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Description
Hands of Time : A Watchmaker's History of Time by Rebecca StruthersAn intricate and personal history of watches and time from the extraordinary watchmaker and historian, Dr Rebecca Struthers. Timepieces are one of humanity's most ingenious innovations. Their invention was more significant for human culture than the printing press, or even the wheel. They have travelled the world with us, from the depths of the oceans to the summit of Everest, and even to the Moon. They regulate our daily lives and have sculpted the
An intricate and personal history of watches and time from the extraordinary watchmaker and historian, Dr Rebecca Struthers.
Timepieces are one of humanity's most ingenious innovations. Their invention was more significant for human culture than the printing press, or even the wheel.
They have travelled the world with us, from the depths of the oceans to the summit of Everest, and even to the Moon. They regulate our daily lives and have sculpted the social and economic development of society in surprising and dramatic ways.
From her workshop bench, Rebecca explores the ways in which timekeeping has indelibly shaped our attitudes to work, leisure, trade, politics, exploration and mortality, and introduces us to some extraordinary and treasured devices, each with their own story to tell.Â
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4.8 ★★★★★
Based on 28 reviews
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 3
are looking to settle in to the nice, quiet
Format: Paperback
Welcome to Littleton Cotterell,a small village in Glouchestershire. The year is 1908, and Lady Emily Hardcastle and her intrepid maid, Florence Armstrong, are looking to settle in to the nice, quiet, retired life after several years spent adventuring around the world.
Naturally, such plans are always disrupted. In this case, the two women discover a dead body hanging from a tree while out on a morning walk. The death is meant to appear as a suicide, but certain inconsistencies seen to point more towards murder. With the local constabulary over their heads, Lady Hardcastle and Flo must draw on their previous experiences to solve the murder before anyone else gets hurt.
The mystery goes off in fairly expected fashion, with the eccentric and kindly Lady Hardcastle relying on her witty and resourceful maid. There are suspicious characters and red herrings aplenty. And, naturally, the initial mystery gets wrapped up in several others in the course of the book.
I will say this for A Quiet Life in the Country: it does not take itself too seriously. The usual tropes of the cozy mystery are addressed with a wink and a nudge (such as one character explaining to Lady Hardcastle that the tiny, 30 person village she just moved to is actually the murder capital of the country). I appreciate the effort made to acknowledge all the commonly used bits that go into a cozy murder mystery, and it certainly helped to dispel a feeling of deja vu.
In all, if you’re looking for a nice, quick mystery with not one but two strong female leads, you could do far worse than to join Flo and Lady Hardcastle on their adventures.
A free copy of this book was provided via Goodreads Givaways in exchange for an honest review. A Quiet Life in the Country is currently available for purchase (and, at the time of this writing, free via Kindle Unlimited).
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Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2016
★★★★★ 5
Pay no attention to Amazon's forced "one word" reviews. Read this review instead!
Format: Kindle
When led to this page for my review I found a series of leading questions which I found quite offensive. Don't put words in my mouth Amazon. I'm quite capable of giving my own ideas and views! For instance instead of the above four one word clap trap, I give you my review: "Full of surprises" indeed!
That being said, I absolutely adored "A Quiet Life In The Country". I take full advantage to read for free lots of book through Prime, but most of it is schlock. This is the gold piece found buried deep, and worth the search. It's fun and frothy reading at the level of P. G. Wodehouse and Georgette Heyer. I echo a hearty Amen! to those who found Flo and Lady Hardcastle the most diverting sleuthing duo to come along in ages. I want much much more! Well researched too, as I learned who in the upper crust sails (as in Ladyship) and an assortment of early 20th century sports figures like W. G. Grace and Jack Hobbs, and after googling pictures of same, got quite a giggle out of Grace being portrayed as Oscar Wilde.
This is actually my second read of this series, and it is even better than I remembered. In the second one you get even more behind the scenes with Lady H and Flo and it is a wild ride. These are first class offerings and I'm actually buying them all and can't wait until the newest comes out next June (2017)!
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Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2017
★★★★★ 4
Well written. Funny...out loud gafawing funny. Fun. Well crafted plot. Wonderful characters.
Format: Kindle
What a lovely surprise!
A well written, well plotted. Funny. Fun. Mystery with two fresh and fine friends...Lady Hardcastle and Flo Armstrong , her erstwhile Lady's maid, Servant, Strong Right Hand Woman and friend...and...Inspector Sunderland, who finds the two so innovative and essential to the investigation of Two Murders and Some serious thefts that he is determined, and says so, that whenever they can he desires them to assist in future!
I so enjoyed this first book in the series I invested in the next four...so far!...in the series.
What fun...the women and now the Detective Inspector, as well, have such comical and engaging exchanges one finds herself (me) laughing so heartily she needs to pause and wipe her eyes repeatedly as she reads the story!
Would highly recommend this series to anyone who loves a good, well plotted mystery and a giddy, heartfelt laugh...well, series of laughs, at the same time.
Dialogue is often funny...though murder and mayhem are not!...and this is a careful blend of both....just sayin'.
What a wonderful edition to a huge genre of cozy and some not so cozy mystery books.
I recommend this series.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2024
★★★★★ 5
a quiet life???
This is a short story collection like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie have for Holmes and Poirot/Marple.
The characters remind me of the Phryne Fisher books. There are four stories in Book 1
A Quiet Life in the Country
Lady Emily Hartcastle and her maid Miss Florence Armstrong are enjoying some time in the country in the small
town of Littleton Cotterell when they come across a dead body. They find out that it is Frank Pickering, a local man
and it is thought that he committed suicide. But investigating, it seems that he has been murdered. Who
did it and why?
The Circus comes to town
Lady Hartcastle meets an old friend George who is the manager who for a circus that has come to
town. The next day, the juggler Hubert 'Huey' Parving is found dead mawled in a cage and then
others began to die. Who is behind this?
The Case of the Missing Case
Lady Hartcastle and Flo go to the engagement party of young Clarissa Farley-Strouds. The
next day, Nelson Holloway, the trumpet player with that night's entertainment - Roland Richman's
Ragtime Revue. Who killed him? As they investigate, the clues lead them to possible cursed
stolen jewel.
The Half-Death of Gunther Ehrlichmann
Florence recounts her life before and after meeting Lady and Lord Hartcastle as she and
Lady Hartcastle along with Lady Hartcastle's brother hunt down a killer.
Each story is tied into the other, but exciting! Must read!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2016
★★★★★ 5
Great read!
Format: Kindle
Absolutely enjoyable read. Great characters, can't wait for their next adventure!
If you like enjoyable fast reads a good mystery and some delightful laughs this series is for you!
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Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2026