“Of Devotion and Death” is third in the “Dear Miss Hermione” mystery series by Brecksville author Anastasia Hastings. Set in Victorian England, it’s about a woman whose work writing an “Agony Aunt” newspaper column leads her to investigating murder.
In the first book, “Of Manners and Murder,” Violet Manville learned that her aunt Adelia was the secret author of the popular “Miss Hermione” advice column. Adelia eloped and passed on the column to the reluctant Violet, who nevertheless forged ahead and solved a murder.
The story starts in December 1885, setting it about five months before the opening of the 1886 Colonial and Indian Exhibition, conceived to showcase art, commerce and culture throughout the vast British Empire.
Just before Christmas, Violet is literally on her way out the door for a holiday trip to Venice when two surprises arrive on her doorstep. Her flighty young half-sister Sephora doesn’t know that Violet’s trip is for a rendezvous with Eli, a man she isn’t even sure she likes; Sephora is piqued that Violet will miss a fancy Christmas party.
The first surprise is the appearance of Ash Kumar, Violet’s long-ago sweetheart from her time in Calcutta, when her father was in the Foreign Office. He wants to tell her that he is part of the delegation to the Colonial and Indian Exhibition, that a marriage had been arranged by his family and that his wife had died four days before.
The second surprise is a constable who arrests Ash for his wife’s murder. Violet immediately bails out on her trip to Venice to read the local news reports, including those from lurid tabloids. Then she goes to Ash’s home to question the staff and search the house.
Though she believes in Ash’s innocence, Violet discovers that he had been hiding some things from her. Violet uses Sephora as an operative, as she also has the knack for cozying up to people to get information out of them. Sephora and especially Bunty, the sisters’ housekeeper, provide depth to the field.
The letters to Miss Hermione are directly relevant to the case, which doesn’t make it much easier to identify the culprit.
When Violet telegraphs Eli to tell him she’s not meeting him in Venice, he doesn’t respond. She’s angry but doesn’t allow it to deter her from her mission. Eli shows up later anyway, adding some romance to the intrigue. The tight plot includes many suspects and motives, a priceless ruby and an ancient Indian figurine.
Hastings’ treatment of Indian people in 1880s London is thought-provoking. They are considered as both exotic and uncivilized, colorful and savage. Violet’s perspective allows her to slide between cultures to patch together a picture of a family in a singular time.
Anastasia Hastings is a pseudonym; the author writes under many other names, including Mimi Granger (the Love is Murder Mystery series, set in a town based on Peninsula), (the Jazz Ramsey series about a Cleveland woman who trains dogs for human remains detection) and Lucy Ness (the Haunted Mansion series, set in a city that clearly resembles Akron).
The first book in the series, “Of Manners and Murder,” was nominated for a 2024 Mary Higgins Clark Award by Mystery Writers of America.
“Of Devotion and Death” (256 pages, hardcover) costs $29.99 from Severn House.
Anastasia Hastings will talk about “Of Devotion and Death” from 6 to 7 p.m. Aug. 6 at the Brecksville branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library, 9089 Brecksville Road. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.
Events
Loganberry Books (13015 Larchmere Boulevard, Shaker Heights): The annual Author Alley event concludes with 1 to 5 p.m. Aug. 1. From 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 6, Ellen Pauley Goff hosts a bake-off, followed by a talk about “The Fair Witch of Foxe Holler” and prizes, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 6. Information at loganberrybooks.com.
Cuyahoga County Public Library (North Royalton branch, 5017 Wallings Road): Dion Leonard talks about “Finding Gobi: A Little Dog with a Very Big Heart,” about their participation in an ultramarathon in the Gobi Desert and the search to find the dog when he disappeared, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.
Cuyahoga Falls Library: Smithsonian curator Paula J. Johnson, author of “Julia Child’s Kitchen: The Design, Tools, Stories, and Legacy of an Iconic Space,” joins the Virtual Author Chat series from 2 to 3 p.m. Aug. 4. Register at fallslibrary.org.
Twinsburg Library (10050 Ravenna Road): Rachel Peterson signs her young adult novel “Killing Sadie,” 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 4. Register at twinsburglibrary.org.
Visible Voice Books (4601 Lorain Avenue, Cleveland): Sonia Feldman talks about “Girl’s Girl,” 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 7.
Learned Owl Book Shop (204 North Main Street, Hudson): Anita Calleri signs her romance “Meet Me in Marco,” 11 a.m. Aug. 8.
Barnes & Noble (7555 Market Place Drive, Aurora): Layla Nox signs her fantasy romance “Marginally Yours” and novella “Click for Chaos,” 12 to 2 p.m. Aug. 8.
Barnes & Noble (7900 Mentor Avenue, Mentor): Austintown author Nancy Christie signs “Transforming Tessa” and other books in her Midlife Moxie series, 1 p.m. Aug. 8.
Books A Go Go (220 West Main Street, Ravenna): K. Meldrum Denholm signs “Yesterday’s Song,” 1 to 3 p.m. Aug. 8.
Akron-Summit County Public Library (Highland Square branch, 807 West Market Street): Archivist S. Victor Fleischer and documentarian Toivo Motter, editors of “Lost Voices of the Great War: Summit County in the First World War”, appear from 2 to 3 p.m. Aug. 8.
Stark Library has announced the schedule for the Dr. Audrey Lavin Speaking of Books Author Series, now in its 12th year. Joe Peck (“Happy People Are Annoying”) and Mitch Albom (“Twice”) will be at Canton Palace Theatre and Joan Lunden (memoir “Joan”) at First Christian Auditorium. See the schedule and ticket information at starklibrary.org.
Advance notice for two events sure to sell out: On Aug. 10 at the South Euclid-Lyndhurst branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library, prison reformer Chris Young discusses his memoir “The Wound is Where the Light Enters.” The event is free, but $30 VIP tickets include a copy of the book. On Aug. 26, Bram Stoker- and Shirley Jackson Award-nominated horror author launches “Devil Inside” at the Brooklyn branch. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.
Email information about books of local interest and event notices at least two weeks in advance to beaconbooktalk@gmail.com. I tweet at @BarbaraMcI.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: The plot thickens in third ‘Dear Miss Hermione Mystery’ story | Book Talk
Reporting by Barbara McIntyre, Special to USA TODAY NETWORK – Ohio / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Barbara McIntyre, Special to USA TODAY NETWORK – Ohio | USA TODAY Network
