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Kempston Hardwick #1
Exit Stage Left
Charlie Sparks had it all. A former TV personality, his outdated style has seen him relegated to the scrapheap. When he dies during a stand-up routine at a local pub, mysterious bystander Kempston Hardwick is compelled to investigate his suspicious death. As Hardwick begins to unravel the mystery, he quickly comes to realise that Charlie Sparks's death throws up more questions than answers.
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First published January 1, 2011
148 people are currently reading
403 people want to read
About the author
Adam Croft
50 books543 followersWith more than half a million books sold to date, Adam Croft is one of the most successful independently published authors in the world, and one of the biggest selling authors of the past year.
Following his 2015 worldwide bestseller Her Last Tomorrow, his psychological thrillers were bought by Thomas & Mercer, an imprint of Amazon Publishing. Prior to the Amazon deal, Her Last Tomorrow sold more than 150,000 copies across all platforms and became one of the bestselling books of the year, reaching the top 10 in the overall Amazon Kindle chart and peaking at number 12 in the combined paperback fiction and non-fiction chart.
His Knight & Culverhouse crime thriller series has sold more than 250,000 copies worldwide, with his Kempston Hardwick mystery books being adapted as audio plays starring some of the biggest names in British TV.
In 2016, the Knight & Culverhouse Box Set reached number 1 in Canada, knocking J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child off the top spot only weeks after Her Last Tomorrow was also number 1 in Canada.
During the summer of 2016, two of Adam’s books hit the USA Today bestseller list only weeks apart, making them two of the most-purchased books in the United States over the summer.
Before writing full time, Adam had previously worked as an internet marketing consultant, delivery driver and professional actor.
Adam has been featured on BBC Radio, The Guardian, The Huffington Post, The Bookseller and a number of other news and media outl
Following his 2015 worldwide bestseller Her Last Tomorrow, his psychological thrillers were bought by Thomas & Mercer, an imprint of Amazon Publishing. Prior to the Amazon deal, Her Last Tomorrow sold more than 150,000 copies across all platforms and became one of the bestselling books of the year, reaching the top 10 in the overall Amazon Kindle chart and peaking at number 12 in the combined paperback fiction and non-fiction chart.
His Knight & Culverhouse crime thriller series has sold more than 250,000 copies worldwide, with his Kempston Hardwick mystery books being adapted as audio plays starring some of the biggest names in British TV.
In 2016, the Knight & Culverhouse Box Set reached number 1 in Canada, knocking J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child off the top spot only weeks after Her Last Tomorrow was also number 1 in Canada.
During the summer of 2016, two of Adam’s books hit the USA Today bestseller list only weeks apart, making them two of the most-purchased books in the United States over the summer.
Before writing full time, Adam had previously worked as an internet marketing consultant, delivery driver and professional actor.
Adam has been featured on BBC Radio, The Guardian, The Huffington Post, The Bookseller and a number of other news and media outl
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
July 15, 2014
The whole thing is so self-consciously constructed, it comes off as natural as a cheap plastic rose from the 70s that's been additionally chewed on by one of those head-nodding dogs that used to be all the rage then. The dialogue is dead even before it leaves the characters' mouths, the situation as convincing as an excuse for no homework thought up by a nine-year-old, and the characters strive to be quirky as befits a (semi-)cozy with the determined good cheer of a fifties housewife moments before a nervous breakdown.
May 14, 2018
I like the character, Kempston Hardwick. He's down-to-earth, dedicated type of guy. And, he always figures out mysteries.
This was a fast-paced, well-thought-out, suspense-driven, story. I loved it and look forward to more Hardwick novels.
This was a fast-paced, well-thought-out, suspense-driven, story. I loved it and look forward to more Hardwick novels.
August 8, 2012
I received this book as an ARC in axchange of a honest review.Thank you,Adam!
I enjoyed this book.It was an easy and sweet reading,but still I rated with three stars on Goodreads.
There were some parts that were’nt so good.First of all,though is a crime thriller,which I adore,it hadn’t this mystery of one.This mystery that keeps you reading ,that makes you hold your breath.I was a little bored reading this book.Don’t get me wrong,it was an interesting and exciting read,but not the best one.
Also,the characters aren’t very well described.I don’t know how do any of characters look like.But the main character,Kempston Hardwick was the typical character of the crime books.He sees everything and he knows everything about someone just by looking at him or her .He is also very smart.The best part of this book is Kempston.
This book was a little too rushed.I mean,some parts passed too fast and I didn’t understand them.
But the great part is that Adam has a very easy style-writing which makes the book easy to read.That’s why I read 100 in like,3 hours?
Ok,I have to admit that even for 1 briefly second I didn’t belive that the “weapon” of the crime is the one that it is.Also ,the end is clever built.
A mysterious crime and a smart investigator.I recommend this book if you’re looking for a short ,sweet reading!
Charlie Sparks is a public figure.He has almost everything:a lot of money,a lover wife and a a career in television.But in the night of a show at a pub full of people he loses everything when he dies.He collapses on stage and dies.Nobody knows what happened with him.
But Kempston Hardwick was in the public when Charlie died.He and his new friend are going to the crime scene and Hardwick discovers that Charlie was poisoned .But who killed him?And why?These are the questions.
Kempston and his mate are investigating Charlie Sparks’ mysterious death.And they will find out that Charlie wasn’t exactly who he seemed to be.
Do you want to find Charlie’s secrets and assasin?Well,read the book!
A mysterious crime and a smart investigator.I recommend this book if you’re looking for a short ,sweet reading!
I enjoyed this book.It was an easy and sweet reading,but still I rated with three stars on Goodreads.
There were some parts that were’nt so good.First of all,though is a crime thriller,which I adore,it hadn’t this mystery of one.This mystery that keeps you reading ,that makes you hold your breath.I was a little bored reading this book.Don’t get me wrong,it was an interesting and exciting read,but not the best one.
Also,the characters aren’t very well described.I don’t know how do any of characters look like.But the main character,Kempston Hardwick was the typical character of the crime books.He sees everything and he knows everything about someone just by looking at him or her .He is also very smart.The best part of this book is Kempston.
This book was a little too rushed.I mean,some parts passed too fast and I didn’t understand them.
But the great part is that Adam has a very easy style-writing which makes the book easy to read.That’s why I read 100 in like,3 hours?
Ok,I have to admit that even for 1 briefly second I didn’t belive that the “weapon” of the crime is the one that it is.Also ,the end is clever built.
A mysterious crime and a smart investigator.I recommend this book if you’re looking for a short ,sweet reading!
Charlie Sparks is a public figure.He has almost everything:a lot of money,a lover wife and a a career in television.But in the night of a show at a pub full of people he loses everything when he dies.He collapses on stage and dies.Nobody knows what happened with him.
But Kempston Hardwick was in the public when Charlie died.He and his new friend are going to the crime scene and Hardwick discovers that Charlie was poisoned .But who killed him?And why?These are the questions.
Kempston and his mate are investigating Charlie Sparks’ mysterious death.And they will find out that Charlie wasn’t exactly who he seemed to be.
Do you want to find Charlie’s secrets and assasin?Well,read the book!
A mysterious crime and a smart investigator.I recommend this book if you’re looking for a short ,sweet reading!
December 17, 2011
I have read and enjoyed Adam Croft’s Knight & Culverhouse books - 'Too Close for Comfort' and 'Guilty As Sin', so was intrigued when I noticed Exit Stage Left with a different protagonist in the form of Kempston Hardwick.
We are initially introduced to Kempston in a pub, the Freemason’s Arms, where he strikes up a conversation with Ellis Flint. Charlie Sparks, a has been celebrity who at the height of his fame performed at Royal Variety performances, is scheduled to do a live show at the pub that evening.
Kempston is an amateur detective and an alliance is quickly formed with Flint as a sidekick as they become involved in investigating the sudden death of Sparks at the start of his performance.
This novella can comfortably be read in a couple of hours and I read it in an afternoon.
Adam Croft has an excellent writing style, which is becoming more and more refined with each publication - not that it was deficient, it’s more his skills are being enhanced with every story!
It is certainly an easy read and it wasn’t until I’d almost reached the end - 93 per cent through the story to be exact! - that I had a light bulb moment and worked out exactly how the murder had been committed.
A very clever piece of writing!
We are initially introduced to Kempston in a pub, the Freemason’s Arms, where he strikes up a conversation with Ellis Flint. Charlie Sparks, a has been celebrity who at the height of his fame performed at Royal Variety performances, is scheduled to do a live show at the pub that evening.
Kempston is an amateur detective and an alliance is quickly formed with Flint as a sidekick as they become involved in investigating the sudden death of Sparks at the start of his performance.
This novella can comfortably be read in a couple of hours and I read it in an afternoon.
Adam Croft has an excellent writing style, which is becoming more and more refined with each publication - not that it was deficient, it’s more his skills are being enhanced with every story!
It is certainly an easy read and it wasn’t until I’d almost reached the end - 93 per cent through the story to be exact! - that I had a light bulb moment and worked out exactly how the murder had been committed.
A very clever piece of writing!
October 4, 2017
I started this during my hour's commute to work and finished it on the way back. Yes. It's that short.
Once famous TV star Charlie Sparks' career has sunk to the point where he is doing spots in local pubs. Kempston Hardwick is in The Freemasons Arms on the night of a scheduled performance and there makes the acquaintance of Ellis Flint, who pays the landlord for a private meeting for them both with Charlie. During the performance Charlie collapses and dies. Kempston suspects murder and shanghais Ellis into helping him in a private investigation.
It's all a bit odd, as the book is not really sure whether it's a comical adventure or not. One also suspects that the dated style of the narrative suggests it was written a long time ago and just put out for free for the sake of it. Fair enough if that's the case, but one would like some sense of date establishment. One presumes from the nature of his comedy that Charlie was famous in the seventies. Most major stars of the seventies of this nature where in their thirties or forties or older which would make Charlie a little too old today for regular stage appearances and frolicking with strippers. You never know though. Also there's only one appearance of a mobile phone, which I suspect may have been added as an update.
Characterisation isn't too bad apart from the case of Hardwick himself, of whom we learn nothing. In other scenarios this may well work but here it just doesn't.
The plot is fine and it's well written which makes it more of a shame that this wasn't treated as a decent first draft and rewritten to at least twice its size, to allow some character development and to establish where we are in time.
Once famous TV star Charlie Sparks' career has sunk to the point where he is doing spots in local pubs. Kempston Hardwick is in The Freemasons Arms on the night of a scheduled performance and there makes the acquaintance of Ellis Flint, who pays the landlord for a private meeting for them both with Charlie. During the performance Charlie collapses and dies. Kempston suspects murder and shanghais Ellis into helping him in a private investigation.
It's all a bit odd, as the book is not really sure whether it's a comical adventure or not. One also suspects that the dated style of the narrative suggests it was written a long time ago and just put out for free for the sake of it. Fair enough if that's the case, but one would like some sense of date establishment. One presumes from the nature of his comedy that Charlie was famous in the seventies. Most major stars of the seventies of this nature where in their thirties or forties or older which would make Charlie a little too old today for regular stage appearances and frolicking with strippers. You never know though. Also there's only one appearance of a mobile phone, which I suspect may have been added as an update.
Characterisation isn't too bad apart from the case of Hardwick himself, of whom we learn nothing. In other scenarios this may well work but here it just doesn't.
The plot is fine and it's well written which makes it more of a shame that this wasn't treated as a decent first draft and rewritten to at least twice its size, to allow some character development and to establish where we are in time.
April 3, 2024
An entertaining short read that has the feel of a "classic" style mystery about it. This vibe is helped by the Sherlock Holmesish persona of Kempton Hardwick - he even has his own Watson in the form of Ellis Flint - &, while I'm not a fan of Holmes, I liked this contemporary version. While it's setting is the present day there were times where it had a much earlier feel about it - 1950's maybe? – though the tone of Kempton's dialogue may have helped create that impression.
In keeping with the traditional crime mystery vein this isn't a gory & gruesome read. The story sees the pair first meeting in a pub & teaming up to investigate the murder of a washed-up comedian. With Kempton taking charge, they have absolutely no problems in getting people to talk! It all leads up to Kempton wrapping things up in the fashion favoured by so many classic mysteries….by gathering everyone together so he can deliver his findings (although not in the library as you might expect- in this case it's back to the pub!)
Not my usual style for a crime tale but nevertheless I found it very enjoyable.
In keeping with the traditional crime mystery vein this isn't a gory & gruesome read. The story sees the pair first meeting in a pub & teaming up to investigate the murder of a washed-up comedian. With Kempton taking charge, they have absolutely no problems in getting people to talk! It all leads up to Kempton wrapping things up in the fashion favoured by so many classic mysteries….by gathering everyone together so he can deliver his findings (although not in the library as you might expect- in this case it's back to the pub!)
Not my usual style for a crime tale but nevertheless I found it very enjoyable.
June 10, 2018
I have mixed feelings about this story. I liked it, but for some reason it kept bothering me that Kempston Hardwick wasn’t who people thought he was (maybe I’m too honest lol) and the fact that he had only just met Ellis Flint but he continued to hang out with him while investigating, even though he didn’t appear useful. I didn’t see the point in that unless to make it appear more authentic when talking to suspects.
Saying that, I did enjoy the story unravelling and wanted to read more and see who did it and why. I have read other Adam Croft books and enjoyed them and see that this is part of a series. Therefore I’m going to read the next one and see how I feel second time around. I do like a series where you see the characters develop as well as enjoying a new story so will be interesting what I feel about the next one in the series.
Saying that, I did enjoy the story unravelling and wanted to read more and see who did it and why. I have read other Adam Croft books and enjoyed them and see that this is part of a series. Therefore I’m going to read the next one and see how I feel second time around. I do like a series where you see the characters develop as well as enjoying a new story so will be interesting what I feel about the next one in the series.
May 10, 2018
"A Crafty British Murder Mystery"
This is a classic Golden Age British mystery, with the story about Charlie Sparks being on stage when he collapses and dies. He had once been an outdated TV personality. Observing the death of Charlie is Kempston Hardwick and he decides to do a little investigation on his own since he feels the death is suspicious. This novel, written with a splash of humor, may remind you of classic stories of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. It's totally humorous and intoxicating. Highly recommend.
This is a classic Golden Age British mystery, with the story about Charlie Sparks being on stage when he collapses and dies. He had once been an outdated TV personality. Observing the death of Charlie is Kempston Hardwick and he decides to do a little investigation on his own since he feels the death is suspicious. This novel, written with a splash of humor, may remind you of classic stories of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. It's totally humorous and intoxicating. Highly recommend.
September 20, 2017
I have become totally captivated by Mr. Hardwick. What can I say; he is a bit pompous but in a good way. His sense of humor, along with his minute observations are so entertaining. A very well written story with a very well-rounded cast of characters. Looking forward to reading more books in the same vein by a great author. Thank you, Mr. Croft.
October 13, 2017
As a novella this story introduces a sleuth who reminds the reader of an Agatha Christie/Sherlock Holmes character. I enjoyed the story although quite a simple solution was evident but there were some twists.
February 17, 2018
Hackneyed
This is hackneyed to the point of parody. Genius amateur detective. Dumb sidekick. Stupid police officers. Lots of characters with secrets and even a victim of poisoning. The characters were all stereotypes.
This is hackneyed to the point of parody. Genius amateur detective. Dumb sidekick. Stupid police officers. Lots of characters with secrets and even a victim of poisoning. The characters were all stereotypes.
June 27, 2018
Charlie Sparks is reduced to performing his routine in pubs, until it kills him. Kempston Hardwick happens to be there that evening and is convined it's murder. He decides to investigate.
An enjoyable and quick read, a good start to the series
An enjoyable and quick read, a good start to the series
November 27, 2018
An entertaining short read, set in the modern day but with a feel of a classic crime duo, slightly tongue in cheek. Not for those who like a gritty, realistic crime thriller but especially given that it is quite brief, a welcome little morsel between longer reads.
December 11, 2021
From the start Kempston Hardwick, is to me, the reincarnation of Sherlock Holmes. His new friend Ellis Flint is his 'Watson'. What great new characters Adam Crooft has created. I felt right at home and enjoyed his excellent 'intellectual' exercise. I will be looking for his next case. Congratulations Adam Croft!
December 22, 2021
Intriguing
Intriguing introduction in Book 1 of the main characters and their interactions. Easy to follow and an enjoyable lighthearted mystery that keeps you guessing until the end.
Intriguing introduction in Book 1 of the main characters and their interactions. Easy to follow and an enjoyable lighthearted mystery that keeps you guessing until the end.
August 8, 2022
This is an excellent introduction to someone who is just getting started on Adam Croft books. I loved this and couldn't put it down. This is only a short story but manages to keep you from cover to cover and not wanting the story to end.
October 15, 2023
Having bought this by mistake, meaning to buy a totally different book with the same title on ebay, I thought this sounded interesting. It was that, no more, no less. A sort of Holmes and Watson in the 21st century. Sort of. I won't make that mistake again on ebay.
February 24, 2017
Enjoyable
Kinda strange but a fun read. I liked the characters and the humorous way they went about Investigating the murder. I would recommend.
Kinda strange but a fun read. I liked the characters and the humorous way they went about Investigating the murder. I would recommend.
August 17, 2017
Not for me. I received this a free e-book via Facebook, so didn't know anything about it. Whilst it is written well it's not my type of read.
February 26, 2018
Derivative at best. Boring at worst. Shades of Holmes, Watson and Poirot.
March 7, 2018
Very entertaining.
July 23, 2018
Enjoyable book. Loved the story line.
November 22, 2018
fun short story but very stereotypical and maybe not so orginal but like I said--just a fun read!
August 12, 2019
I did not catch on the plot of this book at all... So did not finish it. For me this is rare.
October 31, 2019
Kempston = Sherlock
April 16, 2020
Audible Audiobook
June 18, 2020
3.5 stars - An interesting story. I do like the character of Kempston Hardwick
July 7, 2022
This was...OK. I finished it. I hate being spoiler guy, so I won't say much about this, except to say there are better mysteries out there.
December 26, 2023
I only read this cause it was short and for free and I’m tryna reach my reading goal
January 8, 2024
This is a 3.5 🌟 read rounded ⬆️ to 4 🌟.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews