England, historical-novel, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, relationships, murder-investigation, friends, friendship, family, amateur-sleuth, missing-persons, misogynistic-era, unputdownable, 1916, series, cozy-mystery, law-enforcement****

Aunt Violet is a woman of a certain age and status who is more than capable of digging into society's darkest. Hannah Merrill is a young woman of means but not at all foolish who is volunteering in the library at the Endell Street Military Hospital in London. Which is why she is the one to find the body of Sergeant Tillman shot dead in the library. Then a young heiress volunteering as a nurse goes missing and another body is found. Hannah and her aunt have quite a lot of sleuthing to do amid the backdrop of war, probable espionage, and Scotland Yard. Excellent read!

If you enjoy historical cosy mysteries with feisty women, a dash of gentle romance and a decent mystery, this is a great series to read. At first this seemed a very slow burner for me, the murder happens almost in the first minute of reading, then a character goes missing… then it trundles along for a while… but it all wraps up with a satisfying ending and solidly marks itself out as a good read I’d recommend.

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers Boldwood Books, in return for an unbiased review. Many thanks for the opportunity.

The story revolves around Hannah Merrill, an amateur detective who volunteers at a military hospital. Things take a dark turn when she stumbles upon a dead soldier in the library and later learns that a nurse is being stalked. The narrative is gripping and keeps the reader on the edge as Hannah and her aunt Violet try to solve the mysterious cases and find the missing nurse. The characters are well-crafted, with Hannah's resourcefulness and Violet's charm adding depth to the story. The tension gradually builds up, leading to an unpredictable climax that keeps you guessing until the end. If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, this book is a must-read!

Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources, NetGalley, and the author for allowing me to read and review this book.

Excellent second book in this historical English series. Set during the Great War (e.g. WWI), Hannah and her aunt, Violet, are two remarkable women who become embroiled in solving the death of a recovering soldier at one of the many, many spaces converted to hospitals for injured or dying servicemen. The story blends historical facts and compelling mysteries to build a solid cozy. Hoping for a third in this series!

The second book in the series sets off at a good pace and keeps you turning the pages with live like descriptions of London and the bombing during WW2. There are essentially two mystery's to be solved one a murder and one a missing persons case. Both are related and offer lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. There is some progress on both romances as well. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A classic & cozy mystery that will be sure to keep the reader guessing as to who the murderer is! While this is the first book I've read in the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet series, I felt it took the first couple chapters for me to really grasp what kind of protagonist Hannah was - I felt a stronger sense of character or identity right off the bat would've helped readers like myself who are new to the series gain a much quicker perspective as to who our lady detective is all about!

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the digital ARC!

In a sense, you're getting two mysteries in one with this book. The "whodunit" and "where is..." kinds. The first deals with the body Hannah Merrill finds in the hospital library. She's volunteering there as a way of offering her services in 1916 as World War I rages. The second is focused on the disappearance of a young, very attractive volunteer nurse at the same hospital. In the process of solving these mysteries, you'll get a feel for what it was like to be attacked by the enemy, not to mention the reality of dead and seriously wounded soldiers. There's even romance woven into all this.

Hannah is young and caring, albeit she grated on my nerves a bit with her attitude toward Inspector Aiden Ferrell. Nevermind that Ferrell just happens to be her Aunt Violet's boyfriend, Hannah chafes under the weight of being dismissed as a woman and not given her due when it comes to solving a crime. Then there is Darius Clifford, who seems to be an intelligence officer. Or is he a spy? Hannah and Darius have been dancing around each other romantically for years, so it's nice to see this romance progressing a bit, too. All are likable, with strengths and weaknesses, especially given that this series is currently taking place during a world war. Archie, the bookshop assistant is quite likable and even shows fortitude and a less reticent side of himself during the story. And, oh, Bartleby, the bookstore cat makes an appearance.

So, who killed Sgt. Tillman? Why does it appear no one particularly mourns his death? What was he doing in the library anyway, especially up on the stage? Are the nurses keeping secrets, too? Is Alice, the nurse's aide who goes missing, really being watched or it is all in her imagination? She comes from an aristocratic background, so it's odd she's working in the military hospital ward to begin with. Why is Hannah so determined to keep asking questions? What lovely gift of a sort does Darius give her? How does Darius know all he knows about the war effort? Are he and Aiden, who works for Scotland Yard, somehow linked? Why does Hannah feel so guilty about certain events? What huge decision is Violet facing?

Who ... oh, enough teasers. While slow building in comparison to many cozy mysteries, this one caught and held my attention nicely and would work nicely as a standalone. You'll like the characters or, at the very least, find them intriguing. Human behavior is odd sometimes, isn't it? You'll also gain a feel for life when under threat of bombardment at any given time. If you're like me, you'll even be a bit bewildered to find the book seeming to wrap up whodunit almost mid-way with so much of the book left. Don't let that throw you. There is much, much more to come. Thanks #NetGalley and #BoldwoodBooks for giving me a sneak peek at how challenging life in this time period could be for all involved, no matter what their status. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what happens next for our main characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read "Murder in the Library" in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the second book in the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mysteries and it is truly unputdownable. The story starts at the Endell Street Hospital in London in April 1916. Hannah Merrill and her Aunt Violet's bookshop is being rebuilt after an air raid 6 months prior. During that time Hannah has been volunteering in the library at the military hospital as her contribution to the war effort. When she arrives for her shift she finds the door to the recreation room locked and it's always kept open. The curtains are pulled across the stage and those are always open as well. There's an uproar over a missing patient and Hannah finds him - dead on the stage. Who killed Sergeant Tillman and why? This is the second body Hannah has found in 6 months and she says that she doesn't go looking for them, they just find her.

Nurse Alice Dalglish has some secrets that she's keeping and isn't too keen on being interviewed by the police. The same goes for Sister Marion Kerr who is seen whispering to Alice, just before Alice leaves the hospital.

DI Aidan Farrell from Scotland Yard arrives and according to Hannah is unsympathetic, brusque in manner but very interested in her Aunt Violet. Darius Clifford is a possible beau for Hannah. He's an interesting character because he works for the War Office and is quite possibly a spy. Though when Hannah questions him he dodges all answers.

When Alice can't be found no one believes Hannah that she might be missing and in danger. Especially since Alice confided in Hannah that she's been hearing noises at her lodging and feels that someone has been following her.

As another body is found Hannah feels responsible for things that are happening. There is a great surprise explanation as to what happened to Sergeant Tillman and even more shocking who caused his death and why.

While Hannah, Aunt Violet, Aiden and Darius are visiting Gabriel and Georgina - the mystery of what has been happening to Alice is also solved. Someone very close to Hannah is injured. All the pieces slot into place as all the threads of the different stories are woven neatly together. There may be a wedding in someone's future and a beau just might become serious.

Miss Davison has written a story true to the time period and very thrilling in parts as the reader wonders how Hannah and her friends will solve this crime. Very much looking forward to the next book in the series.