This was an engaging start to a new historical mystery series. Violet is surprised when her Aunt Adelia heads off to the continent with a lover and leaves her in charge of answering the Dear Miss Hermoine letters. She also needs to look after her younger half-sister Sephora who is 16 and rather silly.

While heiress Sephora is conducting a secret romance with the most perfect man, in her opinion, Violet is dealing with a questionable letter. A young woman has asked Miss Hermoine for advice about her new marriage. Something makes Violet anxious about the letter and when she travels to the village where the young woman lives, she finds that she has recently died. But was her death murder, and accident or a suicide?

Ivy Armstrong has left some clues in the form of newspaper clippings with certain people circled. As Violet investigates the various prospects, she finds many potential villains and some surprising allies. There is the vicar who loved Ivy from afar. There is the merry widow who might have poisoned her first husband. There is the local lady who wanted to buy some of Ivy's land and was rebuffed. There is the local doctor whose experimentation may have caused Ivy's mother's death. And there is the husband who has a very questionable and mysterious past.

Meanwhile back in London, Sephora engages in risky behavior to locate her missing love as she follows advice given in a letter from Miss Hermoine. Luckily, she's rescued by a young constable who is beneath her social and romantic notice.

I enjoyed this story. I liked the Victorian setting and the fact that Violet was a more modern woman while Sephora was clinging to attitudes of the past. While I solved the mystery rather before Violet did, it was still an enjoyable journey with lots of clues to ponder and interesting characters.

When Violet's aunt Adelia gets married and leaves for the Continent on her wedding trip she leaves her niece her legacy, her Agony Aunt column in a magazine. Violet is a level headed sort of young woman dispensing advice is common sense for her but she still feels a bit intimidated after all many women relay on the good sense of Miss Hermione. With her aunt's trusted right hand Bunty along to help Violet is on hand to go about giving advice to new wives, the lovelorn as well as anyone else in need of a level head and good common sense. Violet may need a bit of advice as well her sister Sephrona has a new beau and Violet has no idea who he may be and she wary of his intentions. When a new wife writes to Miss Hermione and then ends up dead Violet take on the case to find out what happened. This was a twisty mystery that was fun to follow to see where it went.

This book is cozy mystery meets thriller meets historical fiction! Set in London in the 1800s, this book hooked me from page one! When Violet's aunt has to leave town, she asks Violet to take over her advice column under her secret pen name " Miss Hermione." Once anonymous writer sends in a letter describing how she is scared for her life! Violet takes it upon herself not only to discover who the anonymous writer is, but how to save her...unless it's too late.

I enjoyed getting to know the main characters and thought they were quirky and likable. The plot did become a tad bit convoluted at some points as there were quite a few moving parts that were a little difficult to juggle, but overall it wrapped up very nicely!

I'm excited that this is book one in a series and look forward to what adventures lie ahead for Violet!

Thank you so much to St Martins Press and Minotaur Books for the gifted book in exchange for an honest review. This book will be available for purchase on February 7th!

There are some noticeable flaws in logic and leaping to conclusions throughout the book, but on the whole I enjoyed this cozy mystery, in which Violet takes over her aunt's advice column and stumbles upon a murder in the process.

A cute cozy mystery. Violet takes over the Miss Hermione column for her aunt and dives deep into a murder. The antics she goes through to find the murderer are quite hilarious at times. An intriguing start to a new series. Her sister Sephora is pulled into this conundrum by sheer boredom and with too much care about decorum and social status as well as angst for her new fellow. And Bunty the housekeeper is quite amusing as well. The story of a strong young woman trying her best to fill the shoes of her aunt and finding a lot of trouble along the way, as well as an insufferable young gentleman whom brings the surliness out of Violet. I enjoyed the read and look forward to more.

3.5 *’s
Lots of promise in the characters and the setting, good mystery. Best use of an advice column in an historical mystery…

As Violet's aunt is leaving town with her paramour, she tells Violet that she is the author of the Miss Herimone advice column and gives her the task of writing it for her. Violet reads a letter from Ivy saying she is afraid that someone is trying to kill her. Violet travels to see her and arrives to find Ivy's funeral service in progress. Violet investigates to find out what happened. Was it an accidental death? Did she commit suicide, as some claimed? Or was she murdered?
This book is the first book in the Dear Miss Herimone mystery series. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Entertaining Victorian cozy with an interesting premise, a nicely feisty heroine., and a mystery that kept my interest. Will certainly read the next in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing sn ARC copy for my review.

"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."

Because solving crimes are second nature to solving problems for Agony Aunts! Even if it's a role that's thrust upon you!

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Well, now, that was just delightful! I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was a tad predictable, I mean, I figured out who did it right away, but the predictability did nothing to diminish the pleasure of watching everything fall into place. And even so, it still managed to surprise me once or twice.

I just loved the agony aunt angle. I would very much like to have seen more of the letters sprinkled throughout, one for every new chapter, maybe. And while Sephora is criticized for her insipidness, I feel that 1) it’s clear that’s how her mother raised her and 2) I think her experience in this book will give her character the kick it needs to grow in future books.

This is what I call a brain-candy read, a book that doesn’t require much thinking on the part of the reader, pure entertainment and as such a quick read. It’s like a murder in Bridgerton being solved by Enola Holmes…fancy dinners, beautiful people, and murder. This is a series I very much look forward to reading more of!

Of Manners and Murder releases on February 7, 2023.

Great premise and engaging tale with relatable characters… a little slower-places but this is definitely worth the read, y’all. Pick it up!
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC opportunity

The first book in this new cozy series is absolutely delightful! The protagonist, Violet, is plunged into the action right along with the reader, learning that her aunt Adelia is a popular Agony Aunt, an anonymous writer who offers advice through a newspaper column. In that same conversation, she learns that Adelia is leaving for the Continent and expects Violet to take her place. When the first letter she opens is from a new bride fearing for her life, Violet sets off to offer advice in person, only to learn that the young woman is already dead. The book is fast paced and entertaining and, while I started to get an idea what the solution to the mystery would be, I didn't come close to solving it all. I can't wait to read more about these characters!

Such a fun read - sort of a Miss Marple meets Sherlock Holmes. A well developed protagonist that you can definitely root for along with a tightly woven plot will keep readers turning the pages.

What a fun book! The characters were all well developed and multidimensional- except Sephora, but she's meant to be pretty flat. The plot moves along quickly. It's pretty easy to guess this twist early on but I still enjoyed reading it. I would say this is a cozy mystery, nothing too scary if you're a baby like me. I really liked the witty banter from Mrs Hermione.

Of Manners and Murder is the first in the enchanting Dear Miss Hermione series. Set in 1885 London the story is quirky, charming, witty, fun and highly enjoyable. It is also jam packed with mystery, intrigue and unorthodox manners in the polite society of the Victorian era.

Violet suddenly finds herself in the role of revered agony aunt, Miss Hermione, after her whirlwind Aunt Adelia breathlessly tells her she is leaving for France with her gentleman friend. Adelia quickly explains what Violet needs to know, hands her the library key and is off. The only person who has access to Adelia is her housekeeper Bunty. Violet, though inexperienced, is up for the task. She is commonsensical, after all. Unlike her young, beautiful and flighty half sister Sephora who tosses her head and turns on the waterworks when in peril.

Violet's first case requires her mettle as a woman writes to Hermione pleading for help as she is unsafe, enclosing clues. Once Violet reaches the village she is shocked to discover a funeral service at the church yard and is thrown into situations she must lie to explain her presence. She's a good inveigler and questions everything...and everyone.

Though the mystery itself is one red herring after another, the characters and setting did it for me. Violet is feisty, reliable and fascinating. Sephora is shallow, disagreeable and thinks only of herself. But as this is a series my imagination (hope?) tells me there will be far more to the relationship in future. I like how it is set up. Hopefully we will be learning more about Aunt Adelia and Bunty, too.

Historical Mystery readers itching for a spanking new series to bite into, this is for you.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this wonderful book. Can't wait to read about the characters and adventures in #2!

The first in a new historical mystery series has Violet suddenly taking over her aunt's advice column in 1885 London when her aunt leaves for an extended trip with her lover. Violet, a spinster in her late 20s, has recently come to live with her aunt and her half sister after spending most of her life with her father in the far east.

Although completely unprepared, Violet is willing to rise to the challenge, but the first letter she reads is from a young woman who is afraid she's about to be murdered. Violet decides to help Ivy and arrives at her small village just as Ivy's funeral is taking place. Determined to find justice for Ivy, Violet inserts herself in the local community to investigate.

Mysteries are often built on coincidence but there are so many coincidences for the reader to accept that I found it challenging to suspend disbelief and enjoy the book. Added to this was the very unlikeable half sister Sephora's intrusion into the main plot, and I found it a struggle to pick up the book to read.

I'm not sure this qualifies as a cozy mystery but it had the "fun romp" feel of a cozy. The first in a series told from alternating view points of half sisters Sephora and Violet. Violet acting as the current Miss Hermione, advice columnist, has a mystery to solve; this is a bit difficult to accomplish as a woman in 1885 London. A sure hit for regency romance lovers and cozy mystery aficionados alike.

A thoroughly engaging and entertaining mystery! Told mostly from Violet’s POV, I was annoyed with her sister Sephora’s few chapters. But I quickly got over that when I realized how necessary they were to the story, and that S is only 16! Of course she’s a flighty creature - Violet even admits she was raised that way. I also loooooved the introduction of Eli and James, as hopefully they will make appearances in future stories.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Fun is the best way to describe the new Dear Miss Hermione mystery series by Anastasia Hastings. Of Manners and Murder is a raucous fast-moving cozy mystery. The mystery is not complicated, but the characters are delightful and enjoyable. I cannot provide much in the way of plot points without giving away the plot and solution.

Hastings does a good job with the history, nicely creating a good backdrop for this mystery. There are a few red herrings, but figuring out the bad guy(s) identity is not difficult. But it is not the solution that matters so much, as is the trip getting there, which is so much fun. I suspect that subsequent novels in this series will provide even more fun and perhaps some extra complexity. My score is really 4 1/2 stars.

Thank you to the publisher, St Martin Press for providing this ARC for me to review. My comments are my own thoughts. I had fun reading Of Manners and Murder and suspect other cozy mystery fans will so enjoy this book. Thank you also to NetGalley for pointing out this mystery to me.

I enjoyed this first in the new Dear Miss Hermione mystery series by Anastasia Hastings.
Though I found some of the story a little far fetched I just told myself well it is fiction and went along for the ride. I discovered that I like the character of Violet, I like her down-to- earth, level -headed approach to life as opposed to her half sister Sephora's naive, self-centered, frivalous approach.
Violet dives headfirst into mystery and intrigue when as she stands in for her aunt answering letters written to the famous advice columnist Miss Hermione, she receives a letter from a young lady, Ivy, who fears someoone is trying to kill her. Unable to set her concerns for Ivy aside, Violet travels to Ivy's town only to discover an even bigger mystery than she first perceived.
Not gonna give spoilers so that is all I will say. There are some twists and turns , this is not a really complicated mystery but it is entertaining enough if you are looking for a ligh easy read.
I will give 4 stars and recommend to Historical Mystery fans.
Thank you to St. Martins Press and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.