Murder at Midwinter Manor

Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mysteries, Book 3

By: Anita Davison

Narrated by: Oona Beeson

Escaping the city doesn’t mean escaping the criminals…

1916, Midwinter Manor: Desperate for a Christmas weekend break from war-torn London, Hannah Merrill and her Aunt Violet take Bartleby the cat and themselves off to visit Hannah’s sister, in her beautiful country estate, deep in the English countryside.

The huge house is full of relatives, friends and merrymakers, and everyone’s excited to have a Christmas to remember.

But then, when a fellow-guest’s body is found in the library – apparently bludgeoned to death – and a precious ruby is stolen from another guest, it appears that it’s going to be memorable for all the wrong reasons.

With the house snowed in, and the rural police force completely incapable of finding a single credible suspect, Hannah and Aunt Violet realise that once again it’s going to be down to them to get to the bottom of it.

Because whoever’s behind the crimes must be at Midwinter Manor… And if they’re not found, who knows what their next ‘gift’ will be?

A totally unforgettable Golden Age, country house, cozy crime novel, perfect for fans of Helena Dixon, Verity Bright, and Agatha Christie.

©2024 Anita Davison (P)2024 Boldwood Books

Delightful Read

I do enjoy time with Hannah and Aunt Violet, not to mention Darius and the good Chief Inspector, and the humor and camaraderie shared among these characters. One of the benefits of reading a series is watching the development of the characters and their relationships, and this series does not disappoint on that front This visit includes more of Hannah's family that was interesting and sometimes heartwarming. There is more than one mystery playing out in the story, and it is unclear if they are intertwined or completely separate crimes, increasing the number of suspects and red herrings. Bringing in the Chief Inspector, incognito, as it were, was a unique twist. While I had a good idea who did what in the story, the reasons and methods were not clear and so kept me guessing on several fronts.

Given that we are in England in 1916, the war is at the heart of much of what is happening, but not all. During this time of war and social upheaval, Ms. Davison pulls back the curtain to allow us a look at the last vestiges of a way of life that will soon vanish, or at least be greatly diminished. She does so with what I can only describe as realistic gentility. The large house parties and beautiful dresses are seen side by side with shortages of food and servants, as the war progresses and more men are headed to Europe and more women choose to replace them in factories. None of this is done with a heavy-handed approach. It is all just part of the story, not THE story, thus maintaining the cozy quality.

I appreciated the historical note at the end that tied back to Darius and the work he does.

Oona Beeson did her usual excellent job of bringing these characters to life with her narration.

I look forward to my next visit with Hannah and the gang.