This is a fun, cozy historical mystery. We have a true bluestocking heroine solving a mystery epistolary-style. I liked the unique plot devices used. I did feel like the characters lacked a bit of depth and it took a bit to really get into this story. Overall, this is a good weekend cozy mystery, especially for historical fiction fans.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery but also felt like the ending was a little too obvious. I guessed the solve pretty early on, but still liked seeing Violet unravel the mystery. I loved the settings and the characters. I look forward to reading the next entry in this series!

An Agony Aunt and the women who solicit her help are at the centre of this Victorian mystery.

Violet is shocked to discover her aunt Amelia is actually the Agony Aunt Hermione in a popular ladies' magazine, and is even more shocked when Amelia informs Violet that she'll be taking over Amelia's duties while Amelia is on the continent with her latest paramour.

Violet, though initially reluctant, gamely begins reviewing the strangers’ appeals, and quickly finds one that concerns her, from a young woman, Ivy, not long married, having concerns about her marriage. Violet, a bright, and for her class, well read and well travelled (her father was in the British Foreign Service), decides to travel to the young woman’s village and check up on the situation. Imagine her shock when she arrives at the young woman’s funeral!

Pretending to be Ivy’s former school friend, Violet is soon chatting with Ivy’s former acquaintances and friends, and meets the woman’s husband, a somewhat cold, and seemingly grieving man. Violet inserts herself into these people’s lives, picking up clues to Ivy’s behaviour, her family, and her marriage, and to who might have wanted her gone and why.

Meanwhile, we meet Violet’s sixteen-year old half-sister, Sephora, who epitomizes the decorative standard for beauty and frivolous, ladylike behaviour of the period. Sephora is secretly meeting a man she believes she’s in love with, and when he disappears, she writes to Hermione. Violet quickly urges the young correspondent to use her brains and look for the man (of course not realizing that she is corresponding with Sephora), setting Sephora off into London on her own.

So, the two storylines, though disconnected at the outset, show us the two half-sisters’ strained relationship, how poorly they understand the other, and how both handle challenges. And further the mysteries, too.

This was a fun story, and though there’s humour, the author also considers heavier topics, such as mental health, and the limited avenues available to young, fairly well-off women.

I liked the characters, and thought the premise of cases arriving through the agony column was amusing, and an interesting way to launch Violet’s amateur detecting life. I’m looking forward to Violet’s next case.

Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

I liked this a LOT!! I may have found a new favorite female detective!

Violet Manville and her half-sister Sephora live with their Aunt Adelia in Victorian London, following the death of their shared father overseas. But now Aunt Adelia has disclosed not only that she is Miss Hermione "the most celebrated Agony Aunt in all the Empire", but also that she is leaving Violet in charge of her column while she goes to the Continent with an admirer!!

After getting over the shock, and having all her objections dismissed, Violet finally accepts her new job. But the very first letter she reads is not what she expected. A follow-up to an earlier letter, it piques Violet's curiosity enough for her to travel to the village from where the letter was posted to speak directly to the petitioner. But when she reaches the village, it is only to find she has interrupted the funeral of the letter-writer!!

Of course, Violet being Violet, she MUST find out what happened and exactly how Ivy died.

Meanwhile, her sister Sephora is involved in a clandestine relationship with a mysterious man in London, who woos her and disappears on a regular basis.

Are these two related? Violet is not even aware of her sister's relationship, but Sephora is determined to interfere in her detecting, so she accompanies her to the small village.

Lots of twists and turns, and, finally Violet is triumphant, with the help of a few others, especially one Eli Marsh.

I really do hope this is only the first in a series of adventures for Violet, and, I hope, Eli Marsh

I really enjoyed Violet. I found her sister to be delightfully unlikeable. Violet's amateur sleuthing was entertaining and just complicated enough.

In my opinion, the book was implausible for its time and place. It seemed to me that Violet had far more personal freedom than her time and position would have allowed. She should be subject to the same constraints imposed on her sister Sephora.

I hope for more in this series!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Delightful! What a romp. I was hooked from the very beginning. I read this in one setting. The cast of characters were interesting and the story was very well thought out. I expect to be reading more from this author.

Violet’s Aunt Adelia is being whisked out of town, leading her to suddenly reveal a major secret. She is *the* secret identity agony aunt of local renown, and with the assistance of Bunty she wants her niece to take over in her absence.
The first letter Violet pushed to answer is an update from a woman nervous about settling into her new marriage, but who now seems fearful for her life. She decides to arrange a visit to find out more, but when she arrives instead finds herself at the woman’s funeral.
While she could move on and return home and answer more letters, the strange circumstances Ivy died under have captured her curiosity and she can’t help poking around.
In addition to keeping her aunt’s column going, dealing with her half sister Sephora and her mysterious admirer, she’s now busy sorting out this mystery while watching her own back.

This was recommended as being a Victorian mystery, for fans of Sherlock Holmes and Bridgerton.
It does have all the vibes of Granada’s Sherlock Holmes series, that one starring the incomparable Jeremy Brett, but lighter on the shrewd deductions and always one step ahead of the game he had. And with the society roles and the secrets of letters to and from a mystery person it was giving a bit of Bridgerton, but without the high romance of it all.
So while it was fine, I do feel like the spark that makes them both so compelling to me was missing in this story. For me, it was entertaining enough, but not so much that I’d likely reread.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the ARC

This was just...fine.

I like the premise, but the execution just didn't hit right for me. I wanted a better relationship between the sisters, and I just wanted more from the plot. I didn't hate it, but I probably won't continue in the series.

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.

This was a fun read. I appreciate how the characters, especially the sisters Violet and Sephora, are distinctly characterized with their dialogues. I like Violet and Eli’s banter. I just hoped Eli came into the plot earlier so we can have more Violet and Eli interaction.

Review: I enjoyed reading this book! I thought it was a good beginning to a new historical mystery series, and I liked Violet as the lead character. I did guess the culprit and why they did what they did, but I enjoyed the journey of Violet figuring it out. I thought the premise was interesting (an advice column!), and has promise for more books! I particularly liked the introduction of another character towards the end of the story, and I am curious how that will play out in future books. Overall, I thought this was an interesting beginning to a new series, and I will be checking out the next book!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

England 1885, step-sisters Violet and Sephora get involved in a suspicious death investigation that leads them into dangerous situations. Entertaining first book in a new series..

I really enjoyed this introductory book to this new series! The setting was fun, the characters were complex and well thought-out, and the murderer was a surprise. I didn't figure it out at all! I really liked that the main character had grown up all over the world. That brought a lot of color and culture to her perspective. I also really liked how the author worked in the perspective of the very different younger sister. That was unique and well done. There's a lot I still want to know about both of them as well as their aunt and her housekeeper. Excited for the next book to come out!

I received a complimentary electronic copy of this book from NetGalley.

In 1880s London, Violet suddenly has to take over her Aunt Adelia's advice column, Dear Miss Hermione. When she suspects that a woman who wrote seeking advice has been murdered, Violet investigates. Of Manners and Murder is a fun romp about a new lady detective trying to solve a mystery and watch out for her wayward sister in the male-dominated London society of the time, a cozy, fast-paced English mystery. I enjoyed it.

Four Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Of Manners and Murder by Anastasia Hastings is the first book in her exciting new series Dear Miss Hermione. A historical mystery series set in Victorian England.

Story Recap:
When Violet's Aunt Adelia leaves town with a new friend, she leaves Violet all her files from her advice column, Miss Hermione. Violet now has to answer readers’ questions on life, love, and friendships, with just a few minutes of explanation before Aunt Adelia leaves on her own adventures.

Her first letter is from a young woman named Ivy Armstrong and she’s in fear for her life. But, by the time Violet gets to Ivy’s village, Ivy is already dead. Now she must find the killer.

My Thoughts:
This is the first book by Anastasia Hastings I’ve read and it won’t be my last. I enjoyed this mystery set in Victorian England. Violet is a terrific character, she’s not a simpering woman of the times, but an educated and assertive woman who was raised to trust her own instincts. Her half-sister, Sephora is the opposite. Sephora is a sweet, spoiled, and naive young woman. Sephora also gets mixed up in the mystery and I loved that the two sisters, who are about as opposite as you can get, get some time together and start to appreciate each other's finer traits.

The mystery was interesting and although it wasn’t too difficult to figure out, there were enough suspects to keep me guessing for a bit. I can’t wait for the next story to see what Violet and Sephora get up to next.

Recommendation:
I highly recommend Of Manners and Murder to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Such a perfect historical mystery! I really enjoyed meeting the characters and got so sucked into the story! I could not put it down. If you love historical mystery then pick this book up!

OF MANNERS AND MURDER was still a really fun read I couldn't put down. It got right into the story without pages and pages of backstory or introductions. As a writer of historical adventures myself, this I really appreciated. Ms. Hastings showed me that one doesn't need to follow social convention when it comes to setting up a story, and that's a lesson I'll remember when it comes to my own writing. For an enjoyable cast of characters and mysteries within the mystery (but some historical inaccuracies), I give OF MANNERS AN MURDER four out of five stars. I really hope this turns into a series!

Ivy wrote to agony aunt Miss Hermione for advice because she thought someone was trying to kill her- and then she died. Violet has just picked up answering letters to Hermione for her (very real) aunt Adelia, who is taking off for a bit, so she feels an obligation to travel to Ivy's village to find out what's going on and she becomes an amateur detective. She's not aided, by the way, by her spoiled half sister Sephora (who periodically gives her point of view) but she is by Bunty the family housekeeper. It's a nice start to a new series set in Victorian England- and in many ways a classic cozy. As it's the first one some of the characters might not be fully formed but this gives Hastings room to grow them. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Looking forward to the next one.

This is a fun book! At the last minute Violet discovers her aunt is Dear Hermione of the advice column and must take over for her while she is traipsing through Europe with her new man. Violet is wonderfully direct in her advice, much to her readers' amusement or dismay. Picture a Victorian Ann Landers telling a reader to "wake up and smell the coffee" in genteel terms. Violet investigates when one of her advice seekers dies under mysterious circumstances. Violet, her housekeeper Bunty, and younger sister Sephora are all wonderful characters and this setup is delightful.

Imagine that you are an intelligent young woman in Victorian times, rapidly approaching "spinster" status. Imagine that you have been taken in, after the death of your beloved father, by your adventurous, non-conformist aunt. Then imagine that she takes you into her office, on the brink of her departure for a whirlwind traveling holiday with her lover, and reveals that she is, in fact, the writer behind the wildly popular "Agony Aunt" column, "Dear Miss Hermione". Imagine that she then informs you that she is handing her duties off to you!

It's a lot to take in, but it's a terrific premise. Violet, the main character in Of Manners and Murder, the first in a planned series of Miss Hermione mysteries, is surprisingly unperturbed by all of the above. She quickly throws herself into the job. Unexpectedly, she finds herself drawn deeply to one of the letter writers, and becomes concerned about the writer's mental and emotional health. Violet decides to try and find the young woman and see if she can help. Upon arriving in the small village the letters have come from, she discovers that Ivy, the letter writer, has died. Violet, of course, suspects there is something amiss, and sets out to solve the mystery.

As if all of this wasn't enough, Violet has a younger sister who is of debutante age. Sephora shares narration duties of the book with Violet which did not work terribly well for me. Part of that was that it was not a consistent switch in narration as the bulk of the book is told from Violet's point of view, with occasional peeks into Sephora's perspective. Secondly, Sephora is utterly annoying. Her role in the story is very important to move the story forward, but it becomes fairly obvious what that role is, and that left me in somewhat of a "wind it up" mode.

There are some very fun characters in the book, and obviously some of them will stick around in other installments of the series. Bunty, the housemaid, who tried to keep tabs on Sephora and support Violet in her investigating is a lot of fun, and the potential romantic interest for Violet who appears late in the book is quite well-drawn. However, there are way too many suspects and side loops here, even for a British village mystery.

Overall, this is an engaging, enjoyable story. Definitely readable by high school students and strong Grade 7 and 8 readers might enjoy it too. Young women, I think, would find much in Violet to cheer on, but they might get bogged down in the many threads of the mystery.
Thanks to Net Galley and Minotaur books for the e-arc.