Di buone maniere e altri delitti

Dear Miss Hermione #1

by Anastasia Hastings

1885. Violet Manville, giovane intellettuale dallo spirito indipendente, non si sarebbe mai aspettata di ritrovarsi a gestire in anonimato la rubrica di consigli sentimentali più letta di Londra, Miss Hermione. Un ruolo fino a quel momento ricoperto dalla zia Adelia, che ha deciso di fuggire con il suo ultimo amante, lasciandole in eredità penna, pseudonimo e una pila di lettere da leggere. Convinta di dover rispondere a cuori infranti e dilemmi amorosi, Violet si ritrova invece davanti a un messaggio Ivy Armstrong teme per la propria vita e implora aiuto. Spinta dal senso di responsabilità, Violet si reca nel villaggio da cui la lettera è stata spedita, ma è troppo Ivy è già morta. E la sua morte solleva più domande che risposte. Nel cuore dell’Inghilterra vittoriana, tra tè pomeridiani e segreti ben custoditi, Violet scoprirà che impersonare Miss Hermione significa molto più che dispensare significa dare voce a chi non ne ha, affrontare mariti infedeli, scandali di provincia e omicidi mascherati da incidenti. E che essere la confidente più amata di Londra può essere tanto pericoloso quanto affascinante.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction

278 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 7, 2023

About the author

Also writes as Miranda Bliss, Casey Daniels, Zoe Daniels, Connie Deka, Mimi Granger, Anastasia Hastings, Connie Lane, Connie Laux, Constance Laux, Kylie Logan.

Reviews

[Noah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is it ladylike to say the shit I wanna say? / If I want another, I still gotta make you wait / Do I bite my tongue? Be humble when I feel a way? / 'Cause if you get out of line, I put you in your place (Ladylike – Kiana Ledé).

Finally! With Of Manners and Murder, I’ve found a book that dares to shine a light on the most marginalized minority group of all; brunettes. Okay, that was a joke, because while I admit I raised my eyebrow (just one, like a DreamWorks poster) at how this novel tries to espouse a feminist message without taking into consideration how privilege and class factor into the equation, I still commend the author for trying to tackle being both an action-packed murder mystery and have a strong message about the mistreatment of women throughout history at the same time. It's not easy, and just the fact that this book is able to touch on so many important topics without losing the plot along the way is something to be admired. Oh, I think I kind of got ahead of myself for a second there, because if you couldn’t tell, I thought this book was pretty good! So good that I want to talk about it, so here's the synopsis. The story this time around is that our no nonsense, Jane Austen-esque main character, Violet, has it revealed to her that her eccentric aunt Adelia had been secretly masquerading as the enigmatic Miss Hermione; an advice column that doles out helpful tips to women old and young alike on dealing with any kind of problem ranging from interests of the heart to... well actually, that's mostly it. And now that good ole Auntie Adelia is going traveling with her man, she expects Violet to take over the mantle and give her own unique dose of practical advice out to the adoring public. It's very Bridgerton coded, but where that show's reveal of Lady Whistledown didn't have the effect that they were going for because they tried to make it a "girl boss" moment while also refusing to acknowledge the uncomfortably racist undertones at how this character's privileged high class family and her own terrible gossip almost caused one of the few black women on the cast, her sister in law, to die from a botched abortion, this book however doesn't bother having a secondary mystery surrounding the identity of the secret writer and forgoes pretense all together, as we're given Miss Hermione's identity from the start. But yeah, now Violet has something fun to do! Or at least, it should have been, because after sifting through the mess, Violet quickly becomes embroiled in a murder investigation in a small town, and despite the hurdles the obscenely amoral medical malpractice of the era, Violet will stop at nothing to find out the truth and serve justice to a victim that would have otherwise become a footnote in a long history of forgotten women.

So yeah, I liked this! And that will stay true even though I’ll probably spend most of my time talking about the little things that kept me from leaving a glowing review. Like the fact that Violet is this steadfast and practical woman in a time when that wasn’t seen as realistic or even safe for a woman to be, and she stays as such throughout the novel until she randomly falls head-over-heels for some dude two hundred pages in who acts exactly like all the men she’s detested for the entire novel? It was an odd addition considering the big reveal about his identity (slight spoilers) is that he’s a damn Pinkerton!? Ew, and also… yuck. I thought we were done with trying to sugar coat their image after that one terrible Emily Blunt show about "The First Female Pinkerton" or whatever. The funny thing is that I’m always keeping an eye out for a romance side-plot, but I don’t know if I’ve ever read a book that needed one less than Of Manners and Murder! Violet is a modern woman in a time that doesn’t appreciate that fact and disinterested by romance as a whole, so by having her settle for the exact kind of man who shares the same misogynistic viewpoints as everybody else in the setting while masking it under the pretense of chivalry, it not only diminishes her agency, but also implies an underlying message that she just needed “the right man” to “complete” her. Nonetheless, if you’re just looking for a simple enough mystery that hints at the fact that it’s saying something without ever divulging exactly what that is, then Of Manners and Murder it a totally satisfying read! I mean, I read it quickly enough, and every time I put it down, it wasn’t long before it was back in my hands. That’s got to count for something, right? Though, sometimes I do get tired of the formulaic nature of the mystery genre in general, because it’s always “investigate, investigate, investigate, big reveal,” and it would be nice if they’d switch it up a little bit every now and then! Sure, there’s a lot of comfort in knowing that you’ll never read a mystery with too many unanswered questions at the end, but just know that if I ever happen to write a mystery book, the spoiler twist will be that the killer was the main character or their love-interest, and then they'll just decide to bury the thing and stay together. Dun Dun Dunnn! And it wouldn’t have a dork ass ending like All Your Twisted Secrets by Diana Urban where the whole thing is a lesson in responsibility and accountability or whatever, it’d be very Gone Girl.

Otherwise, while I do think this book does a valiant effort in examining feminism through a historical lens, I couldn’t help but feel like there was an overbearing voice of privilege that clouded the narrative and kept me from really taking anything the book was trying to say too seriously. You have all the benefit of hindsight, and these characters are all still basically just a bunch of condescending rich folk who care about women's issues, but only if their women they deem worthy of their consideration. There’s this book called Sarah’s Key that about a woman who finds the diary of a girl who lived through the Holocaust, and the book would go back and forth between the harrowing experience this young girl went through… and some Eat, Pray, Love journalist lady trying to find a sexy French boyfriend. It had a total tonal whiplash when it would switch perspectives every single chapter and really made for a worse reading experience overall, let alone just a worse book in my opinion. But wait, I don’t know why that specific book came to mind… hm, it’s a real thinker. Oh yeah, it’s because Violet’s sister Sephora was very annoying and her first world problems weren't charming or cute or even "fondly irritating," but rather a complete buzzkill and often forced the narrative to a grinding halt. Sorry, but I really don’t care about all of her little "rebellious" escapades while her sister’s much more interesting point-of-view chapters has her solving a damn murder! Sephora also does the whole infantilizing, Ariana Grande “baby voice” thing, and even though this book has no sound, I could still hear the Wicked press tour in my ear with perfect clarity like I had The Black Phone bolted to my wall. She's the Agatha from Simon Snow of this book, because every time she’d get a point-of-view chapter, I’d have to skim through it because I couldn’t for the life of me find the resolve to read through her little goo goo gaga problems! It doesn’t help that she gets scammed by some obvious scammer and loser dude who literally pulls the same exact move as Jennifer Lopez’s shitty husband from the movie Enough where he has his friend act sus so he can come in and play the hero. Come on, that’s the oldest trick in the book Sephora, we’ve all seen the movie Enough. Like, keep up! I don't know, and this is coming from a fellow youngest sibling, but I just always find annoying little sibling characters to be a deal-breaker for me whenever they take up too much space in a story. Crazy, Stupid, Love was unwatchable for me for this exact reason! Anyway, even though the enthusiasm dies a little bit more each time, I feel like I should keep reiterating (for myself mostly), but I did enjoy this book. As a mystery? Of Manners and Murder is a wonderfully breezy read that occupies the mind and keeps you guessing at every page! But as a romance… I’m afraid it’s about as baffling and aura-less as anything that can be found in the worst pages of a Nicholas Sparks novel.

“I shouldn’t be so suspicious.”
“I have no such compunction. I am happy to be suspicious enough for the both of us.”

[Marilyn (not getting notifications) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up! Of Manners and Murder by Anastasia Hastings was the first book in a new historical fiction cozy mystery series called Dear Miss Hermione. It was set in London in the late 1800’s. I listened to the audiobook that was well narrated by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw. Anastasia Hastings has written many books. This was the first of her books that I had the opportunity to read. She uses various pen names but the author’s real name is Connie Laux. I enjoyed the many twists and funny moments in Of Manners and Murder. It was fast paced and the characters were likable for the most part.

Violet and her sixteen year old half sister Sephora were living with their Aunt Adelia in London. One day Adelia decided on the spur of the moment and with no prior warning to just go off to the continent with her current boyfriend. Before she left, Aunt Adelia confessed to Violet that she was the notorious Miss Hermione. Violet was shocked by this admission. She had never suspected that Aunt Adelia was Miss Hermione, the clever columnist who gave advice to those that sought it. Violet was more shocked though when her aunt relinquished the responsibility of her column to Violet in her absence. What did Violet know about giving advice? How could she fill the shoes of the clever and respected Miss Hermione? Violet had no choice. She told herself that she was capable and would be able to do it.

Violet jumped in with both feet and reached for the first piece of correspondence. She was expecting to read some romance dilemma but instead Violet opened a letter from a woman named Ivy Armstrong. Ivy lived in a small village not too far from London called Willingdale. She was terribly afraid that someone was purposely trying to hurt her or worse. Newspaper clippings were included with her plea for help. On each newspaper clipping, Ivy had circled the picture of the people she suspected of trying to hurt her. Oh my! This was not what Violet had expected. Violet knew that she had to go to Willingdale to help Ivy figure this out without giving away her identity. When Violet arrived in Willingdale, she discovered that Ivy was dead. Was Ivy’s death a suicide or was she murdered? Violet was determined to find out. She would seek out all the people Ivy had indicated to her. There were plenty of suspects. Would Violet be able to figure out how Ivy died and who if anybody had a hand in her fate?

The chapters alternated between Violet and her half sister, Sephora and were told from their POV’S. Sephora’s character, her shrill voice and annoying responses really bothered me. I found Sephora to be very superficial, quite gullible and not very bright. Sephora’s world revolved around herself, fashion, romance and finding a rich husband. She was so shallow. Hopefully, her character will improve. There were other characters, though, that I enjoyed very much. Surprisingly, Violet became quite adept at becoming Miss Hermione. I enjoyed reading some of the advice she wrote back to her readers. Near the end, Violet was offered a glimpse at romance. I hope that will be carried over to the next book in this series. She deserves happiness, too. I enjoyed listening to this book and look forward to the next book in this series. I recommend reading Of Manners and Murder if you enjoy books set in the Victorian era and cozy mysteries.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media LLC for allowing me to listen to the audiobook Of Manners and Murder by Anastasia Hastings through Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

[Colleen Scidmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here’s something I never thought I would say…I am starting to enjoy Historical Fiction. Well at least HF with a mystery component..lol
Tbh I only picked up Of Manners and Murder because it was one of the only available new releases on Overdrive that I had on my tbr, all the others were on hold. And it turned out to be such a nice surprise!

Violet and her younger half sister Sephora live in London with their Aunt Adelia after both their mothers and later their father passed away. Aunt Adelia is a bit flighty and has a line of never ending paramours around the corner and the next one leads her on a trip for an undetermined amount of time leaving the secret duty of Miss Hermione (think Dear Abby for England and in Victorian times) in Violet’s hands. Violet always prime and proper takes this responsibility very serious and she dives immediately into Miss Hermione’s letters.

The first letter is not the usual fluff like how to catch a husband or how to behave in a certain situation but in fact from a woman named Ivy Armstrong who is in fear for her life. Violet decides to get started on Ivy’s dilemma by traveling to her village to investigate who might be trying to harm the most recent author of a Miss Hermione letter only to find she is too late and Ivy has passed. But what looks like an unfortunate accident to most of the village in fact seems very suspicious to Violet.

As she delves further into her investigation Violet seems to ruffle feathers and find there are multiple suspects that could have wanted Ivy out of the way. Things turn a tad too dangerous for Violet as an unknown stalker seems to be following her every move and she narrowly escapes several “accidents”. Is Violet getting to close to the truth? Will she be able to figure out if Ivy was truly murdered or just Ill-fated? And if Ivy was murdered will she suffer the same fate?

I knew pretty much from the start whodunnit but that did not deter from my enjoyment of the story. Anastasia Hastings has a marvelous way of writing with humor and whit and getting to know Violet and Sephora, both very different women was a lot of fun. Violet herself is quite spunky and not the type of woman who is husband hunting like Sephora, which ultimately lands her in some hot water. But Violet does seem to strike up an attraction to a certain American who I hope to see in the future books. This delightful first book in a brand new series was definitely a winner.

Cozy Mysteries are hit or miss for me but this is one I will keep on my radar and I’m very much looking forward to the next installment of Miss Hermione!

[carolintallahassee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished reading this quirky detective story while Hurricane Ian was barreling through Florida, and I was unable to write an immediate review because I had no power. I have finished another book, and began one more, so now that I have had time to think about this story, here comes my honest review. The reason that I used quirky is the fact that two young ladies, sisters, one wealthy, and their Aunt who writes an Aunt Abby type column, is off with a boyfriend? During the Victorian Era? The next problem is two young ladies running around England without a proper chaperone, I am sorry, but you did not have to be aristocratic for it to be improper for young ladies to go anywhere alone; you can place your feminist ideals in every chapter, however, there will always be honest people like me who will call this revisionist history. The book is let down by these shortcomings, there would have been at least one maid in this type home, which would have left the ladies maid to accompany the eldest sister as she looked for a murderer. That would have left another maid to chaperone the younger sister, she still would have gotten into trouble, but at least someone would have known about it. It's the little things in books that can take it from the mundane to a great book. The story is interesting, I enjoyed the premise, I did not like the lack of love between the two sisters, the lack of warmth between them is felt. I recommend it for people who don't mind revisionist history, I usually find great books from #StMartinsPress, and I love this publishing house!
Thank you #Netgalley #StMartinsPress
carolintallahassee

[Ranjini Shankar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fine historical cozy mystery. It’s just nothing new or interesting. We once again have a spritely, plucky Victorian heroine who breaks social normals and “has a personality” unlike all the other docile airheaded creatures around her. We have terrible patriarchal men who only want obedience and and snarky old ladies who are supportive of free spirits.

I feel like this has been told in so many iterations that I’m just bored. Even the resolution of this and the motive was boring because. Of course it would be that. You can’t set a murder of a young woman in Victorian times and not have it be related to the patriarchy.

It is not a bad book or poorly written, it’s just nothing new.

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Violet has a new job. She now has the job of advice columnist which was dropped into her lap by her aunt. As she opens one of the letters that has come in, she delves deep. So deep in fact, her search takes her to a small village where she discovers that the author of that letter’s name was Ivy. And that Ivy is now dead. Not believing the rule of death as being suicide, Violet takes it upon herself to investigate Ivy's life, her recent marriage, and anything that would net her the answers she seeks.

With her interest sparked, wonderful instincts and the ability to ask the perfect questions, Violet just might be able to solve whatever it was behind Ivy’s untimely death. While too late to have helped via the advice column, Violet is determined to find justice for Ivy.

This intriguing first book in a new series is told in first person from both Violet and her sister Sephora's point of view. This book offers a seamless introduction to a delightful new series with enjoyable characters. I definitely look forward to the next book in this promising series.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

[Natasha Niezgoda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clap clap clap! Well, this was a delight. Dear Abby meets Charlotte Holmes! Gimme a sequel NOW!!

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atmospheric, mysterious, and delightfully entertaining!

Of Manners and Murder is a playful, engaging tale set in England during 1885 that features Violet Manville, a spirited bluestocking who, after her Aunt Adelia heads to the Continent on vacation leaving her in charge of the “Dear Miss Hermione” column, finds herself embroiled in a murder mystery with the most unusual suspects after travelling to Willingdale to meet up with a young woman who wrote to her in fear for her life only to discover when she arrives there that she’s already dead.

The writing style is light and witty. The characters are intelligent, adventurous, and intriguing. And the plot is a well-paced, compelling whodunit full of red herrings, amateur sleuthing, tricky situations, awkward moments, deduction, danger, attraction, and a touch of romance.

Of Manners and Murder is the first book in the Dear Miss Hermione series, and if you love historical mysteries/romances, this novel won’t disappoint. It is an amusing, enjoyable, cosy read that is the first novel I’ve read by Hasting but undoubtedly won’t be my last.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good historical mystery and am [now] excited to add another series to my ever-growing list of ones that I read! Add in that this author is a pseudonym for an author I already really enjoy reading, and this one was [mostly] a winner for me.

What I Liked:
* Violet as a main character. She is is smart, doesn't suffer fools, , and while not loving her position in life, has learned to make the most of it and adding the "Miss Hermione" job to it and all the shenanigans that entail add to her previously small life. She is brave and is willing to step outside of what society deems "proper" to get to the truth. Raised in a very unconventional way, her being able to "look down her nose" at London's society raises eyebrows of course, but just adds to the story.
* Bunty. What a great character. She loves her girls and wants the best for them and tries to reign Violet in, but ends up just getting swept along with her. She is fantastic and I hope we see more of her in the next book.
* I really loved that Violet doesn't expects help OR NEEDS HELP from a man. And while a man does play into the end of this, he is not the focus and I really like how that all played out. Violet shows that she can do this on her own and needs no male help in her life [though she discovers that having someone pay attention to her instead of her sister IS rather lovely ;-) ]. As someone who has lived in her sister's shadow her whole life, I loved this part of Violet the most and when I grow up, I can only hope that I have some of her chutzpah.
* The story overall. It was a really well-told story. It was, for the most part, a really good mystery. I was sure that some people were just not...well, I knew they were not nice, but I wasn't sure how everything would come together and when it did, I was surprised, but not really. I will say I was not let down though - it was more like "AHA!! THAT is it" and the more it was unraveled, the more I thought "DUH! I so should have seen THAT" [THOUGH I was sure something was up when Sephora's purse was stolen and there was something off with Franklin's muttonchops - should have paid attention to that more LOL].

All that leads me to what I didn't love about this book:
* The stupid dual POV. Seriously, authors, please stop this. It is unneeded and in this case, so freaking frustrating and eye-rolling. The dual POV adds NOTHING to the story [but frustration on this readers part and the wanting to smack her AND bang my head against the wall]. Now, I am not saying that Sephora as a character wasn't important because she is [though silly, flighty, vapid girls are never, ever, my favorite kind of characters and I also disliked how she often treats Violet]. She is there to show the dramatic difference between two sisters, but I do think it could have been done without us needing her separate POV. I was very unhappy when it suddenly switched in my audiobook and every time she came on, my eyes immediately started rolling. There were absolutely moments where she was 100% TSTL. Seriously.

All the pluses outweigh the one thing that I disliked and I am looking forward to a book 2 should one get written. I can see this becoming one of my favorite series'; so glad that I took a chance on this one - it made for a very enjoyable 2-day read.

I was also lucky enough to be accepted for an audiobook ARC of this book and THIS is the way to read this book [IMO]. I really loved the narrator and how she told the story [though, as with everything regarding Sephora, I disliked her voice, but I think that was the point. Sephora is supposed to grate on your last nerve and the narration really...adds[?] to that. ;-) ] and I will be looking for this narrator in other books and I hope that if there is a book 2, she will continue to be the narrator for that one as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Anastasia Hastings, Mia Hutchinson- Shaw - Narrator, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and Dreamscape Media for providing these ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was delightful!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my advanced audio of Of Manners and Murder.

This book checked a lot of boxes for me.

Historical Fiction ✅
Dual POV ✅
Cozy Mystery ✅
Enjoyable Characters ✅
Amazing Narration ✅
Easy to Follow Storyline ✅

I cannot wait to get my hands on the next installment. ❤

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute little historical lady mystery, but it lacked oomph. I also wanted more agony aunt letters, and a little less coincidence in the plotting. Will be reading the second one, and more if they are ever published (not sure this sold well at all).

[3.5 stars, but rounding up bc I had a nice time]

[Jeannine]

Sadly, a DNF. I tried, but didn’t really understand why the investigation was happening. Maybe I’ll try it again in the future.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars, rounded up from 3.5


1885, England - Violet’s aunt is secretly the author of the Dear Miss Hermione advice column in the newspaper and with no warning, she dumps this responsibility onto Violet, so she can hightail it out of England with a lover for a while. She wants Violet to start by tackling one particular letter-writer’s messages and this becomes the basis for the mystery Violet winds up investigating. This is a fun concept for a series and I mainly enjoyed it. Violet is a strong, independent-minded young woman, who is more interested in going to a museum than in fashion and other “typical” feminine interests. She has a very naive younger half-sister, Sephora, who I found rather annoying. She does seem to grow up a bit by the end of the book so I’m not totally writing Sephora off as a character. There’s also a potential love interest for Violet, who, although in her 20s, is considered a spinster by the standards of the era.

There were a number of plot holes along the way, however, and those took me out of the story a bit. But I liked it well enough to consider checking out the next book in the series when it gets published.

Thank you to to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. Mia Hutchinson-Shaw did a good job with all the voices and accents.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting mystery but much like so many other historical cozies that are out today; there wasn’t any new territory covered and it’s gotten repetitive: a young woman, a spinster, bucks convention and runs around on her own, without a chaperone. I will read the next one in the series to see if it improves.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in a new Victorian Era mystery series. Miss Violet is surprised to learn that her Aunt Adelia secretly writes London’s most popular advice column. Her aunt only tells her as she is taking off to the continent and leaving the column for Violet to take over. Violet and her younger by a dozen years half sister Sephora have been living with their aunt since the passing of their father. He worked for the foreign office and Violet spent years growing up in India. One of the first letters Violet read is from a woman named Ivy who claims someone is trying to kill her. Violet decides to visit Ivy in person and arrives at her funeral. With a list of suspects from the deceased Violet wants to solve the mystery.

The mystery is pretty standard but there are some red herrings to keep you guessing. I like the Victorian setting and little things mentioned like the changes in bustles and other fashion for comfort. The sisters aren’t close because of a twelve year age difference. Sephora’s character is annoying and I hope after this novel they might like each other more. I hope she becomes someone who helps her sister solve crimes and not someone in to butt heads with or who needs to be rescued. Most of the chapters are from Violet's POV but a few are from Sephora’s.

This could easily qualify as a cozy mystery with Violet as an amateur detective. It is clever to have the mysteries come to her as people send letters seeking advice for the column. There may be a potential romance building as well. But it is early to know for sure. I will look forward to the next adventure. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for a review.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A #pubday review!

Of Manners and Murder jumped my tbr because I was intrigued by the plot of this first in a new series.

Violet’s aunt leaves her in charge of her Miss Hermione column - a sort of 1880s advice column. When one of the first letters is from Ivy Armstrong, who needs help and fears for her life, Violet has to step in. When she finds Ivy has already died, Violet decides to investigate what happened.

What I liked: I liked Violet as a heroine and the advice column could be a fun plot device for finding devious activity.

There’s a romance introduced that I’d like to see developed in future books.

The mystery and clues were laid out well and the pacing was just right. I read this one in two days with my attention divided among holiday events.

What didn’t work for me: I wish Violet had come clean to her sister, Sephora, about what she was up to, it seems a bit unnecessary to hide it from her.

The plot is a bit predictable but I enjoyed the journey to get to the end.

Who should read it: this is best described as a historical cozy imo and fans of both genres should give it a try. I’m going to eagerly await book two and pass my copy off to a work friend who enjoys mysteries.

Thank you Minotaur Books for the gifted copy.

Follow me on Instagram @keepingyouonread

[Liz Mannegren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun cozy full of amateur sleuthing, red herrings, and classic murder-mystery suspects. For those focused on historical accuracy, there were some elements that proved a stretch -- no matter how liberated the household may be. But it made for a fun novel with some great characters.

The story is told in first person from the perspectives of both Violet and her much-younger sister Sephora. The character of Sephora really got on my nerves -- but she was supposed to! Love her or hate her, this younger sister certainly evoked emotion from the reader, and that made her a huge success in my mind. Similarly, the character of Violet was a lot of fun and her narrative balanced everything out for me.

In terms of the mystery, I was able to figure out "who dunnit" fairly early on. Still, it never detracted from the enjoyment of the read. (After all, you always have to keep reading to find out if you're right!) And it was fun to see all the strands woven together in the final reveal.

With its amusing characters, witty and fun writing, and classic cozy mystery vibes, this is one series that I wouldn't hesitate to pick up in the future!

[Maggie - Busy Moms Read Too · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this audiobook (courtesy of NetGalley and Dreamscape Media) and found it to be very well done. The audiobook is narrated by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, who did a fantastic job. Just speaking about the quality of the audiobook, this is a great one.

As for the story itself, I found it to be entertaining and fun. The clues given along the way were paced appropriately, the characters were mostly enjoyable, and the red herrings helped throw you off at times. One thing I did not like was the feminist ideology throughout in a period were this was not normal. It did not stick to the historical aspect with the overt feminism. Overall, I consider this a cozy mystery that anyone can enjoy, especially if you need a palette cleanser or are in a reading rut.

CW: Death, murder, kidnapping (mild)

[Barb reads......it ALL! · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable. I look forward to another Dear Miss Hermione mystery.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent historical cozy mystery, though likely more appealing to those more interested in the manners than the murder.

In this light historical cozy, a young woman filling in as an Agony Aunt for her actual aunt stumbles into a murder mystery after taking an interest in a suspicious series of letter sent to her alter ego, Miss Hermione.

There’s a reason most historical cozies with female sleuths are set later than this, and that’s because this time period carries a lot
of constraints on how independently a woman can operate. This book definitely takes some liberties with that, which, while helpful for the plot and for the protagonist’s actions, feels like a bit of a stretch.

Her sister Sephora is much more a woman of her times, and unfortunately also so obnoxious that reading her POV chapters is pretty painful.

The mystery itself is fine and the pacing is also fine. I didn’t mind this, but I can’t see myself continuing the series.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[Rebecca · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love Victorian Era murder mysteries as much as the next person, but I DNF’d a handful of pages in when it was clear that (a) NO research or attempt at verisimilitude had or was going to happen, and (b) there was a character named Sephora. Yep, like the store. I’m out

[Rosie · Rating 1 out of 5]

We get it violet, you’re so smart and all other women are fashion obsessed idiots.
You also think it’s cute when men tell you to shut up and leave.
Misogynistic woman with misogynistic sister falls for misogynistic man on the last page. A real meet-cute.
I liked the mystery though.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

*A great start to a new Historical Cozy Mystery series with a spunky female lead character*

Audio ARC provided by Dreamscape Media / Minotaur Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


It was high time I tried out the audiobook feature on Netgalley. Of Manners and Murder caught my eye because I love Historical Mysteries especially ones with smart female characters. (As a side note, I will absolutely be requesting more audio ARCs in the future. I love this new option!)

Of Manners and Murder is about a young woman in London, 1885. Orphaned and fast approaching spinsterhood but with no desire to marry, Violet is at the mercy of her richer relations. When her aunt runs off on an adventure, Violet is left to cover her Aunt Adelia’s secret job as London’s most popular agony aunt. Though her aunt assured her it would be an easy job to fill, Violet finds herself sucked into the storied behind the letters she receives. When one desperate writer reveals she fears someone is trying to harm her, Violet decides to investigate only to find the woman has been murdered.

I liked this take on the amateur sleuth. It’s always nice when authors find an angle other than someone investigating out of pure nosiness. I found Violet to be a compelling character. Having spent her younger years abroad, Violet had a much broader view (and less insular prejudice) than most of her peers. Her thirst for adventure and a life beyond the narrow trappings of a society lady made her a sympathetic character.

The story was told in first person, past tense and primarily from Violet’s point of view. But there were a few sections told from her half-sister Sephora’s point of view. And that was the main issue I had with the book. Just as the story was getting interesting and finding a good rhythm, the narrative switched to Sephora. And unfortunately, she was vapid, flighty, scatterbrained, and immature. Certainly, she was a product of her society. The story makes it clear that Sephora was raised to be a proper little trophy wife. With a fortune from her mother’s side of the family, Sephora had a very different upbringing and expectations than her poor, older half-sister. While I completely understand that she was a product of her times, I still found Sephora utterly obnoxious. Hopefully, her character will mature in future books, but she didn’t make a good first impression.

I will also mention that the story does have some anachronisms. For example, there is no way an unmarried teenage heiress would have had that much freedom to sneak around. But most of them were minor things, and none of them impeded my enjoyment of the story.

Other than that, Of Manners and Murder was an engaging, fast-paced mystery. The murder mystery itself wasn’t anything groundbreaking, but it kept me guessing enough. And I flew through this story in little more than a day. The end events leave many opportunities for future books in the series, and I hope there are more to come! Which leaves me with the downside of reading ARCs: I wanted to binge straight into the next book in the series, but it hasn’t even been announced yet. This sadly means I’ll have to wait even longer to find out what Violet does next.


RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 5 Stars
Writing Style: 4 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 4 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 5 Stars
Level of Captivation: 5 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This sounded like my kind of thing but I didn't connect to either the characters or the story. This felt like a rehash of numerous other books sold as "Jane Austen-like" characters/stories.

Possibly, I've just read too many similar stories recently but there was nothing here that engaged me, drew me in, or made me really care about the characters so this audio book is going back to the library.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bluestocking Violet is surprised to learn that her flight aunt is actually the author of the acclaimed Miss Hermoine advice column, and shocked that she's expected to take over the duties involved while her aunt travels to Europe--all the while keeping her identity a deep, dark secret. A letter from a little village sends Violet travelling to ensure the safety of the young woman who is her correspondent, only to come upon her funeral. Using clues in the woman's last letter, Violet looks for suspects, since both accident and suicide seem unlikely causes of death. Meanwhile, Violet's half sister Sephora, an heiress on her mother's side and a young and beautiful romantic to boot, tries to find her missing love, despite the trouble it may get her into. First of a series.

[Jessi - TheRoughCutEdge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the Victorian Era setting in this delightful cozy mystery. Having a young and inquisitive female as the main POV gave this a wonderful modern spin and highlighted just how resourceful and strong a determined woman can be.

This is the first in a new series and I will definitely be returning to see where Violets life will lead!

Thank you Minotaur Books for the #gifted copy and Dreamscape Media for the #alc in exchange for an honest review!

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m really trying not to get attached to this series since I don’t know how long it will last but this was so enjoyable. I really liked the characters and I can’t wait to see what happens to Violet next and I hope to see Eli again. The mystery was good and while I was right in not trusting a certain character, I didn’t see a twist with them coming. I think book 2 will soon be on my shopping list.

[Petra]

DNF 34% in. I found the book quite poorly written and just couldn't care a less to finish the book despite I would have finished it quite quickly.

[Maryam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining but I skipped a lot of pages! Had a little bit of Pride and Prejudice vibes too!