A Quiet Life in the Country by T.E. Kinsey

This is first in a series. 

Lady Emily Hardcastle and her lady's maid Flo move into a new Edwardian built house down a small country lane on the way to the large Manor House which is a mishmash of styles the Gloucestershire village of Littleton Cotterell. They have come for a quiet life after a life of intrigue and espionage that is hinted at with half mentioned stories of the past. Yet not long after they have moved, they go for a brazing walk across the fields through the woods and to the horror find a man hanging from a tree branch.To them the death was not due to suicide and with non subtle but effective questioning they discover the truth. 

Flo is a small Welsh woman, who is more then capable in a brawl to come as the best of the crowd. She is from a circus family and many of the skills she learnt come in handy in the new quite life in the country - usually for saving Lady Hardcastle.

The Manor House belongs to Sir Hector and Lady Farley-Stroud who were friends of Lady Hardcastle's parents. They are fun loving and deeply love each other which is evident in their reactions to each other. They at first find it hard to accept Flo as anything other then a servant, but thanks to Lady Hardcastle Flo is soon accepted and welcomed as a friend.

Dora a Maid of the Stroud's is the only person who takes against them. She is especially spite filled towards Flo, who she deems has set herself above the station in which she was born. Dora causes Flo as much trouble as she can, which Flo handles with dignity.

Both characters, are well rounded and the full force of Lady Hardcastle's personalty jumps from the page. Flo is a witty women whose indifferent speech to Lady Hardcastle would and does provoke disgust among some of the upper class. Although Lady Hardcastle is quite up to the challenge and gives as good as she gets to Flo and those of her detractors.

The Chief Inspector soon learns that they are more then a pair of bumbling amateur lady sleuths and accepts the friendship offered.

The characters are relatable and interact well with each other, and the village is described in a way which brings village life off the page. The social norms of the time are evident as are the breaking of them, it is refreshing to read a novel which shows strong women of this time. 

The story is gripping and easy to read with many laughs along the way. To many it may be a distorted view of life in Edwardian times, where servants knew their place, and a Lady would never be so friendly with people of other classes but I like the way the relationships bloom and grow to become solid in later books. 

The clues are all there but are well hidden, so the ending is - or was for me - a surprise.

The village policeman however are shown to be bumbling, who were only able to see even the most obvious clue without help is grating, but is the only real objection I can find with the book.