#sephora manville

[the-carlyle-review]

“Of Manners and Murder” Review

I took a quick detour between Scarlet and Cress to read Of Manners and Murder. This was less out of a need for a break and more-so because I brought Of Manners and Murders on my roadtrip, but not Cress. Once I finished Scarlet, I immediately turned to the next available option.

Like Cinder, I was drawn to this book in Barnes and Noble because of its cover and title. In all honesty, I was hoping that this book would be similar to Gail Carriger’s Finishing School books, one of my favorite series. I really appreciated the era in which people were writing books in ye old English times that focused on women taking names and kicking ass, and I was hoping that this would be a more modern take on that era.

I was half right. While Hastings’ book lacks some of the supernatural or steampunk elements that older books of this manner included, I believe she still did a very good job capturing the whimsy of a woman doing things she’s not expected to at that time. Not to mention the amazing opening of the book and the interesting character of Violet herself, alongside her aunt. 

The book had a bit of a slow start, but it was intriguing to go through the mystery alongside Violet. Once you get to know all the characters in the story, Hastings does a good job of throwing bits and pieces out about the mystery murder, and the reader is left trying to solve the puzzle at the same pace as Violet. It’s possible that I’m just not a very good detective, but I believe that Hastings does a good job burying the ‘whodunnit’ lead, leaving the reader in suspense until the very end of the novel. I look forward to reading the second novel in this series, which is expected to hit shelves in January of 2024. Further thoughts can be found below the cover art, though they’ll include spoilers!

Of Manners and Murder by Anastasia Hastings (A Dear Miss Hermione Mystery #1): ⭐ 7/10 ⭐

Spoilers lay beyond this path; take heed!

I think that Hastings did a very good job creating intrigue and making us wonder who it was, exactly, that killed Ivy. She did a great job making all of her suspects seem like actual suspects, and the fact that Violet was able to talk to each and every one of them made it even more interesting because you got to hear so many sides of the story. Violet really did just stumble into a funeral and then go around and gossip with everyone left alive in town, as someone who no one knew because the first time they saw her was in a cemetery, and then eventually figure out who murdered Ivy. She’s an icon.

The side-characters in this story also add to the likability of the novel: her enigmatic aunt who we only see for a brief moment; Violet’s half-sister Sephora who has her own struggles of love and mystery in the novel; and Eli Marsh, the interesting man who appears towards the end of the book and vexed Violet with his sudden and continued presence. 

As this series is still being added to, I’m interested to see how the characters and their relationships grow and develop. I’d like to see how Violet and Sephora’s relationship changes, as they were relatively detached in this first book up until the last couple of chapters. I’d also like to see the role that Eli Marsh plays; as I said, he entered into play very late in the game, but his character seems fun and I’m looking forward to his future encounters with Violet. I’d also like to see more of Aunt Adelia and her connections; I’m wondering if she will make an in-person appearance in the second novel, or if she’ll stay off the board.