Happy Friday, friends! Who loves it when murder, mystery, and mayhem crosses paths with Jane Austen’s novels? 🙋🏻♀️ I do!!! And I especially love it when this crossing of paths happen with characters from Northanger Abbey!! I am so thankful that author Shannon Winslow’s new book – Murder at Northanger Abbey – is a murder mystery that takes place at (you guessed it!) Northanger Abbey! More Northanger Abbey books are always a win!!! Shannon is here to talk a little about why she loves Northanger Abbey! We hope you enjoy! 💕
Thanks so much for inviting me to visit Austenesque Reviews today, Meredith, and for the chance to tell your lovely readers about my brand new Austenesque novel, Murder at Northanger Abbey!
I will begin by boldly declaring that Austen fans who don’t give Northanger Abbey a fair try are really missing out! Yes, I know Pride and Prejudice is positively wonderful and almost everybody’s favorite (mine too). But ALL Austen’s novels are wonderful in their own ways, which is why my goal is to write at least one novel related to each of her six. I have four P&P books already, one Persuasion, and one that I consider my Mansfield Park novel. This newest book is, obviously, my NA homage.
Did you know that Northanger Abbey was the first full novel Jane Austen wrote? It’s true. Although it wasn’t published until many years later, after her death, she actually wrote it primarily in her early twenties. Knowing this helps us to appreciate Northanger Abbey’s unique place in the Austen canon and its teenaged, somewhat-naïve heroine. Austen conceived the story when she was quite young herself, before she had experienced much of the world. So it’s brimming with youthful humor and fun, and with early examples of Austen’s patented ironic wit, like this one:
Where people wish to attach, they should always be ignorant. To come with a well-informed mind, is to come with an inability of administering to the vanity of others, which a sensible person would always wish to avoid. A woman especially, if she have the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can.
Of course, when Austen wrote this in regard to Catherine Morland’s lack of knowledge, she wasn’t really championing female ignorance; she’s being ironic, poking fun at Fordyce and other proponents of the idea. It was her way of commenting “with a laugh or a smile” on societies foibles and absurdities. She’s not taking the world, including herself and her writing, too seriously. That spirit of fun and mischief is something I really enjoy in Northanger Abbey. Here’s another example:
A family of ten children will be always called a fine family, where there are heads and arms and legs enough for the number…
Unsophisticated humor, I suppose, but that’s just fine with me. In Northanger Abbey, I see a kind of bridge from Austen’s delightfully funny juvenile works to her later, more mature novels.
As you probably know, with Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen was deliberately spoofing the Gothic novels that were so popular at the time, poking good-humored fun at books like The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe. Again, Austen wasn’t taking herself or her story too seriously. And it was my intent, with the sequel, to carry on in the same style and tone.
It’s all about fun: the fun of following Catherine and Henry Tilney’s relationship into married life (in a PG fashion) – who doesn’t love a guy who’s sexy AND can keep you laughing?; the fun of exploring a spooky old house and solving a mystery; the fun of unexpected twists and turns along the way; the fun of the good guys ending up on top for a happy ending. I hope you will come along on the adventure!
~ Book Description ~
Sequel to Jane Austen’s Spoof on the Gothic Novel
Newly married to her beloved Henry, Catherine’s eyes are now open to the grownup pleasures of wedded life. Yet she still hasn’t quite given up her girlhood fascination with all things Gothic. When she first visited Northanger Abbey, she only imagined dreadful events had occurred there. This time the horror is all too real. There’s been a murder, and Henry has fallen under suspicion. Catherine is determined to clear her husband’s name, but at the same time, she’s afraid for her own safety, since there’s a very good chance the real murderer is still in the house.
This delightful sequel reprises the mischievous spirit of Austen’s original spoof on the Gothic novel, while giving Catherine a genuine murder mystery to unravel.
Thank you so much for sharing this post with us, Shannon! Murder at Northanger Abbey sounds fantastic! I am so happy that you penned a story for our dear Henry and Catherine!! But I must admit, I am alarmed at Henry being under suspicion for murder!!! 😱
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I am definitely a fan of historical mysteries, it is actually my favourite genre, covering all ages from Roman to WW2.
I don’t read many myself, but I have enjoyed several of the Maisie Dobbs series!
I look forward to reading this. I have enjoyed NA. Thanks for sharing here. Best of luck withe the release, Shannon.
Thank you, Sheila! I do enjoy the book tour, and it’s always a treat to visit Meredith at Austenesque Reviews!
So excited for this book. Love that it’s a mystery, love that it’s based on Northanger Abbey like you, Meredith, & love that it’s from Shannon’s pen. I have read most of her other books & enjoyed them immensely!
Lovely to hear from you, Amy, and to know that you’re interested in my latest!
Sounds great!
Yay! Glad you think so. 😀
Congratulations, Shannon! So excited to see more of Northanger Abbey. I love a good mystery and can’t wait to tag along with Catherine as she clears her husband’s name!
…and of course she does clear Henry’s name, because you know that I believe in writing happy endings!
Thanks, Meredith for hosting [hello to your Mr. Bingley]. This was an exciting post. I love the picture shown of Catherine and her Mr. Tilney. They were so cute together. This sounds like an exciting and spooky [shiver and shudder] mystery. I look forward to reading it. I think I own all of your books. I was in the process of rebuilding my book fund when I saw this new one. I will have to add it to my list. Blessings on the success of this new work. Stay safe and healthy, everyone.
Thanks so much! Hope MNA won’t bust your book fund (only 3.99 on Kindle as a special introductory price), and that you’ll discover it’s worth every penny. 😀
In that case… grabbed it. Thanks for the introductory pricing. Blessings…
Yay!
I found this story very entertaining, a very good follow on to the original, and as enjoyably readable as all Ms. Winslow’s efforts. My only comment to her was that it was a shame that John and Isabella Thorpe could not have made an early and brief appearance and then died when fallen upon by a heavy object when trying to crash the ball.
Haha! You always have creative story ideas, Richard! So glad you enjoyed the book. 😀
I adore Catherine…lol and tolerate Henry (ducks…laugh at myself just read Henry Tilney’s Diary by Amanda Grange enjoyable but it didn’t improve my view of him although the pre-NA part of the book with Eleanor was worth the price of admission). Just busted my book fund. 🙂 Looking forward to it. Congrats and best wishes!
Thanks! I hope you decide Mr. Tilney is worth “tolerating” one more time for this book, which is more Catherine than Henry anyway. 😀
I love northanger abbey. Love Shannon’s works also. I don’t know why I didn’t realize your goal of writing something related to each of the 6 Austen novels. I’ll have to get this one. There’s not too much about northanger out there. Thank you.
Yes, I know; NA is sadly neglected and often disrespected. That’s why I’m out here championing the original as much as my sequel. 🙂
You’re doing great! Greetings from puyallup.
murder mystery with a twist, how fun
I hope you will find it so, indeed!
I agree that NA is an often overlooked gem.
So happy you have continued Catherine and Henry’s story. And who doesn’t love a good mystery. Look forward to reading it soon.
Thanks, Stephanie. That’s very good to hear!
Historical mysteries are my favorite genre, with JAFF a close second, so combining them together–YAY!!! Can’t wait to read this one!! 😀
Warmly,
Susanne 🙂
Yay! This book was definitely written for you, Susanne!
I just recently read NA, and I have not laughed as vigorously over a book in the past year as this one. (I would had said the past several years had I not read one of Georgette Heyer’s works.) I cannot wait to get this book one of these days.
I’m glad you now appreciate the fun and humor of NA, Jen! I hope you will enjoy the sequel as much. 😀
This looks interesting… I am not much familiar with NA. I tend to appreciate the variations first before I read the original story, this might help me read more NA stories