Of Manners and Murder: A Dear Miss Hermione Mystery by Anastasia Hastings

Violet learns that her Aunt Adelia is really the famous advice columnist “Miss Hermione” right as Adelia is leaving London to go off and go travel with her boyfriend. Violet is now faced with becoming Miss Hermione thankfully, Adelia’s housekeeper, Bunty will be there to help guide Violet through the transition. Violet’s younger half-sister, Sephora, is madly in love with a man who repeatedly does not show up to dates and has not shown an interest in meeting Sephora’s sister. As Miss Hermione Violet receives a letter that a new bride thinks someone is trying to kill her. Violet decides to go on a short train ride and see why the bride has this concern, only to arrive in town during the new bride’s funeral. Violet is compelled to find out what happened, and there sets he adventure and first mystery of the book.  The adventures of Violet, Sephora, and Bunty all make for a very entertaining book and leaves the reader eager to read the next book in the series, Of Hoaxes and Homicides is due out in January 2024.

Character List/Book Summary:

Violet Manville – wants to remain unmarried to control her own destiny, wants to be a scholar, dresses in a plain fashion and does not like to stand out. Had a quick engagement in India and get upset when Sephora mentions it. Feels obligated to solve Ivy’s death since she could not help her while Ivy was alive. Is suspicious of Sephora’s beau and hints that Sephora needs to be careful due to her inheritance.

Adelia – Violet’s aunt, had been Miss Hermione and decided that Violet would be her replacement shortly after Violet and Sephora moved in with her after their father died. Tells Violet all of this as she is leaving to go travel with Hamish.

Ivy Armstrong – thinks someone is trying to kill her and writes to Miss Hermione for help. When Violet arrives in town Ivy has already been killed. Ivy had been married for 6 months to Gerald, who know inherits Ivy’s fortune.

Bunty – Adelia’s housekeeper who knows Adelia was Miss Hermione and now will assist Violet as she takes over this role. Takes care of Violet when she gets sick, tends to look after Sephora but misses her several times when Sephora slips out of the house.

Sephora – Violet’s half-sister, has money and will come into her inheritance soon. Writes to Miss Hermione about what to do after Franklin disappears. Gets lost looking for Franklin after following Miss Hermione’s advice and a police officer escorts her home. Is kidnapped while waiting for a date with Franklin.

Simon Plumley – vicar of St. Christopher’s Church in Willingdale. Presiding over Ivy’s funeral when Violet shows up. Had been a childhood friend of Ivy’s and loved her. Helps Violet investigate and gives her information on some of the townspeople to help Violet find out what happened to Ivy.

Dr. Richard Islington – local physician in Willingdale. Treated Clementine, Ivy’s mother, for hysteria and treated Ivy for that too. Claims both women took their own lives. Threatens Violet on the bridge when she questions him and if he was drugging the women to make them silent.

Edith Cowles – insists Violet attend the funeral lunch for Ivy and believes that Ivy’s death was an accident while Ivy was bike riding. A widow, who is suspected to have poisoned her husband and afterwards people thought she and Gerald would become engaged. Was with Ivy when the runaway wagon almost ran over Ivy.

Lady Betina Thorn – friend to Adelia and happy to meet Violet in Willingdale. Knows Violet did not go to school with Ivy as she tells people in town. Passes along what Violet is doing to Adelia. Was having dinner with Adelia the night Ivy died and hosts a few parties that Violet and Sephora can attend to help Violet on her quest for the truth.

Gerald – Ivy’s husband, claims his friend was an explorer who died on a trip and gets upset when Ivy (and later Violet) question him about the newspaper clippings about his friends who died. Tells Ivy how aggressively Dr. Islington treated Ivy. Is looking for something near the bridge that Ivy fell off of.

Betty – claims Ivy stole a brooch from her, Violet thinks this is suspicious since Ivy would have no need to steal it and Betty is not the type to have an expensive brooch. Tells Violet how she saw Ivy come back from a trip and go straight to the doctor and start yelling at him about knowing the truth.

Franklin Radcliffe – Sephora loves him, stood her up a few times. Disappears after Sephora’s purse is stolen.

Sally Gwin – former nanny of Ivy’s. Wrote Ivy a letter that upset her and caused Ivy to go see her in Oxford. Tells Violet that the doctor’s experimental medicine and large doses that eventually killed Ivy’s mother.

Marguerite Talbot – was married to Reggie who was a friend to Gerald. Her husband’s obituary was hidden in Ivy’s diary. Violet discovers that Reggie took his wife’s money on a trip and died leaving his wife penniless. Mentions to Violet that Ivy visited her too.

Constable James Barnstable – found Sephora when she got lost chasing the man who stole her purse. Goes to Violet and Bunty to help rescue Sephora from her kidnappers.

Eli Marsh – Lady B’s guest from New York City. Sends Violet back to London after someone shoots at her during Lady B’s weekend party. Violet realizes he is carrying handcuffs from the Pinkerton Agency when he helps her rescue Sephora from her kidnappers.