Jane and the Final Mystery is a fitting end to this well loved series.

It's always a bit sad to see a series end but such is the nature of things. This book didn't disappoint and captured what endeared this series to its readers.

It's fascinating to read about the lives behind prestigious schools during those times as it was entwined with the muder investigation. The historical details integrated with the plot of the story was well researched and I appreciated the footnotes that actually explained terms that I personally was unfamiliar with.

I love Edward. He is such a charming character and I wish there was more of him.

Jane Austen as a sleuth was such a delight to read. This being set during her twilight years gives a bittersweet layer to a rather wonderful ending. Rich in detail and wonderful characters, this cozy historical mystery is an immersive read.

This would be 4.25 stars out of 5 stars.

Stephanie Barron completes her Jane Austen series with Jane and the Last Mystery. In 1817 Jane health is in decline when her nephew Edward brings news that the son of her dear friend, William Heathcote, is suspected of killing the student prefect who bullied him. Jane and her nephew go to the public school town to find out what really happened. Interesting town and gown politics complicated by prejudices against stuttering individuals. William stutters. Great period mystery.

In 1995 author Stephanie Barron began her renowned Jane Austen Mysteries. Now totaling fifteen titles, the series traces the fictional escapades of the beloved English novelist as amateur sleuth. The first volume, Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor, joins Austen shortly after her rejection of Harris Bigg-Wither in December 1802 when she is in her late twenties. With each subsequent novel of Barron’s, the timeline of Jane’s life continues. As history records, she died in July of 1817. At the conclusion of the fourteenth novel Jane and the Year Without a Summer, the titular heroine was beginning to show signs of her ailment in 1816. In Jane and the Final Mystery, she is heavily beset with fatigue, pain and other symptoms of her sickness. Nonetheless, within her social and familial circles a crime is discovered and she is on the case to assist in its resolution, bringing justice to the wronged and vindication to the falsely accused. Readers are given an intimate view into the complex environment of an elite boys' boarding school, which Jane deftly navigates in order to discover the truth about the offense committed.

Stephanie Barron has a talent for capturing the voice of Austen in a way that places her in an elite field. This reader has consumed a significant amount of Austenesque fiction, as well as novels that are set in 19th century England. While I have enjoyed most of the titles, very few have reached the excellence of writing that Barron offers. Her history is well-researched, the language is accurate to the period (to my limited knowledge) and the style is accessible enough for modern readers. That said, I enjoyed the discovery of new words to add to my vocabulary. Although an entertaining endeavor, reading Jane and the Final Mystery was also an educational experience.

When I opened the first pages of the Final Mystery, it was with a tinge of sadness. I was hesitant to begin, as it would bring me that much closer to the conclusion of this delightful series. However, I have the unlikely “blessing” of being a latecomer to Barron’s writing, as I only discovered her work in 2016. I have read five of her full-length mystery novels as of this date. This means I have the opportunity to enjoy ten other titles previously published. Barron touches on a few moments from those past titles near the conclusion of Final Mystery, and while I was not familiar with all of the elements to which she referred, it was not alienating. Those remembrances merely spurred my desire to return to the rest of the series in short order.

Several years ago Stephanie Barron took a hiatus from writing this series. Six years passed between the publication of the thirteenth title Jane and the Waterloo Map and the next, Jane and the Year Without a Summer. I was positively delighted when the mysteries continued in 2022. Thank you, Stephanie Barron, for returning to our dear Jane in order to conclude her final years as amateur sleuth. As has been the case with the other titles enjoyed by this reader, Jane and the Final Mystery is a Janeite’s delight and a mystery reader’s pleasure. Your vision of this treasure of Regency England is thoroughly believable and provides clever reading which would most assuredly be enjoyed by Jane herself. Congratulations to you, and thank you again for this gift to your readers.

In terms of a Regency mystery, this might be one of my favourites. Barron takes on a British institution, the boys boarding school, a bold move when her protagonist and amateur detective is not able to attend. And that does not affect Austen’s ability to solve this mystery at all. The mystery truly builds layer by layer, and although it can be easy to miss them, more pieces slot into place.

Cleverly, Barron features Austen’s nephew, Edward Austen-Leigh. He would later write The Memoir of Miss Jane Austen, the first biography of the famed author that would help boost her position as a popular author with the wider reading public. It is Barron’s knowledge of Austen’s life and ability to weave fact into her fiction that has made this such a wonderful series.

I have to say, I became fairly emotional while reading this more than once which is not a common reaction for me. However, Barron once again brings Austen to life so vividly that it feels like we are there throughout the last months of her life. Was it difficult to read at some moments? Yes. But I think that that speaks to Barron’s immense talent as a writer- she not only captivates us with an engaging and difficult mystery, she wraps up a fictional telling of one of the most beloved authors of all time.

Can you read this without reading the other books in the series? Yes, if you have a knowledge of Austen’s life you will be able to keep up. However, if you have not been reading the Being a Jane Austen Mysteries, you are missing out on so much if you don’t treat yourself to the whole series!

Synopsis
As an aging Jane Austen's health is in decline, she is pulled into the mystery of who killed her beloved nephew's classmate. Her nephew is accused of the murder and is facing the hangman's noose. Can Jane find the real killer and exonerate her sister's son?
My Overall Thoughts
I love a good retelling or spin-off of beloved characters. A treasured classic author cast as a character is a twist on this trope that I find quite interesting. I was hooked immediately. This was the first novel in this series that I've read and definitely going to go back and read the earlier books.
What I Didn't Love
The mystery wasn't really twisty. Nothing very unexpected happened. There was no huge story arc.
Potentially Offensive Content
Some violence
What I Loved
It was simply a quick, fun read. The language and setting seemed true to life. I know that it is difficult to do justice to a character like Jane Austen, but I felt the author made her believable.
I Would Recommend This Book To
If you like cozy mysteries with a historical twist, then this book is for you.

I first learned of Barron’s Austen mystery series last year with the book release, Jane and The Year Without a Summer. It had the style and spelling of Austen, her wit and I think it would be true to the Jane Austen that we love.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been binging the tv show “Psych” where Shawn Spencer says he’s a psychic and helps solve crime but he’s really just very observant. Think of this book and our beloved Jane as a crime solving psychic! She loved thinking on human behavior and when you really look into it – people do a lot of weird/silly/dumb things that can only make you wonder.

While I have only read book 14 in the series and now 15, which don’t need to be read in order, Jane is at the end of her life (that we know) although she’s started to feel unwell and unexpected news takes her away to see an old friend. A body has been found, a trial! I couldn’t stop reading then.

I think Barron is a talented writer to take such a beloved and timeless author and to be able to capture her writing style and come up with fun mysteries is a bonus. I feel I’ve learned so much about Austen’s life through the people she met and where she went. As always the editor’s footnotes are always fun to read and letter excerpts.

Thank you to the publisher and Austenprose PR for the advanced reader copy. This book releases next week and I can’t believe what an incredible and painstaking journey its been for Barron to finish a series that started nearly 30 years ago! What dedication to devote so much of one’s life.

If you love cozy mysteries, Jane Austen, historical fiction and a whodunnit then you won’t be disappointed in this book.

How do you wrap up a beloved and long-running series, especially when it involves bringing the story of your heroine to a poignant close? Once again, Stephanie Barron demonstrates her mastery of both the mystery genre and the mannerisms of Austen’s time.

Readers who have followed the series likely already know that Jane Austen’s health has been declining over the course of the books, as it did in her real life. Despite this, Jane continues on, using her quiet powers of observation and deduction to bring resolutions to cases. In this mystery, the reader is taken into the orbit of Winchester College, the prestigious boarding school attended by Edward, Jane’s nephew. The investigation of the murder of Edward’s classmate is the driving force of the mystery, as Jane fights against her own physical ailment to bring justice to the victim and clear the name of her friend’s son. The setting of Winchester is richly described and once again Barron does a detailed job of capturing the mannerisms of a certain social class of Britons in the Austen era.

What really makes Barron’s Jane Austen mystery series stand out from the many other Austen adaptations available is the careful research she has done in her exploration of Jane’s own letters and other, personal writings. This means that not only are the books engaging in their own right, but they are truly consistent with the time period they are set in and allow the reader to spend time with a beloved author and imagine Jane Austen’s life in a more vivid way. Though I am sad to see the series end, I eagerly await what Stephanie Barron does next!

This was the perfect ending to this Jane Austen mystery series, it had everything that I was hoping for from this series. I enjoyed the mystery overall and thought it worked with the rest of the series. The characters felt like they belonged in the time-period and I’m glad it ended strongly. Can’t wait to read more from Stephanie Barron.

I am so sad to have read the last Jane Austen investigates book. I have loved this series for years and I admit, I cried a little when I reached the last chapter. Truly shall miss this series.

It's always sad to say goodbye to the characters of a series and this one, featuring Jane Austen investigating, was an excellent one.
I discovered it years ago and love this clever and human Jane, the vivid historical background and the solid mystery.
The solid mystery is always well researched and detailes, the mystery surprised me with the twists and the solution.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Barron does well the show us how Jane may have suffered from her illness and the care she would have received from family members along the way, but we also see how determined Jane is and how dedicated to truth and family she continues to be despite all the pain. Barron also clearly has researched the time period very well, and she includes footnotes for those who need a little clarification, which I appreciated.

William Heathcote, the son of Jane’s friend Elizabeth, has been bullied at Winchester, but what Jane soon learns about life at the college will make teasing in today’s world seem less dire. Boys are shoved into canals and sluice gates opened so they flow into the canal and river, and so much more. Hazing is taken to a whole new level, but it isn’t just about fitting in. Sometimes rivalries can stem from classism and social ostracism. When William is accused of murder, Jane and her nephew, his friend, get to work on clearing his name.

Jane and the Final Mystery by Stephanie Barron is a page-turner. I couldn’t put it down. I had to unravel the mystery with Jane and her nephew, even though it broke my heart to see how much pain she had to deal with. Barron knows how to weave a historical tale that will leave readers wanting more.

While I only started reading Stephanie Barron’s Being a Jane Austen Mystery series with the final two books, I absolutely plan to go back some day and read the previous thirteen that I missed. It’s clear that the author has done meticulous research in order to write so delightfully in Austen’s 1st person POV (which is spot-on) and with such evident affection. Historical fact & people are indelibly linked to the fictional mystery, making it extremely easy to picture Jane Austen as an amateur sleuth and putting readers right in the midst of her life and family.

“Hold the reins in both hands,” [Edward] instructed. “Loosely, Aunt. Not as tho’ you wish to tie off a bleeding man’s stump.”

In Jane and the Final Mystery, readers continue to watch Jane decline in health but remain stalwart of spirit. I personally identified with Jane in several ways – her being a childless aunt with a close relationship to her nieces and nephews, her day-to-day struggle with a chronic (and worsening) illness, and also with the tremulous hope that maybe she’ll yet find a doctor who not only cares enough to help but also knows how to do so. Of course, the title of this novel is a dire foreshadowing of what we already know from history to be true… indeed, that we are walking through the final months of Jane Austen’s life with her. And yet, the novel retains the wit and intelligence that are familiar to this series, wrapping readers up in a comforting embrace and immersing us into a layered mystery that succeeds in (mostly) distracting us from the inevitable.

“Her trial ended in acquittal; but she remains a subject of familial uneasiness.” (about Jane’s Aunt Jane)

Speaking of the mystery, I found it to be quite intriguing and well-drawn. I loved that it involves actual historical figures even beyond Jane’s family – in this case, a William Heathcote a few years before he inherits the title of the 5th Baronet of Hursley. And while the mystery is fictional, it’s always interesting to read about real people whom Jane did indeed encounter. It serves to make Jane herself seem more ‘real’ too. As we meet William, he is yet a teenager, plagued by his stuttering, and falsely accused of murdering a fellow student (who happens to have been his arch nemesis) at Winchester College (his boarding school). Enter Jane, a close friend of William’s mother Elizabeth, and Jane’s dear nephew Edward, a friend of William’s. I thoroughly enjoyed Edward & Jane’s relationship, in addition to appreciating their ability to solve a mystery. I began to suspect the actual murderer before Jane or Edward did, but there were still some surprising twists I was not expecting.

“I am once again struck by the subtlety of your understanding, Aunt.”

“It is a family failing,” I assured him, and returned to Elizabeth.

Bottom Line: Jane and the Final Mystery is at once witty and affectionate, even as readers know in the back of their minds that we are experiencing Jane’s final months along with her. The tone remains light and cozy, the kind of book you can just sink into and escape the world for a few hours. Barron’s talented writing voice and her careful research both shine in Jane’s cleverness, her narrative, and her sleuthing skills. It is easy to see our beloved Austen in this role, and although there is some degree of sadness in saying goodbye to this series – and to Jane – your heart will ultimately be lightened in reading this book.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

This was a difficult read for me because it is the last in the series and because Jane Austen was at the end of her life in this one. I have read all 15 of these books. The first one came out in 1996. Barron is the first author since Georgette Heyer who really could mimic Austen's wry humor and subtle sarcasm. I guess I'll have to go back and read them all again.
In this volume, we find Jane heading to Winchester to help her friend Elizabeth whose son has been accused of murdering a fellow student at the prep school there. Jane's nephew Edward had been a student there recently and was also along to help. Barron used actual events and people in Austen's life to inform her mysteries, including at least one letter Austen wrote while she was in Winchester. Elizabeth was the sister of the man Jane Austen accepted a proposal of marriage from in 1815 and then changed her mind the next morning.
By about halfway through the book, I had figured out who the murderer was, but not why. I enjoyed the twists and turns of the plot and the setting of Winchester. Jane's death does not take place on the page. The epilogue is a wrapping up of all the characters in the book and what actually happened to all of them.
This was overall a fun mystery. My own personal sadness that this is the last one kept me from flying through it, but a less rabid Jane Austen fan would not have this struggle.

“What can I possibly know of schoolboys?” I scoffed, as I kissed her cheek. “They are all Latin and Greek, of which I remain ignorant.”

“Until they become men,” Elizabeth sighed, “and their vices both common and apparent. With these, Jane, I suspect you are well acquainted. You have brothers, have you not?”

* * * * *

While author Jane Austen may not have been learned in the Classics, she was an expert study of the human character. Her keen observational skills and razor-sharp wit lend themselves perfectly to her imagined role as an unassuming amateur sleuth, and it is this Jane that headlines the fifteen novels in Stephanie Barron’s critically acclaimed and beloved Jane Austen Mystery series.

Jane and the Final Mystery follows Jane and her eldest nephew, seventeen-year-old James-Edward, to Winchester College, where Jane learns that fifteen-year-old William Heathcote, the only son of her girlhood friend, Elizabeth, has been framed for the murder of a school prefect. When William is found guilty at the inquest it is up to Jane to clear his name, a task which threatens to overwhelm her due to her rapidly failing health.

Jane and the Final Mystery begins on 27 January 1817, and concludes on 4 April 1817. As with each of the novels, the author’s impeccable research places Jane into a fictional story framed by actual events that occurred in the real Jane’s life, and in chronological order. These include circumstances that are known to have happened within her family and in the lives of her friends and in her societal circles, and Jane’s historically documented physical whereabouts on the actual dates that are depicted. Coupled with the author’s uncanny (I would even go so far as to say preternatural) talent to write in Jane Austen’s voice, it is often hard to believe that you’re not reading authentic diary entries and letters from Jane.

I have been a devoted fan of Jane the detective since the series debuted in 1996, and I was expecting to be quite emotional reading this one. However, the narrative does not lend itself to the minimum of three Kleenexes in hand that I was anticipating. While there are certainly notes of a deep-seated acceptance within Jane that her end is nearing, she remains an optimistic, resilient figure throughout the novel. Not for Jane a surrender of dignity, or the donning of a mantle of victimhood; but life and living, with grace and humility of spirit.

Thank you, Stephanie Barron, for your gift, and for using it to share your glimpses of Jane with us over the last thirty years.

I am so sad that the wonderful Being A Jane mystery series has come to an end. I was captivated by Jane Austen as an amateur sleuth from the very beginning. Stephanie Barron has always delivered a faithfully-drawn Jane as she navigates the more mysterious side of Regency England society. Accurate depictions of the time and place, as well as Jane and the Austen family and friends, bring authenticity to a thoroughly enjoyable mystery series. In Jane And The Final Mystery, the reader and Jane know that her time is short. Though modern readers would consider her young, Jane is a spinster who depends on the meager revenue from her writing as well as a small stipend supplemented by her brothers and has few prospects for bettering her life. It would be easy to feel sorry for the historical Jane, but through Barron’s depiction we see a woman content with how her life has run. Jane And The Final Mystery finds Jane struggling with illness but still keen to discover just whodunit in the cathedral town of Winchester. I loved the historical details Barron uses — food, fashion, education, medicine, judicial practices — to bring early 19th century England to life. Characters, both historical and fictional, play a part in the story, making this book very believable. While there is no historical proof that Jane was a successful sleuth, this book (along with the entire series) makes my Jane-loving heart believe. 😉 The pace of the mystery kept me turning the pages as I strove with our heroine to solve the case. Barron kept us both on our toes!

For those who have been faithful followers of this series, you will love the poignant ending. And if you are new to these mysteries, you are in for a treat — 15 books to savor! I recommend you start at the beginning of this wonderful mystery series.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

It's been quite the adventure. I began reading Stephanie Barron's Being A Jane Austen Mystery Series way back when Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor was first released. Now here we are all these years later and I'm am part of Austenprose Book Tour for Jane and the Final Mystery.

I was planning a trip to UK in 2017, when I came across Jane and the Stillroom Maid with it's setting of Chatsworth. Realized I had missed some of Jane's adventures. Life had gotten in the way of my reading for several years. Thought it would be fun to reread. I finally had the time in 2020. Thus #JaneandtheYear2020 and #JaneAndTheYear2020AndBeyond happened. When Series Finale was announced I knew it was time for a reread. Even better with friends.

I loved how this final Jane circled back to the beginning with Harris Bigg-Wither.
"Good lord, I thought suddenly. Had I accepted him, should I have had ten children? - And shuddered at the thought." It was a wonderful conclusion. Taking place in Winchester had me reminiscing of my visit to Winchester Cathedral to pay my respects to Jane. It was a wonderful conclusion. Even if it had me crying at the end.

Thank you Stephanie Barron for so many hours of reading pleasure. You did Jane proud. 💙💙💙💙💙

WOW! This book is SO GOOD! It is full of twists and turns, oh so cozy mysterious, heartbreaking, emotional, poignant, and so much more! Whenever I picked up "Jane and the Final Mystery", I was whisked back in time, and went on such a journey with this final book in the "Being a Jane Austen Mystery" series."

Stephanie Barron is such a phenomenal author! Her writing style is detailed, descriptive, immersive, emotional, and she truthfully makes me feel like I have traveled back in time to the Regency Era. Her characters jump right off of the page, and her storytelling is so clear and powerful. She seamlessly weaves historical fiction, mystery, history, and both real and fictional characters together, and this book truly was so difficult to put down!

I do not want to say too much about the plot of this book due to spoilers! After the death of a student at Wintchester College, Jane must help prove that the son of her friend is innocent. Jane's health is also sadly in decline, but, she never loses hope. This book truly has so much in it: moments that had me in tears, moments that had me on the edge of my seat, and so, so much more.

If you enjoy Historical Mysteries, I highly recommend this book! I very much look forward to reading what Ms. Barron writes next! I so look forward to going back and reading the other novels in this series that I have not yet as well!

Thank you so much to Austenprose PR, NetGalley, and Soho Press-Soho Crime for the e-ARC for this book, and to Austenprose PR and Soho Press-Soho Crime for the beautiful finished copy as well! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Set in 1817, Jane and the Final Mystery sees my all-time favorite author in the last year of her life solving a murder and proving a young man’s innocence while her health keeps declining.

In Chawton, the Austen’s family receives the news of Uncle James’ death and while her brothers and sister go to the funeral and the reading of the will, Jane remains home with her mother. But when her nephew Edward informs her of a death at Winchester College, his former school, involving the son of her close friend Elizabeth, Jane decides to investigate, but not everyone in the school is eager to talk and many are keeping secrets.

Unfortunately, I discovered this series only recently and I haven’t read the previous books (yet!), but it can easily be read as a stand-alone and I am certainly planning to read all fourteen other books because I love how the author brings Jane Austen to life, making her feel real and authentic and perfectly mixing real-life facts, characters, and locations with a murder mystery.

The story is very well-written and well-paced with a captivating plot and the evocative and intriguing setting of Winchester. The mystery is suspenseful: Jane is convinced of her friend’s son’s innocence and she intends to prove it, using her determination and her wit, and she doesn’t let her illness slow her down.

Jane and the Final Mystery is truly an entertaining and immersive story, perfect for all Jane Austen fans, but also those who love a good and well-drafted mystery. I am sorry that this is the final book in the series, but I am really excited to read the entire series. Highly recommended!

Historical mysteries in which famous people transform into amateur detectives can be minefields for their authors. If the protagonist’s personality drifts from the recorded reality, readers will get cranky, since the illusion that fiction provides will be broken.

The background details should be faithfully re-created and, for literary sleuths, their narration and dialogue should plausibly reflect their actual writings. Bonus points if the invented mystery scenarios feel neatly enfolded into settings or situations the starring character would have – or could have – personally encountered.

The successful execution of all these precepts has made Stephanie Barron’s Jane Austen Mysteries such a winning series, of which we’ve now arrived – alas! – at the fifteenth and last volume. The historic Austen didn’t really solve mysteries, but with the workings of her ever-agile mind on each case, Barron has us willingly accepting the fictional premise that she could have.

Once past the scene-setting prologue, we’re at Jane’s home of Chawton Cottage, Hampshire, in late March 1817 – and anyone aware of her historical biography will know the sad truth that the esteemed author hasn’t much time left. Still, as she says, “I refuse to spend my final months in a fog of benign stupidity,” refusing to take laudanum so her mind will remain sharp.

When Jane’s favorite nephew, Edward, receives an alarming letter from his friend William Heathcote, son of her friend Elizabeth, Jane willingly boards a pony trap to Winchester with Edward to see how she can help. A fifteen-year-old boarding school pupil who’s been bullied for his stutter, William is seemingly being framed for the drowning of a fellow student at Winchester College, one with a reputation for cruelty. William’s baffling refusal to supply an alibi for the time of death hinders his family’s and friends’ pursuit of justice.

Investigating the mystery gets Jane and her readers immersed in the dangerous rivalries and arcane rituals and in-jokes of a British boys’ boarding school, as well as some courtroom drama – complicated by the fact most potential witnesses are on holiday and absent. In this environment and Jane’s wider social world, social class and money underlie many relationships, realistically reflecting the time and place (and the environs of Austen’s own novels).

In the background, with the recent passing of Jane’s uncle, James Leigh-Perrot, she and her widowed mother await news of a potential inheritance. Jane’s concerns for her family’s financial future, as she reflects on her own ill health, lend even more emotion to this final volume of her fictional adventures, which is well worth reading – regardless of whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer to the series.

I found myself in the position of reading this last book of a series first, but this delightful mystery was easily read as a standalone. Jane Austen the sleuth is such a treat! Like many others, I love the fact that the author uses Jane’s own diaries to bring her true voice to this series. Jane’s struggles with her own health are described so well that they bring a great deal of authenticity and reality to this work. The mystery, the characters, and the setting all blend together well into a captivating story. The topic of school bullying and hazing is just as relevant today as it was then. The fact that this is the last mystery is a sad one, but this book is a must-read for Austen fans.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and Austenprose PR. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.