Jane and the Wandering Eye by Stephanie Barron

About the Book:

As Christmas of 1804 approaches, Jane Austen finds herself "insupportably bored with Bath, and the littleness of a town." It is with relief that she accepts a peculiar commission from her Gentleman Rogue, Lord Harold Trowbridge—to shadow his niece, Lady Desdemona, who has fled to Bath to avoid the attentions of the unsavoury Earl of Swithin.

But Jane's idle diversion turns deadly when a man is discovered stabbed to death in the Theatre Royal. Adding to the mystery is an unusual object found on the victim's body—a pendant that contains a portrait of an eye! As Jane's fascination with scandal leads her deeper into the investigation, it becomes clear that she will not uncover the truth without some dangerous playacting of her own....

My thoughts:

I'm bound and determined to work my way through Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen mystery series.....but so far it's been a bumpy ride. Barron does such a wonderful job of portraying the beloved author as a slueth that you are almost convinced that she really was a detective in her time.....I just wish the plot had been more compelling. While Jane was finding herself "insupportably bored with Bath," I was "insupportably bored after a few chapters." And that's a shame. With Harold Trowbridge, Jane's roguish sidekick, back on the scene and the fascinating world of the theatre,  it should have been a fun ride. 

 I found this installment to be the most challenging to get through -- a very promising beginning soon dragged and lost my interest early on -- but there's always some little nugget of research or historical tidbit in her books that makes the whole effort worthwhile. Barron's attention to the details of the period are fascinating, and although the mysteries are fictitious, the timeline the stories follow align with what is known about Jane Austen's actual life and the history of the period. 

 In this case, I was fascinated by the clue that was left at the murder scene which takes place right at the beginning of the story...an eye portrait. I must admit, I was not aware of the historical significance of this tiny piece of art  until reading this book, and the story behind these portraits is very interesting. 

Barron describes the tiny portraits as a "love token" for illicit lovers. The origin of the portrait is attributed to the Prince of Wales when he commissioned a miniature eye portrait of his mistress, Maria Fritzhebert. Since the entire face is not seen, it is difficult to identify the person in the portrait! Secret lovers could wear the tiny pin close to the heart without too much concern about the person being identified.

Although this is the third mystery in the series, I've actually read 5 of the books to date. Next up,  Jane and the Genius of the Place.

3/5 stars

Title: Jane and the Wandering Eye
Author: Stephanie Barron
genre: historical mystery; Austenesque

*This book is from my personal library.

Jane and the Canterbury Tale by Stephanie Barron

New Stephanie Barron book to be released August 28, 2011 in the Jane Austen Mystery series.....Jane and the Canterbury Tale.

Book synopsis:

"Three years ago, after a night of reckless gaming, Curzon Fiske fled England for an uncertain future in India, leaving scandal and prodigious debts behind him. When news of his death from fever in Ceylon reached his raven-haired wife, Adelaide, she mourned him for a time—then quietly restored her damaged reputation.

Now Adelaide is at the altar again, her groom a soldier on the Marquis of Wellington's staff. The prospects seem bright for one of the most notorious women in Kent—until Jane Austen discovers a corpse on the ancient Pilgrim's Way that runs through her brother Edward's estate. Why is the dead stranger dressed as a pilgrim, and who wrote the summons he carries in his pocket? Who is the aristocrat masquerading as a sailor? And why will none of Adelaide's friends reveal Curzon Fiske's final wager, the night he abandoned his wife? As Chief Magistrate for Canterbury, Edward is forced to investigate, with Jane as his unwilling assistant. From the shooting parties and balls of her wellborn neighbors, to the grim and airless cells of Canterbury gaol, Jane leaves no stone unturned. When a second corpse appears beside the ancient Pilgrim's Way, Jane has no choice but to confront a murderer...lest the next corpse be her own."

Click here to read the first chapter at Stephanie Barron's website.

Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron

"On a visit to the estate of her friend the young and beautiful Isobel Payne, Countess of Scargrave, Jane bears witness to a tragedy. Isobel's husband --a gentleman of mature years--is felled by a mysterious and agonizing ailment. The Earl's death seems a cruel blow of fate for the newly married Isobel. Yet the bereaved widow soon finds that it's only the beginning of her misfortune...as she receives a sinister missive accusing her and the Earl's nephew of adultry--and murder. Desperately afraid that the letter will expose her to the worst sort of scandal, Isobel begs Jane for help. And Jane finds herself embroiled in a perilous investigation that will soon have her following a trail of clues that leads all the way to Newgate Prison and the House of Lords--a trail that may well place Jane's own person in the gravest jeopardy."
(from the publisher)

my thoughts:

Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen mystery series is a very clever and unique fictional portrayal of the beloved author as sleuth where she uses her keen observation skills and sharp intellect to examine the criminal mind and solve mysteries. The world learns of these previously unknown experiences when hidden boxes of Jane's journals which chronicle her detecting adventures are discovered during a renovation project of a distant relative's home in 1995. As the manuscripts are edited for publication, we learn of Jane's first experience with murder and mayhem in Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor.

The year is 1802 and Jane has just accepted and rejected the marriage proposal of Harris Biggs-Wither. During this difficult period, Austen receives an invitation from a friend, Isobel Payne, the Countess of Scargrave, to attend a wedding ball and spend Christmas at Scargrave Manor. Welcoming a diversion, Jane accepts the invitation to spend time with her friend and her new husband, only to find herself supporting Isobel as her husband, Frederick, Lord Scargrave, dies an agonizing death. Soon after the death, Isobel begins to receive mysterious letters accusing her of murdering her husband and branding her an adulteress. Desperate for help, Isobel turns to her strong and sensible friend, Jane. Examining the backgrounds and motives of a cast of characters associated with the newlyweds, Jane begins her quest to find out the truth about Lord Scargrave's death and determine who has evil plans that involve murder and deceit.

My impressions of this first mystery? A bit stilted and tedious at first, and it took a while to get into the rhythm and flow of the language, but it did eventually pick up the pace. I enjoyed the authentic details of the period and Barron's attention to historical accuracy. Footnotes are inserted throughout the "manuscript" to expand upon historical details and terms, and I found these very helpful. Fans of cozy mysteries and Jane enthusiasts will be entertained by Barron's portrayal of Austen as a detective while staying true to the Austen style and spirit.

This completes the first mystery for the Austenprose Being a Jane Austen Mystery Challenge.

3.5/5 stars

Title: Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor
Author: Stephanie Barron
Bantam Dell Publishers
1996
289 pages
Genre: historical mystery

Being a Jane Austen Mystery Challenge 2011

There's fun news for a completely unique challenge in 2011 over at the fabulous Austenprose! Laurel Ann has announced the details of the exciting "Being a Jane Austen Mystery Challenge 2011" featuring all of Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen mysteries! Besides reviews and contests on Austenprose, fellow Janeites can follow along with Stephanie Barron on her own website where she will discuss behind-the-scenes information about the writing and research involved in creating her Jane Austen sleuth. Sounds like a great challenge!

Jane Austen Mysteries by Stephanie Barron:

Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor (1996)
Jane and the Man of the Cloth (1997)
Jane and the Wandering Eye (1998)
Jane and the Genius of the Place (1999)
Jane and the Stillroom Maid (2000)
Jane and the Prisoner of the Wool House (2001)
Jane and the Ghosts of Netley (2003)
Jane and His Lordship’s Legacy (2005)
Jane and the Barque of Frailty (2006)
Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron (2010)
Jane and the Canterbury Tale (2011)

Time-line: The Being a Jane Austen Mystery Challenge runs January 1, through December 31, 2011.

Levels of participation: Neophyte: 1 – 4 novels, Disciple 5 – 8 novels, Aficionada 9 – 11 novels.

At present, I'm going to try to work through them all....we'll see how it goes. ;)

For full details and to sign up for the challenge, please visit Austenprose.


Are you in?

Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron by Stephanie Barron

"The restorative power of the ocean brings Jane Austen and her beloved brother Henry to Brighton after Henry's wife is lost to a long illness. But the crowded, glittering resort is far from peaceful, especially when the lifeless body of a beautiful young society miss is discovered in the bedchamber of none other than George Gordon--otherwise known as Lord Byron. As a poet and a seducer of women, Byron has carved out a shocking reputation for himself--but no one would ever accuse him of being capable of murder. Now it falls to Jane to pursue this puzzling investigation and discover just how "mad, bad, and dangerous to know" Byron truly is. And she must do so without falling victim to the charming versifier's legendary charisma, lest she, too, become a cautionary example for the ages."
(from the publisher)


my thoughts:

Since meeting Stephanie Barron at a book event this summer, I've had a few of her books on my TBR list, including some of the Jane Austen mystery series and The White Garden. I'm so glad I finally made time for Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron (although it is actually the tenth book in the series) as it is a clever mystery rich with authentic period detail. Fans of Jane Austen will enjoy Barron's depiction of the author as an intelligent and competent sleuth when she is not busy penning her popular, anonymous works.

Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron begins on a tragic note in April of 1813 -- the family has lost Eliza de Feuillide, Henry's wife and Jane's dear friend. Not wanting to allow her brother to suffer too long with grief, Jane makes a suggestion that Henry readily accepts.

"Our sister Jane has a decided inclination to visit the sea. She believes that a period of exposure to the salt air is as essential as balm to a wounded heart...I have consented to bear her company on an expedition to the seaside."

Expecting refreshment from a change in surroundings, Jane packs up her work-in-progress manuscript of Mansfield Park, and the brother and sister head to Brighton.

Written as journal entries, the reader begins to learn of Austen's experiences and thoughts about the trip. Almost immediately upon setting out on their journey, they make a very frightening discovery -- while stoppng to change horses, Jane hears moans coming from a nearby carriage, and is horrified at what she finds. This discovery sets off a chain of events, eventually culminating in a murder. All the evidence of the murder points to Lord Byron, the "mad, bad" poet who is notorious for his multiple paramours and drunken debauchery. Mingling with the glittering haut ton of Brighton, the still-in-mourning spinster Jane must remain discreet and use her keen observation skills and powers of deduction as a sleuth to put all the facts together and find the truth...and in the process, discovers for herself the powerful and charismatic aura of Lord Byron.

4/5 stars


Title: Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron (#10)
Author: Stephanie Barron
Bantam Books
2010
genre: historical mystery

Meeting Diana Gabaldon, Lauren Willig, & Stephanie Barron

Meeting Diana Gabaldon


So, here it is...one of the most surreal, wonderful moments of my life! Diana Gabaldon was absolutely beautiful, warm, friendly, and gracious while I was a bundle of nerves! I didn't know that the event would be so small and intimate, so I had not prepared anything intelligent (ha!) to say to her personally as I never thought that I would have that opportunity! I would have been happy just to see her from afar and stand in line to get my book signed. But Barbara Peters, the owner of the Poisoned Pen bookstore whom I had met earlier in the day, was kind enough to walk over to Diana and point me out. Barbara said, "This young lady flew in from New Orleans to meet you," and she motioned for me to come over! I almost passed out right then and there!! So I walked over and introduced myself and shook her hand and I THINK I said it was an honor to meet her and that I loved her books....I say I THINK because I swear I had a brain freeze and felt my IQ reduced to zero! Shortly after, book-blogging buddy Julie came in and received her introduction, and Diana very graciously posed for several pictures and laughed with us as I stood there hyperventilating! What an extraordinary experience!



Chatting with Lauren Willig as she signed Blood Lily

Later that night, I had the opportunity to sit and chat with the wonderful Lauren Willig as she signed my copy of The Betrayal of the Blood Lily. I cannot begin to tell you how sweet and charming Lauren was all weekend! I first met her at the Georgette Heyer Tea and talked a little about our shared interest in the Heyer books. At a later event, she and Stephanie Barron spoke about topics related to historical research for their books, and afterwards Julie and I had a long talk with her. We discussed our favorite books and authors, of course, and tried to get her to tell us a little about her future books. She was absolutely adorable and friendly and now I love her books even more now that I've had the chance to meet the person behind the stories. She's a walking encyclopedia of history and literature and I could talk to her all day! I can't wait until the fall release of The Mischief of the Mistletoe (Jane Austen fans will love this one, set in Bath during the Christmas season of 1803).

With Stephanie Barron while she signed my book

Stephanie Barron, author of A Flaw in the Blood and the Jane Austen mystery series, was another amazing author that I had the opportunity to meet. She was an incredibly interesting speaker, very knowledgeable about the Regency period, and was there promoting one of her latest historical fiction releases, The White Garden: A Novel of Virginia Woolf. It is a fictional account of what happened to Virginia Woolf in the weeks between her disappearance and the day her body was found -- part mystery and suspense, rich in historical detail, with beautiful prose. On a funny note, after we left the Tea, Stephanie Barron needed a ride back to the hotel, so she hopped in the car with us and of course, we talked and laughed about books, books, and more books! I kept telling myself, "This is so surreal -- here I am sitting in the back seat chatting with Stephanie Barron!"

Alas, all good things must come to an end, so it's back home to normal.....you know, normal like hurricanes and oil spills and all the rest of those things that keep life crazy! Thanks, Julie and Cathy, for meeting up with me and sharing these wonderful experiences!