to past adventures quite regularly. Still, as always, very light and easy reading for any time of the day.

Helpful

You won’t be disappointed

Reviewed in Australia on 18 August 2019

Verified Purchase

I liked everything about this charming exciting story.
I’ve now read 2 books by this author and have started my third.
These two unlikely ladies , one being titled “Lady” & her maid get into all sorts of mischief and fun.

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

fellwalker46

Another Enjoyable, Entertaining Read From Tim Kinsey

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 May 2019

Verified Purchase

The Lady Hardcastle books are as delightfully eccentric as she is. In an age when graphic sex and violence seem to be a sine qua non in fiction, especially detective fiction, Kinsey's writing reflects an earlier more graceful period when explicit material was considered offensive. This is combined with an excellent plot development, strong characterisation, excellent prose and a great sense of place and time. The formula is clearly attractive for many readers, judging by sales figures. This is light reading; there is nothing heavy or profound in these books, but if you are prepared to suspend disbelief for a few hours this is an entertaining way to spend a rainy afternoon by the fire. Having said that, this particular volume ventures into the field of social commentary rather more than the others, set in the struggle for womens' franchise and the suffragette movement, which seems well researched. Even so, it is just as witty and enjoyable as its predecessors. The unusual (and improbable) relationship between Lady Hardcastle and her maid/confidant/bodyguard Florence continues to amuse and in the end of course, the baddies are brought to book, though not without cost to some of the goodies. I can understand that for some readers this might not be "real" enough or serious enough, but if like me you are partial to a tongue in cheek, light but well written yarn with a reasonably compelling and not too obvious plot to lead you on, you will enjoy the shenanigans of Lady Hardcastle and Florence.

16 people found this helpful

Hereward

Another Excellent Read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 April 2019

Verified Purchase

This is the fifth book in the Lady Hardcastle series and the fifth I have read and thoroughly enjoyed. The characters really come alive and the humour is delightful. It is not the so-called "laugh-out-loud" funny. Books that are claimed to be "laugh-out-loud" funny are rarely more than slightly amusing and often not even that, but this series hits just the right spot with the humour.
My only problem with all of these books is that I read them too quickly and then have weeks and months of mediocre reads until I find something else of the same standard.
I look forward to the next Lady Hardcastle and Florence Armstrong adventure.

8 people found this helpful

Philip Meers

The series gets better

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 March 2022

Verified Purchase

In one of the earlier books I remember Flo Armstrong referring to the strangeness of the relationship between herself and Emily Hardcastle. Apparently Emily does not like to consider Flo as her companion, despite this being a better description of the relationship than mistress and lady's maid.

The characters have developed nicely by this book, and the main ones are quite believable, especially knowing something if the period. Some characters are rather flat, but their roles are to pad out the storyline. Unfortunately though, there is still a hint of "cor blimey govna" in the more stilted conversations.

This story is more tied to the period than previous ones. It was a time when more and more women were breaking the mould, and several of the female characters show this well.

The storyline is well crafted. It's not great literature, but there is more than a nod to The Golden Age of the Whodunit, which makes it more entertaining for me, as these are my favourites. The previous stories have been cosy mysteries, but this one branches out from small village to large city. The storyline held my attention, and although I worked it out well before the big reveal, I enjoyed wading through the clues, and the red herrings, to work out whodunit.

There are parts where I felt the author might have been annoyed with themselves because they had planted so many clues. They had, in some parts, left themselves so little to say, that key threads of the story drifted off instead of being the "aha!" moment that they should have been.

Overall, this well deserves 5* because it is good entertainment, has an interesting backstory, some well written characterisations, and a storyline that manages to stay just the right side of implausible.

I recommend it for some light reading for a couple of evenings. I like to alternate between fiction and nonfiction, and this has been a pleasant alternative to the rather heavy book I read prior to it.

Amazon Customer

Another triumph from T. E. Kinsey!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 May 2019

Verified Purchase

T. E. Kinsey has a refreshingly quirky yet sharply drawn voice - or rather voices, as each character speaks with their own. Well plotted and paced, with comedic moments liberally scattered throughout, Lady Hardcastle and Florence Armstrong are the sort of chracters one would love to meet, and to be carried along on adventures with them is a real treat. Speaking of treats, I can highly recommend the audible narration from Elizabeth Knowelden - it adds to the fun and rounds out the images of the characters in the imgination. Brilliant!

6 people found this helpful

Kaybg

Loved it!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 May 2019

Verified Purchase

I bought this to read on holiday (Florida), but having friends with us meant constant interruptions, so I made myself wait until they continued on to their next destination (New York). On the day I chose to start reading I forgot to eat and had to reluctantly leave the story to obtain sustenance. I managed a whole half hour then back to it. Despite other necessary interruptions, the plot kept pulling me back. The light hearted storyline meant a smile or giggle was ever present and, such was the excellent writing, when I finished the book (on the same day I started it!), I looked up with surprise as I had completely forgotten where I was. I loved it, one of the best so far. Thank you for all the historical extra info at the end. I enjoyed that too.

4 people found this helpful

See all reviews

The Burning Issue of the Day: A Lady Hardcastle Mystery, Book 5 Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Free with Audible trial $0.00

Pay with 1-Click $35.10

People who bought this also bought

Product details

Customer reviews

Review this product

Top reviews from Australia

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries

Free with Audible trial

$0.00

Pay with 1-Click

$35.10