A Comprehensive Guide to Austenesque Novels – Emma

*The titles that have highlighted links are the ones I have read and reviewed on this blog

**This list is in chronological order based on the publication year

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Polite Society by Mahesh Rao © 2019 M

Woodhouse Hall: A Modern Retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma (21st Century Austen Book 3) by Sara Marks © 2019 M

The Knight Before Christmas by Marilyn Brant © 2019 AI  MMY REVIEW

Dear Jane: The final book in the Highbury Trilogy, inspired by Jane Austen’s ‘Emma’ by Allie Cresswell © 2019 APV  MCMY REVIEW

Emma the Matchmaker: An Austen Inspired Romantic Comedy by Rachel John © 2019 M

Fixing Emma: A Jane Austen Diversion (Seasonal Jane Austen Diversions Book 2) by Riana Everly © 2018 AI  M  SS

– The Tense Future of Miss Jane Fairfax by Dee Madore © 2018 AI  TT

The Other Miss Bates: The second book in the Highbury Trilogy, inspired by Jane Austen’s ‘Emma’ by Allie Cresswell © 2018 PR  MC MY REVIEW

– Mrs Bates of Highbury: A prequel inspired by Jane Austen’s ‘Emma’ by Allie Cresswell © 2018 PR  MC MY REVIEW

– Emma and the City: The Ultimate Feel-Good Romantic Comedy Retelling of EMMA by Amy Hilliges © 2018 M

Jane and the Sins of Society (Jane, Bow Street Consultant #7) by Sarah J. Waldock © 2018  MY  S

– Emma Ever After: A feel-good romantic comedy with a hilarious modern re-telling of Jane Austen by Brigid Coady © 2018 M

– The Other Mister Knightley: A novelette based on Emma by Jane Austen by Louisa West © 2017 (ebook only)  PR  N

Dreaming Highbury by Ellen Mary Soule © 2017 S

– I Could Write a Book: A Modern Variation of Jane Austen’s “Emma” by Karen M. Cox © 2017  RMY REVIEW

Jane and the Burning Question and other stories (Jane, Bow Street Consultant Book 6) by Sarah J. Waldock © 2017  MY  S

Wasted Words: Inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma (The Austens Book 1) by Staci Hart © 2016 AI  M

– Interference by Kay Honeyman © 2016  YA  M

– Emma’s Match (Austen Inspirations Volume 3) by Franky A. Brown © 2016 M

The Journal of Miss Jane Fairfax: Weymouth to Highbury by Ronald McGowan © 2015  PR  MC

The Poignant Sting: Homage to Jane Austen’s Emma by Sherwood Smith © 2015 (ebook only)  S  SS

Emma Knows All by Laura Briggs and Sarah Burgess © 2015 M

Wrong About the Guy by Claire LaZebnik © 2015  M  YA

Emma: A Modern Retelling by Alexander McCall Smith © 2015  M

The Matchmaker: An Amish Retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma by Sarah Price © 2015  R

Finding the Rainbow (Chilton Crosse Volume 2) by Traci Borum © 2015  M

Jane and the Hidden Hoard (Jane, Bow Street Consultant #5) by Sarah J. Waldock © 2015  MY  S

Only With You (The Jane Austen Academy Series #5) by Cecilia Gray © 2014  YA  M

Denial: A Modern Emma Adaption by Heather C. Myers © 2014  M

Emma, Mr. Knightley, and Chili-Slaw Dogs (Jane Austen Takes the South #2) by Mary Jane Hathaway © 2013 (reissued in 2014)  M MY REVIEW

Emma: A Latter-Day Tale by Rebecca H. Jamison © 2013  M

Cousin Prudence by Sarah J Waldock © 2013  S

Jane and the Christmas Masquerades (Jane, Bow Street Consultant #4) by Sarah J. Waldock © 2013 MY  S

Jane and the Opera Dancer (Jane, Bow Street Consultant #3) by Sarah J. Waldock © 2013 (ebook only) MY  S

Emmalee by Jenni James © 2013  YA  M MY REVIEW

The Highbury Murders by Victoria Grossack © 2013  MY  S MY REVIEW

Emma and Elton: Something Truly Horrid by Alexa Adams  © 2012 (ebook only)  SS  V

Suspiciously Reserved: A Twist on Jane Austen’ Emma by Samantha Adkins © 2012  M

Jane and the Bow Street Runner (Jane, Bow Street Consultant #2) by Sarah J. Waldock © 2012  MY  S

George Knightley, Esquire: Lend Me Leave (Volume 2)  by Barbara Cornthwaite © 2011  APV MY REVIEW

Death of a Fop (Jane Bow Street Consultant #1) by Sarah J. Waldock © 2011  MY  S

The Intrigue at Highbury (Or, Emma’s Match) by Carrie Bebris  © 2010  MY  S MY REVIEW

Emma and the Vampires by Wayne Josephson  © 2010  P   YA  R MY REVIEW

George Knightley, Esquire: Charity Envieth Not (Volume 1) by Barbara Cornthwaite © 2009  APV MY REVIEW

–  James Fairfax by Jane Austen and Adam Campan © 2009  MA  R

The Importance of Being Emma by Juliet Archer © 2008  M  MA MY REVIEW

– Donwell Abbey by Katharine Moore © 2008  S

Emma and Knightley (originally published as Perfect Happiness in 1996) by Rachel Billington © 2008  S

Secret Schemes and Daring Dreams by Rosie Rushton © 2008  M  YA

– Lovers’ Perjuries: Or, The Clandestine Courtship of Jane Fairfax and Frank Churchill by Joan Ellen Delman © 2007  APV  MC

Mr. Knightley’s Diary by Amanda Grange © 2007  APV

Amanda (The Jane Austen Series) by Debra White Smith © 2006 (republished in 2018)  M

The Compleat Mrs. Elton by Diana Birchall © 2004  SS  MC MY REVIEW
The Courtship of Mrs. Elton
In Defense of Mrs. Elton
Mrs. Elton in America

– Anna Weston by Brenda Finn © 2000  S  MC MY REVIEW

Emma in Love by Emma Tennant © 1997  S

The Making of Jane Austen’s Emma by Susie Conklin and Sue Birtwistle © 1996

Later Days at Highbury by Joan Austen-Leigh © 1996  E  S  MC MY REVIEW

A Visit to Highbury (originally published as Mrs. Goddard Mistress of a School in 1993) by Joan Austen-Leigh © 1995  E  APV MY REVIEW

Truth and Rumor by Jane Gillespie © 1995  S  MC

Aunt Celia by Jane Gillespie © 1993  S  MC

Jane Fairfax by Joan Aiken © 1990 (republished in 1997)  APV  MC

Poor Emma (a short story found in There Are No Ghosts in the Soviet Union) by Reginald Hill © 1988  MY  SS

The Journal of Jane Fairfax by Charlotte Grey © 1983  APV  MC MY REVIEW

Jane Fairfax by Naomi Royde Smith © 1940  PR  APV  MC

~~~~~

Key:

– Modern Adaptation
SS – Short Story
MY – Mystery
MA – Mature Audiences
E – Epistolary Novel
AI – Austen-Inspired
TT – Time Travel
APV – Alternate Point-of-View
S – Sequel
PR– Prequel
P – Paranormal
N – Novella
YA – Young Adult
V – Variation
MC – Minor Character
R – Retelling

15 comments

  1. Alexa – Please let us know what you read!

    I have read and highly recommend some of these books. Others I really want to get my hands on!

    Read:
    – Emma and Knightley ****
    – Mr. Knightley’s Diary ****
    – Amanda ****
    – Later Days at Highbury ****
    – A Visit to Highbury ***** Absolutely wonderful!
    – Aunt Celia ****
    – Jane Fairfax (by Joan Aiken)***** LOVED IT!

    Want to read:
    – The Importance of Being Emma
    – Donwell Abbey
    – The Compleat Mrs. Elton

    Don’t want to read:
    – James Fairfax (I’m open minded and I would be willing to read stories about vampiers and werewolves, but I don’t think I could ever get into Austen characters and gay marriage)

  2. The only Emma’s I have read are Emma & Knightly, Mr. Knightly’s Diary, Aiken’s Jane Fairfax, and Lover’s Perjuries (which is by far my favorite). I have downloaded Donwell Abbey and ordered Mrs. Elton in America (this is the title for the complete Mrs. Elton volume, isn’t it?), Later Days in Highbury, and A Visit to Highbury. I’m not super keen on modern adaptations so will give them a pass, for the time being. I’m particularly excited about reading the epistolary novels. Thanks for the awesome list!

  3. Thanks for the list, Meredith! Emma is my favorite JA, but I have only read one sequel – Mr. Knightley’s Diary. I, however, don’t really want to read anything that focuses on Jane Fairfax. Honestly, she is not one of my favorite characters in Emma. I am going to check out The Importance of Being Emma, Emma and Knightley, and The Compleat Mrs. Elton soon.

    Thanks again,

    A

  4. Alexa – I have not read Lover’s Perjuries and if you like it better than Aiken’s book then I will add it to my list! The two epistolary novels were wonderful… The first one takes place during the time of Emma but the story is told by Mrs. Goddard who corresponds to her sister. The second one is a sequel to Emma and introduces new characters and isn’t really about Knightley and Emma.

    A- Thanks for stopping by and checking out the list! P&P is my most favorite Austen, but Emma is definitely my second. I sometimes wish I lived in Highbury, what a wonderful world she created! Emma and Knightley is a sequel to Emma and may not be the best of sequels, but it is an interesting take on it. We see Emma struggle with her new role of wife and mistress and the Knightley’s experience some trials and tribulations that will put them to the test.

    I am very intrigued by the Mrs. Elton series, three short stories all about Mrs. Elton!!

    You can contact me at Merry816@aol.com

  5. I loved Mr. Knightley’s Diary and A visit to Highbury. I plan on reading Later Days At Highbury and Gillespie’s books. I didn’t really care for Jane Fairfax by Joan Aiken but I noticed several on your list that sounded fascinating.

  6. There are a couple of books about Jane Fairfax, I have only read one. I’d like to read some others and see if I like them. I think Jane Fairfax is a wonderful subject!

  7. I would love to see Debra White Smith’s Austen Series books here. For Emma, her book is “Amanda”. Each of the stories is a modernized retelling, very engaging and entertaining. Perfect for the Austen fan and newbies alike. Happy reading 🙂

    1. I love Debra White series! Haven’t read many of them in a lot of years though! Amanda is on this list (right under Mr. Knightley’s Diary and above The Complete Mrs. Elton). Sorry if it is confusing, this list is chronological not alphabetical.

  8. Ive just read tea with emma. not 100% Jane austen but theres traces of it throughout the story. I just finished it i couldnt put it down

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