As a huge fan of historical mysteries, I was excited to receive this ARC for review. I thought the description of the story was intriguing. I can honestly tell you that I was not disappointed! From the start I noticed 2 things; the first being well developed characters. There was no apathy toward any of them really, you despised the jerks and you loved the heroine, I never felt like they lacked anything. The second was the author’s research into the time period. This novel is set post-Civil War, in Kansas, during the Victorian period. The author did a fantastic job of illustrating the class divide, structure and customs of the time period.
While I found at least 2 of the characters practically reprehensible, there were several more that I completely enjoyed, however, I can’t help but have fallen in love with Hattie. She is a remarkably written woman. I particularly like that the author wrote her to be a strong, independent, self-sufficient woman in a time period that authors commonly write women to be weak and needy, and often uneducated in worldly matters. Hattie handles herself with class and dignity, gives the illusion that she knows her place, and as it happens, this illusion puts her in a better position to get the information that she needs to solve the murder, especially after her employer is arrested for murder!
All in all, I will say that Anything But Civil should be high on your TBR shelves. It was a roller coaster of twists and turns, where there are tons of suspects and little in the way of clues. It will keep you guessing until the very end! I will definitely be checking out the author’s first novel, A Lack of Temperance, and eagerly anticipate the third in the series.

**ARC from NetGalley

~Michele
Book Geeks Unite ( )

Secretary Hattie Davish has recently been hired by former employer Sir Arthur Windom-Greene, who is researching Civil War history for a book he plans to write. Sir Arthur has rented a house in Galena, Illinois, in order to interview retired General Cornelius Starrett. Starrett's son, Captain Henry Starrett, is also a Civil War veteran. Captain Starrett's return to Galena triggers a chain of events that end in murder. Hattie has successfully solved a murder before, and she's going to have to do it again when someone close to her is arrested for the murder.

I had read and enjoyed the first book in this series so I was eagerly looking forward to this one. It was a disappointment. The dialogue is unnatural, and Hattie and the secondary characters are driven by emotion rather than reason. A good detective story should bring order out of chaos, and chaos has free reign in this book. I won't be looking for any more books in this series. ( )

http://www.girllostinabook.com/2015/05/review-anything-but-civil-by-anna-loan.ht... ( )

I love historical mysteries so I adored this one. Anything But Civil by Anna Loan-Wilsey taught me more details about the Civil War so that and the spellbinding writing makes it an easy five stars for me.

Hattie Davish was hired to aid Sir Arthur Windom who was writing a biography of General Cornelius Starrett. Her employer specialized in writing books about the Civil War. They were trying to get the subject to relate the details of his experience in the Civil War. Despite several attempts, something had always caught interrupted his telling of the meeting Grant and Lee at Appomattox.

Hattie has to be self-effacing due to the low standing of women that were not in the upper class. She is able to catch herself from saying what she thinks. She respects Sir Arthur and wants to continue to work with him. She also knows that she has to fit in socially as not an upper class women or a servant. That trait is very useful when Sir Arthur asks her to plan and participate in the Christmas parties. Hattie has her employer’s up most respect as she has previous solved a murder. There are two people that you will love to hate in this book, General Starrett’s son who happens to resemble Santa Clause and Mrs., Baines who is a stickler for the classes not mixing. There is no way of pleasing Mrs. Baines!

It is easy to get wrapped up in this story and there were very many twists. Hattie also melodically laid out a list of suspects and works on the answers to her questions. Hattie is very clever and certainly knows the art of survival around people such as Mrs. Baines and other villains.

I really enjoyed this historical mystery and hope to read the previous one in this series.

I received this book as a win from First Reads. My thoughts and opinions in this review are totally my own. ( )

I really enjoyed Loan-Wilsey's first Hattie Davish mystery, A Lack of Temperance, but I have to admit that I had a more difficult time getting into Anything But Civil. This is mostly due to the fact that I intensely disliked two of the characters. Henry Starrett was a pompous, spoiled bully who found little reason to rein in his horrible temper. He was so obnoxious that I simply didn't care who killed him because Henry's absence was such a relief. Another character who drew my ire was Rachel Baines, a vain, ill-tempered sort of woman who feels better about herself by constantly putting others down. Henry and Rachel are two sorts of people whom, if I met them in real life, I would walk away-- and stay away-- from. Since they are prominent characters with many scenes, it was tough going at times.

But I still think the character of Hattie Davish is a winner. She's smart, hard-working, quick-thinking and brave, and I enjoy watching her piece together clues to solve the crime. Getting acquainted with Hattie's oft-mentioned employer, Sir Arthur Windom-Greene, was a treat as well. He's an interesting blend of scholar, forward thinker, and proper upper class British gentleman. Also tops on my enjoyment scale is the setting of Galena, Illinois. The author made a very good decision to set her book in the hometown of Ulysses S. Grant. What better place to show the lingering aftereffects of the Civil War than in the home of the best-known of the Union generals?

Although two obnoxious characters did dim my enjoyment of Hattie Davish's second mystery, I like her so much that I'm looking forward to her next adventure. ( )