Murder at Midwinter Manor (Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mysteries #3) By Anita Davison
If you love a good cozy historical holiday mystery then you ll love this book Think Agatha Christie meets Downtown Abby Anita Davidson does an amazing job of bringing each character to life as well as focusing on some of the major issues during this time period PTSD during that time being called shell shock and how families and the military handled that There are the upper class verses the servants of the house and how the servants are viewed by others who feel themselves above them And of course.
How men feel woman should behave and act I particularly love the banter between characters Several times I found myself grinning like a fool at something someone said or thought. Murder at Midwinter Manor has Hannah and her Aunt Violet off to visit family for Christmas to escape the war torn London and murders that seem to follow them Alas they wake up to find someone has died Was it murder Accident What about the missing family heirloom Are these two possible crimes connected or are there two criminals on the loose in the house There are several twists and turns throughout this book that you will constantly change your mind on who you believe the criminal might be. I will say.
Murder at Midwinter Manor Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mystery 3 by Anita Davison is like Christmas at Downton Abbey mixed with Agatha Christie though that s pretty much just a Christmas time Agatha Christie Miss Hannah Merrill is visiting family for the Christmas season when one of the guests is found dead in the study Is it natural causes or something Especially with a valuable ruby also missing. I had one particular suspect in mind However there was a second person I was thinking would have been a good suspect but was never really a suspect My primary suspect ended up being the culprit Though there was a bit of a twist that I also had in the back of my mind regarding the ruby 9781785133442 3. This book was such a fun cozy read and so bingable like I read the last 80% in three hours I am not the one for cozy mysteries tbh but this changed my mind and I will definitely pick the other books in the series. Aunt violet was such a funny character so I would love to see of her and the setting was just perfect like escaping into a cozy Christmas mystery instead of the August heat was just perfectthis was such a delightful read and I am so glad I gave cozy mystery a go Thank you for netgalleythe author and the publisher for the e arc 9781785133442 I like this cozy mystery series The historical setting of WW I is presented well It was a horrible war and some who witnessed devastation were overwhelmed as is one of the characters in this novel Shell shock was just beginning to be recognized and Davison gives a good account of one troubled by it Others were so intimidated by the casualty reports they would do anything to keep from being conscripted. The characters are what make this cozy mystery so entertaining Aunt Violet is quite the woman especially when she is speedily driving her car I could just see Hannah hanging on for dear life The relatives they visit are much of the stately upper society style It is interesting to see how Hannah s wealthy relatives relate to their servants and their friends There is even an incompetent policeman trying to solve the murder. This novel reads well on its own even though it is part of a series There are a number of characters however and understanding who all of them are may require reading the previous books in the series This is a good novel for readers who love historical cozy mysteries. I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher My comments are an independent and honest review 9781785133442 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 9781785133442 If you love historical novels the Christmas atmosphere and cozy mysteries then Murder at Midwinter Manor is the right read for you The third novel in the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mystery series I can assure it can easily be read as a stand alone The story is told from the perspective of Hannah Merril bookstore owner and occasional detective who together with her aunt Violet arrives at Midwinter Manor her sister s house to celebrate Christmas with her family Invited is also her brother in law s enlarged family and she is excited to see that even her beau Darius is there Amid a bit of family drama and talk of war and its effects on soldiers who suffer from PTSD things seem to go fairly well until one of the guests turns up dead and a valuable family jewel goes missing With the inept local detective loose in the house Hannah and her aunt Violet have no choice but to investigate on their own. Murder at Midwinter Manor is my first novel by Anita Davison and I couldn t put it down I loved the cozy Christmas atmosphere the snowbound setting the mystery with quite a few surprises and there are also some romance and a fun although a bit dangerous chase in the snow The characters are intriguing and well developed Especially I liked the character of Hannah who like her aunt Violet is considered unconventional for her independence and her ability to solve murders but she is determined to live life on her own terms. I will definitely keep reading the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mystery series it s witty entertaining and immersive Highly recommended 9781785133442
Pre order the BRAND NEW instalment in Anita Davison s gripping cozy mystery series Praise for Anita Davison Wonderful I had high hopes for this novel and it did not disappoint Once I began I could hardly put it down I am excited to read Ms Davison s next installment Goodreads reviewer I couldn t put this book down I just wanted to keep reading The story kept me guessing all the time and the ending was unexpected Can t wait for the next book Goodreads reviewer What a fabulous setting for a murder Aunt Violet s dusty bookshop is If I could have read it in one sitting I would have done A brilliant plot with some clever twists I think I ve found a new favourite series I can t wait for the next instalment Highly recommended Goodreads reviewer A fabulous historical novel that entertained me from the start Reminiscent of Miss Jane Marple I loved the inclusion of Bartleby the bookshop cat who was very much a character in his own right Goodreads reviewer I loved this book Hannah and Aunt Violet are wonderful characters and I liked them from the start The surrounding characters are well imagined The setting is interesting I enjoyed the references to literature and the way books were a part of the story line Very entertaining and I highly recommend it Goodreads reviewer Murder at Midwinter Manor Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mysteries 3 This book combines three of my favorite things Christmas a cozy mystery and history In this case Hannah and her suffragette Aunt Violet are spending the holiday at the home of Hannah s sister Iris Hannah is delighted to discover that her beau Darius is there She s far less than excited when one of the guests is found murdered Christmas is about to take a backseat to a murder investigation Some of the classic holiday tropes are there like being snowed in a not particularly experienced investigator family tensions eccentric family members romance and oh yes there s a war on This is Christmas 1916 One of the guests in fact is home on leave suffering from what we d today call PTSD an unexpected topic and the reasons for it And oh I almost forgot not only are there missing gems but besides related children there s a cat on hand too as well as some rowdy pups The setting is beautifully described and sounds enchanting. I won t detail the plot I ll simply say it was intriguing to see author Davison weave in historical events and impacts to a probably typical family event Well typical for those with social status Hannah has been on her own for a time working in the London bookstore where I first met her but finds it rather nice to be spoiled again. briefly Aunt Violet s romantic interest with his ties to Scotland Yard even makes an appearance Seems neither Hannah nor Aunt Violet not to mention Darius are confident of the small town detective s investigative skills By the way make sure you read the historical note at the end for info on what Darius job involved and its importance to the war effort It was fun to see the interactions of these characters including Hannah s parents who we get to know better as the book goes along. Unfortunately I found myself having a hard time sorting out and keeping track of the rest of the assembled cast Although we got a bit of info on them as the story progressed I never felt like I connected with them Even at the end sigh I was still fuzzy on who was who and who was connected to who and why it mattered Thus I found myself largely focusing on the main cast with a particular focus on what surprise Hannah and Darius had in store for the rest of the family Nope Not telling Read the book Honestly even with my confusion over characters I did enjoy the story and found the mystery nicely played with some unexpected twists Thanks BoldwoodBooks for this early peek at Christmas with Hannah and her family and friends I m definitely looking forward to what is next 9781785133442 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 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. 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 9781785133442 It s Christmas 1916 Hannah Merrill and her wonderful Aunt Violet leave London taking Bartleby the cat to be a part of the festive house party hosted by Hannah s sister Iris Hannah expects some tension with her mother because there always is but she s looking forward to having a good time in spite of the sometimes uncomfortable family dynamics As it turns out she s got than differing family attitudes to deal with when one of the guests doesn t make it to Christmas having been murdered in the study On the same morning the body is discovered another guest realizes that a family heirloom is missing Are the two related The lone policeman who can make it through the snow doesn t inspire confidence but luckily Aunt Violet and Hannah are there to get to the bottom of things. I ve got quite a soft spot for good Christmas cozies so I was excited to see this book I love this series Aunt Violet is particularly wonderful I was not disappointed The setting is classic manor house at Christmas snowstorm incompetent police officer familial discord missing family jewel and the murder The historical time period which plays a part in the mystery is well observed and the historical note at the end fleshes out one aspect of a main character s job a bit Once I started I didn t want to put the book down and I read it in one sitting thoroughly enjoying every minute This is the third book in the series but you don t have to have read the first two to enjoy this one It s a great series though and it s definitely worth reading all three if you re a historical cozy mystery fan I highly recommend them all. Thanks to NetGalley the publisher and the author for a digital review copy 9781785133442 As usual in my reviews I will not rehash the plotthere are already some reviews like that out there if that s what you are looking for Having read the previous books in this series Murder in the Bookshop and Murder in the Library I was delighted to be invited to read this the third in the series This novel is set at the country home of Hannah s sister and brother in law Iris and Mycroft This time the family including Aunt Violet Darius Hannah s parents and others are gathering in the run up to Christmas and the guests include wider family and friends. After dinner on the first evening snow falls effectively cutting off the household from the wider area and giving a pushy neighbour the excuse of staying overnight In the morning however the body of one of the guests is discovered and the Police are calledeventually naming the cause of death as murder A valuable family heirloom jewel has also vanished mysteriously Aunt Violet decides to invite Inspector Farrell along as a guestThere are plenty of red herrings both regarding the murder and the missing jewel and a few other twists in the tale that add to the enjoyment. The main characters were very well written and well rounded and there is a good cast of supporting characters each with their part to play in the mystery There are some fairly sterotypical characters eg the overbearing bumptious policeman the pushy Mama but they are all well described and fit in perfectly. Looking forward to further adventures of Hannah and Aunt Violet My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC All opinions my own 9781785133442 I received this ARC and didn t realize it was part of a series so of course I had to go and read the first two books before I even attempted this one I am so glad this series found me I LOVE a good early 1900 s cozy mystery I love this series even because it doesn t just have the typical FMC and love interest I mean there is that BUT this series has an eccentric aunt in the mix A bit about the series as a whole First Aunt Violet and Hannah own and run a bookstore during WWI Absolute perfection Second there is not only a love interest for Hannah but also for her aunt Lastly this book has a lot of characters and at times I had to go back and find who was who and who was related to whom Other than that I adored this book and cannot wait for the next one to release in February 1 2025. I would like to thank NetGalley Boldwood Books and the author Anita Davison for my ARC of Murder at Midwinter Manor in exchange for an honest review 9781785133442 Author of the Flora Maguire Mysteries published by Aria Fiction
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There is always a murder and in book three a missing family heirloom I really enjoyed that there was than just a murder happening, 5 I need this to be turned into a movie it would be so good hope it gets picked up soon, Their parents Hector and Madeleine are perfectly of their own social background but here Madeleine s actions surprise Hannah at times A nice development. The book is in the cosy mystery genre but with other threads running through the story which adds dimension