The Culminating Conclusion to Stephanie Barron’s Brilliant Series
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Source: Review Copy from Blog Tour
TYPE OF NOVEL: Mystery, Jane Austen as a Main Character
SERIES: Being A Jane Austen Mystery #15 (while it is a much richer experience to read these novels in order, they can easily be read out-of-order and standalone).
THE PREMISE:
Even though she suffers from a mysterious and incurable ailment, Jane Austen rallies her strength to leave the comforts of hearth and home to help her dear friend Elizabeth Heathcote (née Bigg). Elizabeth’s poor son has just been accused of murdering a fellow classmate from Winchester College. Can Jane clear William Heathcote’s name and discover the truth about Arthur Prendergast’s demise?
WHAT I LOVED:
- Rebellions and Rivalries – The Cruel World of Boys’ Schools: In this story, we learn a lot about the dynamics and domain of life in a boys’ school. It was an eye-opening experience. The bullying, the hierarchy, the pranks, the harsh discipline, and the lax supervision – boys really were learning the ways of the world once they left home… I appreciated the uniqueness of such a setting. I’ve read about Regency and Georgian school-life for young women in various novels, but it appears there is quite a difference when it comes to school-life for young men.
- Edward Austen: Helping his Aunt Jane with the intrigues of this mystery is her favorite nephew, James (Edward) Austen son of her eldest brother, James. Edward is clever, winsome, and perceptive. He shares a lot in common with his aunt, including some writing aspirations. I love that Edward was featured in this novel and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with him. I loved seeing his quick thinking and readiness to act. He is a loyal friend of high morals and integrity. I especially loved his relationship with his Aunt Jane – he is solicitous of her care, he confides in her, and he seems to share the same innate understanding and keen observations skills as her. Their relationship was one of my favorite elements of this novel.
- Inheritances, Entailments, Natural Born Children: Common themes we see in Regency and Jane Austen novels, but ones I never tire reading about. The many benefits and freedoms of inheritances and legacies are widespread and can sometimes induce malicious acts or foul play… Small gifts of wealth can alter a person’s vocation, improve their marriage prospects, or even allow them to seek required medical assistance. I appreciated how Ms. Barron employed these themes throughout this novel.
- Factual Tie-Ins: There is truth and authenticity in every sub-plot of this novel. It never ceases to impress me how Ms. Barron can find and implement so many factual events or histories and incorporate them seamlessly into her writing. I absolutely adore reading the Author Notes at the end of each novel and learning which is truth and which is fiction. In this case, I am fascinated by the fate and fortune of poor William Heathcote. What happens to him after this story is just as interesting as the fictitious events during!
- Vivid and Consuming: Stephanie Barron’s prose is unparalleled. Attention arrested, emotions engaged, critical thinking activated – I was immediately drawn into the action and intrigue of this story. I felt I was amongst the Austen family, and I loved feeling such a close connection to their family dynamics and interactions.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:
- Finale: Knowing this is the end of the series, part of me wishes it concluded with greater pomp, triumph, or finality – something worthy of honoring the fifteen remarkable works in this series. But given the reality of Jane Austen’s declining health and Stephanie Barron’s close adherence to truth and history, this more subdued and subtle conclusion keeps more with the realistic events of Jane Austen’s life at this time.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
🔦 This series continues to shine a light on the fascinating yet unknown intrigues of Jane Austen’s life.
🕵🏻♀️ I loved every minute of these sleuthing adventures with my favorite author! Next to Nancy Drew, she is one of my most favorite detectives.
🫶🏼 Thank you, Stephanie Barron, for this truly outstanding and epic Austenesque mystery series. It will continue to be treasured by Jane Austen fans and Austenesque admirers for many years to come.
Excellent review, Meredith for an excellent series! I’m reading them in order and only up to #8. Glad I have a ways to go before the finale!
Fantastic series! I have been waiting for this last one. I read every other novel, in order, in this series.
I enjoyed that delve into boys’ schools, Regency social elements, and bringing Edward on as her sleuthing partner, too.
I have thoroughly loved each one of Stephanie Barron’s JA Mysteries and feel a twinge of bittersweet sadness knowing this is the final one. I have all of the books and have been known to re-read them over the past 15 or so years since learning of their existence. Reading from this author feels, as Meredith said, as though you are part of the Austen family. She has a way of drawing you in and leaving you feeling as though you are taking a cozy tea and chat with a beloved friend. Her wit is, IMHO, unparalleled and you truly feel as though you are reading from Jane Austen’s pen! I’m savoring this book and while eager to solve the mystery, I almost don’t want it to end.
Can’t wait! And it feels like a gift just for me that the setting is Winchester College, because I’ve researched the school in this era rather thoroughly before sending a character in my last novel there and used the real-life headmaster (of 1800) as another character. Couldn’t be happier that the author has found a way to wind up this wonderful series.
Wonderful review, Meredith. I’ve barely gotten started on the series. When you like a series it’s relief to know there are so many more left to read. But I know how it feels to reach the end. It sounds like it was done well though.
I have loved the entire series. Sad it had to end too soon much like Jane’s life ended too soon. Thanks to Stephanie Barron for this wonderful series.