Of Manners and Murder
A Dear Miss Hermione Mystery
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- USD 13.99
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- USD 13.99
Publisher Description
Of Manners and Murder is the first in the delightful new Dear Miss Hermione mystery series from Anastasia Hastings.
"Evokes the shocking revelations of Wilkie Collins, the social acuity of Jane Austen and the comic melodrama of Oscar Wilde."—Wall Street Journal
1885: London, England. When Violet's Aunt Adelia decides to abscond with her newest paramour, she leaves behind her role as the most popular Agony Aunt in London, "Miss Hermione," in Violet's hands.
And of course, the first letter Violet receives is full, not of prissy pondering, but of portent. Ivy Armstrong is in need of help and fears for her life. But when Violet visits the village where the letters were posted, she finds that Ivy is already dead.
She'll quickly discover that when you represent the best-loved Agony Aunt in Britain, both marauding husbands and murder are par for the course.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Set in 1885, this witty series launch from Hastings (a pseudonym of Connie Laux, author of the League of Literary Ladies series) introduces Violet Manville, who has been living for a year in the London home of her aunt Adelia. Violet's life is upended when her relative admits to being Miss Hermione, the author of the British Empire's most popular agony aunt column. Adelia adds that she's leaving immediately on a journey of undetermined duration with her lover and insists that Violet take over Miss Hermione during her absence, despite Violet's lack of experience. That new role becomes even more unsettling when Violet reads the letter Adelia wants her to address first, from Ivy, a new bride who sought guidance earlier. Ivy's second missive states that she suspects someone will murder her—and is accompanied by pictures of two men Ivy apparently suspects. Violet traces Ivy, but only after she has died in an apparent accident. Given the letter's contents, Violet resolves to get justice for Ivy by turning detective. Hastings imbues her endearing lead with sufficient depth to make the plot plausible. Allison Montclair readers will be eager for the sequel.
