Publication: 25th January 2024 – Michael Joseph
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that every good mystery is in need of a brilliant sleuth . . .
Welcome to Hampshire, 1795, where a young Jane Austen has her sights set on securing a marriage proposal from the dashing Tom Lefroy at a local ball.
But when a shocking discovery is made – a milliner’s lifeless body tucked away in a linen closet – Jane finds herself embroiled in an unexpected murder mystery.
As she races against the clock to clear her beloved brother Georgy’s name, Jane uses her sharp wits to navigate the treacherous waters of society, unmasking secrets and unearthing hidden motives along the way. With every twist and turn, Jane’s determination to solve the case deepens. And if she fails, her brother will face the ultimate punishment – the hangman’s noose . . .
Join Jane on her quest for justice as she faces down danger, deceit, and scandal amidst her own friends and neighbours. Will she uncover the truth in time, or will the real killer go free? One thing’s for certain – in Hampshire, nothing is as it seems . . .
As a huge Jane Austen fan, I have been excited about this book since it was first announced. My favourite author solving a murder? Count me in! I waited until the Christmas holidays to read it, so that I could enjoy it relaxed on my couch and without interruptions and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s even more intriguing and immersive than I expected and I couldn’t put it down.
It’s December 1795. A young Jane Austen is attending a ball with her older brothers, James and Henry, and she sneaks out to enjoy a rendezvous with the dashing Tom Lefroy, hoping for a marriage proposal. But they are interrupted when a young woman is found murdered in one of the closets. The local magistrate is convinced that the killer is one of the beggars around the estate, but when the woman’s necklace is found on her developmentally disabled brother Georgy, Jane is determined to prove his innocence before he is sentenced to death or sent to Australia. With the help of her charming cousin Eliza, her brother Henry, and even Tom, Jane sets out to investigate: who really was the victim and who wanted her dead?
Miss Austen Investigates is not my first novel in which Jane Austen turns investigator, but they usually feature a mature Jane, with already a couple of published books. It’s refreshing to read of a younger Jane, impulsive and sometime naive, witty and smart, in the middle of an impossible romance and in love, drafting her first novel, Lady Susan, always writing and always plotting, taking inspirations from events around her.
History and fiction perfectly blend together and the mystery is full of twists and turns. We also get a close look into the Austen family, their devotion to each other, Henry’s feelings for their widowed cousin Eliza, how George’s mental illness affects the family, and the letters between Jane and Cassandra prove the close bond between the two sisters.
Miss Austen Investigates is fun, engaging, and engrossing and I can’t wait for the sequel to come out. Highly recommended!
A huge thank you to Michael Joseph and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of the novel.
Book After Book 