I’ve jumped in to this gorgeous historical mystery series at book 3, and although I enjoyed this as as standalone, it did make me want more – which is fabulous as there are two previous books go go back and devour!
Violet Manville writes an advice column under the name of Miss Hermione, although she has problems of her own. The main one right now being that her ex from her time in India has turned up, and is then accused of murdering his wife. It’s not looking good for him, but it’s fun to watch Violet try and solve this problem, with all the limitations of being a woman in the Victorian era. I loved the period detail and the evocative writing that immersed me very quickly into Violet’s world, and I’ll definitely be picking up the other two books in this series. There are plenty of twists and turns I this atmospheric novel that makes for addictive reading.
Thank you to Zooloos Book Tours, Joffe Books and the Author for the opportunity to read this novel.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
For Anastasia Hastings, there is nothing as intriguing as a fog-filled, gas-light street, the clip-clop of a horse pulling a hansom cab, and the possibility of murder and mystery around every corner!She has been lucky enough to bring it all alive in the Dear Miss Hermione mystery series which follows the adventures of Violet Manville, Victorian England’s most famous (and enigmatic) agony aunt.
Book #1, Of Manners and Murder, was a finalist for the 2024 Mary Higgins Clark Award presented by Mystery Writers of America, and The Wall Street Journal said it “evokes the shocking revelations of Wilkie Collins, the social acuity of Jane Austen and the comic melodrama of Oscar Wilde.” Book #2 of the series, Of Hoaxes and Homicide, was called “captivating” by Publishers Weekly. Under a variety of names and throughout a career than spans more than 30 years, Anastasia has published 70 novels.
The Secrets of Bones, written as Kylie Logan, was recently made into a Hallmark Mystery movie. Anastasia lives in Ohio with her husband and two dogs, an Airedale named Eliot Ness and his best friend (even if he doesn’t know it yet), Tequila Elizabeth, a Russell Terrier.
She enjoys various fiber arts including knitting and spinning, as well as exploring old cemeteries and in the summer, watching the hummingbirds while she contemplates her next murder.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Violet Manville knows everything about manners—and murder.
Violet is looking forward to taking some time away from the advice column she writes under the nom de plume Miss Hermione. She can’t wait to head off to Venice to spend some time with Eli Marsh, a mysterious, annoying, and extremely attractive American.
Little does she suspect that the specter of death will come calling at her front door in the person of Ash Kumar, a man she once knew—and loved—when she lived in India. She certainly doesn’t expect Ash to be arrested for his wife’s murder on her front door step.
As Violet tries to unravel the murder, she is pulled between between the two men. As the past and present become blurred, she soon discovers that the truth can be deadly.
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