Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor (Jane Austen Mysteries, #1) in Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Reading Challenge 2017

Feb 26, 2009 Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) rated it really liked it

Shelves: jane-austen

Stephanie Barron has created a series where Jane Austen, our heroine, gets caught up in continuous mayhem, murder, and mystery. Tthis first book of the series takes place right after Jane accepted and then the next day rejected a marriage proposal from Harris Bigg-Wither. And so she leaves their home and instead visits her dear friend of 18 months Countess Isobel Payne at Scargrave Manor. Isobel is newly married and her husband is hosting a ball in her honor. Jane comes to be of support to Isobe Stephanie Barron has created a series where Jane Austen, our heroine, gets caught up in continuous mayhem, murder, and mystery. Tthis first book of the series takes place right after Jane accepted and then the next day rejected a marriage proposal from Harris Bigg-Wither. And so she leaves their home and instead visits her dear friend of 18 months Countess Isobel Payne at Scargrave Manor. Isobel is newly married and her husband is hosting a ball in her honor. Jane comes to be of support to Isobel and intends on enjoying a few weeks in her company. What she doesn't count on is two mysterious deaths plaguing Scargrave Manor and that the evidence of them both intimate Isobel's involvement and point to her as the perpetrator.

This book is more along the lines of Nancy Drew meets Jane Austen. I do think Jane Austen is believable as a sleuth; she has a keen mind, isn't a simpering female who faints at the talk of death, and a good observer of human nature and folly.

One thing I liked about this book is how it was a well constructive mystery, you have all sorts of suspicious and intriguing characters that keep you guessing and it was difficult to predict which one was the culprit until the very end. In addition, the author keeps within the manners of Regency times and includes frequent footnotes to help the readers in thte 21st Century along. Sometimes though, the manners or social rules were broken, like Jane Austen is often in the company of a man alone and that is very unlikely to have occurred so frequently during her time. However, this does not take away from the story nor does it hinder the enjoyment of it. And finally, any book where Jane Austen is our heroine is worth a read!

I would recommend that you have an open-mind when reading this and go in expecting some light fun and fluff. Jane Austen in real life this is not, Stephanie Barron's attempt to emulate Jane Austen as a Regency Sleuth this is. I wouldn't expect to learn more about Jane Austen's biography through this book, but I would expect to see how she might handle a mystery and a house full of suspects! ...more

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Apr 07, 2011 Georgiana 1792 rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: old-friends-new-fancies, giallo-storico

Devo dire che ero piuttosto diffidente riguardo alle indagini di Jane Austen, invece mi sono completamente ricreduta. Infatti l'autrice ricorre ad un espediente: per giustificare dei romanzi scritti in prima persona dalla stessa Austen, dice di aver ritrovato, durante una ristrutturazione, nel seminterrato di una antica tenuta americana, appartenente ad un ramo di lontani parenti di Jane Austen suoi amici, un baule pieno di diari e lettere della scrittrice (ecco spiegata la loro MISTERIOSA SCOMP ...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Candy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: austenesque

The story, Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor is an excellent mystery! It felt like Jane wrote the book herself! According to the Editor’s Foreword that’s what it is, manuscripts written by Jane Austen, and edited by Stephanie Barron. I do not know if this is true or part of the story, but I enjoyed the story immensely!

After accepting and breaking a marriage proposal from Harris Bigg-Wither’s within a twenty-four hour period, Jane Austen accepts an invitation to visit her dear frien ...more

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