Murder Most Austen

July 9, 2012
Kiely’s pleasing fourth mystery featuring Jane Austen fan Elizabeth Parker (after 2011’s Murder Most Persuasive ) takes Elizabeth and her great-aunt, Winnie Reynolds, to the Jane Austen Festival in Bath, the setting of Northanger Abbey . There they meet an old chum of Winnie’s, Cora Beadle, and Cora’s daughter, Izzy, all of whom are horrified by a professor of dubious repute, Richard Baines, who makes a “preposterous proclamation” on the cause of Austen’s death. When Baines, dressed as Mr. Darcy, is stabbed to death at the opening ball, Cora, who took particular offense at his theory, falls under suspicion of murder. Elizabeth and Winnie soon find several people with better reasons than Cora to do in Baines. Janeites will appreciate the several minor characters and situations inspired by Northanger Abbey. Elizabeth makes an engaging protagonist, ably misguided by her lively aunt, though the straightforward plot offers few surprises. Agent: Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary Agency.

August 15, 2012
A much-anticipated trip to the Jane Austen Festival in Bath becomes a nightmare for an amateur sleuth. Elizabeth Parker (Murder Most Persuasive, 2011, etc.) is out of a job, living with her cranky sister and unsure whether she wants to commit to her current boyfriend. A trip to England with her beloved Aunt Winnie, a fellow Jane-ite, seems just the ticket to cheer her up, but things go wrong from the minute they meet Professor Richard Baines on the plane. The obnoxious Baines, who contends that all Austen's novels conceal scandalous hidden stories, plans to present a paper at the meeting claiming that the author herself died of syphilis. Elizabeth and Winnie enjoy a day exploring London and a night at Claridge's Hotel until they run into Cora Beadle, another Jane-ite, and her stunningly beautiful daughter, Izzy. Cora is so angry with the news about Baines that she threatens to kill him. When he's found dead after a fancy dress ball in Bath, Cora is the obvious suspect. When Winnie, who's sure that her old friend is not a killer, asks her niece to investigate, Elizabeth isn't surprised to learn that the outspoken professor had quite a few people angry with him, beginning with his ex-wife, his son, his hard-as-nails daughter-in-law and the graduate student with whom he'd been having an affair. As she digs up more dirt, Elizabeth makes herself a target. A light, enjoyable read with just enough homicide to ballast the Austen quotations Elizabeth and Winnie keep swapping.

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August 1, 2012

Deep in anticipation of the week-long Jane Austen Festival in Bath, Elizabeth Parker and her Aunt Winnie can almost tolerate the obnoxious in-flight pontificating of Professor Baines. Then he shares his scandalous new theory: Austen died of syphilis. When the professor is murdered at the Regency Masked Ball, angry Janites aren't the only suspects. The shortlist also includes his ex-wife, daughter-in-law, and grad student. Will Elizabeth's previous investigative experiences (Murder Most Pursuasive; Murder on the Bride's Side; Murder at Longbourn) help her unmask the proper person? This fourth series outing subtly provides new readers with key points from the past without annoying returning fans with excessive backtracking. As the mystery unfolds against the well-constructed backdrop of a fan festival, keen Janites will be excited by the frequent use of Austen's own words and phrases as characters interact. VERDICT An engaging story with solid surprises awaits cozy mystery readers, Austen fans, and those looking for a charming series to follow.--Stacey Hayman, Rocky River P.L., OH

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