Violet and her sister are living with their aunt. It turns out that their aunt is the notorious "Dear Hermione", a very popular advice columnist. When Aunt Adelia hurries off to get married, she leaves an inexperienced Violet to work on her column.

Violet and her sister, Sephora, couldn't be more different. Sephora cares only about fashion, money and finding a suitable husband. Violet is more in to museums and the pursuit of knowledge.

One of the letter writers has a problem. When "Hermione" goes to investigate, she finds out that the woman is dead. And there is a long list of potential suspects.

Very well written, this is a lovely period piece. The author uses vivid descriptions to take us back to late 19th century England. Her characters are well-developed and memorable. I highly recommend this book.

First in the series "Dear Miss Hermione Mystery." Looking forward to additions to this series.

Aunt Agony, better known to Violet and her half-sister, Sephora, as Aunt Adelia, has the opportunity to travel with a gentleman friend, but who will write her Dear Miss Hermione column for the magazine? Aunt Adelia selects her niece, Violet, and shows her the files of saved advice and old columns, and anticipates no new situation will arise. Of course, it does. Violet receives a letter from a woman who believes her life to be in danger. None of the files given to her by Aunt Adelia cover any situations like this, so Violet decides to investigate for herself, believing Ivy to be in very real danger. She travels by train to a small village and starts discreetly investigating, only to discover Ivy is well and truly dead. Numerous trips back and forth to the village ensue, and the clues pile up. Violet is no closer to the answer than when she started sleuthing.

Meanwhile, her half-sister Sephora, heir to a massive inheritance, and thereby sought after by every eligible bachelor in England, has some rather misguided adventures of her own. In 1880s England, women did not control their destinies, but were instead controlled by the men they married. Sephora is too flighty to realize she may have a problem on her hands.

I found myself sympathizing with Violet, who was so limited in her freedom to truly go and investigate; however, she made the best of her situation. Sephora, on the other hand, was not a particularly likeable character, but one the reader may feel sorry for.

While I started this book a little hesitantly and more than a little confused, I quickly became quite caught up in the plot and the mystery. Violet is sitting in for her Aunt Adelia, who is on a 'fling' with a new beau, as Dear Ms. Hermione, an advice columnist or, to some, an agony aunt. The first letter she comments on is from Ivy Armstrong, who thinks someone is trying to kill her. When Violet travels to see her, she finds herself at Ivy’s funeral. From there, the mystery begins and Violet starts her detective work. She has a younger half sister, Sephora, who has a large inheritance, and Bunty, Adelia’s maid or assistant. A very pleasurable cozy mystery, set in Victorian England. I highly recommend it! And I anxiously await the next volume.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher; the opinions of the book are my own.

Of Manners and Murder is the first book in a series, set in 1880s London, about genteel lady detective Violet, sister Sephora and their live-in housekeeper, Bunty. Violet's Aunt Adelia is London's foremost agony column writer, Dear Miss Hermione. She dispenses practical advice on everything from etiquette to delinquent and unfaithful husbands. Aunt Adelia is whisked off to Europe by her new love interest and leaves her column in Violet's startled and unprepared hands. However Violet is intelligent, courageous and in her own words "commonsensical", so she plunges in without hesitation. When Ivy Armstrong writes to Dear Hermione indicating that she is worried that someone in her friend and family circle is trying to kill her, Violet is alarmed and intrigued. Violet travels to Ivy's village to meet with her, only to arrive in the middle of Ivy's funeral! Dismayed and set on avenging Ivy's murder, Violet embarks on an adventurous investigation, while trying to keep a watchful eye on her misled and lovelorn sister Sephora.

This is an enjoyable romp through polite society, gossip and scandal in 1880s England, where well-bred ladies knew their place and deferred to the decision-making authority of the men in their lives. Violet, as an independent young woman with plenty of opinions of her own, makes an unassuming and wily detective in this short novel. There are no major surprises here and I had a good idea of the outcome, but it was a fun read nonetheless. If you enjoy a cozy British mystery with a quick pace and a female lead, you won't be disappointed.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur for providing me with a copy to read and review.

What a charming, cozy mystery! The story kept my intrigue, lol also providing a cast of fascinating and likable characters. I appreciated the setting. I will certainly be reading the next in the series.

This story was light and fun and when I started it I thought it may be more than a 3 star. It just maintained with not a lot of surprises. A couple of twists will appeal to those who like a light mystery. Sorry Anastasia give me more blood and gory details!

Violet takes over her aunt's Advice Column and soon finds herself investigating a possible murder. A lovely, cozy murder mystery set in England during the Victorian period. I don't think the sister's (Violet's) viewpoint was necessary. Possible love interest for Violet near the end of the story which I am sure will be explored in future books for this series. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. My opinions are my own. (3.5 rating)

Violet never expected to be writing her aunt's "Miss Hermoine" column but that's what happens. When Violet receives a letter from a young woman who thinks someone is trying to kill her, she sets off to find answers. Unfortunately the writer of the letter is dead before Violet arrives. Good characters, an excellent plot and a wonderful new series. Hoping for more.

Violet was a logical, capable, strong sleuth which is my favorite kind of MC for cozy mysteries. She moved through the suspect pool methodically and dug into evidence at a good pace.

Eli Marsh was mysterious and charming and I wished he had arrived on scene earlier in the book!

I could have done without Sephora’s flighty POV about the side mystery of her suitor. Though her story was connected to the overall plot, those POV shifts took me away from the engrossing investigation Violet was conducting. Sephora took a small step forward in growth at the end, but she was hard to relate to and root for during most of the book.

Overall this was a fun read and I’d grab a future book in series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the electronic ARC.

A new Victorian Murder mystery series to delve into! When Violet is given the responsibility of taking over an advice column from her aunt she get thrust into a murder investigation she never expected. When one of the writers to the Miss Hermione advice column mysteriously dies Violet decides to do some inquires of her own. Her inspections to her to a delightful village outside of London where the people are not as they seem. Can Violet find the murderer and set things right? As an avid historical fiction reader I enjoyed this Victorian murder mystery. I thought the setting of Willingdale was well depicted and the characters engaging. I did feel as though the story could have done without a dual point of view. I felt the connection between the two characters could have been explained or shared just by Violet’s POV. That being said, I look forward to the next story in this new mystery series!

I really enjoyed Of Manners and Murder! It’s always so much fun having a cozy set in a time when the sleuth is unable to use the internet or texting to search for clues. Also, how can you not love a mystery set in turn of the century England! I’m looking forward to see what’s next for this plucky cast of characters!

TW/CW: Violence, murder, mental illness

REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily writing an honest review.

Of Manners and Murder is the story of Violet, a young English woman of the Victorian era who is left an advice column by her aunt who has taken off to the continent for a long holiday. When one of the letters leads Violet to a murder, she has to investigate and find out what has happened…

I enjoyed this book. It was a fast read and engaging from the beginning to the end. I also didn’t figure out the murderer until the last few pages, which is always fun and shows a good mystery. The writing was good and while more or less in the grammar of the time, it didn’t weigh the book down like I’ve found in other period dramas.

The one thing about this book that I thought could have been done better was that I would have liked a little bit more about the characters and such at the beginning before being thrown into the story. I had to suspend a little disbelief that Violet would actually jump into an investigation so quickly. But other than that, this was a good cozy mystery and I definitely recommend!

First book in a historical mystery series, Violet must take over for her aunt on her advice column, when she receives a letter from a woman fearing for her life. When Violet arrives the woman is already dead and it’s left to her to find the killer. Historic mystery at its best.

When Aunt Adelia takes off with her newest paramour, Violet is handed the task of taking over the Dear Miss Hermione advice column. One of the first letters she reads is from Ivy Armstrong who has written before and states in the latest that she feats for her life. In reviewing the previous letters, Violet is able to identify where Ivy lives and goes to see her. Unfortunately, she is too late - Ivy is dead. As she looks into Ivy's life, it seems that Ivy discovered something that lead to her death. Will Violet be able to uncover the truth without endangering herself?
Fun historical cozy - first in a new series.
#OfManners And Murders #NetGalley

"Of Manners and Murder" is a mystery set in 1885 in London. The historical setting seemed more of a backdrop than something influencing how people behaved. And while Violet was likable enough, I sincerely wished that her sister's viewpoint--showing just how truly self-centered, foolish, and stupid the girl was--had been dropped. Her every action was thought out and manipulative, and she was melodramatic to the point of being a caricature. Actually, none of the characters really came across as acting naturally and seemed more like people playing roles to deliver clues and misdirection.

Everyone seemed happy to gossip with Violet, a complete stranger to them. She asked questions and poked around, including sneaking into private parts of a house to find and take Ivy's diary. Violet was generally practical and logical in her mindset. She fell for some lies and overlooked certain possibilities, but she eventually figured out "whodunit" for two crimes. There were enough clues that whodunit was guessable, but enough misdirection and lies than it wasn't simple to guess. There was no sex. There were only a few uses of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this novel to those more interested in the mystery than in the history or characters.

Of Manners and Murder by Anastasia Hastings was such a fun start to this new mystery series!
I'm so glad this is the start to this series.

I had the best time with Violet uncovering the truth in this Historical Fiction/Mystery
This cleverly plotted was written amazingly. And the flow is perfect with an engaging storyline. It never felt like there was irrelevant descriptions nor filler pagers to add to the length.
The setting of 1885 London, England is beautifully atmospheric and enjoyable.
The mystery that builds is so well done I found myself enthralled turning pages to conclusion.
A very enjoyable read, a well crafted fun mystery and great characters.
I'm already looking forward to the second book!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Another new series! If like me you love historical fiction with a murder mystery included this is for you.
I often find myself annoyed by the writing in novels about this time period (1880s) Victorian Era= England as stilted and old fashioned but this author pulled it off beautifully!
The heroine is Violet Armstrong who becomes "Miss Hermione" when her aunt/guardian leaves for a vacation with her gentleman friend. She receives a letter from a young wife who thinks someone is trying to kill her. When Violet goes to visit she finds herself at the woman's (Ivy Armstrong) funeral. Ivy has left some clues behind and of course is determined to solve the case.
Lots of great characters is this novel. Of course Violet but also her half sister Sephora among others.
The story unfolds beautifully with lots of twists and turns as to who the killer is. There is also included a bit of romance for both Violet and Sephora. The writing is smooth and the pacing is good.
I totally enjoyed this book and look forward to its publication (expected 2/7/2023) and especially to more in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC to read and review.
4.5 Stars!!!

Of Manners and Murder
by Anastasia Hastings
Pub Date: 07 Feb 2023

Of Manners and Murder is the first in the delightful new Dear Miss Hermione mystery series from Anastasia Hastings.

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.

Secrets, as observant people know, are the downfall and death of many, but Aunt Adelia has been hiding a secret in the same house with her nieces for over a year! When she decides to take an extended trip to the Continent, she reveals to Violet (her chosen successor and niece), that she's London's version of Dear Abby (an "Agony Aunt") called Miss Hermione!

While acting as her aunt's replacement, a desperate letter from a young bride catches Violet's interest, and the lady reports attempts on her life! Violet is then shocked to learn that the bride is dead, and a number of suspects were identified by the victim herself!

Determined to get justice and keep the source of her information confidential (for Aunt Adelia's sake), Violet poses as an old friend and begins to investigate.

Adding to the drama, Sephora, Violet's much younger step-sister (headstrong and full of schoolgirl romance), is blinded by "love," and is foolish enough to keep the relationship and the object of her feelings a secret from everyone.

Although Violet is much brighter than the average woman (or man), she's unaware of the depth of matters until death comes racing toward her.

This book is from each sister's viewpoint, and begins at a bucolic village pace. However, both complex and entertaining, even the most anxious reader will find the story ending swift and decisive!

4.4/5 Stars Events and facts are at times confusing and jumbled. Note the chapter viewpoints and dates!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the temporary digital preview; any review is voluntary and my own opinion.

#OfMannersandMurder #NetGalley
#ADearMissHermioneMystery
#StMartinsPress
#MinotaurBooks
#AnastasiaHastings #AnastasiaHastingsAuth
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What a fun historical cozy mystery set in 1885 London and in the English countryside. This first in series book really sets the stage for a wonderful mystery series. I for one am thrilled that there will be subsequent stories and adventures for plucky "Miss Hermione".

Half-sisters, Violet Manville and younger Sephora, having been orphaned, have settled into their paternal Aunt Adelia's home. They are in their early twenties. Violet lives modestly as she has no dowry. Whereas, Sephora thinks nothing of acquiring frilly frocks as she stands to inherit a sizable sum through her own mother, Mr. Manville's second wife. The difference in character, sensibilities and understanding of the value of money between the two sisters is tremendously vast. Violet is bright, logical and painfully frank. Sephora is flighty, careless and tends toward grand drama. Aunt Adelia announces that she's traveling to the continent for an extended period and pulls Violet aside and shares with her a well-guarded secret - Aunt Adelia is the advice columnist - Miss Hermione. She then instructs Violet to assume the responsibilities of advice columnist. One forlorned woman writes to Hermione, fearing for her life and believing that she may soon be murdered. Is she as flighty and quick to imagination as Sephora or is there some substance to this fear? Violet decides to take the sleuthing on herself only to discover that the woman did in fact recently die. Meanwhile, Sephora is having secret assignations with a handsome fellow who strings her along, sending messages through the chosen flowers of a bouquet and promising his everlasting affection. Violet tries to carefully guide her sister and encourage a certain amount of circumspection. Yet Sephora will have none of it. One can only imagine where this could lead.

Author Anastasia Hasting (nom de plume of Connie Laux), is a fine writer and storyteller. In this story she has spun an intricate and at times, amusing tale highlighting the social mores of the day; how women were perceived and the telling signs that the roles of women were about to change. There are a number of red herrings and a passel of potential perpetrators. Plucky Violet will not stand down. She has a job to do and is committed to doing it well and thoroughly. She will not let her Aunt Adelia down, while she seeks justice for the woman whose voice was silenced forever. If you enjoy historically set cozy mysteries, then I commend this story to you.

I am thankful to Minotaur Books for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.