Georgette Heyer meets Miss Marple!
Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron is the tenth in a series of mysteries featuring Jane Austen, told in her own words through the medium of her diary. In this adventure, Jane accompanies her brother Henry to Brighton to take in the sea after he loses his wife to breast cancer. The “trendy” resort seems to be peopled by everyone of note in society, including the Regent and the poet Lord Byron. Given the libertine ways of both, it may come as no real surprise that a young woman of good family is found murdered in Lord Byron’s bed, and Byron is accused of her murder. Although she strongly disapproves of Lord Byron’s character, Jane cannot refuse a friend’s request to find the truth and clear the poet if he is indeed innocent.
This installment of the Jane as Sleuth series is more Georgette Heyer than Miss Marple. The social scene in Brighton is vivid, and fascinating descriptions of the social order of the time make for interesting reading. The murder does not occur until more than a third of the way into the book, and even after the body is found the investigation takes a backseat to descriptions of the social life of the bon ton and the mores of 1813. The description of society was entertaining, but the primary plot element of murder was not gripping enough to make this a truly engrossing read, especially in the absence of any secondary element such as a love story.
Character development could also be stronger. Jane’s brother Henry and her friend Mona gain some life, but too many of the other characters are pure cardboard. Even in the social culture of the times, it is especially difficult to believe that so many mature and powerful men would be so besotted with one fifteen-year-old girl, no matter how attractive she was. The girl herself also seems too clueless to be credible. Her father the General, in turn, lacks any redeeming social value and is rude enough that I suspect he would have been ostracized despite his rank.
Despite some weaknesses, if you are a comedy-of-manners fan of authors like Georgette Heyer or Jane herself, you will probably find a lot to like in this book. True mystery fans would probably be happier elsewhere.
Jane’s language has a feel of authenticity, but I felt unsure enough of my command of early-nineteenth-century English that I wondered how much I could depend on its verisimilitude. An interview with Stephanie Barron included at the end of the book convinced me that Ms. Barron has done her homework. I especially appreciate an author of a historical novel clarifying for me what is authentic and what is pure fiction. In case you wonder, Lord Byron was NOT accused of murdering a young woman in Brighton, but it DOES make for a good story. Enjoy.