Manslaughter Park

This is the third installment in the murder driven Jane Austen retellings, and it's got a twist the first two didn't. 

We assemble the cast of usual characters, and then kill off Fanny's uncle. Now Fanny must solve the crime, which no one wants to believe is a crime and all have motives for offing him. 

Ms. Price does a wonderful job of keeping us guessing and giving Fanny red herrings to chase after. 

I did love the cameo of Lizzie and Darcy. 

Wonderful narration. 

I hope there will be a fourth book. Maybe Emma? Northanger Abbey?

What twisted Jane Austen tellings do you recommend?

AMAZON

Aspiring artist Fanny Price is an unwelcome guest at her uncle Sir Thomas Bertram’s estate. It’s his affection for Fanny that’s keeping her from being forced out by her cousins Tom and Maria and nasty Aunt Norris, back to a home to which she never wants to return. But then Sir Thomas dies in a tragic accident inside his art emporium, and Fanny finds evidence of foul play that, if revealed, could further jeopardize her already precarious position.

Edmund, her best friend and secret crush, urges Fanny to keep quiet about her discovery, but Fanny can’t ignore the truth: a murderer is among them.

Determined to find the killer, Fanny’s pursuit for justice has her wading into the Bertram family business, uncovering blackmail, and brushing with London’s high society when Henry and Mary Crawford arrive at Mansfield Park with an audacious business proposal. But a surprising twist of fate—and the help of local legends Lizzie Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy—brings Fanny more complications than she ever expected and a life-altering realization about herself she never saw coming.

When Breath Becomes Air

This was a book club pick. 

The text is short and poignant as the age old question in posed: what makes a valuable life? 

There's plenty of medical jargon in the book and it's explained well for a lay person to understand. 

This book will make you ponder on your own mortality and how you would repsond if you were suddenly slipped into his shoes. 

Well written and well narrated. 

Note: if you've lost a loved one to cancer, this book may be triggering. 

What non-fiction/memoir books have made you think? 

AMAZON

At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade’s worth of training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, and the next he was a patient struggling to live. And just like that, the future he and his wife had imagined evaporated. When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi’s transformation from a naïve medical student “possessed,” as he wrote, “by the question of what, given that all organisms die, makes a virtuous and meaningful life” into a neurosurgeon at Stanford working in the brain, the most critical place for human identity, and finally into a patient and new father confronting his own mortality.

What makes life worth living in the face of death? What do you do when the future, no longer a ladder toward your goals in life, flattens out into a perpetual present? What does it mean to have a child, to nurture a new life as another fades away? These are some of the questions Kalanithi wrestles with in this profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir.

Paul Kalanithi died in March 2015, while working on this book, yet his words live on as a guide and a gift to us all. “I began to realize that coming face to face with my own mortality, in a sense, had changed nothing and everything,” he wrote. “Seven words from Samuel Beckett began to repeat in my head: ‘I can’t go on. I’ll go on.’” When Breath Becomes Air is an unforgettable, life-affirming reflection on the challenge of facing death and on the relationship between doctor and patient, from a brilliant writer who became both.

Love on Lexington Avenue

This is my first read by Ms. Layne. I didn't realize it was the second in the series. That said, there was plenty of context for me to understand the characters relationships to each other. 

It's a redemption story, but the one being redeemed or reclaimed is the MC - Claire. After learning ugly truths about her late husband, Claire must find a path forward, one that's all her own. She needs to rediscover herself. 

So naturally she decides to overhaul her home. Fresh start. 

Enter grumpy, hunky Scott. 

They turn each other's lives and perceptions upside down, and find that life and love are better that way. 

Note: this book isn't a completely clean and wholesome romance. There are fade to black scenes, and one very short on page sex scene, as well as discussions about sex from multiple characters. 

How would you forge a new path after a life change? 

AMAZON

From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne comes the second delightfully charming installment in the Central Park Pact series, following a young widow whose newfound cynicism about love is challenged by a sexy, rough-around-the-edges contractor.

There are no good men left in New York City. At least that’s Claire Hayes’s conviction after finding out her late husband was not the man she thought he was. Determined to rid her home of anything that reminds her of her cheating husband, Claire sets out to redesign her boring, beige Upper East Side brownstone and make it something all her own. But what starts out as a simple renovation becomes a lot more complicated when she meets her bad-tempered contractor Scott Turner.

Scott bluntly makes it known to Claire that he only took on her house for a change of pace from the corporate offices and swanky hotels he’s been building lately, and he doesn’t hesitate to add that he has no patience for a pampered, damaged princess with a penchant for pink. But when long workdays turn into even longer nights, their mutual wariness morphs into something more complicated—a grudging respect, and maybe even attraction...

Sense & Second-Degree Murder

This series is so much fun. I love the fresh take on Jane Austen's beloved characters as sleuths. 

The characters maintain their trademake characteristics, but with the fresh plot, they seem like an updated version of themselves. 

The villians remain the same, though the circumstances vary. 

If you're an Austen fan who also likes a cozy mystery, then this is the book series for you. 

Do you like a little Nancy Drew in your Jane Austen tales? What would you recommend in this genre for my next read?

AMAZON

When eighteen-year-old aspiring scientist Elinor Dashwood discovers her beloved father slumped over the desk of his office study, she knows his death means dire straits for the Dashwood women. To make matters worse, an outdated will entails his estate—including Norland & Company, the private investigation firm where her younger sister Marianne worked as her father’s partner and protégé—to their half-brother and his haughty wife, who waste no time in forcing the Dashwoods out of their home and into a cramped apartment on London’s Barton Street.

But before they go, the Dashwood sisters make a startling discovery: a suspicious substance in their father’s teacup—one that can only be described as poison. And poison, as Marianne’s father taught her, always points to murder.

It could be dangerous; it could ruin their reputations; and most importantly, it won’t bring back their father. But if the Dashwood sisters can combine their talents and bring their father’s murderer to justice, it may bring them all some comfort—and it might even lead to love.

Pride & Premeditation

Long time Jane Austen fan. Love a good mystery and an amateur sleuth. This book fit all my favorites. 

I want to particularly want to point out the Author's Note at the end when she explains the historical changes she made that weren't true to the early 1800's in England. I had no issues with the changes for the purposes of the story. 

The narrator is absolutely fabulous. Every character is distinct and identifiable regardless of dialogue or tags. I would listen to her again.  

Story is solid. Pacing is on point. Character development is fantastic. 

Start listenting. I hope there's another book to read after this by Ms. Price. 

Do you combined genres to do with Jane Austen? Which ones?

AMAZON

One of BuzzFeed's best YA books of 2021!

Perfect for fans of the Lady Janies and Stalking Jack the Ripper, the first book in the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries trilogy is a clever retelling of Pride and Prejudice that reimagines the iconic settings, characters, and romances in a thrilling and high-stakes whodunit.

When a scandalous murder shocks London high society, seventeen-year-old aspiring lawyer Lizzie Bennet seizes the opportunity to prove herself, despite the interference of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prestigious firm Pemberley Associates.

Convinced the authorities have imprisoned the wrong person, Lizzie vows to solve the murder on her own. But as the case—and her feelings for Darcy—become more complicated, Lizzie discovers that her dream job could make her happy, but it might also get her killed.

Three of Jane Austen’s classic novels receive a murder mystery makeover in this romantic and thrilling three-book series that’s perfect for fans of The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy.

Pride and Premeditation is followed by Sense and Second-Degree Murder, in which aspiring scientist Elinor Dashwood and her sister Marianne, a budding detective, work together to solve the mystery of their father’s murder.

Hieroglyphs & Homicide

Not sure how I came across this book, but I'm certainly happy I did. 

This was my first read by Ms. Higley. It won't be my last. 

I like a good murder mystery, and I like it clean. No steamy love scenes, no swearing, no graphic violence. And that's precisely what Ms. Higley writes. 

Dr. Clarissa Bell is brilliantly written. Her system of cataloging the world, her inner dialogue, and her interaction with Quinn are intelligent, humorous, and refreshing. 

Love the setting, the pace, the style. 

Which is why I'll be grabbing book two NOW. 

If you can, save yourself time and money and buy the whole series. You'll want to keep turning the pages.

What clean murder mystery do you recommend I read next? 

AMAZON

Step into the sultry heat of 1920s Egypt, where ancient secrets hide beneath the shadow of the Great Pyramid.

Dr. Clarissa Bell came to Giza to prove herself a serious archaeologist, not to sort pottery while her male colleagues claim the glory.

But when she discovers a mysterious scribe's palette stained with rare blue pigment, she uncovers more than just an artifact—she stumbles into a deadly conspiracy.

Armed with nothing but her Cambridge education, an alarming tendency toward sarcasm, and a talent for finding trouble in supposedly empty tombs, Clarissa navigates a world where British imperial power meets ancient Egyptian mysteries, taking her from the bustling streets of Cairo to the steaming bathhouses and glittering auction houses of the colonial elite.

And what about the enigmatic Benedict Quinn? Charming, mysterious, and far too handsome for her peace of mind. Her carefully ordered world is beginning to crumble like ancient limestone.

But when professors pack pistols and black market dealers have government connections, the only thing Clarissa can trust is her own sharp wit—and her ability to sort pottery under pressure.

Summertime Guests

I picked up this book by Ms. Francis to take on vacation as I was in the mood for a mystery, which is only one aspect of this book. The rest I would say is part romance, part slice of life fiction. 

The story follows four couples in various stages of love/relationship. They are all at the Seafarer Hotel when someone falls to their death. 

The book does a lot of going back and forth between the present and the past, so be prepared to time jump often before the reveal of who died and how. Most of the time I didn't mind the skipping around, but other times I was annoyed. There's also quite a bit of telling instead of showing. 

That said, it was a solid read. 

Fair warning there are closed door intimate scenes, but nothing graphic on the page. Not squeaky clean, but you won't have to skip pages/parts while reading. A couple of swear words. 

Have you read any books by this author? If so, which one would you recommend?

AMAZON

THE SEAFARER IS THE PLACE TO SEE AND BE SEEN IN THE SUMMER...

With its rich history and famous guests, the glamorous Boston hotel is no stranger to drama. But the bustle at the iconic property reaches new heights one weekend in mid-June when someone falls tragically to her death, the event rippling through the lives of four very different people.

Bride-to-be Riley is at the hotel to plan her wedding. She would have preferred a smaller, more intimate celebration, but her bossy mother-in-law has taken charge and her fiancé hasn’t seemed to notice. Jean-Paul, the hotel’s manager, is struggling to keep his marriage and new family afloat, but now he must devote all his energy to this latest scandal at work. Claire, recently widowed, comes to town to connect with a long-lost love, but has too much changed in the last thirty years? And then there’s Jason, whose romantic getaway with his girlfriend has not exactly gone the way he'd hoped and instead has him facing questions he can't bring himself to answer.

Over three sun-drenched days, as the truth about the woman who died—and the secret she was hiding—is uncovered, these four strangers become linked in the most unexpected of ways. Together, they just might find the strength they need to turn their own lives around.