How to Solve Murders Like a Lady by Hannah Dolby is an absolute delight of a book. I loved the first book in the series, No Life for a Lady, when I read it last year, the main character, Violet felt almost like a friend by the end of the tale, and I really hoped that the book would mark the beginning of a series. It was, Violet's adventures in detection and romance continue here and I did not think it would be possible to like this book any more than the first, but somehow I did. I was smiling to myself and giggling in delight at every exchange between Violet and her love interest/ fellow detective/ furniture restoring fiancé Benjamin, while at other times being angry on Violet's behalf about the attitudes and treatment she faced from the more conservative elements of society including her own father.
There is a sold mystery plot at the heart of the book, it is well crafted and held my interest as Violet tries not only to uncover the murderer of Mrs Withers, a not particularly likeable acquaintance with a penchant for striking hats, but also clear Benjamin's name as he is accused of murder. I enjoyed this aspect of the book but what really made me love it was the developing relationship between Violet and Benjamin, there is a sweetness and softness to it that is both beautiful and comforting, but there is also a playfulness and humour in the way it is written that is simply joyous.
Once again I am left hoping for more books in this series, I am always going to want to spend more time with these characters, and I feel like there is plenty more of their story to be told, it's really only just beginning after all.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

A charming sequel to Hannah Dolby’s ‘No Life for a Lady’.
Our lady detective Violet Hamilton is back, as we follow her adventures with her fiancé Benjamin.
Lots of recaps during the first few chapters, helped me remember the characters and what had happened previously.
An easy read, full of warmth and humour as Violet tries to solve a murder as well as coming round to the idea of getting married.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having loved the first in this series, I couldn't wait to get into the second!

Violet Hamilton is making progress in her desire to be a lady detective; however, when a murder takes place locally her intentions to investigate are thwarted at every turn. Why does everyone insist on treating her like a piece of fine china when she is more than capable of solving even the most despicable crime? Or is she being protected from something more sinister?

The first in this series was a wonderful read and my high hopes for this second novel were easily met. Violet is a brave woman, with ambitions well before her time. I love her character which is beautifully crafted; at a time when women were meant to be seen and not heard she is a breath of fresh air with a mind of her own. Yet again, Hannah Dolby has created a terrific read and I look forward to reading much more about Violet's plans and adventures. A solid 5* read and one I'm very happy to recommend.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy cia NetGalley, this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

The second book in a series is always a tough nut to crack and unfortunately this book didn’t quite work for me like No Life For A Lady did.

We follow Violet Hamilton again who is now a full time lady detective working alongside her fiancée Benjamin, when a local resident is found dead she makes it her mission to find out what really happened.

As with the first book I loved the characters of Violet and Benjamin, but unfortunately the mystery this time just wasn’t as good and the supporting characters lacked a multi-dimensional feel. By the end I was skimming the pages and didn’t really care who had ‘dunnit.’

It`s 1897 and Violet is a lady detective trying to solve mysteries for the middle classes. A body of a lady she knows is found on the beach but no one is willing to let her help and her fiancée has had to go away so he can`t help and ladies are not supposed to do the work she is trying to do as everyone keeps telling her.
Violet is a very strong willed lady and full of humour and it`s a very enjoyable book to read.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.

This is the second book in the series and I enjoyed it every bit as much as the first. It can be read as a stand alone book, as it reminds you of everything you need to know from the first book, which is helpful as it was a long time since I read the first. Set in the 1890s, when women were expected just to get married, have children and run a household, the language, the settings, and the personalities are very evocative of the time.

Violet was born a lady, but when her mother disappeared when she was younger, she decided she wanted more out of life than marriage to a man she found boring, and who didn’t share her values. Her father would set her up with ‘suitable’ men and Violet would dispatch them very quickly. When Violet decided that she wanted to be a Lady Detective, and solve the case of her missing mother, she came across Benjamin, another Detective in town, and she found she enjoyed his company and working together. In order to continue doing so, they became engaged so it wasn’t as scandalous them spending time alone together. When the town busybody Mrs Withers is discovered dead after a ball, in mysterious circumstances, Violet feels she has to investigate. She and Benjamin test their detective skills, their friendship – and perhaps more.

This book is amusing, and Violet sweeps you along with her enthusiasm. The relationships are interesting, and very evocative of the time. I really enjoyed the descriptions of Hastings and St Leonards in the 1890s.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6527288606

Violet Hamilton #2

Violet Hamilton is no ordinary lady, She is a Lady Detective, who spends her time solving mysteries and unveiling scandals in the bustling town of Hastings and St. Leonards, a popular spot for the Victorian classes. But when the body of a local woman is found on the beach, Violet's efforts to investigate are blocked at every turn. Is that because, as a woman, she can't possibly be allowed to think or act like herself? Or is it because someone sinister has Violet in their sights.

Set in 1897. The pace is slow in this well-written mystery. Violet is engaged to Benjamin, the detective we met in the first book. Violet is a Lady Detective who's trying to prove herself worthy in a man's world. We get a lot of information, reminding us of some of the key points from the first book, No Life For A Lady. There is some humour to this story, and I like that Violet is not like any other lady sleuth I've read about in the past. A lot of research has gone into this book about the era it was written about. I also felt there was some information we could have done without, it was as if it was put in to bulk the book out. This is a good cosy murder mystery and I hope there's more to come in this series.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Aria&Aries and the author #HannahDolby for my Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Violet Hamilton is a Lady Detective working with her fiancé in 1897 Hastings.
When the body of a highly opinionated local woman is found on the beach after a ball, Violet and Benjamin feel it only right to find out the truth. Violet must get past the Victorian thinking that women are too delicate to deal with the more dangerous and gruesome side of life and discover what’s really going on.
What follows is a glorious story of guts, ambition and a fantastic cosy crime mystery.

Having spent many a holiday in Hastings and St. Leonards the description of the town and the seafront are spot on. I’ve stayed at the Victoria Hotel and an Air BnB right next to what was the Queens hotel. Many an afternoon has been spent exploring the old town which I’m sure hasn’t changed since Victorian times. So I can picture it all in my mind perfectly.

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of reading this book and cannot wait for further books in this series.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

A really fun story following the antics of Violet, an inspiring Lady Detective at a time when ladies should just sit and embroider.

It was a great second book in the series but can easily be read alone as there are lots of recaps during the first few chapters.

It moved at a nice pace, the characters were great and there was lots of humour and mysteries to be solved. I can't wait for book 3!

How to Solve Murders Like a Lady is the second novel about Lady Detective Violet Hamilton, now fiancée to detective and furniture restorer, Benjamin Blackthorn.

Violet is, again, an absolute delight. Eager to hone her skills as a detective and get into a 'real' detective case, she is bristling with enthusiasm. In the popular seaside town of Hastings and St Leonards, it's not long before she finds a case; a local woman found murdered on the beach.

Violet's attempts to investigate are hampered at every turn, but are her opponents just conservatively resistant to the idea of a young woman being a detective or are their motives more sinister?

The novel is a wonderful portrayal of a feisty and charming young woman bursting with energy. She's also bursting with some hitherto unknown feelings, especially when in proximity to her equally charming fiancé. It's all very thrilling for her. And for the reader.

The novel is funny, engaging, well paced, with a great cast of well-rounded characters, lots of twists and turns and great dialogue. I enjoyed it just as much as the first in the series, and I am still so utterly charmed by Violet that I am unable to find a single thing wrong with this novel.

How to solve murders like a lady by Hannah Dolby is the sequel to No life for a lady. I enjoyed this first one, so I was excited to see how the story continues.
Violet is now engaged to detective and furniture repairer Benjamin but is hesitant to marry him as she wants to continue her career as a lady detective. She just doesn’t want to prove that she is capable not just to herself but the people around her. Benjamin is a patient man and will not push her until she is ready. She investigates a woman, (Mrs Withers) a very judgemental woman who is found dead on the local beach after a local ball.
At first this was a bit of a slow start for me, but it became an interesting read. I liked the sense of humour in it and the character Violet trying to prove herself in a male dominated world. 4 stars from me.

I quite enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was looking forward to rejoining Violet in a follow-up adventure. Very soon, though, I started to wish I hadn’t.

The things that I didn’t like about the first book were out in full force. Violet has her moments of being embarrassingly naive, which very quickly became grating, and the mystery plot wasn’t strong or coherent enough to carry the book. I really liked the clear story and character arc (and how they were intertwined) in the first book, and that was lacking here.

My favourite thing about the first book though, which thankfully was also my favourite thing about the second, is Violet’s relationship with her parents. Her mother especially is such a great character, and I loved the scenes where they interact. I particularly liked how Violet’s relationship with her father evolved in this book. They have a very complex relationship between the three of them and it’s also fascinating to see it play out.

I can’t see myself continuing on with this series, but I hope that there is more character development and maturity from Violet as the series continues.

I received a free copy for an honest review.

Violet Hamilton is a lady detective and she decides to investigate the death of a local woman found on the beach but there are people who a determined to stop her: is it because she's a lady? Or is there something more sinister afoot?

I really enjoyed this second instalment of the Violet Hamilton series. I really loved seeing Violet find herself and become everything that she had dreamed of and more. I love Benjamin so seeing him and Violet together as everything - I love them both individually and together. Although, I did find it weird how at first Violet feels lost without Benjamin, which felt at odds to the Violet that I have come to know from the first book as she was always independent and refused to rely on men. Maybe there was a particular reason for this and I just haven't realised it but it didn't make sense to me.

At first, I did struggle to get into this book as it did start off quite slow with not much really happening and even when the action started, there wasn't always a lot compared to the first book in the series. There did seem to be quite a few plot points happening, which at times distracted away from the main plot of finding out what happened to the woman found dead on the beach.

The setting was absolutely stunning - I could picture it in my mind, thanks to the rich descriptions and it made me want to visit. This book also did such a good job at setting the atmosphere and there was a few times where I was nervous for Violet and what would happen to her. The ending did feel rushed but it gave the sense that it was setting up for another book within the series. Regardless, I did have some unanswered questions but loved being back in the world with Violet, Benjamin and the rest of the cast.

Something to note though, there is the use of an ableist slur within the book, which I think is worth mentioning. There is also a typo where it says Lord Laxton is the one who has gave Benjamin furniture towards the end of the book, but it was actually Lord Brassey.

⚠️ CWs: murder, misogyny, sexism, injury detail, derogatory language, ableist slur, gun use, physical assault, mentions death, alcohol use, blood ⚠️

Thank you NetGalley and publisher Aria for the opportunity to read this book early, in exchange for a honest review.

A follow up to her previous success, the lady sleuth is causing mayhem on the south coast, again, gadding about in almost unladylike fashion. Some of the same characters are involved, a cast of very interesting people who may or may not be up to no good. She is a charming if hapless heroine, coming up against the mundane and the serious events of the town with equal measure of intent to solve everything, and sort out some of her own life’s problems

This is the second book in this series and it didn’t disappoint.

Violet is a private detective, but it’s set in the late 1800’s so it’s not a normal job for a lady. She’s now engaged to Benjamin who has a furniture shop and detective work. After a ball she finds one of the guests dead and she needs to find who did it.

Great book, like the the first one. Liked the time setting of this book, the author knows a lot about it. Violet is a brilliant character, she’s so different from the rest of the ladies in the book. A great mystery read. 4 stars

I’m not sure I was as interested in the mysteries of this book as I was in those of the first of the Violet novels, however, I do enjoy this sparky character. Violet is years ahead of her time but I feel sure there were women like her and we don’t hear about them enough. Her relationship with her fiancé is very touching and this makes them very comfortable characters to spend time with.

I have heard about this detective lady Violet Hamilton from several people on Twitter, and was intrigued to ask for #HowToSolveMurdersLikeALady

This book did not disappoint me. Laced with good old-fashioned phrases, In high Duden, in his cups, et cetera and a blossoming feminist in Violet Hamilton, along with her fiancé Benjamin, we encounter a mystery in Hastings.

There is social gossip, societal expectations and a murder. It is up to Violet and Benjamin to sort out the problems, solve the mystery whilst at the same time grappling with expectations of ladies and their role in society.

An excellent entertaining read.

Thanks to #NetGalley For the opportunity to have read this ahead of publication and exchange for an honest review

She's back! It's not quite as bonkersly delightful as the first in the series but very charming. Can we have more soon please?

This was a brilliant follow up novel to No Life for a Lady. Violet has achieved her ambition of becoming a lady detective and is also engaged to be married. However, she wants to be involved with more than finding lost cats and isn’t totally convinced by her engagement. Benjamin has to go to Scotland and Violet is left alone to run the detective agency and her life instantly becomes a lot more complicated.
I just adore Violet. She is such a believable character. Her frustration with the restrictions placed on her just because she is a woman are entirely credible especially as she does try to stay within those boundaries. I thoroughly enjoyed the situations that she managed to get herself into and the scene where she ends up walking through Hastings after bathing on the beach was hilarious. The cycling scenes were also fun. Violet would obviously be someone who tried such an innovative form of transport.
Her character shows a lot of development in this book and I loved the romance between her and Benjamin. He obviously loves her but she is a lot less sure. She gradually begins to figure out what he really means to her and with this and her relationships with her mother and father, you can really feel her becoming more mature.
The mystery is an interesting one with various side events to keep the reader involved. All of the different pieces come together very satisfyingly at the end of the book.
Hannah Dolby does a fantastic job of bringing the historical setting to life. I can really imagine what Hastings must have been like at the end of the 19th century and I loved the historical detail that was included without feeling overwhelmed by it. I definitely feel that I need to try Strawberry Toast as it sounds amazing. This is a light hearted read but serious issues are touched on such as how powerless women could be at that time.
I absolutely loved this novel and really hope that we haven’t seen the last of Violet. Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers, Aria and Aries for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed reuniting with Violet as she continues to pursue her career as a Lady Detective, against societal expectation and with a great partner in tow.
The smatterings of etiquette through the book lend to the charm and the descriptions really bring the period to life (the bathing suit!).
The crime is relatively gentle, the resolution in parts frustrating (just let her have the books!) and in parts revelatory- just as a good detective novel should be!