Dear Fellow Reader,

It is the end of January already. While January can be dreary where I live (and it was) there is the hint of light at 5 p.m. which we haven’t seen for a while. There is hope. There must be, I have even been thinking about the garden, and by the end of the season, I never think I will want to think of it again.

This week I have a (not too much of a surprise) brand new cozy mystery for you. This is the second in the series of Dear Miss Hermione mysteries. No, I have not read the first one, Of Manners and Murder. While I would always encourage you to start at the beginning, I didn’t have any trouble reading this second book without having read the first. I was given a copy of this book for my honest review.


Of Hoaxes and Homicide takes place in about 1885 and is the story of Violet Manville and her half-sister Sephora. Violet is the commonsense sister while Sephora cares about society and clothes and being a lady. Both women live in a house owned by their aunt, Adelia, who has left town with her latest lover. One of the secrets that she left behind with Violet is that Aunt Adelia was London’s very popular Agony Aunt, Miss Hermoine. Violet is now Miss Hermoine. She fills this role with the help of Bunty, the housekeeper. (She has a secret room where she works and everything.)

Sephora is bored and Violet is a bit restless also. They had been involved in a murder mystery and it was quite exciting. It was hard to go back to their regular lives. Violet is hiding it but is especially on edge because of the mysterious Eli Marsh, whom she met when investigating the murder. He may have captured a bit of her heart. Sephora is especially missing her best friend, who is off visiting relatives.

Or is she?

Miss Hermoine receives a letter asking for her help and Violet connects the letter to Sephora’s friend. It seems the friend has been caught up in a cult, the Hermetic Order of the Children of Aed. The stories about the cult have been made infamous by the mysterious Count Orlando.

Was the cult really having orgies?

Were there ritualistic sacrifices?

Violet decides to go to the Cult to see what it is all about and while she is there, a man is murdered. Who did it? Can she find the missing girl and return her to her family? Will the mysterious Eli March arrive? Sephora comes into her own in the story and surprises Violet in the best way.

I found it to be a very pleasant story. I liked the writing. The style reminded me a bit of the Enola Holmes stories in that Violet occasionally has an aside with the reader when she is frustrated about something. This book is available now so you can buy it or try your local library. (I just checked and my library system has 4 copies.)

On to something different…

I won’t be writing a full review (because you can read about 100 of them if you try) I would highly recommend The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. I just finished it, and I LOVED it. I am in awe of the mind that can come up with such interesting characters and plot. Hats off to Mr. McBride!

And because we are on the eve of it, Happy Library Lovers Month! Go forth and tell those librarians how much you appreciate what they do! In some ways, they are the Guardians of our Galaxy.

I think I enjoyed this book even more than the first! What’s not to love about cults, orgies and sacrifices!!??

Violet is coming down from her high of solving a murder last summer. She is still acting as Miss Hermione, the advice columnist. When a letter comes in from a concerned parent, afraid of her daughters fate, Violet heads off to join the cult and find missing woman, who just happens to be her sister, Sephora’s best friend.

I love Violets sassy, push the limits attitude as well as her intuitive nature. I am hoping for another in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I did not realize the book was the second in this historical mystery series and I am convinced I will go back to read the first one.
The story was a delight to read and even with all the twists and turns I did manage to name the major villain. That did not reduce the pleasure in reading it. Living in the Victorian’s time with its particularities get you to understand Sephora brought up in a wealthy class with all the expectations associated with it. On the other hand, she does not act much differently than a spoiled 16 year in current times.
Practical Violet, the older half-sister, having a bigger world experience is a big contrast to her younger sibling.
Reading this story will occasionally bring a smile to your face. I am sure you will read this book at a fast pace because you are going to want to know how it is going to end. Enjoy.

When Violet receives a letter from a worried mother, she and the gang find themselves looking in to a mysterious cult. With rumors of human sacrifices, and the link to one of her own acquaintances, she may have bitten off more than she can chew this time.

This book quickly climbed to the top of my favorite series with just this book. I cannot wait to read the previous and first entry in this series. I cannot wait for more in this series.

A fun, historical cozy mystery is right up my alley. Missed the first in the Miss Hermione series, but this second one was easy to follow without having the read it.

Description:
"Dear Miss Hermione—what is a mother to do?"

Sensible Violet Manville and her very ladylike half-sister Sephora are absolutely bored, thank you very much. And though neither of them would ever admit it aloud, they're missing the thrill of playing detective.

So when Violet receives a letter from "A Heartbroken Mother" sent to her alter-ego, the Agony Aunt known to the world only as Miss Hermione, her pulse can't help but quicken. The daughter in question has gotten caught up in a cult: the Hermetic Order of the Children of Aed. Rumors of human sacrifices, mystical doings, and a ghost in the ruined Alburn Abbey where the Children pray have gripped the public conscious, helped along by a series of novels about the group, written by the mysterious Count Orlando, and clearly this girl has fallen prey.

Miss Hermione's investigation soon collides with very real life when Violet discovers that the runaway daughter in question is Sephora's dearest friend Margaret. Violet sets off to the Children's compound in Nottintham to convince her to return to London. But with the dashing-but-frustrating Eli Marsh running around and a member of the Children found poisoned to death, Violet and Sephora—along with their ever-trusty housekeeper Bunty—may have more intrigue than they can manage.

My Thoughts:
The setting is a London of 1885 and I found the language and descriptions in the book fit the time period. I liked the concept of the 'Dear Miss Hermione' letters. I found the main character, Violet, to be a curious and indepenent woman who really liked being involved in an investigation and is determined to find answers. Her sister, Sephora, I think showed more backbone that Violet expected - you have to give her credit. There were red herrings to chase which made the investigation more interesting. Recommended for anyone who likes a period mystery.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

It’s been a few months since we last checked in on half-sisters Violet and Sephora Manville, and they are finding themselves a bit bored after the excitement of solving their first murder. That changes when Violet’s alter ego, advice columnist Miss Hermione, receives a letter from a distraught mother whose daughter has run off and joined a cult. When Violet starts to investigate, she realizes that she knows someone in the group. Violet goes undercover in the cult right before a murder happens. Can she figure out what is going on?

I enjoyed the first, and this was another good entry. We get the story most from Violet’s first-person point of view, but we occasionally transfer to Sephora’s. These breaks are always obvious, and they are also used to good effect to advance the story. The plot could have used a bit more, but there are still some good twists, and I was engaged the entire time. Part of that is because of the characters, who I enjoyed. I also liked seeing both Violet and Sephora not only grow, but grow their relationship as well. If you are looking for a fun historical mystery, you’ll be glad you picked this one up.

Violet Manville is the person behind Miss Hermione, the most popular agony aunt in Britain. It is a role that has also led to a side career in solving murders. This time, Violet receives a letter from a troubled mother. Her daughter has gotten caught up in a cult, the Children of Aed. This case will also draw in Violet’s half-sister, Sephora.
Sephora is the opposite of Violet, and this relationship kept me reading even after deducing the murderer’s identity fairly early in the book.
Sephora, unlike Violet, is an heiress. (Violet and Sephora had the same father.) The important things in her life are fashion, penny dreadfuls, and the boredom she’s fighting because the social season hasn’t started yet. Sephora’s character embodies society’s expectations of young woman born to wealth and class—to marry well.
Violet, however, hasn’t inherited a fortune from her mother, and she must work for a living. Thanks to her Aunt Adelia, Violet is now England’s most popular agony aunt, (Sephora is a huge fan) Miss Hermione. Adelia, the original Miss Hermione, dropped the job on Violet when Adelia left England for the Continent with her latest paramour. Compared to the exhilaration at solving a murder, the letters are driving Violet to distraction. Until the letter from the distraught mother, her daughter in a cult, and Violet is on another case.
This time, though, Violet isn’t on her own. Sephora is determined to help Violet, even if Violet doesn’t want her help. As the case unfolds, each character learns something new about the other. The growth of each character and the unfolding of their relationship is really what kept me engaged in Of Hoaxes and Homicide.
Recommended.

“It is a sad day, indeed, when even an orgy does not interest me.”

From the opening line, it’s clear that Anastasia Hastings’s Of Hoaxes and Homicide will be titillating and delightful to read. An engaging historical mystery centered around two half-sisters, a cult, and a murder.

Review | Of Hoaxes and Homicide

The second book in a series where I didn’t read the first, I had no issue jumping into this one without context. Within the first two chapters, Hastings provides a good introduction to the two sisters and how they came to be living on their own at their aunt’s estate, as well as who Miss Hermione is and how it came to be. I imagine the first book delved into these events much more, but I wouldn’t have known I missed anything because I was so engaged from page one in the new story.

Sephora is bored with a capital B. She tries to engage her mind in reading or talking to her half-sister Violet (who she finds rather tedious), but she misses the excitement of solving a mystery, chasing down clues, and unmasking a murderer. It turns out, Violet misses the excitement of solving a mystery too—she just hides it better for the sake of her reputation.

Violet is keeping a secret from her younger sister, Sephora. She has been serving as “Miss Hermione”—the agony aunt who offers advice in a women’s magazine. Sephora has no clue that the anonymous advice giver she has admired for so long was formerly her own aunt Adelia (whose estate the sisters now occupy). When Adelia left with her paramour to pursue an adventure overseas, she left her home and her identity in the hands of Violet. Sephora doesn’t know that her uptight sister Violet is actually Miss Hermione.

When Miss Hermione receives a letter from a woman worried that her daughter has been drawn into a cult called the Hermetic Order of the Children of Aed, she is immediately shocked. The young lady embroiled in the cult is none other than Sephora’s close friend, Margaret. The cult is surrounded by rumors of human sacrifices, magic, orgies, and a ghost in the Abbey where the cult resides.

The cult is the subject of much gossip around town, spurned in part by a novel about the group written by the anonymous surname, Count Orlando. Violet keeps the letter’s contents from Sephora and sets off to the Children’s compound at the Abbey to convince Margaret to come home. But soon after arriving, she is thwarted by a matching ceremony pairing Margaret off with a man who goes by the name Sage in the cult (Margaret confusingly begins to be called Hestia).

When Sage is found murdered and the poison used to take his life is discovered in Margaret’s belongings, Violet knows she must help solve the murder and free Margaret for a crime she has been falsely accused of.

The book is more heavily balanced towards Violet’s narrative than Sephora’s. This is in part logistical since Violet is the one staying at the cult compound and so she is central to the events of the book. Sephora is somewhat out of the loop and is unaware her sister had received the letter to Miss Hermione and was following it. I also suspect that the author favors Violet more than Sephora.

Violet is often portrayed as the smart, wily, diligent one who is more capable of solving a murder. But I think that is a disservice to Sephora, who is portrayed as the more frivolous sister, but who I found to be quite bold and intelligent in her own right. She is much more inclined to action than Violet, and she picks up on more than she is given credit for. I did think she got some redemption by the end of the story for both the reader and from Violet herself.

The mystery is engaging and the cult was fascinating. It’s clear early on that the cult is most interested in wealthy members and their dowry they offer in exchange for being matched and staying in the cult. Margaret seems to have joined the cult initially because she loved a man who was in it, but later she seems to have been charmed by the leader and is staying of her own volition (this is particularly apparent when she is matched to someone other than the man she loves, and she goes along with it willingly).

There were plenty of twists and turns along the way. Sephora’s storyline involves Bunty, the maid and motherly figure to the sisters, and I loved learning more about Bunty’s life and story. Violet’s chapters center around the cult and were equally engaging. The conclusion was satisfying, the writing was pithy, and the story is kept tight with no extraneous chapters or lengthy passages to detract from the mystery.

Thank you to Minotaur Books for my copy. Opinions are my own.

Of Hoaxes and Homicide is the second book in Anastasia Hastings’ Miss Hermione cozy mystery series. It was just as fun as the first.

In this book, Violet springs into action after receiving a Miss Hermione letter from a mother whose daughter had been seduced into a cult – the Hermetic Order of the Children of Aed. She accepts an invitation to visit the cult without disclosing her intention to investigate what was going on and save the girl. Before you know it, a murder occurs, someone is wrongly accused, and investigator Eli Marsh turns up.

Violet sends regular updates to Bunty and asks her to do some investigating back home. Violet’s younger sister jumps in and takes a surprisingly active role. It was good to see her character develop from the flighty, shallow young girl of the first book.


This is a fun and promising series and I hope cozy mystery fans will enjoy this book as much as I did.

I received this advanced reader copy of Of Hoaxes and Homicide by Anastasia Hastings from St. Martins Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thank NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advance reader copy of “Of Hoaxes and Homicide.” All opinions and comments are my own.

Violet Manville runs into a cult and its devious members in “Of Hoaxes and Homicide,” the second in the “Dear Miss Hermione” series by Anastasia Hastings. When a friend of her half-sister Sephora falls victim to the cult and becomes a murder suspect, Violet has to help, of course.

If you can get past the somewhat ridiculous cult-ish ceremonies and a lot of talk about romantic entanglements, the book moves at a pretty fast pace. There’s a big finish, during a meteor shower no less, and a murderer is apprehended. Violet also finds there’s more to her sister than she thinks, which opens up all sorts of possibilities for future adventures. The two of them make an entertaining team, in “Of Hoaxes and Homicide.”

I really enjoyed book one so I was super-excited to receive this digital ARC!

This one was just as good! Pacing is great and this one kept me guessing until the end!
I love the characters, Violet and Sephora (also love their names) and it is so easy to get drawn into their Victorian era world.
If you love historical cozy mysteries then you must read this book. Its out January 30th!
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Violet finds more than just Margaret (now Hestia) when she goes to Alburn Abbey where the young woman has joined the Children of Aed -there's a murder! It's 1885 and Violet has taken on the Miss Hermione gig, answering Agony Aunt letters but her dear half sister Sephora does not know and she's not telling her, even when the letter comes about the AED and she discovers Margaret, a good friend of Sephora has disappeared. Luckily, Bunty, their housekeeper does and she's got ace investigative skills. Violet figures out how the victim was killed but she's got to get Margaret, who has been accused, off the hook. And then there's Eli. If I have a quibble, it's that Hastings doesn't provide info on Eli and Violet's relationship with him beyond a sentence or two, making it more than a little hazy for those reading this as a standalone. Regardless, the atmospherics at the Abbey, the mystery, and the characters are all good. And I loved the letters! Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. For fans of the historical mystery.

I loved Of Manners and Murder book one and when I seen Of Hoaxes and Homicide by Anastasia Hastings I had to read it.
Book two in the Dear Miss Hermione Series is another enjoyable historical mystery.
Violet and Sephora took me on an amazing adventure that I was sad to see end.
Violet is strong, independent and determined. I love a good strong female protagonist.
OHaH is a delightful mystery set in Victorian England. With a mystery that kept me guessing until the end!
A great historical, cozy mystery that has that Agatha Christie style to it.
I can’t wait for book 3!

Thank You NetGalley and Minotaur Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Anastasia Hastings for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Of Hoaxes and Homicide coming out January 30, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is becoming one of my favorite series and favorite authors! I loved the first book, so I was so excited to receive the second book. I love the adventures Violet and Sephora get into and it’s just a really cozy historical mystery series for me. I think quite a few of the books I’ve been reading have had a spiritual seance type storyline, but I love it. The writing is fun and fast paced. I would love a little more romance, but I’ll definitely check out more books in the series.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys books historical mysteries featuring strong heroines!

3.5 stars. There were parts of the story that I didn't really care about and then there were parts I was hooked and couldn't stop reading. I think there was just a bit too much going on with both sisters on the verge of romances, the cultish religious group, learning new things about Bunty, and Sephora standing up for herself all over the place. I liked the chapters that were set in Alburn Abbey and explored the going ons of the Children of Aed. That's what kept me reading. I figured out the culprit early on but wasn't sure how the pieces would fit together. Overall, an enjoyable read but I'm not sure I will continue with this series.

Of Hoaxes and Homicide is out on January 30th. Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur Books for my e-arc!

I absolutely love this series and the second book is almost more fun than the first! Of course it couldn't have existed without the first book setting up Violet's unexpected new role as an agony aunt....but this one has a cult that Violet's stepsister is much too intrigued by. Sephora has been absolutely devouring stories of the group, which include rumors of virgin sacrifices. When "Miss Hermione" receives a letter from a troubled mother she joins the Childred of Aed herself in an effort to rescue a missing girl. This one got a little darker than I expected, but the gruesome events were filtered through Violet's Victorian sensibilities, so it wasn't too dark.

In this second "Dear Miss Hermione" book you get a sisterly team up, a crazy cult murder, and not enough Eli Marsh.

I love that Violet's younger sister Sephora has grown out of her annoying "hinderance-rather-than-help-Lydia Bennett-phase" and is now sleuthing with Bunty to help her sister solve a crime. Bunty is a total boss, btw!

After Sephora's friend Margaret joins a cult, Violet goes undercover to bring her home. Coincidentally Eli Marsh is rescuing the daughter of a Duke from the same cult, and they have a little reunion before he disappears again for most of the book (boo). Before Violet can talk some sense into Margaret, Margaret is framed for a murder and the game is afoot.

I still don't like the swapping between Violet and Sephora as narrators. I frequently have to check back and see who is narrating so I won't get confused when I pick the book back up. It would be awesome if Violet and Eli narrated the next book together and much easier to tell between their points of view.

Please tell me book three is a full novel team-up with Violet & Eli in Venice at Christmas with plenty of romance! I'm here for it! If that was just a tease, I'll be very upset.

Of Hoaxes and Homicide is book 2 in the Dear Miss Hermione mystery series. You don't need to read book 1 to enjoy this one as there is enough backstory to establish the characters. But the references to the previous mystery are more teasers than informative so if you don't read it before reading book 2 you will probably want to read Of Manners and Murder when you finish.

Violet Manville is filling in for her aunt as Miss Hermoine an agony aunt. When she receives a letter from a heartbroken mother who is writing about her daughter who has run off with a cult. The group is giving a lecture nearby and Violet attends. While there she discovers her half-sister Sephora's friend among the group. She knows she must do everything she can to rescue Margaret. She soon discovers that the most difficult task is not extracting her from the cult but clearing Margaret's name for a murder she didn't commit.

I don't read a lot of stories set in the 1800s but I'm enjoying this one. I really like the characters. In addition to Violet and Sephora, their housekeeper Bunty assists Violet with the Miss Hermoine letters as well as the murder investigations Violet finds herself apart of. They also keep crossing paths with Eli Marsh - a handsome American who takes on mysterious jobs. Sensible Violet becomes a little more like Sephora whenever Eli is near. Violet isn't the only one entertaining a romantic relationship. Sephora finds herself attracted to a local police constable even though as an heiress she could make a more appropriate society match.

The mystery is good and quite complicated because the Children of Aed take on new names when they join. Bunty and Sephora in London try to gather information for Violet while Violet investigates the Children and local residents. Just as they exchange tidbits of information back and forth, the reader only gets bits and pieces to help discover the murderer.

If you are looking for an enjoyable mystery with great characters, then you should check out this series.

My review is published at Girl Who Reads - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2024/01/2-fun-mysteries-with-great-characters.html

4.5/5⭐️

This is 2nd in this historical mystery series, and I’m continuing to be a big fan.

This one finds Violet, who has taken over her eccentric aunt’s Dear Hermione column, and her younger sister Sephora bored following the excitement of their previous case. So they end up investigating a friend’s disappearance into a cult with danger and deceit around every turn.

This series is hilarious, has wonderfully quirky characters and is definitely a new favorite.

Highly recommend for fans of Deanna Raybourn.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for providing the free early arc of Of Hoaxes and Homicide for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

It had been a while since I had read a period piece and found this one a little hard to get into, but I think that eas more my mindset than the book. When Violet investigates the Children of Aed not only does she find her sister's missing friend but also murder and deceit. With the help of her housekeeper Bunty, sister Sephora and friend Eli the mystery unravels to reveal the real killer. A cozy mystery to enjoy on these cold winter days.
Thanks to #NetGalley#OfHoaxesAndHomicide#MinotaurBooks for the eARC.