Skip to main content

Member Reviews

I am a sucker for Jane Austen stories and adaptations. So the second I saw this I snapped it up as fast as I could!

The story started a bit slow. It took me a while to get into it. I felt a little bit unmotivated at the start and really struggled. BUT it got better and was worth pushing through. The mystery kept me guessing, and who could want much more?

I liked the Austen references and quotes and found most of them to be funny and well connected to the plot and the happenings. However, around about the halfway point they became a little tedious.

That being said, this is Book 1 in a series and I will absolutely try Book 2. I think there’s major potential here and I’m going to keep at it and hope for a good pay off!

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Set among the wild moors in a truly cozy Yorkshire town of Kirkbymoorside, Pride, Prejudice and Poison exudes small town charm. Our main heroine, Erin, runs her own secondhand bookshop and is also a member of the local Jane Austen Society. It is during a tea break at a meeting for this very same society that the less than popular president is poisoned. As the one who served the victim her tea, Erin's close friend is at the top of the suspect list. Erin is sure she can get to the bottom of the mystery and prove her friend innocent. Suspects abound among the quirky inhabitants of this small town and it seems as though everyone has a secret, or three to hide. York detectives DI Hadley and DI Jarral are called to investigate and sort through the many potential suspects to sift out the true culprit. In true cozy mystery fashion, Erin inserts herself in the middle of the investigation and sparks seem to fly.
Although it got off to a slow start, once the setting and characters had been properly introduced and the murder committed, the pacing of the book picks up and becomes quite intriguing. There are plenty of eccentric village characters that populate the small English town to keep you guessing as to the real culprit and keep you entertained along the way. I enjoyed the slow build of a potential romance between Erin and police detective Hadley and the charming, small town setting I long for in a cozy mystery. The one thing I felt like detracted a bit from my overall enjoyment of the story were the numerous Austen quotes that started to get a bit overdone about halfway through. Overall it was an enjoyable read and I look forward to more adventures in Kirkbymoorside. I would recommend this book to fans of Jane Austen however one does not need to be familiar with Austen in order to enjoy the story.

Was this review helpful?

From page one this book takes you into a setting that is mysterious and magical. With mystery and murder taking over, this beautifully written book is the perfect thing to get lost in for a while. The characters and plot are well thought out and delightfully complex. Overall, a wonderful read.

Was this review helpful?

Decent plot but I didn't connect in anyway. I tried multiple times to put it down and pick back up later in hopes that I would love it. I didn't. I believe there's a story fir every reader. But this story was not for this reader.

Was this review helpful?

This cozy takes place in the village of Kirkbymoorside, close to York. Think MidSomer Murders, but not quite so bloody. Lots of fun village characters, with their own secrets. Who killed Sylvia, the president of the Jane Austen Society. Erin's friend Farnsworth is a suspect. She served the victim her tea. So Erin sets out to find the killer. The village sounds peaceful and relaxing and the people are all characters. I enjoyed the story and actually was surprised by the killer. It's also fun that the members of the society are always spouting quotes from Jane Austen. Very enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?

It took me a short while to familiarize myself with the characters in this story, but once I did I could not put it down. I loved the slice of Yorkshire village life with all its intrigue and idiosyncrasies. As a Jane Austen lover I found all of the quotes delightful. There were so many twist and turns that I had no idea who was guilty. Coupled with the expert mystery was an engaging hint of romance. I forced myself to go to sleep as I was reading it, but literally got up in the middle of the night to finish it. I can't wait for more from Elizabeth Blake!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Was this review helpful?

Erin was sure her friend did not commit murder and set out to prove just that by doing her amateur sleuthing. In doing so she found herself deeply attracted to DI Hemmings and also to Jonathan but the chemistry with the DI was a strong one. With her life now threatened by the killer it was imperative she finds the killer before she becomes the next victim. She also wanted to see where the budding attraction with the DI would end up.

Was this review helpful?

I nearly put this one down. Luckily, after introducing the entire town, the story became the focus, and I finally felt I knew what was happening.
Maybe a few twists too many, but an enjoyable read for a rainy afternoon.

Was this review helpful?

I you like a cosy mystery and are a fan of Jane Austen then this is the book for you.

Unpopular President of the local branch of the Jane Austen Society is poisoned during the meeting tea break. The prime suspect is surely the person who served the tea, but local bookshop owner and true crime enthusiast, Erun Coleridge, refuses to accept that possibility.
Her amateur sleuthing soon reveals that small towns can hide big secrets.
This is a fun and intriguing mystery. There are lots of interesting characters and red herrings to keep you guessing right to the end.
Lots of Jane Austen quotes and references, this is fun read.
Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advanced copy in return for an honest review

Was this review helpful?

If you are a fan of Jane Austin, you will definately enjoy the references peppered throughout, if you are not as familar, don't worry, you will still enjoy the mystery. I thought it was well written, fun and had me guessing until the end. I found a new author and am looking forward to reading more in this series.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book. This was a new to me author and I'm looking forward to reading more of her work. The storyline was well written and the characters are highly entertaining. I played a guessing game right up to the end trying to figure out who the murderer was. I highly recommend this book.

Was this review helpful?

This book ticks some of my mystery-loving boxes: set in a library or bookstore, English, full of literary themes or references, set in a picturesque location. Unfortunately, I couldn't connect to Erin, local bookshop owner and protagonist of the story. The story mostly follows Erin and occasionally shows the reader what's going on with other characters when Erin isn't around. I don't usually have a problem with third-person narration, but in this case I wanted more of her perspective, not just a description of what she was doing or saying. I felt pretty distant from her. The setup is interesting--members of a Jane Austen society who have a bunch of petty rivalries all find themselves suspects when the much-disliked president is poisoned. But the execution fell flat for me. This new series has potential, but I probably won't continue with it.

Was this review helpful?

Perfect for fans of Jane Austen and quiet English towns sprinkled with murder and mayhem, comes the first in a new series, Pride, Prejudice and Poison by Elizabeth Blake.

When the president of the local Jane Austen Society is poisoned, Erin Coleridge, local bookseller, is determined to help the police by identifying the villain before more villagers are attacked. There are plenty of Jane-isms and moody walks among the moors to keep most Janeites happy.

This is a quirky book with a typical cozy mystery format that readers will find familiar and unsurprising. And, while charming and in-theme, occasional readers may find the multitude of Austen quotes peppering each page obtrusive and the large cast of characters with unique names confusing. As a librarian, I would recommend this author and book to those looking for a fun, quick read with no grisly violence.

With just the right amount of red-herrings and suspense (and just a little romance thrown in), Pride, Prejudice and Poison is the perfect book to read with a cup of strong tea at home.

I was given this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for a review.

Was this review helpful?

Well written and entertaining. At first, I was afraid that I would be lost, having no familiarity with the Jane Austen Society. However, it was part of the background and not integral to the plot.

Characters were well developed and the story was interesting and engaging. I would certainly love to read more in this series!

Was this review helpful?

DNF

I would like to thank netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I found the main character to be out of date and a contradiction of herself.

.................................

Was this review helpful?

This is a fun, colorful story that makes for a pleasant afternoon of reading.
I love the cast of characters and the reading group sounds like a load of fun.
I’m not usually a fan of stories that take place in the UK, but this book happened to grab my attention. I’m glad I gave it a go.

Was this review helpful?

Pride, Prejudice and Poison is an excellent start to what I can see being a hit series! Filled with a cast of fantastic characters and book lovers, this book is is going to vibe with many readers! I am already excited for the next installment! I very much recommend it.

Was this review helpful?

Pride, Predjudice, and Poison is a great murder mystery that I was hooked from the first chapter on. Great characters and we'll written.

Was this review helpful?

Can a murder story be delicious? If so then this is one. Set in Yorkshire, the local Jane Austen Society comprise a disparate group of JA lovers. During a largely contentious monthly meeting the president is poisoned. Our heroine, Erin, runs the local secondhand bookshop with teas and coffee and acts as a bit of a, young, Miss Marple. She knows everyone and there are certainly plenty of slightly, or more than, eccentric characters - the perfect married couple, a wife with a secret, the cat lady, the dashing "Mr Bingley", the academic husband, the dead woman's lover and her husband and so on. The two York detectives, DI Hadley and DS Jarral, are rounded characters too - serious but fun. The plot is gentle, the conversation sparkling with plenty of quotes and improvisations from, mainly, Pride and Pred. A coupe of hours of very enjoyable reading with a satisfactory end. What more can one ask in these days of gruesome, raw murders and abuse? Respite. Lovely. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?