Here is the first of two Jane Austen themed mysteries written by this author. I was drawn to the references to Austen and P and P. I also like the British setting and a protagonist with a bookshop. Perfect ingredients for a cozy!

Much of what follows is precipitated by a meeting of the Jane Austen society. The old guard and new are not in sync. The situation worsens when a Mrs. Pemberley (!) is murdered.

There are many suspects. Also here are detectives that readers will enjoy getting to know along with our bookshop proprietor.

This title will be enjoyed by cozy lovers. I am sure of that.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

I have to admit, I can't resist a Jane Austen inspired book. There's just something about them I love. While I wasn't exactly wowed by this book, I can't say I disliked it either. The characters were certainly interesting, as was the mystery. It's cozy and cute, but just missing that wow factor. If you enjoy watching Murder She Wrote, you're likely to enjoy this book.

a great cozy mystery, Pride, Prejudice and Poison is a must read.

Here we find bookstore owner Erin uses her skills to figure out who killed the local president of the Jane Austen Society while living in Kirkbymoorside.

A fun read that kept me guessing until the very end.

This is the first book in a new series by Elizabeth Blake and I am HOOKED! It is like Midsomer Mysteries and I could see it play out in my head as though it were on the small screen. I felt a connection with the various characters who were wonderfully written. I am really looking forward to seeing them evolve. The plot was well-paced. The dialogue was entertaining. I knocked it down one star because I felt like the mystery was too easy to solve. Perhaps that is the author’s style though, to let the audience in early while the characters remain in the dark. If I realize this to be the case, I will probably come back and give it full marks.
Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Elizabeth Blake for giving me the chance to read this story and share my honest thoughts and opinions with others.

This book took a little while for me to really get into the story. At first, I just couldn’t relate to the characters and the story seemed a little stalled. After the murder, the story pace picked up. There were some well-placed red herring to keep me guessing whodunnit until the big reveal. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

First sentence: “‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a husband,’” whispered Farnsworth Appleby.

Premise/plot: When one of the members of the Jane Austen Society is murdered--POISONED--the small village of Kirkbymoorside in Yorkshire is turned upside down. Erin Coleridge, the owner of a used bookstore, takes it upon herself to do her own investigating. It's not that she doesn't trust the police inspectors or detectives, but, with almost all her friends and acquaintances present at the scene of the crime--she herself was present--she wants to catch the murderer and protect her closest friends.

My thoughts: I enjoyed Pride, Prejudice, and Poison. It was a well-fleshed out mystery, in my opinion.

What did I like about it? Well, I liked the characterization and the plotting. I LOVED getting to know the characters. Blake has peopled a small village or community. And it feels lived in. The relationships seem complex--the work of years, decades, of knowing one another. Erin has lived there for years--but even she doesn't know *everything* there is to know about her neighbors, friends, and acquaintances. I loved the focus on genuine friendships among women. And it was lovely to see all the Austen quotes woven into the dialogue.

The plotting/pacing. I really enjoyed this one. I LOVED that I was kept guessing and that the list of suspects was LONG. I didn't feel the murderer was super-obvious from the get go, from the moment the body is found. (I *hate* when I guess who did it before the body even has a chance to cool.) I loved the steady-supply of clues and the increasing suspense that builds because everyone knows the murderer is still on the loose. There were times when Erin was about to eat or drink something and I was like ARE YOU SURE YOU REALLY WANT TO DO THIS?! WHAT IF THIS PERSON SMILING AND OFFERING YOU FOOD IS REALLY THE MURDERER?

I did guess the murderer--in the last seventy-five pages or so. But even then I wasn't 100% sure--just mostly-mostly sure. So she kept me hooked throughout. I didn't find this mystery tiresome.

I would say that I did feel it was a little tricksy to put a cat on the cover of this one when cat(s) didn't really play any role in the book. (One character did own multiple cats, I believe, but the cats weren't really present for most of the book. There were a few scenes maybe? And if I remember correctly the cats had Austen-related names.)

This one offers a little romance. But the romance never takes center stage. (Not really.)

A fun and interesting start to a new cozy mystery series. Erin owns a bookstore, and people talk to her easily. When her friend is in the police cross-hairs as a murderer she steps in to help find the clues and discover the real killer. I actually read the second book first, and then eagerly sought this one as I enjoyed that one so much. Best to read in order of course, but either way it was a great read. Highly recommend this book and author and series. Hope for many more to come.

Erin Coleridge’s used bookstore in Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, England is a meeting place for the villagers and, in particular, for the local Jane Austen Society. After a contensious society meeting, and at a break for tea, the society's president, Sylvia Pemberthy, dies.

Det. Inspector Peter Hadley and Sgt. Rashid Jarral are assigned the case. There is a huge list of suspects, including Sylvia’s lover Kurt Becker and his wife, Suzanne, and Sylvia's husband, Jerome. When another society member, Jonathan Alder is targeted, the town's cat lady, Farnsworth, convinces Erin to help with the instigation, much to the chagrin of DI Hadley. Can the two of them work together to solve the murder?

I picked up this book because of two words: Jane Austen. When I started reading it I wasn't sure it was going to be something I would enjoy, but the more I read the more intrigued I became. It is a classic village whodunit, and the more I learned about the plethora of people involved the more I enjoyed the tale.

Erin is a wonderful sleuth, and watching her weave through events and try to get to the bottom of things was fun. Truthfully, though, my favorite character was Farnsworth. I saw her as a perfect English village resident, and she made me laugh. I loved every scene she was in.

This book is touted as being the first in a series, and I hope that's right. I've searched for information on another book but have yet to find it. I will keep searching, because I really want to continue reading about this village in Yorkshire.

I read a digital copy of this book provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley, but I also bought a digital copy to keep for my library.

Pride & Prejudice is a favourite of mine so how could I resist a cozy themed mystery filled with Austen quotes and references......and where the main character Erin Coleridge (yes, descended from Samuel Taylor Coleridge), owns a used bookstore.
The plot revolves around the characters that belong to the Jane Austen Society. It’s set in the picturesque village of Kirkbymoorside, in North Yorkshire, England. Many of the characters quote (a lot!) from Austen’s works, trying to outdo one another, Erin’s closet friend, Farnsworth Appleby has named all of her cats after the characters in Pride & Prejudice, and in keeping with the theme, the main mystery involves a poisoning by tea. And as with all Austen, there’s some romance here too.

This is the first book in the Jane Austen Society Mystery series. It’s a very well written & enjoyable cozy mystery. And as much as I did enjoy all of the quotes, it did stretch incredulity to believe that the characters (unless they were actors who had worked in many Austen productions), would actually remember so many lines by heart, and especially to be able carry to on a conversation using mainly quotes.
I had to chuckle when even the detective was quoting Austen, among others. But minor quibbles aside, I will definitely add this cozy series to my must-read list.

My heartfelt thanks to Crooked Lane Books, Elizabeth Blake and NetGalley for a free reading copy.

A superb, entertaining mystery set against the backdrop of a Jane Austin book club in North Yorkshire, England. Even, if you're not a fan of Jane Austin's, you should still give this a chance.

The story centers around Erin Coleridge, a bookstore owner, whom is a member of the Jane Austin Society, where one of its members is suddenly murdered.

Elizabeth Blake is highly successful in creating and establishing her characters, developing numerous suspects and maintaining one's interest at the highest level at all times.

I highly recommend this novel. I obtained a free copy through Net Galley.

Pride, Prejudice and Poison by Elizabeth Blake is the first novel in A Jane Austen Society Mystery series. I enjoyed the setting of Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, England. It is a quaint village with a variety of quirky residents. It seems that everyone is a fan of Jane Austen and her books. Erin loves to quote from Jane Austen’s novels and the villagers are frequently reading different versions of the authors works. I did feel that the Austen element was overdone (too many quotes). I wish it had been done with a lighter hand so it would have retained the humor. I did, though, like how the quotes connected to the plot. Erin Coleridge owns the used bookstore, Readers Quarry where the villagers tend to congregate for tea and gossip. Erin is a member of the local Jane Austen Society. At their monthly meetings there is controversy. While the group takes a tea break, the club’s president, Sylvia Pemberthy drops dead. Erin jumps into the investigation when it appears that the killer is setting up Farnsworth Appleby to take the fall. Erin flirts with the investigating detective who is referred to in my copy (an ARC) as DI Peter Hadley and DI Peter Hemming (talk about confusing). I am sure this was corrected for the final version. There were multiple suspects in this whodunit, but the killer can be identified quite easily (before the body departs for the inquest). I would have liked a bit more of a challenge. Erin’s behavior mimics that of most amateur sleuths. She lies to the police, asks questions, stumbles upon information and puts herself in danger. I felt that Pride, Prejudice and Poison was a slow starter because of the introduction of so many villagers (a little much at the start). Gossip spreads rapidly in the small village and tea is consumed in vast quantities. Pride, Prejudice and Poison is a lighthearted cozy mystery with Austen admirers, toxic tea, a bounty of books, an introverted investigator, and a set up suspect.

This book was a decent start to a promising new series. I love the premise. But I did struggle to finish the book because I felt like it started dragging about 3/4 of the way through. I'll read the next one because I do love the premise. I hope the writing improves and the series can continue.

Note: I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book from Netgalley.

Local bookstore owner, Erin, is part of the Jane Austen Society, a book club for Jane Austen fans. During one of the club’s meetings, the group has an altercation. The older members want to stick to the rules and ceremony that the book club has stuck to since its creation while some of the newer members want to change things up. Soon after, the president is found murdered. Who could be the murderer? This clue-esque style cozy mystery is intriguing and keeps the readers engaged. The characters are hard to relate to, but grow on you over time. The Jane Austen reference will be sure to appeal to fans of the author. Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries, tea, and amateur sleuths will enjoy reading this book.

I am sorry but I could not finish this book. I tried 3 different times to read this but just could not get into it..

The President of the local Jane Austen society has been poisoned! Who would kill her? There are numerous members who weren't fond of the lady and Erin Coleridge, the bookstore owner, knows many of the suspects. Erin's friend, Farnsworth, thinks she's at the top of the police suspect list since she was the one who was serving thew tea. Erin decides to "help" the police with her observations of the local members who may be involved.

I liked the premise but the writing left me a bit underwhelmed. Too many quotes and the characters seemed a bit two dimensional.

Elizabeth Blake sets murder at the heart of a Jane Austen Society in Pride, Prejudice and Poison in which the President of the Society is poisoned.. No one liked her so there are lots of suspects. One of the members also runs a book shop and has sleuthing tendencies. She runs up against the police; is she a suspect or the Detective Inspector's new romantic interest? Great cozy for a snowy evening.

Title: Pride, Prejudice, and Poison

Author: Elizabeth Blake

Series: A Jane Austen Society Mystery Book1

Chapters: 56

Pages: 330

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Pride, Prejudice, and Poison by Elizabeth Blake is a cozy mystery set in a small English village complete with a bookstore and a Jane Austen Society. For a debut cozy and the first in the series it was good and enjoyed reading it. But then again I’m a Jane Austen fan so this book was right up my alley.
This cozy gives a node to Pride and Prejudice with a bookstore owner Erin Coleridge who reminded me of bit of Elizabeth Bennett and a Detective Inspector who reminds me more than a bit of Mr. Darcy and of course there’s a Wickman like character as well.
So if your fan of Jane Austen and or cozy mysteries sent in England this one is worth a go.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I loved this Cozy Mystery!! I am so happy to have a new cozy series! I love cozies and is glad this one did not disappoint!

Erin Coleridge’s used bookstore in Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, England is a meeting place for the villagers and, in particular, for the local Jane Austen Society. At the Society’s monthly meeting, matters come to a head between the old guard and its young turks. After the meeting breaks for tea, persuasion gives way to murder—with extreme prejudice—when president Sylvia Pemberthy falls dead to the floor. Poisoned? Presumably…but by whom? And was Sylvia the only target?

Handsome—but shy—Detective Inspector Peter Hadley and charismatic Sergeant Rashid Jarral arrive at the scene. The long suspect list includes Sylvia’s lover Kurt Becker and his tightly wound wife Suzanne. Or, perhaps, the killer was Sylvia’s own cuckolded husband, Jerome. Among the many Society members who may have had her in their sights is dashing Jonathan Alder, who was heard having a royal battle of words with the late president the night before.

Then, when Jonathan Alder narrowly avoids becoming the next victim, Farnsworth (the town’s “cat lady”) persuades a seriously time-crunched Erin to help DI Hadley. But the killer is more devious than anyone imagines.

This was a fun and quick mystery. I got no more and no less than I went into it expecting.

*Book received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I loved this twist on Pride and Prejudice. A mystery along with classic characters that we know and love. A cozy mystery read and truly will continue with this series!