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Title: Jane and the Wandering Eye: Being the Third Jane Austen Mystery by Stephanie Barron, Stephanie Barron ISBN: 0-553-57817-0 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 03 November, 1998 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.94 (16 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Theater, Art, and Murder in the third Jane Austen book
Comment: I really enjoyed the third book in the Jane Austen series of mysteries, even more than the first two (Jane and Secret of Scargrave Manor, Jane and the Man of the Cloth) because I think that the author is really beginning to show promise in her crafting of the mystery plot and the characters.
In this mystery Jane is introduced into theatrical company, and if you enjoy late 18th and early 19th century British theater I think you will enjoy being immersed in those circles, as well. In addition, the main clue of the mystery is one of the "eye portraits" fashionable in the late 18th century. When an eye portrait is found on the dead body at the center of the mystery, Jane turns her attention into discovering whose "wandering eye" this is.
If you enjoy Jane Austen and are fully cognizant that Stephanie Barron is not and can never be Jane Austen, you should give this series of mysteries a try. They are very entertaining, extremely well-written for a historical mystery (except the liberal sprinkling of footnotes which I still find annoying), and provide an interesting first-person narrative (because the mystery consists of Jane's journal entries).
Rating: 2
Summary: Third in the series, but the last that I'll read
Comment: There is much worthy of praise in Ms. Barron's Jane Austen series. The very concept of Austen as a sleuth is fun, and even fitting -- after all, PD James has argued persuasively that "Emma" has all the elements of a good mystery novel. The footnotes in the Austen mysteries give significant insight into the people, places, and lifestyles of Regency England, even if the "feel" of the books sometimes tends to the Edwardian. The sweep and pace of the first two books provided a welcome diversion from the gloomy skies during a recent vacation in Florida.
But after "Wandering Eye", I'm giving up. Barron simply does not have the skill to pull off the complicated plots she attempts. She feels obligated to spin everything on its head in the final pages, and "Wandering Eye" left MY eyes glazed over as I tried to sort out which of the suspects had what relationship with which young lady, including one mentioned only in passing and who is dead before the book even begins. Complicated is fine, confusing is not, and this book tends toward the latter. Three down, more to go, but I'm not gonna bother.
Rating: 5
Summary: Here's a little secret about these books
Comment: They're not REALLY written by Jane Austen. If you want to read a book by Jane Austen, buy "Emma" or "Persuasion." If you want to read one written by an Austen scholar and admirer, try these. They're really interesting and quite charming. I think it's brilliant that Barron has invested her creativity in this tribute to her favorite writer. Maybe some Austenites are just too die-hard to appreciate the concept. Personally, I find these novels well designed and very entertaining. Wish I could write as well as this author does.
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Title: Jane and the Stillroom Maid : Being the Fifth Jane Austen Mystery by Stephanie Barron ISBN: 0553578375 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 May, 2001 List Price(USD): $6.50 |
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Title: Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor : Being the First Jane Austen Mystery by Stephanie Barron ISBN: 0553575937 Publisher: Crime Line Pub. Date: 01 December, 1996 List Price(USD): $6.50 |
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Title: Jane and the Prisoner of Wool House by Stephanie Barron ISBN: 0553578405 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 29 October, 2002 List Price(USD): $6.50 |
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Title: Jane and the Ghosts of Netley by Stephanie Barron ISBN: 0553802224 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 27 May, 2003 List Price(USD): $23.95 |
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Title: Death at Dartmoor by Robin Paige ISBN: 0425189090 Publisher: Prime Crime Pub. Date: 04 March, 2003 List Price(USD): $6.50 |
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