I'm absolutely obsessed with this series! Of Hoaxes and Homicide is the second in the Dear Miss Hermione mystery series by Anastasia Hastings who is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!
First, a murder, and now a cult with rumors of human sacrifices, mystical doings, and a ghost! What is a poor Agony Aunt columnist to do? Solve it of course!

A cozy historical fiction for fans of the Victorian Era. Violet is a delight and I love how Hastings took the time to point out some of the more weird aspects of the culture of the time and the mentalities. The sleuthing side of the story was also great.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I liked this one even more than Of Manners and Murder. And Violets small group with Sephora and Bunty is growing in me. I adore the relationship and scenes between Eli and Violet, but there weren’t enough! I wish there were more interactions between them.

I couldn't get into this. I vaguely recalled feeling meh about the 1st, but when I checked, I gave jt 4 stars. I don't know if I was more lenient... who knows. Oh well. Not a fan

Thank you to Netgally, the publishers, and Anastasia Hastings

When I requested this book I was unaware that it was apart of a series, one that requires you to read the previous books for this one to make sense. I am unable to read all the previous books along with this one before the publish date. Therefore, I will rate this a fair 3/5 stars and will adjust the rating and review when I am able to read all the books in the series along with this one.

3.5 Stars

Pro:
* Violet’s character development
* Contrast in the characters/voices of the sisters
* Smooth prose
* Historical details

Con:
* Darker topic than I was expecting at the opening
* Drags a bit in the first half
* I knew the murderer very early.

Thank you to Anastasia Hastings, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

"Of Hoaxes and Homicide" was an interesting addition to the Dear Miss Hermione mystery series. This time, Violet Manville finds herself trying to rescue Sephora's best friend from a cult. And Sephora exercises a bit more volition of her own, now that she's gotten a taste of what it's like to use her own wit and intelligence; something she'd left up to Violet prior to this point.

We don't see Eli Marsh in this installment as much as I would have liked, but he certainly makes an appearance and plays an important role.

Overall, a pleasing addition to the series, and I look forward to the next installment.

Thank you to Anastasia Hastings, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

This book was told from the perspective of two characters: Violet and Sephora. Dual POV is always enjoyable for me. If you read the first book several of your favorites are back helping. Bunty is wonderful as always.

This story involves what seems like a cult that a friend of Sephora's belongs too, but the friend becomes a murder suspect. Violet steps in to help solve the mystery.

This is the second book in the series, but reads well as a stand alone. I enjoy this one possibly more than the first, but both are worth checking out. I can't wait to read more from this series.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The dream (not really) team of sisters Violet and Sephora are back in this second installment of the Dear Miss Hermione mysteries. They are both quite bored after the excitement of their previous investigation, although neither of them is willing to admit it. When a letter arrives to Miss Hermione, asking for help with a daughter swept up in a mysterious cult, Violet is back on the job, and Sephora is not far behind her.

I actually enjoyed this more than the first episode in the series. Sephora is still annoying, but Hastings lets us laugh a little more at her inner dialogue, which helps. Sephora also manages to enlist the assistance of her favourite local constable and the hijinks the two of them get into add entertainment to the more serious investigating that Violet is doing. As in the first book, the froth covers up some serious provocations for the reader around the constrained role of women in Victorian society, even if they are running away to join a group of "back to the land" commune members. Violet is as much of a sparkplug as ever, the handsome and enigmatic Eli makes an appearance or two, and Bunty proves to be quite the dark horse, which was a delightful surprise.

The action here gets going faster, and there are some red herrings to pull you off the main trail. I knew who the "villain" was fairly early on, but I didn't know why, and that is always an interesting twist for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the e-arc.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I was excited to get an ARC from NetGalley. In this installment of their series the main character Violet sets out to rescue her sister’s friend from a cult. This book has a great plot with a great mystery and wonderful characters. I just wish that it contained more of the love interest. I am excited to see what is next for Violet.

This was such a fantastic follow-up to the first book in the series. I actually enjoyed it a bit more. I loved the cult and magic aspects. It also has a kind of a Scooby-Doo vibe to it in the best way possible!

Violet's younger sister Sephora was great in this one. All of her sections were very comical and highly entertaining.

Of Hoaxes and Homicide was an amazingly fun mystery, and I'm so looking forward to the next installment in the Dear Miss Hermione series.

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

3.5 stars for the second book in the Dear Miss Hermione series. Of Hoaxes and Homicide (Dear Miss Hermione, #2) by Anastasia Hastings proved to be another entertaining cozy mystery. This one was set in London and the English countryside in 1885, at the height of the Victorian era. Half sisters, Violet and Sephora, along with several new and returning characters, took a prominent role in this next book in the series. Violet reluctantly resumed her role as Miss Hermione. It seemed that both Violet and Sephora were feeling the effects of the boredom that was so prevalent in their lives, now that they were no longer involved in solving a murder mystery. Both Violet and Sephora had settled back into their old lives with the help of their faithful housekeeper, Bunty.

Out of obligation, Violet started reading the new correspondence addressed to Miss Hermione. She could not be bothered with such trivial matters as whether it was proper to have one pot of tea or two while serving guests. Then just as Violet was about to abandon the enormous pile of letters addressed to Miss Hermione, one particular letter intrigued Violet. It was from “A Heartbroken Mother”. The mother confided in Miss Hermione that her daughter had been lured into joining and living with a cult called the Hermetic Order of the Children of Aed. There was a popular book series that had been written using the cult as its main focus. Violet’s half sister Sephora was obsessed with these books. The author of the series, Count Orlando, had become an overnight sensation. The Hermetic Order of the Children of Aed were known for their human sacrifices, orgies and mystical powers. As Violet read more about the plea for help and advise from the heartbroken mother she suddenly realized that the daughter in question was no other than Sephora’s best friend, Margaret. Violet felt compelled to try and convince Margaret to leave the Hermetic Order of the Children of Aed. Violet had to try and convince Margaret to return home to her parents. In order for Violet to convince Margaret that she should return home, Violet decided to feign interest in the Children of Aed and signed on for a trial stay. During her stay, one of the Children of Aed was found dead. Margaret was accused of the crime. Violet changed gears and began to investigate the murder. She knew that Margaret was incapable of committing a murder. Who was behind this heinous crime? Will Violet, Sephora and Bunty be able to clear Margaret’s name and save her from the fate that awaited her?

I enjoyed reacquainting myself with the characters I met in the first book of this series. Violet, Sephora, Eli Marsh, Bunty, Margaret and Sephora’s policeman friend were all back. There were lots of new characters as well. Will Violet and Eli finally give in to the feelings they were developing for each other? I was able to correctly identify who was behind all the foul play at the Hermetic Order of the Children of Aed pretty early. To me, it was fairly obvious. Even though I guessed the person that was responsible for the murder and all the other things that were happening at the Hermetic Order of the Children of Aed, I still found myself absorbed in this well plotted book. I enjoyed this new book in the Dear Miss Hermione series and recommend it if you enjoy cozy mysteries with a touch of romance.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read Of Hoaxes and Homicide by Anastasia Hastings through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, historical cozy mystery about a young impressionable girl who ended up falling into a cult. Violet has a “Miss Hermione” advice column, where she receives a missive from a mother, which leads her to going undercover to see if she can get the girl out of the cult. After a murder happens, she finds herself deeper in the investigation when the young girl is accused of the murder, and she tries to find out what is really going on behind the cult.
This one was fun to sit back and listen to as I worked on my crafts and mentally got sucked back in time and set on an adventure with a tenacious Miss Violet.

Thank you Net Galley and Minotaur Books for the arc!

An advice columnist and a cult in late 19th century London? Yes, please!

Of Hoaxes and Homicide is the second book in the Dear Miss Hermione series, but I think it works fine as a stand-alone read.

This was a fun romp! The characters are entertaining, likable, and quirky, which are all the things I need in a cozy mystery.

I don’t always find cozy mysteries believable, but like the first book, the plot here feels plausible. I enjoyed uncovering all the clues and fitting the pieces together.

I’m looking forward to spending more time with all the characters!

Historical cozy mystery set in 1885 London and the English countryside and a secret cult ?
This book weaves it all together expertly.
Half-Sisters Violet and Sephora are at their aunt’s house in London. Sephora more interested in shopping and frippery, and Violet is holed up with her books or standing in for their aunt Adelia who is a newspapers columnist (agony aunt style) with her very own „Dear Hermione“ section but currently on vacation. An anxious mother writes in asking what to do - her daughter joined a cult - searching for excitement or meaning who knows. When Sephora develops an interest in the same cult Violet knows she must investigate. Her investigation leads her to visit the cult and discover all sorts of weird but not necessarily evil characters but somebody is dead by morning and events take a more sinister turn. Sephora and Bunty, the most loyal housekeeper, investigate in the London magician and illusionist’s scene while Violet goes „undercover” seemingly interested in joining the cult.
I love historical cozies and I love cult or secret society mysteries - and this one was no exception. This was fun to read and I will be waiting for book 3! There was a journey to Rome on the horizon at the end of the book and I’d love it if the next book could have an Italy setting.

In this latest installment, Violet tries to track down a daughter who has gotten caught up in a cult where rumors of human sacrifices, mystical doings, and a ghost abound.

I like the premise of this Dear Miss Hermoine mystery series. Violet’s aunt leaves the task of answering the “Miss Hermoine” Agony Aunt letters to Violet while she is out of town. In the end, I didn’t care for this mystery involving the cult, but I still love the characters and the series.

I can’t wait to see what mystery Violet and Sephora run into next!

3.5 rounded up

A very readable book, this 2nd installment in the “A Dear Miss Hermione Mystery” series, brings back Violet Manville, her trusty sidekick housekeeper Bunty, and her society oriented half-sister, Sephora. Set in London, in 1885, Violet, a “spinster” who is the secret agony aunt known as “Miss Hermione” once again gets involved in a mystery, unwittingly via a letter sent to her column. This time, Margaret Thuringer, a close friend of Sephora, has been sucked into a cult known as the Hermetic Order of the Children of Aed. Led by the handsome and charismatic Master, the Children live a druid like existence. Soon Violet has immersed herself into their world to try to save Margaret. Fun banter, secret trysts, dark arts, and a murder to be solved, makes this a book hard to put down.

Protagonist Violet Manville has taken over the job of Dear Miss Hermione, and when she receives a letter pleading for help with her daughter who has joined a cult, she investigates by becoming a seeker to find out just what The Children of Aed are up to. When her investigating uncovers the fact that the girl happens to be Violet’s half sister, Sephora’s best friend, she knows she must get this girl out of the cult in the second installment of the Miss Hermoine mystery series, Of Hoaxes and Homicide. The novel takes place in 1885 near London, and the author has done her research to set the culture and time that rings true.

Hastings has done an excellent job of developing her characters. Fans of that era will be able to relate and believe that the characters are real people who lived during that time. Violet doesn’t have a big inheritance, but her half sister, Sephora does, and Sephora acts like the spoiled woman of society that she is.

Unfortunately the story is overly wordy and that distracts from any suspense that might build. There are also no surprises; anyone who has read a few cozies will guess who the murderer is fairly close to the beginning of the book. While the writing is good, the story doesn’t flow particularly, and it’s difficult to stay interesting in the happenings of the story.

All told, there are better cozies out there than this series. The story doesn’t flow and readers will be thinking they may have made a mistake for choosing to read this book.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

I have been provided with a review copy of Of Hoaxes and Homicide from NetGalley for an impartial review. I was just drawn into this story and I just couldn’t get enough of it. I was so disappointed to turn the last page and I immediately wanted more. I can’t wait to see what's next from this author.

Thank you Minotaur and NetGalley for the eARC of Of Hoaxes and Homicide! All opinions in this review are my own.

While I did enjoy the first book of the Dear Miss Hermione series, I loved the sequel! Of Hoaxes and Homicide was such a fun adventure mystery focused on a cult and magic. I didn't love Sephora, Violet's younger sister, in the first book, but her contributions in the second mystery were so much better! I devoured this mystery and I can't wait to read the next one!