While we're on the subject of mysteries, I also want to mention the Jane Austen mysteries by Stephanie Barron.
Over the past several years, there have appeared some mystery series with the "sleuth" as a real person from the past, who was never a crime solver in real life. I think Elliott Roosevelt may have started this with his mother, in the Eleanor Roosevelt mysteries. Anyway, Ms. Barron wrote several of them, and then stopped for a couple of years. It seemed she'd given them up, but another one just came out! Only in paperback, but I don't care.
If you're a real purist, you won't like them. But if you're up for some fun, a good mystery and a darn good imitation of Jane Austen's writing style, then give these a try. The first one is "Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor". They must be read in order!
There are many so-called "sequels" to Jane Austen's works - in my opinion, they're almost all terrible! There are two by Jane Dawkins - "Letters from Pemberley" and "More Letters from Pemberley", which are the best of the lot - they give a credible continuance to the story of Lizzie and Darcy. They have a quiet feeling about them which seems a bit too mild to me, but they're nice. Everything else is just awful! I always felt that it was impossible for anyone to imitate Jane's style, until I came upon these by Stephanie Barron. She has the good sense to not try and guess how Jane would have continued any of her stories. She makes up stories about Jane and gives her adventures she *may* have had, in places she really did go to at the times she actually traveled to them. I like to think that dear Jane could have had these adventures given the chance, and that with her sharp mind, she could have solved these mysteries.
"When a young lady of more fashion than means has the good sense to win the affection of an older gentleman, a widower of high estate and easy circumstances, it is generally observed that the match is an intelligent one on both sides. The lady attains that position in life which her friends may envy and congratulate her, while the gentleman wins for his advancing years all that youth, high spirits, and beauty can offer. He is declared the best, and most generous, of men; she is generally acknowledged to be an angel fully deserving of her good fortune. His maturity and worldly experience may steady her lighter impulses; her wit and gentle charms should ease the cares attendant upon his station. With patience, good humour, and delicacy on both sides, a tolerable level of happiness may be achieved.
Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor,
by Stephanie Barron
See what I mean?
I'm in...what do you think of a virtual book club for these mystery reads?
ReplyDeleteNow, that's a thought - but who else would do it? I don't have many readers! ;-)
ReplyDeleteMaybe we could aim for the winter, after the holidays, when things are gloomy?
I"m going file these titles away for winter snuggle up days. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI have one more series to recommend,which I'm not going to post about, if you like historicals. It's the series by Fiona Buckley. Her main character is Ursula Blanchard, who ends up "working" for Queen Elizabeth I, but not as lady-in-waiting! She gets sent here and there to "find out" things. They're very well written and she did several, although I think she's finished with them.
ReplyDelete