Of Manners and Murder: A Dear Miss Hermione Mystery

Title: Of Manners and Murder: A Dear Miss Hermione Mystery

Author: Anastasia Hastings

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Copyright: February 7, 2023

ISBN: 9781250848567

ASIN: B09Y46H9J7

Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages

Genres: Mystery, Historical Mystery, Women Sleuths, Victorian Mystery

Price: $10.13 [Amazon Hardcover], $13.99 [Kindle], $29.66 [Audible], $26.99 [Barnes and Noble Hardcover], $13.99 [Nook], $17.99 [Barnes and Noble Audiobook], $13.99 [Google Play], $13.99 [Apple Books], $12.99 [Apple Books Audiobook]

Summary

1885: London, England. When Violet’s Aunt Adelia decides to abscond with her newest paramour, she leaves behind her role as the most popular Agony Aunt in London, “Miss Hermione,” in Violet’s hands.

And of course, the first letter Violet receives is full, not of prissy pondering, but of portent. Ivy Armstrong is in need of help and fears for her life. But when Violet visits the village where the letters were posted, she finds that Ivy is already dead.

She’ll quickly discover that when you represent the best-loved Agony Aunt in Britain, both marauding husbands and murder are par for the course.

Setting

It is 1885 London. This busy, smoky city is at the heart of an empire. The elderly Queen Victoria is in her twilight years. She has been on the British throne since 1837 and is the great matriarch of a dynasty. She is two years away from her Golden Jubilee, which will take place in 1887. She continues to wear black and mourn her late husband, Prince Albert. She was known for being dedicated to him, even to the end of her life. Victoria’s preference for darker fabrics will continue to set the standard for Victorian fashions, which are characterized by their severity.

According to the Fashion Institute of Technology: “Fashion in the 1880s was increasingly slender and angular, marked by heavy decoration. Throughout the decade, the focus of clothing design was concentrated at the back, a continuation of trends that began in the 1870s. The extreme restriction placed on women’s bodies through the princess-line corsetry, large bustles, and profuse trim prompted criticism from both artistic and health reformers.

In Of Manners and Murder, the two Manville sisters (Violet and Sephora) approach fashion in very different ways. Sephora often pokes fun at her older sister for completely lacking a fashion sense. Violet wears sensible clothing that will help her as she focuses on solving her mystery. Sephora, on the other hand, dresses herself in the most fashionable clothing. Like many women of the time, her dresses sport a bustle at the back. Edith Cowles, another character who makes an attempt at being fashionable, wears a bustle at the back of her dress.

 

 

Dramatis Personae

• Violet Manville: Niece of Adelia Manville who takes over the Miss Hermione Agony Aunt column; she is an amateur detective who is determined to solve the mystery.
• Sephora Manville: Sister of Violet Manville; she is a wealthy and fashionable heiress who is eager to fall in love and get married.
• Bunty: Adelia Manville’s resourceful and clever housekeeper who helps Violet with the Miss Hermione column.
• Adelia Manville: The guardian and errant aunt of Violet and Sephora who runs off with a lover; the writer of the much-celebrated Miss Hermione Agony Aunt column.
• Ivy Armstrong: The murdered woman who writes to the Miss Hermione column with her concerns before she dies; she came from the village of Willingdale in Essex.
• Gerald Armstrong: A grieving widower and husband of Ivy who lives in Willingdale.
• Simon Plumley: The vicar of St. Christopher’s Church in Willingdale.
• Edith Cowles: A widow of a mill owner and inhabitant of Willingdale.
• Lady Bettina Thorne (Lady B): A friend of Adelia Manville; a wealthy noblewoman in Willingdale.
• Richard Islington: The local doctor in Willingdale.

Review

Recap

Violet Manville never sees it coming when her Aunt Adelia embarks upon a journey with her latest lover. Her aunt entrusts her with the task of looking after her Agony Aunt column, “Miss Hermione.” This monumental task is not one that Violet has asked for. Not only does she have to do this, but she has to look after her younger sister, Sephora. Both ladies are left in the care of Adelia’s dedicated and resourceful housekeeper, Bunty.

The truth is that Violet and Sephora couldn’t be any more different. Both half-sisters, who possess different mothers, are like night and day. The older Violet is a penniless spinster who refuses to adhere to society’s expectations of a young lady. Sephora, on the other hand, is a socialite and heiress who longs for romance and marriage.

Violet soon receives an alarming letter from Ivy Armstrong who fears her life may be in danger. For some reason, Violet cannot stop thinking about the haunting letter. She decides on a whim to visit Ivy’s village of Willingdale. When she arrives, much to her horror, she stumbles across Ivy’s funeral in the churchyard. What really happened there? Violet is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.

My Thoughts

This was my first time reading anything by Anastasia Hastings. It was the clever title and gorgeous cover that first captured my attention. Within the pages of this book, I found an equally entrancing mystery that kept me guessing from page one.

Of Manners and Murder follows the typical formula of a murder mystery rife with twists and turns one doesn’t expect. The story was thrilling and fast-paced with some slower moments. There were chapters that had some great cliffhangers that had me on the edge of my seat.

The overall tone is mysterious, pensive, and sometimes, eerie. This added a lot to the overall ambience of the story. This was reflected in Hastings’ brilliant prose that was descriptive and haunting at the same time. For example, when Violet visits Willingdale, the eerie prose is evocative of the remoteness of the village and the suspiciousness of its inhabitants. One of them could be the killer.

The book’s greatest treasure is its cast of characters. The story is told in first person either from the perspective of Violet or Sephora. This was a delightful way of immersing the reader into the busy world of 1880s Great Britain. With Violet, we experience the trials of an unmarried young woman who often isn’t taken seriously by the others around her, especially the men. Often underestimated, others little suspect that she is the cleverest and smartest person in the room. She is devoted wholeheartedly to the task at hand and nothing will stop her.

With Sephora, we see a beautiful young heiress who has an overly romanticized view of the world. While her sister is something of a pariah, Sephora embodies the Victorian ideal of a young lady who is both wealthy and fashionable. She hungers for romance in the way her sister thirsts for answers.

The secondary characters are exceedingly well-written. Bunty should receive an honorable mention. Even though she is a subtle character who is very much in the background, her knowledge and cleverness cannot be underestimated. She is perhaps the most subtle character, but she was a favorite of mine. I think my favorite character was Ivy Armstrong, the murdered woman herself. She is a character who looms in the background, but her influence is felt almost everywhere. As the reader, we can only glimpse her through her writing and second-hand accounts of her life.

There are two critiques I have. First of all, with all this story’s exciting twists and turns, it was fairly predictable. This was a bit disappointing because I found the storyline engrossing. I guess I just like to be surprised! The second critique is that there were some grammatical errors sprinkled throughout the book. This was distracting.

With all things considered, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Of Manners and Murder is a book I would wholeheartedly recommend to those who love a good historical mystery. It’s the perfect sort of mystery for a rainy day and a nice hot cup of tea! I await the next installment in the “Miss Hermione” series with great eagerness.

Rating

 

Memorable Quote

“”Friends!” I grumbled the word. What need did a woman have of friends when she had the great city of London to explore? What use was there of friendships when younger women wanted only to talk of their prospects for marriage and those my age spent their time bemoaning the fact they would die spinsters if they were single, and the trials of babyraising if they were married? What good did it do me when the men I met took two minutes to consider my financial prospects (limited), my inclination to speak my mind (unlimited), and my height (honestly, I believe they found it intimidating) and instantly decided to look elsewhere for companionship?”

– Anastasia Hastings, Of Manners and Murder, 119

If you like this, you may enjoy…

At the back of the book, it mentions that author Anastasia Hastings is a Sherlock Holmes fan/afficionado. For that reason, I am recommending the 1984 Sherlock Holmes Granada series. In particular, I recommend “The Speckled Band,” which consequently was the favorite story of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself. I recommend this particular episode because it features a young woman in peril (similar to Ivy Armstrong) who seeks out help from the famous consulting detective. You can view the entire Granada series on YouTube or Britbox. In this series, there are wonderful actors such as the legendary Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes, and the excellent David Burke and Edward Hardwicke who both bring Dr. John Watson to life.

Source

Harper, Franklin. “1880-1889.” Fashion History Timeline: Fashion Institute of Technology. 2024. https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/1880-1889/