Important things you need to know about the book:
Pace: The pace of Of Hoaxes and Homicide is medium.
POV: Of Hoaxes and Homicide is told from Sephora and Violet’s 1st person POV.
Series: Of Hoaxes and Homicide is the second book in the Dear Miss Hermoine series. You can read this as a standalone.
Trigger/Content Warning: Of Hoaxes and Homicide have trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:
- Sexism & Misogyny
- Drugging
- Dead Bodies
- Cults
- Disappearance of a loved one
- Poisoning
Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Of Hoxes and Homicide.
Language: There is no swearing in Of Hoaxes and Homicide. Some language could also be considered offensive to readers who are triggered easily.
Setting: Of Hoxes and Homicide is set in London and Nottingham, England.
Age Range: I recommend Of Hoxes and Homicide to anyone over 16.
Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):
Violet and Sephora are mind-numbingly bored. While Sephora heads out, Violet answers letters that come to the advice column she took over from her aunt. While looking over the letters, she reads one different from the usual trivial questions of how many teapots one serves or how many aprons one needs to wear in one day. This letter asks for advice about a daughter caught up in a cult: the Hermetic Order of the Children of Aed. When Violet attends a meeting in a park with the cult members, she is in for a shock. The girl mentioned in the letter is her sister’s best friend, Margaret. Violet travels to Nottingham with that information, determined to get Margaret out. But, soon after her arrival, a man is found dead of saltpeter poisoning with Margaret hovering over him. Violet must find evidence to prove Margaret’s innocence and take down the cult. With the help of Sephora and their resourceful housekeeper, Bunty, Violet is on the case. But can she solve this case? Can Violet unearth the real killer? Or will Margaret go to jail for a crime she did not commit?
Main Characters:
The main characters of Of Hoaxes and Homicide are Violet and Sephora. While I enjoyed Violet’s character (with her longing for Ezra and her sharp mind), I found Sephora immature and a hindrance to Violet at times. Bunty should have been the ying to Violet’s yang and Sephora as one of the leading secondary characters. Regardless, I liked the characters.
My review:
When I started to read Of Hoaxes and Homicides, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I entered the book knowing it was a cozy mystery and the second book in the series. So, my expectations weren’t too high when I started reading. This book did surprise me with how much I liked it.
Of Hoaxes and Homicides main storyline is centered on Violet, and the cult, her investigation into the cult, and the murder. The storyline was well-written and kept my attention throughout the book. I did think that the POVs from Sephora were a little “meh,” but they did add extra information to Violet’s investigation.
There are secondary storylines that add extra context to what was going on with the main storyline. I found those storylines less well-written but just as enjoyable to read.
The mystery angle of the book was very well written. I liked how Violet, Sephora, and Bunty put together not only who was behind the murder but why and where that person came from. To say I was surprised was an understatement. I also expect that person to appear in later books because of their background.
There was a slight romance angle in Of Hoaxes and Homicide. It mainly focused on Violet and Ezra. For a large part of the book, her affections were one-sided. But then things happened that made me think twice about that.
I loved the letters that were sent in. What they were about were things women in that era were concerned about. I loved that Violet’s responses became grumpier the more the book went on.
The end of Of Hoaxes and Homicides was interesting. The author wrapped up the main storyline in a way that I liked. But she left something unfinished. That made me wonder (along with Violet’s letter) if that foreshadowed book 2.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Anastasia Hastings for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Of Hoaxes and Homicide. All opinions stated in this review are mine.