Hardcastle's Runaway
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $4.99
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
Hardcastle’s mission to find a headstrong young woman leads to some disturbing twists and turns.
March, 1919. The head of CID at New Scotland Yard has a task for Divisional Detective Inspector Hardcastle of A Division: find Lily Musgrave, the missing daughter of Austen Musgrave MP.
Hardcastle, aided by Detective Sergeant Charles Marriott, discovers that the headstrong Lily Musgrave provides risqué entertainment for a number of ex-officers. When she returns home of her own accord, however, Hardcastle assumes the case is closed and turns his attention to arranging the finer details of his daughter Maud’s wedding.
But no sooner is the wedding over than Lily Musgrave goes missing again. And this time, finding her might not be so easy . . .
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Set in 1919, Ison's earnest 14th Hardcastle and Marriott historical (after 2016's Hardcastle's Collector) charts the effects of the Great War's end on England: unemployment, strikes, rationing, and radical changes in expectations of a woman's place in society. Against this backdrop, and while preparing for his daughter's wedding, Det. Insp. Ernest Hardcastle, head of the CID for the Whitehall Division of London's Metropolitan Police assisted by his intelligent and long-suffering sidekick, Det. Sgt. Charles Marriott looks into the disappearance of Lily Musgrave, the 17-year-old daughter of a wealthy MP. Lily has embraced the flapper style of dress and mores with abandon, kohling her eyes, shortening her skirts, and consorting with cads. Lily eventually surfaces alive and well, but then goes missing again. Hardcastle threatens and cajoles his way through lies and misdirection until he literally digs up the truth. The book's villain comes somewhat out of left field, but Hardcastle, crusty and arrogant but astute, is a memorable lead.
