Murder at Longbourn (An Elizabeth Parker Mystery #1)

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Murder at Longbourn (An Elizabeth Parker Mystery #1)

3.49 of 5 stars 3.49 · rating details · 436 ratings · 144 reviews

A die-hard fan of Jane Austen novels and the traditional English mystery,Tracy Kielyhas combined elements of both for this truly delightful and witty debut.

Planning New Year’s resolutions to rid her life of all things unhealthy, Elizabeth Parker has dumped fatty foods, processed sugar, and her two-timing boyfriend. Indeed, the invitation to join her Aunt Winnie foraHo

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Hardcover, 320 pages

Published September 1st 2009 by Minotaur Books

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Sep 30, 2011 Betty rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arlington-library, mystery, funny

Elizabeth Parker is not enthusiastically looking forward to bringing in the New Year. She was just dumped by her two-timing boyfriend, is on her way to Cape Cod to help her Aunt Winny host a Murder Mystery Dinner Party, and she has just discovered that she will be spending the weekend with her childhood nemesis, Peter McGowan. Elizabeth, recollecting how Peter McGowan tortured and tormented her when they were children, seriously doubts that he has lost his immature and mischievous ways in the la...more Elizabeth Parker is not enthusiastically looking forward to bringing in the New Year. She was just dumped by her two-timing boyfriend, is on her way to Cape Cod to help her Aunt Winny host a Murder Mystery Dinner Party, and she has just discovered that she will be spending the weekend with her childhood nemesis, Peter McGowan. Elizabeth, recollecting how Peter McGowan tortured and tormented her when they were children, seriously doubts that he has lost his immature and mischievous ways in the last fifteen years. The only thing Elizabeth has to look forward to this weekend is spending time with her Aunt Winny at her charming new bed-and-breakfast, The Inn at Longbourn.

Winnifred Reynolds is eccentric, unconventional, and wealthy. She has an affinity for Jane Austen, drives like a maniac, and is a delightfully quirky character. The other guest attending this murder dinner party are just as colorful and uniquely defined. Henry and Joan Anderson are middle-aged antique business owners, who are grateful recipients of patronage from the esteemed Mrs. Kristell Dubois. Gerald Ramsey, a wealthy and unfriendly man, shows up with an unpleasant and acrimonious disposition. Daniel Simms, originally from England, is extremely attractive and aggressively pursues Elizabeth (to her delight), but is rumored to be having and affair with Lauren Ramsey, Gerald's younger wife. Polly, Gerald's daughter from a previous marriage, appears to be sullen and reserved, how does she live with such a controlling and disagreeable father? Wealthy and widowed Linnet Westin is new to the neighborhood and has invited her high school friend Jackie Tanner to come live with her as a companion. Jackie Tanner is well-known for her gaudy and over-sized hats and her penchant for sharing the latest gossip.

Soon the acting troupe arrives for the Murder Mystery and everything seems to be underway for a pleasant evening full of suspense and intrigue until the lights go out and the wrong person is found lying dead... Instead of finding one of the actors "dead" after the lights are turned back on, they find one of the dinner guests' lifeless form on the carpet. When the police determine that the murderer is a guest at the dinner party everyone becomes a suspect. The tension escalates when the police ascertain that Aunt Winnie has the strongest motive for murder and peg her as their prime suspect. Elizabeth, determined to clear her aunt's name, takes it upon herself to find the true culprit. Alas, Elizabeth is no Nancy Drew and clumsily and comically bungles up the investigation for the police department and she begrudgingly accepts assistance from Peter. (less)

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Aug 23, 2011 Marci rated it 3 of 5 stars

I picked this up because my friend Chelsea talked about it and I, too, cannot resist trying a book with a Jane Austen hook (except the zombies one). I thought this was rather cute and clever, although I can see why Chelsea said she was disappointed--I think I was rather glad actually, that this did not take place at the Austen-created Longbourn.

Given the setting, it made a lot more sense to channel Agatha Christie heavily along with the obvious Jane Austen references, even including the ones to...more

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Oct 05, 2009 Cheryl rated it 3 of 5 stars

Elizabeth Parker receives a New Year’s Eve party invite from her Aunt Winnie. Her Aunt is hosting a murder themed party. The night promises to be filled with lots of fun, mayhem and a few surprises. The guests have all arrived and the games are ready to begin. They turn out the lights to start when a gun shot is heard. The lights come back on and there lies a body. Unfortunately, someone has decided to raise the stakes and play for real.

Murder at Longbourn is author, Tracy Kiely’s debut novel....more

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Jun 11, 2011 Hannah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cozy-mystery

Tracy Kiely's Murder at Longbourn is a humorous, well-paced mystery that made for a spiffing good read, particularly for fans of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and classic English literature in general. References to Shakespeare, Agatha Christie, Elizabeth Peters and a whole host of other literary works was a delight. My initial wariness that it might try too hard with the P&P themes was instantly abated when I discovered that both heroine Elizabeth Parker and her Aunt Winnie are huge fan...more Tracy Kiely's Murder at Longbourn is a humorous, well-paced mystery that made for a spiffing good read, particularly for fans of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and classic English literature in general. References to Shakespeare, Agatha Christie, Elizabeth Peters and a whole host of other literary works was a delight. My initial wariness that it might try too hard with the P&P themes was instantly abated when I discovered that both heroine Elizabeth Parker and her Aunt Winnie are huge fans of Austen, who drew attention to the parallels between their situation and that of Pride and Prejudice in a tongue-in-cheek, self-aware manner which only increased the humour of it all.

The characters are wonderfully crafted, and fans of P&P should find it particularly entertaining trying to spot which characters are P&P counterparts. Some of them are very subtly woven in indeed; others, like Henry (our Mr. Collins) are hilariously obvious. Our main character, Elizabeth, is delightfully witty. She might not have the poise of Elizabeth Bennet, but certainly has spunk to match. Aunt Winnie is a hoot, and I liked what (unfortunately) little we saw of Peter McGowan, Elizabeth's childhood nemesis. Having experienced something similar myself - I was constantly teased and later locked in the attic by a boy I knew from childhood and have hated him since - I particularly loved the realistic transition between their bickering fights to a grudging friendship. The parallel between Elizabeth/Darcy and Elizabeth/Peter's realization that their dislike was rooted in misunderstanding was beautifully done and very natural.

The murder mystery is fast-paced, well developed and slightly reminiscent of an Agatha Christie Miss Marple novel. It basically did exactly what a mystery novel should do; it kept the suspense building, fleshed out the suspects and had us consider them in turn, clues are revealed to the reader so that they can think along, and most of all, the whole investigation remained interesting and culminated in a clever resolution that we couldn't figure out until the end. Tracy Kiely has also smoothly incorporated the elements of a classic drawing room murder and the atmosphere of a tightly-knit small village without ever making it feel forced. Many recent cozy mysteries use every cliché of a small town and fail to sketch the setting half as effectively as Kiely has done here.

My only, minor complaint is that I wish there was a little more time spent developing Elizabeth and Peter's relationship. I noted earlier than the transition from hateful bickering to grudging camaraderie was smooth. Unfortunately the change from friendship to love was far less smooth. While I could understand that Peter might have liked Elizabeth for a while, I simply couldn't see how Elizabeth realized so quickly that Peter was a romantic possibility - she had resented him for so long! Perhaps this would have been better paced if Elizabeth spent less time being attracted to ~~Wickham~~ Daniel? Despite this, I liked the interactions between Peter and Elizabeth and find them a great couple to root for; the final tie-in between their relationship and Elizabeth and Darcy's was adorable.

I'm looking forward to picking up the next book, Murder on the Bride's Side , and seeing more developments between Peter and Elizabeth.(less)

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May 01, 2012 Rebekah Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009

Elizabeth Parker is determined to get a head start on her New Year’s resolutions by making healthier choices, more specifically by eliminating fatty foods and her two-timing boyfriend from her life. So when her Aunt Winnie’s invitation to a murder arrives, Elizabeth welcomes the opportunity to escape to Cape Cod for the upcoming holiday.

Of course, she’s not been invited to an actual murder, but a murder mystery party hosted at her aunt’s bed and breakfast Longbourn, named for the Bennet house in...more

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Sep 08, 2009 Vic rated it 4 of 5 stars

Once I began reading Murder at Longbourn, a fast moving mystery written by Tracy Kiely, I discovered with pleasant surprise that I had difficulty putting this debut novel down. I say surprise, for it has been several years since I enjoyed reading a mystery novel. The plot reminded me of an old fashioned Agatha Christie drawing room murder with some humor thrown in. On New Year’s eve, Elizabeth Parker’s eccentric Aunt Winnifred, the proprietor of the Inn at Longbourn and a lover of all things Jan...more Once I began reading Murder at Longbourn, a fast moving mystery written by Tracy Kiely, I discovered with pleasant surprise that I had difficulty putting this debut novel down. I say surprise, for it has been several years since I enjoyed reading a mystery novel. The plot reminded me of an old fashioned Agatha Christie drawing room murder with some humor thrown in. On New Year’s eve, Elizabeth Parker’s eccentric Aunt Winnifred, the proprietor of the Inn at Longbourn and a lover of all things Jane Austen, decides to throw a “How to Host a Murder Party.” Elizabeth, wishing to forget her two-timing boyfriend, has arrived to help her. Aunt Winnie informs Elizabeth almost immediately that she has also invited Peter McGowan to help out. Upon hearing this news, Elizabeth’s heart sinks. At fourteen, Peter had locked her chubby and awkward ten-year-old-self in the basement and mockingly called her Cocoa Puff. Hating the idea of their remeeting, for Elizabeth is convinced that Peter has not changed one whit, she decides to stay and honor her commitment to Aunt Winnie. Making the best of what is she is sure will become an awkward situation, Elizabeth writes a list of resolutions:

I will have inner poise
I will not let Peter McGowan get under my skin
I will not allow myself to be locked in a dark basement
I will have a calm and relaxing New Year’s

But then things go bump in the night and Elizabeth’s well-laid plans for a smooth evening go awry. A wealthy guest is murdered in the middle of a murder mystery game, leaving the actors without a script to work from and the local police scratching their heads. When Elizabeth realizes that poor Aunt Winnie is the most likely suspect, she goes into overdrive to help solve the murder. Peter turns out to be an unlikely ally. In fact, Tracy Kiely had devised a situation in which the hero and heroine at first misunderstand each other. (Quelle surprise!) The heroine must then sort through her ill-conceived preconceptions before COMING to an UNDERSTANDING with the hero. Shades of Pride and Prejudice, which also happens to be Elizabeth Parker’s favorite novel! Throw in a cat named Lady Catherine, two friends called Bridget and Colin (I kid you not), a plot set in New ENGLAND in a small village inhabited by gossipy small village characters similar to the sort found in Meryton, a sprinkling of clues that left this reader pondering and wondering until the very end, and you have a fabulous read.

Tracy Kiely weaves her old-fashioned murder mystery with a modern sensibility and the sort of humorous observations about the human character that I love. Those who have come to appreciate a more forensic approach to murder solving, will be a tad disappointed, but those who love good writing, well-drawn characters, a solid mystery plot that is hard to solve, and Austenesque overtones, will enjoy this book as much as I did. Not that Tracy’s debut novel is entirely without fault, for she introduced a score of characters at the beginning, many of whom were hard to recall only pages later, and after the actors played their roles, they were suddenly dropped from the plot. As the mystery unfolded, Austenesque details and humorous observations came fewer and farther between, and never quite reappeared to my satisfaction. The good news is that Tracy Kiely has been given an opportunity to perfect her craft and hone her considerable writing skills. Next year, the delightful Elizabeth Parker will solve another murder mystery in Tracy’s second novel, Murder on the Bride’s Side.(less)

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Jan 11, 2010 Jane Greensmith rated it 4 of 5 stars

Murder at Longbourn, by Tracy Kiely, turned out to be everything I had hoped it would be--a cozy mystery with strong tie-ins to P&P but without being an overly serious, self-conscious, joyless retelling of the story. The novel is jam-packed with Austen quotes and references to the various movies and adaptations that constitute Austen Inc.--I particularly enjoyed the Bridget Jones bit--but branches out a bit to include Shakespeare, Dorothy Parker, Oscar Wilde and other literary wits. I smiled...more

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Jun 07, 2011 Jeannie and Louis Rigod rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am probably the only person reading this book without having read Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice.'
So, I went into the story with an innocence and am leaving with knowing I need to read Ms. Austen's works.

Elizabeth goes to help her Auntie with a special New Year's celebration at her Bed and Breakfast. The theme will be dinner with a killer. Or, Dinner theater. Too her dismay, a childhood friend (sounds like a real terror in the day, Peter McGowan is there to help as well or is he? Could he...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars

As a huge fan of Jane Austen's I was worried that this book would let me down by trying too hard to draw on the allure of Austen's work. I've read some really bad ones but this one isn't one of them. You don't even need to know anything about Pride and Prejudice to read this book. It had some quotes and parallels to the characters but that's about it. It reminded me a lot of an Agatha Christie mystery. I liked all the characters, the mystery was well executed, and the banter between the charact...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mysteries, 2012

Solid mystery though I think the story would have been better served to have included a list of characters at the beginning of the book. I got introduced to alot of people at the beginning of the story, which was pretty confusing to keep straight, but as the story went along I was able to fix in my mind who was who.

There were some P&P cutsie references at the beginning of the story, which was fine if you were in the mood, but if you weren't - well, it was just cutsie and something that would...more

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Aug 17, 2011 Manda Collins rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Jane Austen, cozy mysteries, Nancy Drew, Agatha Christie

Shelves: mystery

Lovely start to a fun series that mixes Nancy Drew with Jane Austen and adds a pinch of Agatha Christie. When Elizabeth Parker leaves DC to attend her Great Aunt Winnie's New Year's Eve party, the last thing she expects is for one of the guests to end up dead. The party is a How to Host A Murder party, true, but the only death was supposed to be pretend. And it's up to Elizabeth and her childhood-nemesis-turned-hunk Peter to make sure Aunt Winnie doesn't become suspect number one. With plenty of...more

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Nov 08, 2009 Bonnie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This cozy mystery is promoted as being of interest to Jane Austin fans and does include a number of Austin tie ins. It takes place during the holidays at a bed and breakfast on Cape Code. Twenty something Elizabeth is at loose ends for New Years and wanting a change of local to get away from her two timeing boyfriend. She accepts her Aunt Ellizabeth's invite to help out at the murder mystery dinner for New Years Eve and you can guess what happens at that dinner. The author plays fair with the re...more

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Nov 02, 2009 Rhonda rated it 4 of 5 stars

i'd go 4 1/2 stars on this one. let's face it - it's set in my fantasyland - martha's vineyard in late december with tons of snow and roaring fireplaces and a rambling b&b with a reading room and cranberry muffins - AND - a murder mystery dinner show! it'd have to suck for me not to love it. i really liked tha characters and the writing was good. i look forward to the next in the series and would like to volunteer to check out any b&b's in new england to see if they might be appropriate...more

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May 24, 2010 Ashley rated it 3 of 5 stars

A harmless P&P retelling as a modern murder mystery. Not particularly deep, but the characters are interesting and likable. I had fun figuring out which characters were supposed to correlate to Austen's characters. I realized partway through that Kiely also steals from Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile (the names Jacqueline and Linnet, one friend shooting another's husband in the leg), without any real purpose or acknowledgement. I found that a little distracting. Otherwise, a fun, if brai...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Michele Bolay rated it 2 of 5 stars

As both a life-long Austen fan and a mystery fan, I picked this up expecting to enjoy it. It is, at best, pleasant, but nothing sticks. Neither the characters nor the plot are particularly compelling. As far as the Pride and Prejudice tie-in, please. Other than a lot of P&P quotes and a few place/character names, I don't see many Austen parallels. The title seems more like a marketing ploy than anything else. Austen fans: unless you're a die-hard cozy mystery fan looking for a quick bedtime...more

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Jul 20, 2012 Alice rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: jane-austen-around, séries-en-cours

Allez savoir pourquoi, plusieurs auteurs para-austeniens ont l'air de penser que Jane Austen et le crime font bon ménage. Nous avons déjà eu droit, avec plus ou moins de succès, à Jane Austen à Scargrave Manor de Stephanie Barron, Murder at Mansfield Park de Lynn Shepherd ou encore There Must Be Murder de Margaret C. Sullivan. Et voilà donc une nouvelle série de crimes, mais qui se passent cette fois à notre époque.

Elizabeth, l'héroïne, décide d'aller passer le nouvel an dans le Bed and Breakf...more Allez savoir pourquoi, plusieurs auteurs para-austeniens ont l'air de penser que Jane Austen et le crime font bon ménage. Nous avons déjà eu droit, avec plus ou moins de succès, à Jane Austen à Scargrave Manor de Stephanie Barron, Murder at Mansfield Park de Lynn Shepherd ou encore There Must Be Murder de Margaret C. Sullivan. Et voilà donc une nouvelle série de crimes, mais qui se passent cette fois à notre époque.

Elizabeth, l'héroïne, décide d'aller passer le nouvel an dans le Bed and Breakfast de sa tante Winnie, après une rupture difficile. Elle en profitera pour aider sa tante à organiser sa soirée spéciale réveillon: une Murder Party! Mais tout bascule lorsque l'un des invités se fait bel et bien assassiner!

Dire que ce livre s'inspire de P&P n'est pas tout à fait vrai. On sent bien que l'auteur est une grande fan de Jane Austen et on retrouve certes des éléments de trame similaires dans les histoires d'amour par exemple, mais pas seulement. Il y a aussi une certaine ambiance, des éléments d'Emma entre autres, beaucoup de clins d'oeil amusants comme l'auberge qui s'appelle "The Inn at Longbourn" ou le chat de la tante extrêmement bien nommé "Lady Catherine"! De plus, Elizabeth et Aunt Winnie sont des admiratrices avérées de Jane Austen et la cite à bon escient! Comment ne pas se sentir alors proche d'elles! On a immédiatement envie de se retrouver nous aussi dans cette auberge et de se faire chouchouter par notre gentille tante à coup de philosophie austenienne!

Mais si cela aurait suffit à me faire adorer ce livre, ce n'est pas tout. Tracy Kiely possède également un talent bien à elle pour les enquêtes criminelles! J'ai cru déceler dès le départ la solution de l'énigme mais je me suis finalement bien fait balader. Je n'en dis pas plus pour ne rien révéler mais si vous pensez également que crime et Jane Austen font bon ménage, je vous conseille vivement ce livre dont il existe, oh joie!, déjà deux suites.

http://janeausten.hautetfort.com/arch...(less)

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Mar 03, 2013 Sarah Fetterman rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: jane-austen, love-story, mystery

I found the novel Murder at Longbourn by Tracy Kiely at my local library a few weeks ago and thought it would be a refreshing break from all of the reading I'd been doing for school. I'm a Jane Austen fan, though not as much as a purist as some. I don't like to read books that continue Austen's novels. I read one once, but decided that I prefer Austen's original endings. I also haven't read either of the Austen adaptations by Quirk Classics -- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Sense and Sensib...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Emjy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned

Murder at Longbourn est sans conteste la meilleure oeuvre "dérivée" de Jane Austen que j'ai lue jusqu'ici. Ce roman dépasse, et de très loin, tout ce que j'ai pu lire dans le même genre. En plus d'être, comme son titre l'indique, un roman à suspens très réussi (l'intrigue policière est efficace et fort bien menée), Murder at Longbourn est délicieux sous bien des aspects. L'humour est irrésistible. Les références à Jane Austen sont nombreuses mais subtiles. La satire sociale, la romance et les pe...more

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Oct 13, 2009 Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: jane-austen, austen-inspired

Elizabeth Parker is not enthusiastically looking forward to bringing in the New Year. She was just dumped by her two-timing boyfriend, is on her way to Cape Cod to help her Aunt Winny host a Murder Mystery Dinner Party, and she has just discovered that she will be spending the weekend with her childhood nemesis, Peter McGowan. Elizabeth, recollecting how Peter McGowan tortured and tormented her when they were children, seriously doubts that he has lost his immature and mischievous ways in the la...more Elizabeth Parker is not enthusiastically looking forward to bringing in the New Year. She was just dumped by her two-timing boyfriend, is on her way to Cape Cod to help her Aunt Winny host a Murder Mystery Dinner Party, and she has just discovered that she will be spending the weekend with her childhood nemesis, Peter McGowan. Elizabeth, recollecting how Peter McGowan tortured and tormented her when they were children, seriously doubts that he has lost his immature and mischievous ways in the last fifteen years. The only thing Elizabeth has to look forward to this weekend is spending time with her Aunt Winny at her charming new bed-and-breakfast, The Inn at Longbourn.

Winnifred Reynolds is eccentric, unconventional, and wealthy. She has an affinity for Jane Austen, drives like a maniac, and is a delightfully quirky character. The other guest attending this murder dinner party are just as colorful and uniquely defined. Henry and Joan Anderson are middle-aged antique business owners, who are grateful recipients of patronage from the esteemed Mrs. Kristell Dubois. Gerald Ramsey, a wealthy and unfriendly man, shows up with an unpleasant and acrimonious disposition. Daniel Simms, originally from England, is extremely attractive and aggressively pursues Elizabeth (to her delight), but is rumored to be having and affair with Lauren Ramsey, Gerald's younger wife. Polly, Gerald's daughter from a previous marriage, appears to be sullen and reserved, how does she live with such a controlling and disagreeable father? Wealthy and widowed Linnet Westin is new to the neighborhood and has invited her high school friend Jackie Tanner to come live with her as a companion. Jackie Tanner is well-known for her gaudy and over-sized hats and her penchant for sharing the latest gossip.

Soon the acting troupe arrives for the Murder Mystery and everything seems to be underway for a pleasant evening full of suspense and intrigue until the lights go out and the wrong person is found lying dead... Instead of finding one of the actors “dead” after the lights are turned back on, they find one of the dinner guests' lifeless form on the carpet. When the police determine that the murderer is a guest at the dinner party everyone becomes a suspect. The tension escalates when the police ascertain that Aunt Winnie has the strongest motive for murder and peg her as their prime suspect. Elizabeth, determined to clear her aunt's name, takes it upon herself to find the true culprit. Alas, Elizabeth is no Nancy Drew and clumsily and comically bungles up the investigation for the police department and she begrudgingly accepts assistance from Peter.

What a charming and remarkable debut novel by Tracy Kiely! While I am not well-versed in mystery novels, having only read the Nancy Drew series and novels by Stephanie Barron and Carrie Bebris, I found this novel to be a praiseworthy addition to the mystery genre. The events of the novel were not cliché or predictable, and the outcome was unforeseen and clever. I adored Elizabeth Parker, and I love how she and Aunt Winnie are such Austen fanatics they interject quotes from “Pride and Prejudice” into their conversations and witty banters. Furthermore, I enjoyed the character parallels between Elizabeth Bennet/Elizabeth Parker and Mr. Darcy/Peter McGowan. The subtle nuances and nods to “Pride and Prejudice” were inventive and a pleasure to discover. My only request to Ms. Kiely is to give the brooding and complex Peter McGowan more page time!

Ms. Kiely is a skillful story-teller and this suspenseful tale of murder is sure to captivate and beguile Jane Austen and Agatha Christie fans alike. I eagerly anticipate spending more time with the lovable and quirky characters of Longbourn Inn as they embark upon their next mystery the “Murder on the Bride's Side.”
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Oct 09, 2009 Sallie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mysteries

I'm always somewhat dubious of any author trying to incorporate Jane Austen and her books in their own works, but this mystery combined two of my loves quite well - JA and mysteries. I picked it up at my local library Wednesday and finished it last night. A very quick read with a mystery I didn't figure out in the first few chapters, and I enjoyed the quotes from JA works throughout the book as well as recognizable character traits from her novels. I'll be looking for more of Tracy Kiely's myste...more

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Feb 10, 2010 Melissa rated it 2 of 5 stars

http://gerberadaisydiaries.blogspot.c...

Poor Elizabeth Parker – being alone on New Year’s Eve sucks. So much so, she has taken her great Aunt Winnie’s offer to come to her B&B -- the Inn at Longbourn -- on the Cape. There she will help her aunt stage a “Dinner/Murder Mystery” for her guests. But before the evening is over, something has gone horribly wrong, after the lights go up, someone has really been murdered! And it’s none other than the village’s most hated resident – Gerald Ramsey. Al...more http://gerberadaisydiaries.blogspot.c...

Poor Elizabeth Parker – being alone on New Year’s Eve sucks. So much so, she has taken her great Aunt Winnie’s offer to come to her B&B -- the Inn at Longbourn -- on the Cape. There she will help her aunt stage a “Dinner/Murder Mystery” for her guests. But before the evening is over, something has gone horribly wrong, after the lights go up, someone has really been murdered! And it’s none other than the village’s most hated resident – Gerald Ramsey. All of the guests are suspects, and Elizabeth must play detective before the police accuse her Aunt of the crime.

Tracy Kiely’s first novel, “Murder at Longbourn” is billed for “the die-hard fan of Jane Austen novels…” Other than the main character’s name, she being in search of her own “Mr. Darcy”, the Inn being named after the Bennett’s residence in Pride and Prejudice, and a poorly written pas de deux between Elizabeth and despised friend, Peter McGowan – I found absolutely NO similarities between this novel and ANYTHING Ms. Austen has ever written.

The mystery was also weakly drawn. After the crime has occurred, the police question the guests, find the murder weapon in the cat bed, and go on their merry way, admonishing the guests, “not to go anywhere.” Maybe I’ve watched too many CSI episodes, but can’t officers test for gun powder residue immediately?? I would think, in my TV trained mind, that a murder suspect could have been instantly apprehended the night of the event. But, alas, we are drawn into a nonsensical tale of real estate obsession, family discord, and a case of mistaken identity, that is really laughable. Oh, and the clichés in the book are mind numbing. The best in the whole book was at the end, when the police arrive at another potential crime scene and they shout, “Police! Nobody move!” Now, that was original.

I think I would have been more forgiving of this book, if at the very least, the romance was believable. I’m a sucker for romantic tension and lovers realizing they are meant for each other after all. But, nothing in this romance was, well, romantic.

With this book, I’ve finally given up on reading Austen-knockoff lit. I haven’t found anything that is worth my while. If you have any recommendations, please advise.

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Sep 07, 2012 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Colonel Mustard, in the parlor, with a candlestick? Well, not quite.
This is a cozy little mystery with some heartfelt sentiment and self realization thrown in for fun.
The main character, Elizabeth Parker, has just made a brave escape, now what will she do with the rest of her life? The characters are easy to like and relate to. Some funny parts are in this book as well.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and will look for more from this author in the future!
I'd say 4 out of 5 stars!

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Oct 21, 2010 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, fiction

This book reminded me of stories I wrote back in high-school: thoroughly predictable conversations, cliche sayings, and interchanges. Flat characters.

Not to the author: just because you love Jane Austen doesn't mean you need to write a book to showcase your obsession! Especially in a non-creative way, like quoting lines from P&P throughout the book, or having a character just like Mr. Collins. Bleh.

The ending was a surprise, but it wasn't enough to change the book.

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Jul 30, 2012 Mary Simonsen rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a clever mystery in the style of Murder, She Wrote and the town of Cabot Cove. Elizabeth Parker is vising her Aunt Winnie on Cape Cod when a very unpopular guest is murdered. Because Elizabeth's aunt is a suspect, Elizabeth starts investigating the crime on her own. If you are a fan of Pride and Prejudice, you will enjoy all the quotes from the novel that Ms. Kiely has seamlessly worked into the story. A quick, fun read.

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Apr 18, 2010 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, borrowed

I enjoyed this. Partially because I am one of those readers who -never- has a clue what is going on, but always has a theory when it comes to mysteries, and partially because I was amused with the references spattered throughout the book to Greek mythology, and various books, including the obvious Austen references. I feel that I should have seen the murderer coming, but was painfully oblivious the whole time, just enjoying the ride.

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Mar 31, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: jane-austen-and-the-like, mystery

So good! I couldn't hardly put it down. There were a few swear words, but it was so well written that while most times I would cringe and even stop reading, this book didn't have that effect on me. My mom actually recommended it. It has really nothing to do with Jane Austen herself. The author throws in little phrases from other authors like Daphne Du Maurier, L.M. Montgomery and others. It was a REALLY fun read!

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Oct 22, 2009 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-massachusetts

Elizabeth goes to help her great-aunt with a New Year's Eve mystery dinner at her new Cape Cod bed and breakfast, only to meet again Peter, the bete noire of her youth. When one of the guests is killed at the murder dinner, Aunt Winnie becomes the leading suspect, and both Elizabeth and Peter are determined to clear her. Elizabeth, who is a big Jane Austen fan, puts together the pieces first in this charming debut novel.

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Jan 26, 2013 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, in large part because it seems to owe more to Dame Agatha than Jane Austen. I'm not really an Austen fan (I adore Persuasion and Northranger Abbey but the rest of Austen's works are a little too formal for my taste). But this book had a definite flavor of Christie (one particular one, but I won't spoil the ending by saying which one), and I really appreciated the unexpected gift of it.

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Oct 21, 2012 Alicia rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was very clean, and fun and adventurous. For someone who watches lots of "detective" shows, even I was guessing until the end! And if you love Jane Austen like I do, you will appreciate the quotes and allusions to that great author. The only thing I found tedious (Austen!) was the "question" of whether she really liked Peter. Seriously? This is an homage to Austen, of course there will be "prejudice" only to be won out by love.

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May 25, 2011 Chelsea rated it 3 of 5 stars

I couldn't resist this one when I spotted it on the shelf at the library, just because of the Austen reference, of course. It was a fun story, but kind of left me feeling a little disappointed. Probably because I was hoping that the setting would be the original Longbourn, and that Elizabeth Bennet would show up. But it is actually a modern murder-mystery that is peppered with many literary quotes, misquotes, and jokes (which I enjoyed). An overall likeable book.

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Jane Austen Sequels: Murder at Longbourn, by Tracy Kiely	1	5	Oct 06, 2012 09:07pm

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About Tracy Kiely

Tracy Kiely graduated from Trinity College in 1990 with a degree in English. Tracy's first novel, Murder at Longbourn, is a mystery set in Cape Cod, and combines her love of the classic English country house murder and Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. She currently lives in Maryland with her husband, Matt, and their three children.

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“I needed a large glass of chardonnay and a larger dose of Cary Grant.” — 7 people liked it

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Murder at Longbourn (An Elizabeth Parker Mystery #1)

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