Of Manners and Murder
A Dear Miss Hermione Mystery
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3.7 • 14 Ratings
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- $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.
Customer Reviews
Intriguing Historical Romance
Four Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Of Manners and Murder by Anastasia Hastings is the first book in her exciting new series Dear Miss Hermione. A historical mystery series set in Victorian England.
Story Recap:
When Violet's Aunt Adelia leaves town with a new friend, she leaves Violet all her files from her advice column, Miss Hermione. Violet now has to answer readers’ questions on life, love, and friendships, with just a few minutes of explanation before Aunt Adelia leaves on her own adventures.
Her first letter is from a young woman named Ivy Armstrong and she’s in fear for her life. But, by the time Violet gets to Ivy’s village, Ivy is already dead. Now she must find the killer.
My Thoughts:
This is the first book by Anastasia Hastings I’ve read and it won’t be my last. I enjoyed this mystery set in Victorian England. Violet is a terrific character, she’s not a simpering woman of the times, but an educated and assertive woman who was raised to trust her own instincts. Her half-sister, Sephora is the opposite. Sephora is a sweet, spoiled, and naive young woman. Sephora also gets mixed up in the mystery and I loved that the two sisters, who are about as opposite as you can get, get some time together and start to appreciate each other's finer traits.
The mystery was interesting and although it wasn’t too difficult to figure out, there were enough suspects to keep me guessing for a bit. I can’t wait for the next story to see what Violet and Sephora get up to next.
Recommendation:
I highly recommend Of Manners and Murder to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.