Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mystery

'A lovely mystery evocative of the period from a talented writer.' Helena Dixon, bestselling author of the Miss Underhay mysteries Someone's been read their last rites… 1915, London: Working in the dusty bookshop that her Aunt Violet mysteriously inherited, Hannah Merrill is accustomed to finding twists in every tale. But discovering her beloved best friend Lily-Anne – with a paperknife through her heart – in the middle of the bookshop, is not a plotline she saw coming. The case is anything but textbook. With the discovery of a coded German message, and Hannah's instinct that Lily-Anne's husband is keeping secrets, she determines to get to the bottom of it. She can't do it alone though. To crack this case, Hannah will need the enlist the help of her outrageous, opinionated, only-occasionally-objectionable Aunt Violet. They think they're making progress until one of their chief suspects is found dead. And Hannah realises that she is herself now in the murderer's sights. Will the final chapter be the ending of a killer… or just a killer ending? A totally addictive, WW1-set cozy mystery, perfect for fans of Verity Bright, T.E. Kinsey, and Agatha Christie.

A body in a hospital isn't so unusual. Unless they've been murdered! 1916, London: Keen to support the war effort, bookshop manager and sometime amateur sleuth Hannah Merrill has taken a volunteer role in the library of the nearby military hospital. But arriving at the hospital one cold winter's morning, she is horrified to find the body of a dead soldier in the library. What's more, a beautiful young nurse confides in Hannah that she thinks she's being followed, and then she abruptly disappears. Hannah can't shake the suspicion that the two cases are connected, but she can't solve the case alone. She'll once again need to call upon her delightful, demanding, only-occasionally devious aunt, Violet. The two women know they must find the missing nurse before it's too late… but they don't realise they're now both in the killer's sights. A totally gripping, unputdownable, WW1-set, cozy mystery, perfect for fans of Helena Dixon, Verity Bright, and Agatha Christie.Readers love the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet series: '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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Set against the backdrop of the war in 1915, with the very real fears of invasion and bombings, the characters are beautifully drawn, especially the wonderfully bold and rather scandalous suffragette Violet who carries a few secrets of her own and who I immediately loved. This is a great start to a new cosy crime series and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next to the amateur sleuths and their friends.' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Fascinating characters, scandals, espionage and murder… Kept me turning the pages wanting to know what would happen to Hannah and her delightful feline companion.' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I loved this delightful new cozy mystery featuring a young society girl and her suffragette aunt… 5 stars. I look forward to more in this series.' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A compelling tale, full of red herrings, lost love, along with excellent research of the time period.' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A very fun read! I can't wait to read the next installment!' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pre-order the BRAND NEW instalment in Anita Davison's gripping cozy mystery series! 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.Readers love the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet series: '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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ '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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ '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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'What a fabulous setting for a murder… 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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I loved this delightful new cozy mystery featuring a young society girl and her suffragette aunt… 5 stars. I look forward to more in this series.' 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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Fascinating characters, scandals, espionage and murder… Kept me turning the pages wanting to know what would happen to Hannah and her delightful feline companion.' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nobody should be in the market… for murder! Even though its famous opera house has shuttered its doors for the war, Covent Garden remains one of the most exciting, bustling areas of London. It's where Hannah Merrill and Aunt Violet have their bookshop and, in spite of the recent spate of burglaries in the area, it's generally thought to be a good neighbourhood. So Hannah is surprised when she sees a fellow shopkeeper – a jeweller named Jacob Cornelis – having a heated argument with a stranger. Especially when the next day Cornelis is found dead in his shop, apparently the victim of another burglary. But what shocks Hannah more is when she meets the policeman supposedly there to investigate the crime. Because he is none other than the man who Hannah saw arguing with Cornelis the day before. Hannah knows it's up to her and Violet to investigate. But they don't know they're about to uncover a secret underworld of theft, murder and blackmail. And they must act fast, before the Covent Garden Killer strikes again...