• An Act of Foul Play

  • A Lady Hardcastle Mystery, Book 9
  • By: T E Kinsey
  • Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden
  • Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (942 ratings)

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An Act of Foul Play  By  cover art

An Act of Foul Play

By: T E Kinsey
Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden
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Publisher's summary

November 1911. Lady Emily Hardcastle is celebrating her birthday by seeing a play at the Duke’s Theatre in Bristol with her maid and confidante, the inimitable Flo. Act One is a triumph. Then Act Two opens with a body on stage—a real one. One of the cast has been brutally murdered during the interval.

When other matters get in the way of Inspector Sunderland overseeing the case himself, he asks the ever-resourceful Lady H to keep a watchful eye on the suspects—and his police colleagues. Rustling up some cunning disguises of their own, she and Flo are soon in deep cover among the cast and crew, pulling back the curtain on some shocking secrets and rivalries…

The problem is, everyone seems to have a motive, and everyone seems to have an alibi…In this locked-room mystery in which nothing is as it seems, the amateur sleuths need to put on the performances of their lives if they’re to stand a chance of shining a spotlight on the truth…

©2022 T E Kinsey (P)2022 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Elizabeth Knowelden zestfully presents Bristol, England, in 1911.… Knowelden impressively conveys the nasty infighting of the cast, locals and gentry, and endless descriptions of mouthwatering food.… The lively banter, along with countless motives and alibis, keeps listeners guessing—often incorrectly. Historical trivia and occasional laugh-out-loud moments add to the fun, making audio a must.”AudioFile Magazine

Featured Article: The Best Cozy Mysteries to Keep You Warm This Holiday Season


We’ve rounded up a list of some of the best cozy mystery audiobooks to help brighten up your winter listening. Here you'll find contemporary and historical cozies, classic whodunits and ingenious heist stories. While varying in tone, plot, and setting, these picks all share an irresistible holiday atmosphere. You'll find snowstorms galore, bakeries full of tasty holiday treats, glittering get-togethers, and picturesque English villages decked out in their holiday finest.

What listeners say about An Act of Foul Play

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Another Mystery Solved.

I just love these books. Lady Hardcastle and Flo are in top form in this installment. It's well worth your time.

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Foul Play

Outstanding narration! Very enjoyable book. Fun, quirky characters. Lady Hardcastle and Gwen are the best!

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Love every Lady Hardcastle story

Every book in this series has been well written and such a delight to read.

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Love Lady Hardcastle and Flo

Really love this series. The camaraderie and conversation never fail to pick up my mood. And, the performance, as usual was spot on. Enjoyed hearing more about Flo via her sister. This is one of the few cozy series I will re-read b/c I love the feel and humor of the books at least as much as the mystery.

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Another winner

I love these books. The characters are funny, clever. The banter between Lady Hardcastle and Flo is so comical. I have listened to all the books and can’t wait for the next one.

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Great characters and a very good read.

I enjoy how the ladies work . It's as though they can read each other's minds.

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Another wonderful Accenture with Lady Hardcastle and Flo

Story, narration, characters, humor - all just marvelous. So happy to have discovered this series by TE Kinsey! Can’t wait for the next one!

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Another wonderful book

I love these books. The devoted friendship between Flo and Lady Hardcastle is witty, easy, and despite their detective work and occasional shenanigans, feels like the female friendships I have.
Elizabeth Knowlton is one of my all-time favorite narrators. She’s brilliant.
I only wish I could watch one of Lady Hardcastle’s stop motion films. She’s always working on them in the greenhouse and I’m pretty sure they’d be hilarious.

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Always Enjoyable

I’m so thankful for an author and performer whom I can always look forward to being entertained by.

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good story

I listened in the car. I like that these stories are not full of bad language.

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