Recent Reads - Hardy Haul at Hardy Hall

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Hardy Haul at Hardy Hall (Teddy Quillfeather Mysteries Book 1) by PJ Fitzsimmons - From the first page, this cozy is full of snappy narrative and plenty of humour. It starts off with a prologue that sets the tone and explains how Theodora acquired her quirky sidekick Tuxedo Bird. The real mystery begins when Teddy arrives at the country manor Hardy Hall, to reconnect with some old friends and with instructions from her mother to choose one of the eligible bachelors present so she can settle down to a respectable marriage.

Teddy's goal for the weekend is to have a good time but to avoid a betrothal. Turns out she doesn't need to come up with her own distractions, because the hostess's distinctively ugly but valuable necklace is stolen sometime during dinner on the first evening. The manor is surrounded by a moat so clearly the thief is one of the guests and not a drifter, as was the case in a previous theft . . . and in that situation, almost all the same guests were present . . . so Teddy is presented with a fascinating conundrum to solve. She does so with a mischievous sense of humor, quick wit, and inventive theories. 

As a lead character, Teddy is a delight. She has a razor-sharp wit and while she is cheerfully avoiding a marriage her defiance of her parents' wishes seems gentle and not disrespectful. She is a buoyant and light-hearted heroine, and even when challenging the stories or actions of other characters, she does so with a surprising amount of kindness, grace, and good humour. 

The characters are all so likeable and each one has hilarious quirks and mannerisms that continually add laugh-out-loud humour to the fast-paced narrative. There's no murder and everyone is polite and well-meaning, and the solution to the mystery brings wonderful satisfaction, especially after enjoying the witty repartee and comedy of errors along the way. The narrative is so clever and humorous in a very sophisticated way, while describing characters and situations that had me picturing the action as if in a crisp animation style. I'm already looking forward to the next adventure of Teddy Quillfeather!    

From the publisher:

The theft of an immensely valuable, immensely ugly necklace is only the beginning of the intrigues and idiosyncrasies of a country weekend at Hardy Hall where Teddy Quillfeather's mother has sent her with strict instructions to select an eligible bachelor from a shortlist of aristocrats, plutocrats, and copycats.

But when Teddy sets out to discourage the suitors and discover the looters with her natural knack for applied shenanigans she instead uncovers countless conspiracies, complicated by country house courtesies. It's a comedy of manners and caper of manors and the only solution, if you're Teddy Quillfeather, is obviously another heist . . .

This series starter is a clean, clever cosy that will appeal, obviously to readers of Anty Boisjoly but also PG Wodehouse, Agatha Christie, and Dorothy L Sayers, and above all to those who like a little, or, ideally, a lot of comedy in their cosies.

I received a digital copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a locked-room mystery (#1) for The 52 Book Club's 2024 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2024

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