Review: Murder in Covent Garden by Anita Davison

March 17, 2025

Review: Murder in Covent Garden by Anita Davison

I'm delighted to welcome back author Anita Davison, with another fabulous mystery, Murder in Covent Garden, the latest instalment in her brilliant murder mystery series featuring perpetually curious Hannah Merrill and her wonderful, eccentric Aunt Violet. It's another fabulous intrigue. Read on!

Murder in Covent Garden is currently on blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources. My thanks to Rachel, and Anita's publisher, Boldwood Books, for a copy.

Murder in Covent Garden

Anita Davison

When jeweller Jacob Cornelis is murdered in his shop not far from Aunt Violet's bookshop, Hannah remembers seeing him shortly before his demise, in an intensive argument with another young man – who turns out to be one of investigating team. The police quickly assume that it's a burglary gone wrong. After all, several premises in the vicinity of Violet’s bookshop have reported burglaries in recent months. Poor Mr Cornelis must have surprised the culprits with his presence. Or is that assumption wrong?

Detective Inspector Aidan Farrell – Aunt Violet's love interest – is investigating the case, with he help of a young sidekick, and suddenly Hannah finds herself in a dilemma. The young man was seen arguing with Mr Cornelis, but doesn't apprise his boss of this small fact.

Hannah decides to pay her respects to the jeweller's step-daughter and wife, as he was a regular customer in her bookshop. But what starts out as a simple visit to convey condolences, leads to a much wider intrigue, as the jeweller had arranged marriage between the young woman and an associate of his. The associate's abrupt demeanor towards her doesn't endear him to Hannah, nor does the way he treats the late jeweller's staff.

And all the while, her Aunt Violet is going out with a Spanish gentleman, about whom she keeps shtum! Does it mean the end of Violet's unconventional relationship with Aidan? Piqued by her aunt's stubborn silence, Hannah finds herself being helped by the very man she's so curious about – in a place she shouldn't have been in the first place!

Is the fiancé involved in the jeweller's death? Or is something entirely different afoot here? Find out in the novel!

Murder In Covent Garden is yet another cleverly-plotted whodunit, with our intrepid sleuth, Hannah, and her wonderfully forthright Aunt Violet.

I've come to enjoy reading about these women's adventures – both, in their different ways, leading very unconventional lives. Both value their independence, which leads to Hannah's dilemma about her own fiancé, Darius, whose father wants them to marry, settle, and have children. It's not quite what Hannah envisages...

The plot takes you down a few fabulous rabbit holes, and gets Hannah into deep trouble in places where respectable ladies should not be found. Her adventure in that place was hilarious, and it involved a really intriguing twist.

As for the murderer, the conclusion is clever, and not quite what you expected.

Murder in Covent Garden is another enjoyable whodunit in this fabulous series, where we find the two fascinating women live their lives the way they want to. It was a time of great upheaval, both across Europe and within the women's rights movements. Things were changing. Against this dark backdrop, we have intriguing murders to solve. Well worth checking out!

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Blurb:

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…

A gripping and unputdownable Golden Age cozy crime mystery, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Helena Dixon and Verity Bright.

Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/MurderCoventGarden

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About the Author:

Anita Davison

Anita was brought up in London, a city with a history that has always fascinated her and influenced her first attempts at writing. Her first three novels featured a 17th Century West Country family on the losing side of the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685. Other previous work includes an Edwardian Cosy Mystery series featuring amateur sleuth, Flora Maguire set in early 20th Century London and Cheltenham. Anita’s most recent work is the Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mysteries set in WWI from Boldwood Books.