Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor: Being the First Jane Austen Mystery (Jane Austen Mysteries) by Stephanie Barron Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor: Being the First Jane Austen Mystery (Jane Austen Mysteries)
Book Review: Perhaps I'm Prejudice?
Summary: 2 Stars
This is one of two historical mysteries featuring real people that I have read (Seneca Falls Inheritance being the other) and perhaps I just don't enjoy the genre. Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor is contrived at best. There are far too many betooks and bethought me's (in one sentence, mind you!) for my taste. The real Jane Austen didn't write like that. It is missing the characteristic Jane voice that is sarcastic, feminist, judgemental and proper all at the same time. The footnotes and accuracies of Jane's life are interesting, but probably not interesting enough to make me pick up the second in the series. If you are a true Jane Austen fan, from Emma to Northanger Abbey, you'll probably read this book anyway, but I don't advise it. And if historical mysteries are your thing, it is probably worth your while. For everyone else, STAY AWAY!!!Book Review: Oh, For Shame, Jane!
Summary: 3 Stars
I will credit Stephanie Barron with being very clever in blending the known facts of Jane Austen's life with her fairly average murder mysteries. I also appreciate her informative footnotes about references about the Regency era, both obscure and more commonplace. My only real caveat about this book and the others in the series (I have read only the first three) is that Ms. Barron makes the retiring and proper Miss Austen behave with untoward and unladylike forwardness to achieve her ends as an unlikely sleuth. In truth, it is totally against the accepted character of the redoubtable Jane to imagine her taking so much upon herself, interferring in matters so vulgar and acting in a fashion that borders on impropriety. Ms. Barron also makes Jane seem snappish, even rude, behavior she would in reality eschew with a shudder. If the mysteries were more compelling or more cleverly crafted, this out-of-character portrait might be more readily forgiven. As it is, the books do not add to the reader's understanding of Miss Austen or her books, but rather draw her as much more the vulgar interferring miss than we know her to have been. If the author did not claim her work as a true illumination of Jane's nature, this series would be more enjoyable as simple mysteries set in the fascinating Regency era, with all its colorful historical characters, the multiple strata of society -- a time renowned for both louche and restrained behavior and much hypocrisy.Book Review: An excellent start
Summary: 4 Stars
I actually read this first entry to Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen mysteries second, and I ws interested to go back and see how she began this series. This is excellent, and not really tame reading. Jane finds herself embroiled in a mystery with a group of distinctly complex and rather lurid types, and has to save her friend who has been accused of murdering her husband, with the assistance of her husband's young heir, with whom she has fallen in love. I would recommend this to those who like historical mysteries.
Book Review: Falls into the errors of many a historical novel
Summary: 2 Stars
Although the mystery turned out to be more complex than I thought, this book fell into several of the errors that irritate me in some historical novels, especially those purporting to be sequels to Austen novels. First, the writing style had none of the delicacy that is so much a characteristic of Austen's style, and since the book was supposed to be letters and journal entries written by Austen (rather than a third-person narration), I think it is important that the author be able to faithfully present that style. Second, and even more irritating, the behavior of the characters is not even remotely what one would expect from that class, society, and time. Never, for example, would the Lieutenant treat Austen as he does throughout the book, especially in falling upon her. Too often do I read "18th century" novels that have 20th century characters (or worse, characters that do not behave properly for any time and place) and such is the case in this book.Book Review: Fun Writing; Tedious Editing
Summary: 3 Stars
A fun read, written in a good faith attempt to imitate Jane Austen. But beware: those of you easily put off by copious footnotes which assume readers are complete idiots should probably pass.