Hello! Welcome to JuliaPalooza for my stop on the Blog Tour for Murder at Midwinter Manor by Anita Davison, which was published by Boldwood Books on 10 September 2024.
About the book
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.
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Murder at Midwinter Manor by Anita Davison is a smart golden age style whodunit. I’ve not yet read the earlier books in the series but there was plenty of explanation and I was able to enjoy this one without any previous knowledge. Hannah Merrill is a modern heroine, for the time, and she and Aunt Violet make an interesting pair of sleuths. Their warmth and camaraderie shine through as does their talent for detecting. The timeframe of the book is interesting, rather than having a between-the-wars timeline which I’ve found to be more common in golden age cozies, it features some stark references to the still-waging Great War.
The setting of the book, Midwinter Manor, is decadently described, inside and out, with the snow setting the tone and many luxurious descriptions of the grand house dressed for Christmas. There is a house full of suspects for both crimes, and there are many characters to keep track of and all their relationships to one another. Hannah and Aunt Violet find themselves up against an intransigent local policeman who doesn’t appear to welcome their particular brand of assistance.
The story is an enjoyable read and the duo’s investigations are very entertaining. There is also time for some romance amongst the crime and Christmas cake, with both Hannah and Violet dallying with handsome suitors. The conclusion is exciting and satisfying and leaves the path open for future instalments. I will definitely read more from Anita Davison.
With huge thanks to the publisher for my copy of Murder at Midwinter Manor and to Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the blog tour.
If you enjoyed my review, please consider liking and/or sharing and, of course, buying the book:
Shelve on Goodreads | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Waterstones
About the author
Anita Davison is the author of the successful Flora Maguire historical mystery series.
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About the Blog Tour
Please check out the rest of the great posts on the tour for Murder at Midwinter Manor:
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