Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor: Being the First Jane Austen Mystery (Jane Austen Mysteries) by Stephanie Barron Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $1.49 You Save: $5.50 (79%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor: Being the First Jane Austen Mystery (Jane Austen Mysteries)
Book Review: Jane Austen fans will either love this or hate it
Summary: 3 Stars
Into the growing sub-genre of mysteries involving real people as fictional detectives Stephanie Barron adds Jane Austen. "Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor," being the first in this series, finds the yet to be famous authoress away from home after having accepted and then rejected the marriage proposal of Harris Bigg-Wither. Jane is visiting the Hertfordshire estate of her friend Isobel Payne, Countess of Scargrave. However, after Jane's arrival the elderly Earl suddenly suffers a most horrible death due to a mysterious illness, leaving Isobel a widow after only three months of marriage. When a letter arrives accusing Isobel and the Earl's nephew of adultery and murder, Jane becomes involved in the investigation. The suspects are the late Earl's guests, a collection of characters who could easily have been lifted from one of Austen's novels--but then that is exactly the point here. Barron is not only trying to write in the style of Jane Austen, a daunting enough task to be sure, she is also interested in shedding light on the writer's life and work. After all, the idea that Austen's heroines always found the love in life that was denied their creator is rather depressing. Barron has fun suggesting that the characters in this novel might have served as the model for those in Austen's novels: e.g., that Lord Pitzroy Payne, who catches Jane's eye, is the model for Mr. Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice." Obviously Barron is interested in trying to create the great secret love of Austen's life, although our fascination with such an idea is tempered by the fact that Jane would die a spinster. The irony here is that the more you know about the life and writings of Jane Austen, the more likely you are to either enjoy Barron's creative speculations or to be somewhat appalled at her presumption. Barron is obviously a devout fan of Austen and her writing so your enjoyment of this book is going to be predicated entirely upon your ability and/or willingness to go along for the ride. I found the writing style to lack the refined restraint and measured wit of the real Austen, who has a much better sense of picking the moment for her barbs and insights. Of course, Barron is handicapped by the requirements of the mystery genre, which necessarily requires extended questioning and heated exchanges. The best imitation of Austen's style I have read to date is found, rather surprisingly, in the opening chapters of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Mauritan novel "Desolation Island," which finds the boys trying to live the high life on shore. Then again, they did not have a mysterious murder to solve. Barron certainly makes a good faith effort that pays attention to the life and times of Jane Austen and seeks to bring her to life in a way her books and letters can only suggest.Book Review: Fun and Fluffy Reading
Summary: 4 Stars
Barron does a good job imitating Austen's narratorial voice, better than many of the Austen imitators currently cashing in on the author's renewed popularity, and she is quite skilled at representing social conventions and manners from the early nineteenth century. Certainly Barron is not out to write "serious" literature with this series, but the novels are fun for Janeites, mystery lovers, or anglophiles who want something fun but different for their leisure reading. Those who are intimately familiar with Austen's works may chuckle and then groan at some of Barron's "borrowings" of both phrase and character, but the Scargrave Manor mystery is greatly enhanced by the presence of Lord Harold Trowbridge. I also particularly like the way Barron handles Jane's personal relationships with her friends and family, and I enjoy the way Jane's detective work is often hampered by the social and sexual codes of her age. I would definitely recommend this book to readers who want light reading that is still intelligently written!Book Review: Jane
Summary: 5 Stars
I am only 13 so this isn't going to be perfect. I have loved Jane Austen since before I could remember. This book is so similar to Jane's writing. This is the first mystery book that I could not predict the outcome. Of course I haven't read too many mysteries, but from what I have read, I wasn't exactly chomping at the bit to read another one. But Stephanie Barron has totally changed my mind.If you like unpredictable, interesting, mysteries, this is at the top of my list. In the begining, Jane is visting her friend Isobel from Bath. Isobel is just recently married to the Earl of Scargrove and having a ball to celebrate. But the joy ends here. That night the earl dies. Then Isobel and her nephew, Lord Payne, recieve a disturbing letter charging the two of murder and adultery. Isobel calls upon Jane to find the truth. This sends Jane on a trail of clues leading her to the scary truth that may have her fearing for her life!
To know the rest read this book.
Book Review: Austen fans everywhere will love this series!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the first in a consistently fabulous series, in which Jane Austen is the main character, and a brilliant sleuth at that!Barron, the author, does a superior job of catching both the ambience and the language of Austen's times and literature. Social satire underlies the series, as does an inherent respect for Jane herself. Occasional, and sparing enough not to become annoying, quotes or near-quotes from Austen's works creep into the dialog in a way that gives the Austen fan a happy twinge of wistful nostalgia, without disrupting the flow of the story.
And the story itself is well worth the time--it's a rich mystery, with well developed plot, characters, environment, and dialog. The author goes out of her way, particularly in this first installment, to create a sense that this is truly a documentation of actual events--that Jane's letters, diaries, and other accounts have been woven together into a narrative to share with Austen fans an element of her life that was previously unknown. This is accomplished in a number of ways, including clever techniques and footnotes that do in fact contain historically accurate information about Jane, her family, the political and social context of her times, etc.
I really enjoyed this book, as well as the rest of the series, and recommend it not only to Austen fans, but fans of well-written mysteries, as well.
Book Review: Magnificent!
Summary: 5 Stars
This an absolutely wonderful reading of the first book in the Jane Austen Mystery Series by Stephanie Barron. Kate Reading is marvelous and gives a lively re-telling, carrying across Jane's wit, humor and intellect in voice. One can almost believe that it really is Jane that is talking! Even though I had read the book before I got the audio version, I was still as enthralled, excited and captivated by listening to the book as by reading it. Kate Reading should be commended for her ability to bring "alive" the detective Jane. All the excitement and mystery of Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor is captured in this audio book, and I highly recommend it to all Jane Austen lovers, young and old, who enjoy seeing their favorite author in the guise of detective and crime solver! :-)