To Jane Austen's surprise, her visit to the Hertfordshire estate of Isobel Payne, Countess of Scargrave is far from dull. She has scarcely arrived when the Earl dies of a mystery ailment. With the bereaved widow accused of murder, Jane finds herself embroiled in a dangerous investigation.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I should start by saying that I am not a fan of the Austen spin-offs that seem to be flooding the market at the moment; I haven't read one so far that didn't seem like a lifeless cardboard cutout of the original style of Jane Austen. So I was extremely sceptical about this series, featuring Jane as sleuth. However, I was very pleasantly surprised. The book is written in the first person 'by' Jane, which is quite a task to attempt, but the author pulls it off beautifully. The writing is believable and even the editorial footnotes are done with a light touch. The mystery is gripping and doesn't stretch the credulity too far. I found myself devouring the book and looking forward to the rest of the series.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
Stephanie Barron has created a very enjoyable and readable murder mystery. The novel is narrated by the author, Jane Austen. Anyone who enjoys Austen's (the real one) style and characterisation will love this book. Likewise readers of crime fiction. Barron has put the two genres together admirably. Jane is spending a few days over Christmas with her friend Isobel, the Countess of Scargrave when her husband dies in circumstances that look like murder. We are led a merry dance with Jane trying to detect the murderer. Isobel seems to belong to a family of possible suspects. I read nineteenth century classics as well as thrillers so enjoyed this no end.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Eleni
TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This is the first book in the Jane Austen Mystery Series by Stephanie Barron.
In a newly discovered secret journal, Jane Austen documents her adventures as an amateur sleuth. In 1802, twenty-seven year old Jane visits her good friend, Isobel Payne, Countess of Scargrave, in Hertfordshire. Scargrave Manor seems the perfect place for Jane to recover after the embarrassment of accepting and then rejecting the marriage proposal of Mr. Bigg-Wither, and to celebrate the Christmas season with young and beautiful Isobel and her husband of three months, the elderly Earl of Scargrave. However, when the Earl suddenly dies from a mysterious illness and Isobel becomes the main suspect, Jane cannot refuse her friend's plea for help and uses her wit and her brilliant abilities of perception to solve the mystery and clear Isobel's name.
I love mysteries and historical novels, almost as much as I love Jane Austen, but I was afraid that the idea to cast Jane Austen as a detective would be too far-fetched and the book would be like so many disappointing and irritating sequels and rewritings of my favorite authoress. Luckily I couldn't be more wrong, as Stephanie Barron has created a gripping mystery plot, brilliantly set in Austen's time, with a very convincing Jane as its heroine. As the story is narrated by Austen in her journal and her letters to her sister Cassandra, the language is very similar to her existing letters and so realistic that reading it, I would often forget that it is indeed a work of fiction. The atmosphere of both rural Hertfordshire and London is excellent, drawn with beautiful imagery and historical detail. The well developed characters are based on the types of characters created by Austen herself, and thus are very convincing and typical of their time.... Read more ›
In a newly discovered secret journal, Jane Austen documents her adventures as an amateur sleuth. In 1802, twenty-seven year old Jane visits her good friend, Isobel Payne, Countess of Scargrave, in Hertfordshire. Scargrave Manor seems the perfect place for Jane to recover after the embarrassment of accepting and then rejecting the marriage proposal of Mr. Bigg-Wither, and to celebrate the Christmas season with young and beautiful Isobel and her husband of three months, the elderly Earl of Scargrave. However, when the Earl suddenly dies from a mysterious illness and Isobel becomes the main suspect, Jane cannot refuse her friend's plea for help and uses her wit and her brilliant abilities of perception to solve the mystery and clear Isobel's name.
I love mysteries and historical novels, almost as much as I love Jane Austen, but I was afraid that the idea to cast Jane Austen as a detective would be too far-fetched and the book would be like so many disappointing and irritating sequels and rewritings of my favorite authoress. Luckily I couldn't be more wrong, as Stephanie Barron has created a gripping mystery plot, brilliantly set in Austen's time, with a very convincing Jane as its heroine. As the story is narrated by Austen in her journal and her letters to her sister Cassandra, the language is very similar to her existing letters and so realistic that reading it, I would often forget that it is indeed a work of fiction. The atmosphere of both rural Hertfordshire and London is excellent, drawn with beautiful imagery and historical detail. The well developed characters are based on the types of characters created by Austen herself, and thus are very convincing and typical of their time.... Read more ›
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Into the growing sub-genre of mysteries involving real people as fictional detectives Stephanie Barron adds Jane Austen. "Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor," being the first in this series, finds the yet to be famous authoress away from home after having accepted and then rejected the marriage proposal of Harris Bigg-Wither. Jane is visiting the Hertfordshire estate of her friend Isobel Payne, Countess of Scargrave. However, after Jane's arrival the elderly Earl suddenly suffers a most horrible death due to a mysterious illness, leaving Isobel a widow after only three months of marriage. When a letter arrives accusing Isobel and the Earl's nephew of adultery and murder, Jane becomes involved in the investigation. The suspects are the late Earl's guests, a collection of characters who could easily have been lifted from one of Austen's novels--but then that is exactly the point here.
Barron is not only trying to write in the style of Jane Austen, a daunting enough task to be sure, she is also interested in shedding light on the writer's life and work. After all, the idea that Austen's heroines always found the love in life that was denied their creator is rather depressing. Barron has fun suggesting that the characters in this novel might have served as the model for those in Austen's novels: e.g., that Lord Pitzroy Payne, who catches Jane's eye, is the model for Mr. Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice." Obviously Barron is interested in trying to create the great secret love of Austen's life, although our fascination with such an idea is tempered by the fact that Jane would die a spinster.
... Read more › Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Bought this book some years ago and lent to someone who didn't return it so wanted it for my collection
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Difficult at first because I am not a native English speaker and it is written in an authentic Jane Austen style.
But I soon started to like the character and of course I wanted to know who had done it!
But I soon started to like the character and of course I wanted to know who had done it!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Will She or Won't She?
Having tried most of them, I steer clear of Jane Austen follow ons. A few chapters then the bin. So I approached this series with trepidation. I have since become enchanted. Read more
Published on 17 Feb 2011 by G. A. D. Revill-taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars
Even after 15 years in print and 10 novels in the series, this first...
Imagine being present when Jane Austen's unknown personal journals are discovered in an outbuilding on an ancient Maryland estate, Dunready Manor. Read more
Published on 14 Jan 2011 by Laurel Ann
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