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Title: Jane And The Stillroom Maid by Stephanie Barron, Kate Reading ISBN: 0736656820 Publisher: Books on Tape, Inc. Pub. Date: 18 September, 2000 Format: Audio Cassette Volumes: 6 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.45
Rating: 4
Summary: An accomplished tribute to Austen if somewhat predictable
Comment: This is the first novel in the series that I have read and I must admit that I was not disappointed. Barron accomplishes the difficult task of depicting the period in a tone very similar to that used by Austen as novelist. Austen enthusiasts will be pleased with this accomplished tribute to the novelist. In the "Stillroom Maid" (as in the other four novels in the series) Jane has become a sleuth, using the eloquent language and mental acuity that harkens back to many of Jane Austen's most beloved literary heroines. While I am a great admirer of Austen, I have never been partial to the mystery genre. I found the mystery intriguing and the list of characters beguiling (especially Jane's love interest, Lord Harold). Even so, I found the identity of the killer a bit obvious even though the actual motive was a bit surprising. All in all, I would recommend this novel to both Austen fans and mystery buffs. I would imagine both parties will be pleased with this literary escapade and I certainly intend to read the other four novels that precede this one.
Rating: 5
Summary: Jane And The Stillroom Maid
Comment: This is the darkest and best of Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen mysteries. I think Ms Barron has finally pinned down Jane Austen's voice. I was not too impressed with the first two books in the series ("Jane And The Unpleasantness At Scargrave Manor" & "Jane And The Man Of The Cloth"), thinking that the Jane Austen in those two books bore very little resemblence to the Jane Austen we all know and love; but with this last novel, Stephanie Barron has the Austen voice nailed! And what a dark mystery!! Even though you'll be able to guess who the real culprit is rather early on, there is still a few twists to the plot to make the book very enjoyable. The glimpses of history, politics and the goings-on of the Devonshire House in early 1800 England only add to the novel. (And there are several descriptions of the Derbyshire countryside and certain characters that Jane Austen fans will not fail to recognise). I particularly enjoyed Jane's reflections on the many differences between the Tories and the Whigs. This book is a winner and I'm eagerly looking forward to the next installment in the Jane Austen mysteries.
Rating: 4
Summary: A Darker Tone Than the Earlier Books
Comment: I continue to be very impressed with this series of mysteries. This one took me a little bit more time to get into, perhaps more because of busyness in my own life than actually having trouble getting into the story, but, as in the past with these books, I ended up being very satisfied. There is a slightly larger cast of supporting characters here than in the past books, and this one is a little less overtly political (not so much worry about Napoleonic France here) but there are certainly class and social issues. Jane is more socially anxious than in the earlier books, as she heads off to the opulant home of her Whig friends. Some of this is a class and political consciousness, and some of this comes from the growing sense that she is older, without money, and without some of the prospects for happiness that she has to admit she yearns for. This is stronger here than in any of th earlier books. Jane's relationship with Sir Harold Trowbridge brings her both great joy and terrible pain, as she confronts the abyss between their social positions and knows that she can never home to cross the divide between them, no matter how beautifully their minds work together and they appreciate each other.
The actual plot here is as clear and direct as the plot of the ealier books as well--solving the mystery is not the ultimate satisfaction here. It is coming to that solution with the very satisfying characters.
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Title: Jane and the Wandering Eye: Being the Third Jane Austen Mystery by Stephanie Barron ISBN: 0553578170 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 03 November, 1998 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Jane and the Man of the Cloth: Being the Second Jane Austin Mystery by Stephanie Barron ISBN: 0553574892 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 December, 1997 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: Bantam Pub. Date: January, 1997 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 Rottingdean (Victorian Mystery Series , No 5) by Robin Paige ISBN: 0425167828 Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) Pub. Date: March, 1999 List Price(USD): $6.50 |
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