The plot is highly plausible, with lots of suspense and twists. Obviously, the author has done a lot of research. The language used, the clothing, and the decorations all give the book authenticity. She is also able to write in such a way that you are in the room, anxious to see the outcome.

Anita Davison gives us Murder in Covent Garden area while Covent Garden opera house is closed for the war. Hannah Merrill and her aunt kept their bookshop open despite robberies. A jeweler has an argument and the next day is dead in his shop. There is s possibility there was a murder. Inheritance raises its head. Intriguing possibilities of crime.

Note: Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and author Anita Davison for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review will also be posted on NetGalley. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.

Murder in Covent Garden is the fourth book in the series centered on Hannah Merrill and her Aunt Viola. I haven’t read all of the previous novels in the series, but I did read the one prior to this, so I did have some familiarity with the characters. Still, I think the book stands well on its own, and any history needed is given.

Set in London during the First World War, a local jeweler is found dead in his shop, and the police and Inspector Aiden Farrell suspect he was the victim of burglars who have hit a series of local places. Hannah isn’t so sure. The day before he died, Hannah spotted Jacob Cornelius having an argument with a man who turns out to be another police officer. Intrigued, Hannah goes to call on the widow and stepdaughter of the deceased man. She learns the business was about to be sold in a deal that involved an arranged marriage for the stepdaughter.

Hannah’s fiancé, who is working for MI5 during the war, cautions her against getting involved, and causes Hannah to wonder if marrying him is the right thing to do. Of course, she doesn’t listen to him. D.I. Farrell has also been romantically involved with the free-spirited Aunt Violet for a while. However, there’s a man from Violet’s past now back in the picture who could come between them as well.

There are a lot of twists and turns in Murder in Covent Garden. I was guessing for a good part of it. I was pretty sure I had it figured out, but I was wrong! There are plenty of red herrings that take the reader on different tangents, which seem to have nothing to do with the central mystery. However, there are clues as to what’s going on in a number of different places. Events which seem to point to certain culprits turn out to mean something entirely different. The ending did wrap things up nicely and gave some interesting background to Aunt Viola as well.

The characters are well-written and interesting. Central to the bookshop besides Hannah and her Aunt, we get to know more about Archie and Penny, who both work there as well. It makes for a great cozy mystery with a good number of ongoing characters. Set during the War, it’s never far from everyone’s mind. Hannah frets over Darius’ secret work that he won’t talk about. Archie and Detective Danny Vane face conscription as well. Life goes on during the war, but it also looms over everyone. Hannah worries about bombing raids and must deal with blackout restrictions and wartime shortages.

I really enjoyed Murder in Covent Garden. It made me want to visit London again (I love London!) The mystery fooled me quite a bit, and Hannah’s escapades trying to solve it were a lot of fun, particularly when she ends up in a “gentlemen’s club.” It’s a light, easy read with some endearing characters I enjoyed.

Atmospheric, gripping, and full of historical charm 🕵️‍♀️🔎. Murder in Covent Garden is a delightful historical mystery brimming with intrigue, rich period detail, and clever twists. Anita Davison transports readers to Victorian London with vivid descriptions and a gripping plot that keeps you guessing. I loved the smart, determined protagonist and the authentic setting that adds depth to the suspense. Perfect for fans of cosy crime and historical whodunnits.

I get excited every time a new book in the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mysteries series comes out, and for good reason, because this duo of amateur sleuths is consistently rebellious against societal rules and endlessly entertaining.

I found that Aunt Violet took more of a back seat this time around, while Hannah and her fiancé, Darius, were thrust at the forefront of the events. While their relationship was part of previous books in the series, this was probably the first time we saw more of it, and in a less romanticised way.

The murder investigation was gripping – and its solution as full of adventure as ever! With plenty of twists and turns, this is a cosy mystery I would heartily recommend.

In this excellent continuation of the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet cozy mystery series, readers return to war-torn Covent Garden where Hannah’s life as a bookstore owner is as calm as it can be for wartime and an accidental detective. When she spots jeweller Jacob Cornelis arguing with a stranger the day before he is found dead -- the supposed victim of a burglary like the ones plaguing the area -- Hannah finds herself invested in this new case, especially when the police officer investigating the murder is the many Cornelis had argued with the day before. Hannah and Violet have no idea what their investigation may uncover, but murder, theft, and blackmail are all on the table until the killer is caught. A fantastic continuation of this charming historical mystery series, this novel adds in a threat close to home and a series of new crimes that really expand the series and build off the prior books. The character development and world-building is particularly well done, and both Hannah and Aunt Violet really shine as the protagonists of this novel. Entertaining, fast-paced, and exciting, this is a great new mystery that fans of this series and similar historical mysteries will really enjoy.

This book was alot of fun, especially since I read it while visiting London. It is part of a series but I hadn't read any of the prior books and had no problem jumping right in. This is sort of a period cozy, set in 1917 amid WWI. I enjoyed the relationship between the main character Hannah and her aunt Violet, who owns a bookshop, drives her own car, and is juggling two romantic interests. It had me stumped nearly until the end when the killer was revealed. Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this advanced copy.

Even though this is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. This is the second book in the series of 4 I have read, and I have found them both very entertaining. There was action, mystery, suspense and romance. It kept me guessing with lots of twists and turns. Nothing was as it seemed, which made it a page-turner. The characters were engaging, and the story was easy to follow. There's nothing in this cozy mystery not to like, and I look forward to the next instalment. I received this as an ARC from Netgalley and freely give my review.

Excellent read. I read this not knowing anything about Anita’s previous work, it’s full of twists and turns that keeps you guessing and you won’t want to put it down! I’m now looking forward to reading the rest of the Miss Merril and Aunt Violet series. This was fab as a standalone so it’ll be even better when I explore past novels.

Another wonderful cozy mystery by Anita Davison! While Aunt Violet was less present in this book Hannah was off risking it all to solve a mystery! I Love the chemistry between all of the characters! Murder in Covent Garden will have you second guess who the murder is up until the very end!
The only issue I had was the lack of commitment Aunt Violet is wanting to make. I hate seeing someone get dragged along. But otherwise it was a great easy read and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book!

A jeweller is killed during a burglary at his shop. Hannah saw the jeweller arguing with a man hours earlier and then identifes the man as the new detective...
Murder in Covent Garden is the 4th book to feature Hannah Merrill and her aunt Violet, set in London during WW1.
Hannah and her aunt are involved in another murder when a local jeweller is killed during a burglary. Visiting the family, Hannah thinks that the buisness partner and prospective fiance of the jeweller's daughter could have a motive. But she also saw the jeweller arguing with a mystery man who she then discovers is the new police detective constable!
Hannah is warned off but can’t help investigating even though this places her in danger. Meanwhile, Violet is acting oddly, involved with another man and not paying attention to Aiden. Hannah is also having issues with Darius and is fearful about sacrificing her freedom when they marry.
The setting of the book features prominently with the background of WW1 alongside the Suffragettes and women’s rights. These are central to Hannah and Violet's characters and behaviour, and impacts on their relationships.
Murder in Covent Garden is an enjoyable historical cosy murder mystery.

A gripping cozy mystery which I just couldn't put down. It had me guessing all the way through until the end. I loved this book and I hope there will be more to come. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I do like this series. I love Aunt Violet and how she encourages but also teaches Hannah to value her independence. However, she doesn’t entirely disregard social rules. I had to first ask what Violet was doing, and then Hannah. I thought both women were happy with their significant other, but now there was unhappiness. Thankfully, it was resolved but I was lost at first.

The mystery has several red herrings, but Hannah followed one of my biggest pet peeves. She put herself in danger without any backup or even a proper escape plan.

Overall, I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

I really enjoyed this installment in the *Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet* mystery series! Even though I hadn’t read the first three, I had no trouble slipping into the world of Hannah and Violet and their charming bookshop in Covent Garden.

This book has everything I love in a cozy historical mystery; an atmospheric London setting, a suspicious death, and two women who refuse to let things go unexplained. The mystery is layered and well-paced.

Hannah and Aunt Violet make a brilliant investigative duo. If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie or Verity Bright, this is a series worth diving into. I’ll definitely be catching up on the previous books while I wait for the next one!

An enjoyable cozy and historical murder mystery! The setting is rich and immersive, the mystery is a page turner and the characters are likable with great chemistry

Another Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet mystery. I enjoyed this one just as much as the others. The characters are fun and the story was interesting enough to keep my attention. I found this book was perhaps a but slower than some of the others in this series, but it wasn't enough to significantly reduce my interest in the book. The final solution to the murder and thefts were not ones that I saw coming until the end.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

When jeweller Jacob Cornelis is murdered in his shop not far from Aunt Violet's bookshop, Hannah remembers seeing him shortly before his demise, in an intensive argument with another young man – who turns out to be one of investigating team. The police quickly assume that it's a burglary gone wrong. After all, several premises in the vicinity of Violet’s bookshop have reported burglaries in recent months. Poor Mr Cornelis must have surprised the culprits with his presence. Or is that assumption wrong?

Detective Inspector Aidan Farrell – Aunt Violet's love interest – is investigating the case, with he help of a young sidekick, and suddenly Hannah finds herself in a dilemma. The young man was seen arguing with Mr Cornelis, but doesn't apprise his boss of this small fact.

Hannah decides to pay her respects to the jeweller's step-daughter and wife, as he was a regular customer in her bookshop. But what starts out as a simple visit to convey condolences, leads to a much wider intrigue, as the jeweller had arranged marriage between the young woman and an associate of his. The associate's abrupt demeanor towards her doesn't endear him to Hannah, nor does the way he treats the late jeweller's staff.

And all the while, her Aunt Violet is going out with a Spanish gentleman, about whom she keeps shtum! Does it mean the end of Violet's unconventional relationship with Aidan? Piqued by her aunt's stubborn silence, Hannah finds herself being helped by the very man she's so curious about – in a place she shouldn't have been in the first place!

Is the fiancé involved in the jeweller's death? Or is something entirely different afoot here? Find out in the novel!

Murder In Covent Garden is yet another cleverly-plotted whodunit, with our intrepid sleuth, Hannah, and her wonderfully forthright Aunt Violet.

I've come to enjoy reading about these women's adventures – both, in their different ways, leading very unconventional lives. Both value their independence, which leads to Hannah's dilemma about her own fiancé, Darius, whose father wants them to marry, settle, and have children. It's not quite what Hannah envisages...

The plot takes you down a few fabulous rabbit holes, and gets Hannah into deep trouble in places where respectable ladies should not be found. Her adventure in that place was hilarious, and it involved a really intriguing twist.

As for the murderer, the conclusion is clever, and not quite what you expected.

Murder in Covent Garden is another enjoyable whodunit in this fabulous series, where we find the two fascinating women live their lives the way they want to. It was a time of great upheaval, both across Europe and within the women's rights movements. Things were changing. Against this dark backdrop, we have intriguing murders to solve. Well worth checking out!

Another great one in the series! Though don’t let it being a series give you pause if you haven’t started — join the fun at anytime! Hannah (Miss Merrill) just can’t keep to herself when suspicion is afoot, no matter how her fiancé Darius encourages her otherwise. With a string of burglaries occurring near the bookshop she owns with her Aunt Violet potentially lead to a murder, Hannah finds herself unable to resist her own investigation.

With the same characters we love and even some new ones (can we get a Penny Archie spin-off?!) this is another hit in the series.

It is 1917 and WWI is still raging with no signs of an end. Bookstore owners Hannah and Aunt Violet are two women well ahead of their times. They are also jolly good at solving murders and helping Violet’s gentleman, Aiden who happens to be DI in the Met. Whilst their assistance has been helpful before it comes with the chagrin of both Aiden and Hannah’s fiancé. You know, however, when a jeweller who happened to be one of the customers is murdered in his shop, Hannah is not going to be able to hold herself back.

She becomes doubly involved when she meets the step-daughter of the victim and Aiden expresses frustration at a series of burglaries in the Covent Garden area that has him flummoxed. One of the big questions is whether the murderer was part of the gang or if it was just a one-off. The more questions she asks, the more complex the web surrounding all the people. Who is a good guy and who is a villain? Hannah does not get it right all the time and when she gets it wrong, she really does a bang up job.

I have enjoyed this series because the two protagonists are such interesting characters. Not satisfied to fulfill the roles society has decided for them, they are plucky, intelligent and strong. The reader will cheer them on as I do. Five purrs and two paws up.

DNF for now

I've been trying to read this book since I downloaded it and I simply can't get into it. I am not sure why, I think perhaps the fact there are many characters introduced pretty quickly who aren't even actively in the story yet, like brothers who are off to war but have no other role (at this point). There is just something I find distracting about this book that doesn't allow me to lock in and really read it. I am going to give it 3 stars because I KNOW it is a book for someone and that a lot of people will eat this up in a few hours, I wish I was one of them! Perhaps I will be able to read it through at another point!