The first book in this series was so twee and charming that I wanted to give its sequel a go, and I'm glad I did. It was nice to see the protagonist really finding her feet, and her voice, after all the shock surrounding her mother.

I was sent a copy of How to Solve Murders Like a Lady by Hannah Dolby to read and review by NetGalley. This is the second novel in the Violet Hamilton series. Like the first book it follows the protagonist on her journey to become a bona fide lady detective. There is both humour and tension, with a few quite gripping scenes throughout the story along with a smattering of romance. There is a good deal of detail regarding the clothing and locations which bring the whole thing to life. Another enjoyable light hearted read – I look forward to Violet’s next adventure.

I really enjoyed reading again about Violet, the lady detective. The first book was very entertaining & this book was just as good. Humorous as well as gripping. Enjoy the read!

In the year 1897, Violet Hamilton is carving out a niche for herself as a Lady Detective—an unusual path for a woman of her era. Engaged to Benjamin Blackthorn, the couple has established the Hamilton and Blackthorn Detective Agency, building on their prior successes. Their latest case begins when the outspoken Mrs Withers is found dead on the beach in Hastings. Violet is eager to delve into the investigation, but she faces constant obstacles that hinder her efforts.

As Violet and Benjamin navigate the complexities of the case, it becomes evident that Hastings harbours darker secrets beyond the shocking murder. The narrative is enriched with vivid historical details and a fascinating exploration of quackery, which adds depth to the storyline.

While Violet's character makes the story entertaining, a more streamlined plot and sharper humour would enhance future instalments in this series.

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Book 2 of the Hamilton and Blackthorn series. Having discovered that her mother is still alive and living with her lady friend, Violet, now engaged to Benjamin, returns to life in Hastings. Her reputation as an oddity is spreading. Attending Lord Bassey's annual ball with her father she realises she's not cut out for society life. That night an important town figure is murdered and Violet makes it her mission to investigate. Locking horns with the local quack (father of her adversaries the Misses Spence), aristocracy and head librarian, Violet stirs up trouble as she goes. Madcap mayhem, false imprisonment and unlikely schemes - a wonderful read set in late 19th century England where so many restrictions on women's lives were in place. A reminder of how far women had to come. I'm looking forward to more adventures with the detectives Hamilton and Blackthorn. #netgalley #howtosolvemurderslikealady

“Violet Hamilton is no ordinary lady…

She is a Lady Detective, who spends her time solving mysteries and unveiling scandals in the bustling seaside town of Hastings and St Leonards, a popular spot for the Victorian middle classes.”

This second book about Violet and she is a queen. Written in her voice this is a story of how women were treated in the 19th century. Violet needs to solve this murder to save her fiancée and her only chance of freedom but some very important people are trying to stop her.
This is a witty and intelligent mystery.

This is the second book in the series and although it can be read as a stand-alone, the reader would benefit from reading the first book. Violet is the main character along with her fiancé, Benjamin. Violet is determined to be a lady detective alongside Benjamin. Benjamin has quite modern views for the time and has no problem with Violet working with him. He is also very appreciative of Violet’s intelligence. Violet is full of self doubt but she is trying to overcome her believed shortcomings. Violet is a likeable character but she has to suffer men who doubt her capabilities because she is a female. This is written in quite a quirky and at times humorous way. I have enjoyed reading this book and look forward to more adventures.

It was tiresome for Violet to be a Lady Detective in 1897 England. Thwarted, deliberately ignored as being not having intelligence to understand criminal matters was bad enough, but she also had to accept that if she wanted to succeed, there were many situations where a man by her side was necessary. Her fiancée fitted the bill perfectly. Understanding Violet, not pushing her to set a date they seemed to be the perfect combo, working harmoniously, though this too did not sit well in their community.

The murder of an outspoken lady draws the couples attention but is ignored by the authorities and they have to work surreptitiously to see that justice was done.

Descriptive especially of the social norms of the time, this added interest to an otherwise average coz

Violet Hamilton is back and making her mark on the small town of Hastings and St Leonards as a lady detective, if only she could get some real cases. When the body of a woman is washed up on the beach, all Violet’s attempts to investigate are blocked, it’s very frustrating. But with the help of her friends and her beau Benjamin Violet will not be denied. This was as charming and funny as the first novel and I really enjoyed it. I love Violets confusion over her reactions to Benjamin and how she still gets distracted when he rolls his sleeves up. She also has confusing family stuff to deal with her father is acting strangely and her mother is suddenly back from the dead, how does one handle that? Give Violet a dead body any day.

How to Solve Murders Like a Lady by Hannah Dolby

Violet is a Lady Detective in the seaside town of Hastings and St Leonards but Victorian ideas of a woman's place make this very difficult sometimes. When the body of Mrs Vickers is found on the beach, Violet's attempts to solve the mystery surrounding her death are blocked at every turn.

What a lovely book - I loved the first one and it was great to catch up with Violet again. I really hope the author continues the series as I love the setting, the characters and the combination of humour and drama. Very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an ARC of this book.

This was such a fun and quirky read! I love the mix of mystery and crime with the backdrop of the Victorian seaside (as well as a really sweet romance!) and I found myself smiling so many times while reading. I'd recommend this for readers who like their victorian mysteries with a wholesome and witty twist!

Thanks so much to the publisher and Netgalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, which saw the meeting of Violet Hamilton and Benjamin Blackthorne, where Violet took on her first challenge as a lady detective, leading to the establishment of the Hamilton and Blackthorn Detective Agency.

In this instalment, the death of an acquaintance of Violet’s leads the pair to begin an investigation that will take them all over the town of St Leonards and beyond. As with the previous book, the story is light-hearted, with lots of humorous moments. The characters are lovely, and I enjoyed learning more about life in a seaside town in the late 1890s. The relationships between the characters are great, and I look forward to reading more from this pair of detectives.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.

This is the second book featuring lady detective Violet Hamilton. Violet is a lady detective trying to solve mysteries for the middle classes How to solve murders like a lady is a great historical fiction that is full of mystery, laughter and fun. I loved everything about Violet and her adventures! Highly recommended!

Book 1 was amazing and book 2 didn't disappoint either. I love the female protagonist so much! She's such a good soul.

Hastings, 1898. Violet Hamilton is a very unusual young lady. After her adventures in No Life for a Lady she now finds herself pursuing her dream of being a lady detective at the side of her handsome fiancé, Benjamin Blackthorn. No job is too small for Violet as she develops her sleuthing skills, mostly because her protective beau has yet to let her take on a more violent or salacious case, despite being fully supportive of her ambitions. However, she is determined that her sex will not prevent her from becoming a full partner in the their detective business.

When the body of the respectable Mrs Withers, known for her outspoken attitude (as Violet knows only too well), is found on the beach, Violet is sure that there is more to her death than meets the eye. As she and Benjamin start to ask questions about the incident branded as an accident, they uncover scandal, corruption, and an astonishing plan to rip the heart out of the seaside town they know and love.

Violet soon finds herself the target of those keen to carry out their sinister plans, but woe-betide them for underestimating her fearlessness and grit. She may be a woman, but she is also every bit the detective she was born to be, and she will not rest until justice has been served.

The delightful Violet Hamilton is back in her second Victorian sea-side adventure from Hannah Dolby, and it is just as enchanting as the first. Violet begins this story hot on the heels of a goat thief, but soon she has a much trickier case on her hands, which comes with real danger.

The Violet we meet in this second book is as likeable as she was in her first adventure, and she has also grown in confidence and determination to keep her independence - two qualities that will very much come to the fore in the twisty plot that Dolby has in store for her. Whoever was behind the demise of Mrs Withers has grand plans for this quiet sea-side town, but it is not easy to detect who these villains are, or exactly what they have in mind, and Violet must call on the help of several characters - including the advice of literary heroine Miss Cately, who Violet uses as a role model to comic effect. I especially enjoyed the reappearance of familiar faces Hildebrand, Miss Turton and Mrs Monk, who make great female friends for Violet, as they are not afraid to support her in her 'frowned-upon. feminist pursuits like riding a bicyle! Hurray!

This book does have a more accomplished feel to the first one, which shows how much Dolby is settling into writing about both her characters and setting. Her trademark humour and subtle social commentary are here in buckets, which is one of my favourite things about these novels, but she also weaves much more action and drama this time around, keeping you firmly on the edge of your seat and threading the plot with lashings of mystery and misdirection. Violet gets into some pretty nasty scrapes, which put her in extreme danger, and the delicious thrill of a blow by blow climax on the funicular railway was first class.

The first book beautifully explored sex and class in Victorian Britain, which Dolby touches on again in this story, and she brings in a wealth of other fascinating themes too - notably wellness, doubtful medical remedies, and the bizarre world of female health treatments, which by and large seem solely aimed at curbing troublesome females (even an electric corset gets a mention!). I particularly liked that Dolby brings in a thread about the menopause, which is not something you generally mentioned in a historical fiction story like this. There are sensitively wielded themes about happiness in marriage, and romantic relationships too, with some heart-warming developments in Violet's father's life, as well as her own.

This series is an utter joy to read. Dolby's writing is so engaging, and she knows how to thrill, amuse, and touch the emotional soft-spot in equal measure. These are characters you can really take to heart, playing out an entertaining Victorian caper in a nostalgic setting that makes you long for a paddle in the sea and a stick of rock. I loved everything about this book and cannot wait for the next one.

This is the second book in this fun series. Where Violet is in training to be a lady detective ably assisting her fiancée. While also experimenting with being a ‘lady’ by attending a local ball where she finds herself embroiled in a murder case about Mrs Withers and violet investigates how to solve the murder. Meanwhile Benjamin is taken to prison and she is determined to rescue him.

Love this author and her style of writing! A brilliant read by Hannah Dolby, with a some humour about being a lady detective in a time when such things weren’t the norm. Look forward to the 3rd book

I enjoyed this second instalment of this series. Violet Hamilton is in training to be a lady detective ably assisting her fiancée. She experiments with the concept of being a ‘lady’ - attending a local ball - but instead finds herself embroiled in a murder case. Mrs Withers - an outspoken lady - who haunted Violet is found dead on the local beach and she is determined to solve the mystery. Meanwhile Benjamin is taken to prison on a trumped up charge and she is determined to rescue him and continue investigating.

A convoluted plot but with some entertaining moments and interesting characters.

I am enjoying watching Violet find herself!

A welcome return of feisty Violet and her partner Benjamin, as they continue to solve mysteries and sell furniture.

This story sees Violet investigating the murder of a local busybody, however not many are willing to talk to a lady detective.

A splendid follow up to the first book.

Thanks must go to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book to read in exchange for my review.

I loved the first book in this series; getting to know Hannah and her beau Benjamin. This is a fantastic sequel to the first novel; it's refreshing to see how Hannah grows in confidence and authority throughout the story.

Hannah is relishing her role of Lady Detective, eager to learn whilst putting herself in some precarious situations. But that makes her all the more endearing and you so what her to succeed!

A body is found on the local beach, a local woman well known to Hannah and so she in determined to find out what happened to her and discover the murderer. She and her fiancé Benjamin are blocked at every turn and Hannah's reputation is under the spotlight, not helped by people who want to sully her name and feel that detective work is not becoming to a "lady".

Hannah is not thwarted though and is do; doggedly ruthless in finding out what has happened and uncovering the killer. More to this than meets the eye and more nobility involved, Can you apprehend the culprit before more damage and mayhem ensues?

She is a delightful character, you so want her to succeed. A great series set in Victorian Hastings - can't wait for the next one!