I really WANTED the spoilers! Mysteries, mysteries... Oh! I really like Jill Churchill's Grace and Favor series. They feature a brother and sister just after their family lost everything in 1928, trying to survive and thrive in a small town far away from their origins in New York. I really like them! Have you watched "Murder, She Wrote" ? I always enjoyed it but wondered about this woman finding a dead person every week. Wouldn't you move away from a small town where the residents were dying off so quickly? Love your reviews!
Unlike yourself, I'm *not* usually a big consumer of murder mysteries, but there was just enough of a "magic school" aspect to draw me in to this one. I really liked it too! And I loved your review.
I bought Upright Women Wanted after seeing your review for it, loved it, and then went out and bought this book as well - Magic for Liars. Also, if you like Agatha Christie, I would suggest the Christie inspired Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji