Publication: 27th March 2025 – MichaelJoseph
‘Who are you, Miss Austen, but a young lady of little experience and no consequence?’
Welcome to Godmersham Park, 1797.
Following many years apart, Jane Austen is set to spend the summer with her estranged brother, Neddy.
As heir to wealthy widow Mrs Knight’s fortune, it is imperative that Neddy stays in his benefactor’s good graces.
But upon arrival in Kent, Jane quickly realises Neddy is in dire need of her help.
For a mysterious young woman named Eleanor currently resides with Mrs Knight – a stranger who threatens to swindle the inheritance for herself.
Jane must uncover who Mrs Knight’s guest really is, to protect the fate of her entire family. When she discovers a series of threatening letters meant for Eleanor, her investigation takes an unexpected turn.
Because the dangers aren’t just within the walls of Godmersham Park. Jane knows someone else is out there watching, waiting – but for what?
Is this curious Eleanor friend, or foe? And can Jane solve the mystery, before danger comes for them all?
I have been waiting to read this second book in the Miss Austen Investigates series since last year when, at the end of the first novel, I read its first chapter promising more intriguing adventures for my favourite author and I wasn’t disappointed.
A Fortune Most Fatal starts with the young author on her way to visit her brother Edward “Neddy” Knight Austen. Jane’s brother, Edward, had attracted the affection of the family’s wealthy relatives, the Knights, who, being childless, adopted him when he was about sixteen years old, making him the sole heir of their estate. In A Fortune Most Fatal, Jane is going to stay with her brother to help his wife before the birth of their fourth child. Usually, it’s her sister Cassandra who is called in these times of need, but she is grieving the death of her fiancé so the responsibility has fallen on Jane. And, it’s not that everyone would have preferred Cassandra that bothers Jane or that her sister-in-law, Elizabeth, is determined to find her a husband (if only Jane would behave in the proper manner of a lady), but it’s the presence of a mysterious young woman that may threaten Neddy’s inheritance from the Knights that keeps Jane’s mind occupied.
A young woman has been found on the beach near Godmersham Park. She claims to be a Spanish princess who’s been kidnapped and the recently widowed Mrs. Knights has taken her under her protection, preventing anyone from getting close to her, including her own son. Jane is determined to find out the truth, but as her investigation uncovers dark secrets, she wonders not only if the young woman is a fraud or if she is a victim, but who, among those close to her, she can trust.
I loved this second book even more than the first one. Set in 1797, Jane is working on her latest manuscript, The Sisters, which will later become her first published novel, Sense & Sensibility. She is worried about her sister Cassandra who she left in deep grief over the death of her fiancé, while Jane herself is still thinking about Tom Lefroy, the man she loves, but that she can’t marry. Jane is smart, witty, and quite curious, always full of questions and opinions that sometimes annoy those around her, but won’t stop her from getting to the truth.
Brilliantly-written, entertaining, and immersive, A Fortune Most Fatal has a cast of wonderful characters and a mystery that is darker than I expected, but that left me glued to the pages and looking forward to another Jane Austen’s investigation.
A huge thank you to MichaelJoseph and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of the novel in exchange of my honest opinion.
Jessica Bull grew up in South East London, where she still lives with her husband, two daughters, and far too many pets. She’s addicted to stories and studied English Literature at Bristol University, and Information Science at City University, London. She began work as a librarian (under the false impression she could sit and read all day), before becoming a communications consultant.
Her debut novel, Miss Austen Investigates, has sold in eighteen territories and counting. A Fortune Most Fatal is the highly-anticipated second book in the series.
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