We're going full Agatha Christie in Murder at Midwinter Manor – a remote manor house, a snow storm, a valuable jewel, Christmas – and a murder!

This delightful story takes us to Hannah's sister's new home, Midwinter Manor. Set in sweeping English countryside, it's the perfect getaway from the city. But it's not only the adverse weather and her usual family issues Hannah has to worry about – such as, will her mother accept her fabulous new bob hair cut? But when a member of the small group of guests is found dead in the study, who could have done the deed? One of them? Or a stranger who found his / her way across snow drifts?

The murder certainly puts a damper on Iris' Christmas party plans, and when it transpired that a valuable jewel went missing the same night Mr Ellis was murdered, the case becomes more complicated.

For local Detective Sergeant Roper, the case is soon clear, and he is convinced he has his culprit. But Hannah, Iris, Darius, and the newly arrived paramour of Aunt Iris, Detective Inspector Aidan Farrell, are not so sure. They keep digging, and soon, they have found another suspect.

But will that be the end of it? And where is the missing jewel? And will Hannah and Darius finally announce their engagement? Well, read this fabulous novel to find out!



Murder at Midwinter Manor is the new instalment in this riveting series. The characters are wonderfully drawn, with their hidden secrets and personal agendas. The setting is perfect. And Aunt Violet is her usual, irreverent self. She is fast turning into one of my favourite sleuths.

Hannah is torn between her love and loyalty to Darius, but still worries about losing her independence. Her sister, Iris, has her own problems. With four young children, she barely finds time to look after the estate – a task she loves and which exasperates her in equal measure. I feel for Iris, as she has a real dilemma.

Their parents, Hector and Madeleine, are perfectly of their own social background, but here, Madeleine's actions surprise Hannah at times. A nice development.

As for the secondary characters, they are as sweet as they are shifty. As you can expect, not everything is as it seems, and the quartet of Hannah, Darius, Violet and Aidan make for a great investigative team. The lack of condescension from the men towards the women – still deemed delicate enough not to hear the cruel realities of war, even though Hannah volunteers in a hospital – is refreshing, and indicative of the slow social change that happened as a result of WWI.

Murder in Midwinter Manor is another delightful whodunit with all the right ingredients: a lingering sense of suspense, a plethora of suspects, and some intriguing, illegal shenanigans. Well worth checking out!

One of the dangers of getting an ARC of a new-to-me series is I always want to go back and catch up on the series before reading the ARC. With the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet mystery series, it was an absolute joy to read the two previously released books before reading Murder at Midwinter Manor. If you're a fan of cozy historical mysteries (or Downton Abbey with a dash of murder thrown in), you'll love this book.

One of the things that impresses me the most about this author is she truly keeps me guessing throughout the mystery - something that is rarer with cozy mysteries. I thoroughly enjoy the surprise and intrigue.

My only one critique is I felt there was one string that wasn't perfectly tied up at the end of the novel - it left me wanting a resolution but I also understood why the author wrote it the way she did.

Overall, an excellent and enjoyable read! If you're looking for a good cozy historical mystery series, look no further!

I loved this story. However, I need to go back and read the first two novels. Some of the characters I didn’t know, and didn’t understand their background. I felt that this was a better version of Downton Abbey (obviously, I do not like Downton Abbey, and its drama).

I liked Hannah, but most especially Aunt Violet. I loved that Aunt Violet marched to her own tune and was teaching Hannah to do the same. I was a bit taken aback by Hannah’s sister, and her responses to Hannah and Violet. I also am on the fence about Hannah’s mother.

The mystery itself was genius. I started to suspect early on the reason, and once I did the suspect became obvious.

Overall, I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

Such a fun read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Murder at Midwinter Manor is the third book in the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet mystery series. It is a historical cozy set during the WWI era. It is fast becoming one of my favorites.

Hannah and her Aunt Violet join Hannah’s sister Iris at her country manor in the English countryside for Christmas 1916. A missing jewel, lots of other mysterious going- ons, and a dead body. The local police are convinced that everything is connected.

I love books set at Christmas time. In addition, while the book is not a locked room mystery, the possible cast of suspects are limited due to a winter snow storm.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my free Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for my honest review. I gave this novel 5 stars. Anita Davison has crafted a great historical mystery.

I really enjoyed this second installment of the mystery series featuring Aunt Violet and her niece, Hannah. Invited to her sister Iris’ for Christmas, Hannah arrives with Aunt Violet to find a house full of company. Hannah is happy to see Darius, a surprise guest invited by her sister, providing a way to announce their engagement. However, a murder of one of the guests and the theft of an expensive Ruby delays that announcement as Hannah and her aunt become involved again in solving the mystery. Recommended for cozy mystery lovers. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Perfectly festive. Set in a gorgeous home with all the festiveness of a snowed in Manor House. Hannah is a thoroughly modern madam living a happy life with her Maiden Aunt, working in a bookshop and falling in love with a dashingly handsome man who is a spy. It’s a perfect romp.
Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

Having read the previous books in this series I was looking forward to reading this the third book. The main characters were very well written and likeable with Aunt Violet being a particular favourite and a Christmas at a country manor with snow is always a good setting. I can't say this one ended up being a favourite though. I felt the guilty party for the murder was obvious from the beginning so the secondary mystery of the missing necklace was the only real surprise. However it was an entertaining enough read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Murder at Midwinter Manor by Anita Davison is a smart golden age style whodunit. I've not yet read the earlier books in the series but there was plenty of explanation and I was able to enjoy this one without any previous knowledge. Hannah Merrill is a modern heroine, for the time, and she and Aunt Violet make an interesting pair of sleuths. Their warmth and camaraderie shine through as does their talent for detecting. The timeframe of the book is interesting, rather than having a between-the-wars timeline which I've found to be more common in golden age cozies, it features some stark references to the still-waging Great War.

The setting of the book, Midwinter Manor, is decadently described, inside and out, with the snow setting the tone and many luxurious descriptions of the grand house dressed for Christmas. There is a house full of suspects for both crimes, and there are many characters to keep track of and all their relationships to one another. Hannah and Aunt Violet find themselves up against an intransigent local policeman who doesn't appear to welcome their particular brand of assistance.

The story is an enjoyable read and the duo's investigations are very entertaining. There is also time for some romance amongst the crime and Christmas cake, with both Hannah and Violet dallying with handsome suitors. The conclusion is exciting and satisfying and leaves the path open for future instalments. I will definitely read more from Anita Davison.

With huge thanks to the publisher for my copy of Murder at Midwinter Manor and to Rachel's Random Resources for my spot on the blog tour.

Hannah Merrill, her aunt Violet and Bartleby the cat go to visit Hannah’s sister at her country estate fur a Christmas break. But a murder happens, a large ruby is stolen and the house is snowdd red in but somehow Archie manages to get through the snow to help out.
Fantastic book. I love this series and can’t wait for the next one

This is the first book by this author that I have read. Although this is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. It was a little slow to start but once the story got going, it had me turning the page to see what would happen next. The characters were well written and the story line well thought out. There was murder, mystery, suspense and a little romance. I look forward to reading more of this series. I received this as an ARC and freely give my review.

Murder at Midwinter Manor is a delightful historical whodunit set during Christmas 1916. Anita Davison creates a wonderfully atmospheric mystery as Hannah Merrill and her Aunt Violet take a break from war-torn London to the snowy English countryside, only to find themselves entangled in a murder investigation. The manor house, filled with family, friends, and festive cheer, quickly turns sinister when a guest is found dead and a priceless ruby vanishes. Davison captures the tension perfectly as the snowed-in guests become both suspects and potential victims.

Hannah and Aunt Violet make for an engaging detective duo, balancing clever sleuthing with a dash of wit and charm. The period setting, complete with historical details and the isolation of a snowbound estate, enhances the intrigue and suspense. As the clues pile up, so does the anticipation of uncovering the killer’s identity. Murder at Midwinter Manor is an enjoyable, cozy mystery perfect for fans of traditional English country house murder mysteries.

Murder at midwinter manor takes place in 1916 around Christmas at the country-estate of Hannah's sister Issy. Hannah and Violet take a break from a London where the war is everywhere around you. When they arrive the house is fully of family and friends, everybody excited for a wonderful Christmas break. Bit then one of the guests is found dead in the library (perfect setting) and a precious ruby necklace is missing. Are both the work of one person?
The local police man doesn't seem up to the task to find out, so in a by now known way Hannah and her aunt Violet decide they will have to find out what happened!
As the other stories in this wonderful series, also this one was exciting, intriguing and very well written. The characters were created perfectly and worked very well in this story and the setting. A surprise factor for me was the setting. While I got used to Hannah and Violet being more freely in the open, like in London, they were this time confined to the inside of an estate constantly surrounded by other people, never alone... which allowed you to get to know the characters much better ...and somewhere in the house was also the murderer.

Calling all fans of cozy historical mysteries! Go ahead and put Murder at Midwinter Manor (Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mystery #3) by Anita Davison on your November and December TBR lists – you will not be disappointed! I enjoyed this mystery set around Christmas – I saw descriptions that said it was like Agatha Christie combined with Downton Abbey and I wholeheartedly agree. Here we not only have a dead body when everyone is settled in on a snowy night, but also a missing ruby. Are the two things tied together or just a coincidence?

I loved bookseller Hannah and her suffragette Aunt Violet and found myself wishing I could simply spend time with them back in their London bookshop. Wonderful setting, solid mystery, a little romance and cozy details made this such an enjoyable read. This was my first introduction to the series and I had no issues following along. Read this as a standalone or join me in going back and reading books one and two before book four (Murder in Covent Garden) is released in February 2025. Can’t wait!

Anita Davison always writes a great book and I do love a good Christmas Theme so this one is just right for me. This book takes us to Midwinter Manor in 1916 where we find Hannah Merrill and her Aunt Violet taking a break from London and the affects of war before Christmas arrives.

Of course the manor is a thriving place filled with people, relatives, guest, holiday-makers so this d=should be a lovely time away in a wonderful and beautiful setting. What could possibly go wrong? Well murder of course! This is such a wonderful, cosy murder mystery and I immersed myself in the story, the country manor and I felt I was there with all the guest, friends and family.

A well written book that drew me in and kept me reading. The descriptions, the story and the characters all brought a different element to the story. I loved it and would highly recommend as a great holiday cosy read. Curl up with a cuppa and enjoy!

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Downtown Abbey at Christmas, with a side of murder.
I tend to enjoy a good festive murder mystery, and I certainly enjoyed Murder at Midwinter Manor. The characters were quirky and the setting was atmospheric. The mystery was intriguing, but I must say I did expect the final reveal. I wish there had been a few more twists and turns, as I felt this was lacking that surprise factor that I look for in a mystery. However, if you are looking for a cosy festive mystery with an atmospheric setting, this is a solid choice.

Do you think it’s too early to start reading Christmassy books? Well, think again! This delightful cozy mystery with a locked-room vibe will change your mind. There is snow, there is family and… there is murder. Not only a murder but a theft too. Are the two connected? Who can you trust when you know that the people you are spending the holidays with have not been able to leave the house, so the culprit(s) must be in your midst?

Hannah and her aunt Violet are two of my favourite amateur sleuths and meeting them again was a pleasure. Plus, I enjoyed getting to know their family members, who in previous books had merely been mentioned, and witnessing the development of their romantic relationships. I am all for strong, female main characters but Darius and Inspector Farrell are joining the list of my favourite characters too.

Good as a standalone novel, but amazing when considered within the series, this new mystery kept me guessing until the end and I look forward to the next murder!

Aww Anita never fails with a good read and this is no exception, wonderful characters and good storyline And great to catch up with aunty violet and Hannah I love these as they draw you in and you find yourself trying to figure out who dun it

This is the third novel in the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet series of historical cozy mysteries; the titular Miss Merrill is one Hannah, younger daughter of fairly well-off family in the British squirearchy, from whose point of view the story is narrated.

As the series is set during Wold War I, a time of social as much as geopolitical upheaval in the Western world, I really wanted to be swept by the story. Alas, not what happened.

Beware: PTSD and attendant prejudice, fatphobia, DNF.

The book opens with our intrepid protagonist and her much-loved spinster Aunt Violet arriving in style (a convertible, with the top down) to Midwinter Manor. It's December, it's snowing, and with World War I raging, everyone of means in Britain is looking forward to a bit of wholesome escapist fun: a traditional Christmas house party, with family and close friends.

As it happens, they are the last guests to arrive, and are greeted by Hannah's older sister and hostess, Iris, with numerous complaints--the weather, their lateness, how much work the guests are, why did her husband invite so-and-so, how difficult to keep good house servants, how hard it is to get proper supplies for such a party, and so on and so on.

The immediate impression is of an unhappy woman of large privilege, and, as it turns out, that's how most every other guest comes across; the main exception is a young officer recently returned from France after surviving the fighting somewhere during the Battle of the Somme. Home on leave, he suffers from PTSD, and while some of the other people present try to be kind, others--including his own father--are dismissive and cruel.

There is quite a bit of page space devoted to the Merrills family dynamics, and about the same to those of Iris's in-laws and their in-laws, the Ellises, all exclusively from Hannah's point of view; I was mostly left with the feeling that no one likes their family members much, even though some of them purport to love each other.

By the time the body mentioned in the blurb is found, I was fairly detached from the proceedings, as I found the writing voice mildly off-putting, but it was the scene after the discovery of the corpse that signaled to me that this was going to be a DNF.

The language choices are somewhat awkward, as when people are "denuded" of their outdoor gear, or characters "respond" when no one asked them--or anyone else present--anything.

Both loathsome characters and the narrative from Hannah's perspective engage in fatphobia.

The characters move through space and time as if untethered from the laws of physics, most notable during the scene that follows the discovery of the corpse.

In the same, very long scene, one character explains that the butler has gone to telephone the local doctor; a few paragraphs later, he states that he's going to instruct the butler to call the doctor, and a few paragraphs after that, about three to five minutes into the same long-ass scene, the doctor arrives on the scene.

At the same time this is happening, a character leaves to go upstairs with the just-widowed guest, then it's back to exchange meaningful glances with Hannah without any time elapsing; in the next chapter, she has just come down for the first time.

And while an argument can be made that the chaotic goings-on that take place in the next couple of chapters are truer to what would happen in real life upon the discovery of a dead person in similar circumstances, my rebuttal is that fiction must make sense where reality doesn't. I can read the news to find out how humans screw up in times of crisis; I read genre for a sense of order and a righted universe.

I read two more chapters after that, but I could never connect wit the characters, who I found generally petulant and artificial, or the story, and finally gave up at the start of chapter 9, a full 32% into the book.

Murder at Midwinter Manor is a DNF.

The year is 1916, and Hannah and Aunt Violet are visiting Hannah’s sister for Christmas. Midwinter Manor is the perfect setting for a snowy festive season. But things don’t turn out quite as planned.

When one of the other houseguests is murdered, the local police don’t seem up to the job. If they are going to find the real culprit, Hannah and Violet must investigate- or the wrong person will end up getting accused.

I love historical mysteries, as they combine my two favourite genres. This story is set during the First World War, and the repercussions for those fighting is evident. But some would rather the men kept their suffering under wraps. They would prefer psychological trauma was hidden. The roles expected of women are also an integral part of the story.

Hannah is a clever, independent woman with ambition and ability. I enjoyed seeing her develop her investigative skills. Her character is well developed - as are all of the characters in this novel. I love that there is continuity, and that we get to spend time with her friends and family.

This story was about finding the truth and also about being true to oneself. A great mystery and one of the best I’ve read in a long time.