The Fatal Flying Affair

I honestly don't know how to praise this series without it sounding like a cliche. Kinsey is able to both reliably deliver the aspects of the series I love: banter, sprinkling of historical detail, bucolic moments of leisure and dining, a raft of characters I'm happy to see again, and Armstrong kicking ass. He's also able to ‘keep it fresh'. This particular book felt like it focused a lot more on Armstrong separate from Hardcastle, not in going their separate ways, but letting Armstrong have more of the focus of the action within the plot, doing the hangar investigation, being first at the flight controls, having Hardcastle be so very put out when Armstrong's life was threatened, Armstrong's journey with the village show, Hardcastle and Armstrong negotiating the advantages of being perceived as a lady's maid, the societal expectations and the reality of their friendship of equals, that respect being something that extends out to their friend group which represents a number of levels in the class system. It's like the author was a tad worried that as much as the story is always told from Armstrong's perspective, as it's A Lady Hardcastle mystery series, Armstrong was just becoming the quippy sidekick while Hardcastle figured out the mystery. This one very much focused on Armstrong's value and capabilities. And as always, I had a good time!