Scan barcode
A review by beate251
How to Solve Murders Like a Lady by Hannah Dolby
adventurous
challenging
funny
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This is the sequel to No Life For a Lady.
Violet Hamilton is 29 and unmarried. She lives in Hastings, does maybe want to marry but first and foremost wants to be a detective. In 1897, that is a big deal. Employment for women barely exists and always gets the prefix "lady". Lady detective, lady typist etc. Her mother disappeared ten years ago off Hastings Pier but she found her being a lesbian in the first book, and her father, whom she naturally still lives with, wants to marry her off as fast as possible.
Last year, she struck gold with gorgeous, kind Benjamin Blackthorn who simply lets her be and who is often happier selling furniture than being a private detective so makes the detective agency a joint one with Violet, who had blown into his life and infiltrated his shop and his typewriter in the first book.
As endearing as Violet is, she is also very naive about men and the world but that's not really her fault. If you're a lady in 1897 you're protected about the realities of it, so the fact that Violet wants to learn and break free is great but make no mistakes - all the things she is allowed to do is because men, especially her lovely fiancé, allow her to do them.
Six months after the events of the first book, Violet's life is rather harmonious. She has solved a few small crimes, has discovered the joy of a bicycle and has been given a gun for self-defense by perfect Ben. Then Mrs Withers is found dead and Violet sets out to scandalise the society of Hastings and St Leonard like never before by solving her murder.
I love Violet. She is extremely endearing and tries her best against the misogyny of the time. Some of the stuff she has to deal with made my blood boil! I mean, an electric corset, FFS!
Life in Victorian England was no picnic for a woman - the casual misogyny and sexual harassment was everywhere. Men thought they were entitled to a woman's body and mind, just like the incels of today still do. Disparaging remarks about what women and their little brains couldn't do were commonplace, but this time men actually want to physically bar her from places and hinder her work.
There is a lot of private stuff going on for Victoria, with her mother back in her life, her father courting Mrs Beeton and Ben needing to be broken out of jail for a murder that didn't happen.
This is a fantastic second novel and I can't wait for the third book in the series!
Violet Hamilton is 29 and unmarried. She lives in Hastings, does maybe want to marry but first and foremost wants to be a detective. In 1897, that is a big deal. Employment for women barely exists and always gets the prefix "lady". Lady detective, lady typist etc. Her mother disappeared ten years ago off Hastings Pier but she found her being a lesbian in the first book, and her father, whom she naturally still lives with, wants to marry her off as fast as possible.
Last year, she struck gold with gorgeous, kind Benjamin Blackthorn who simply lets her be and who is often happier selling furniture than being a private detective so makes the detective agency a joint one with Violet, who had blown into his life and infiltrated his shop and his typewriter in the first book.
As endearing as Violet is, she is also very naive about men and the world but that's not really her fault. If you're a lady in 1897 you're protected about the realities of it, so the fact that Violet wants to learn and break free is great but make no mistakes - all the things she is allowed to do is because men, especially her lovely fiancé, allow her to do them.
Six months after the events of the first book, Violet's life is rather harmonious. She has solved a few small crimes, has discovered the joy of a bicycle and has been given a gun for self-defense by perfect Ben. Then Mrs Withers is found dead and Violet sets out to scandalise the society of Hastings and St Leonard like never before by solving her murder.
I love Violet. She is extremely endearing and tries her best against the misogyny of the time. Some of the stuff she has to deal with made my blood boil! I mean, an electric corset, FFS!
Life in Victorian England was no picnic for a woman - the casual misogyny and sexual harassment was everywhere. Men thought they were entitled to a woman's body and mind, just like the incels of today still do. Disparaging remarks about what women and their little brains couldn't do were commonplace, but this time men actually want to physically bar her from places and hinder her work.
There is a lot of private stuff going on for Victoria, with her mother back in her life, her father courting Mrs Beeton and Ben needing to be broken out of jail for a murder that didn't happen.
This is a fantastic second novel and I can't wait for the third book in the series!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Murder, and Classism