⭐️ rating: 4 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 genre: mystery, Austen retelling

Guys, it's official.- I really love Jane Austen retellings. And I think I might like them even more as a murder mystery? Now, I've never read Sense & Sensibility - but in order to prepare for reading this book, I did watch the Emma Thompson/Kate Winslet version of this film so that I knew the general plot line.

I'm not sure if that HELPED me while reading or HINDERED me. Because I knew the story before starting, I knew pretty early who to be suspicious of & who were the good guys. However, even though I had a pretty good guess on who the villain was, I loved the journey of getting there!

This was a really fun ride & re-entry into the world that Price has created with Austen's characters. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book. It was published back in April of this year.

I absolutely loved this retelling of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. Tirzah Price has turned this classic tale into a murder mystery! I really enjoyed this read and will recommend to other Jane Austen fans. I usually don't care for retellings but Price did a fantastic job!

I'm a huge fan of Jane Austen, and I loved this fun retelling of one of her classic stories! It's a combination of mystery and the Jane Austen style of storytelling that has stood the test of time. The characters are both fun and relatable, and I love the realistic sister dynamic. Elinor is especially relatable because she's extremely smart, but also full of doubt about what she's capable of. All of the characters have their flaws/shortcomings, but it's very easy to see a little bit of yourself in each one of them.

This book combines a lot of different elements (humor, mystery, romance, family dynamics), which really brings it to life. I will always recommend a book that can successfully take you through a range of emotions, without it seeming awkward or unnatural. I found myself laughing out loud at some parts and being engrossed in the mystery at others. The mystery definitely kept me on my toes until the very end and I loved that the author gave Elinor a chance to shine and gain confidence in herself. Overall, great read!

Okay lets get down to reviewing this. First off since its a retelling of an old classic, the prose and the mannerisms had to match that time and I am glad to state that the author did an excellent job. It almost felt like Jane Austen herself was writing this novel. So kudos to the author for the hard work and research she put into this novel.

The story opens up with all three sisters having breakfast with their mother oblivious to how quickly their world is about to change. From that moment onwards we're thrown into the murder mystery that the title promises. All three sister with their unique point of views try to unravel the mystery.

Along with the mystery we also get glimpses into two of the sister's stories and personalities, both ambitious and tired of the patriarchal society they live in. Both wanting nothing but to establish their names in the society as succesful young working women.

I really loved how neatly the mystery unfolded. How riveting it was. I couldn't put down the book for one second.
I loved the short chapters and the long chapter titles. Tbh, the chapter titles were a teaser lol so you could never put the book down.
Writing this review is challenging since I dont wanna spoil anything for you. So Ill just say, the twists and turns, the unearthing of the evidence were all very thrilling. I do admit I kind of predicted the ending but nevertheless I enjoyed every bit of this book...

I really really really loved how strong all the sisters' were in the face of adversity and the concept of saving yourselves rather than waiting for a prince in a shining armor is always very inspiring to read. That's not to say we don't get handsome love interests because we so do!!!!

All in all an amazing read!!!
🌟🌟🌟🌟

I enjoyed Sense and Second- Degree Murder by Tirzah Price. This is the second book in the series, and I have read both. Both were enjoyable, although somewhat predictable. If you are not familiar with Sense and Sensibility, it might be a little harder to figure out. There was a little twist at the end that was fresh though. I liked the science aspect that was added in with Elinor, and I liked that Marianne had more brains, than I am used to her having. She was still emotional, but not as annoyingly so. It was a well-paced mystery. I am hoping there will be more in this series.

I received an eARC from Harper Collins Children’s Books through NetGalley. All opinions are 100% my own.

i really enjoyed this book!! it was so much fun to read, especially in the summertime!! thank you so much to netgalley for letting me read this one early!!!

Sense and Second-Degree Murder is a fun, twist on Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. It's a part of Tirzah Price's Jane Austen Murder Mystery series. The story has romance, mystery, and that classic charm you'd find in any Austen novel. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy mysteries with romance.

Another fun retelling of Austen's Sense and Sensibility this time with a twist of a mystery. This series has become a true delight.

Cover Story: 100% That Stitch
BFF Charm: Make It Rain
Talky Talk: A Truth Universally Acknowledged
Bonus Factors: Austen Retelling, Murder Mystery
Relationship Status: Austen Allegiance

Cover Story: 100% That Stitch

I love the embroidery covers for this series. They’re on theme, beautifully done, and I love the little embroidered details that fit with the story. This one features Elinor and her chemistry set and Marianne and her detective’s magnifying glass, so you get a little peek into who they are. My one small nag is that I would’ve preferred a Regency-style typeface, rather than the all-caps marker style, which feels anachronistic.

The Deal:

When Elinor Dashwood finds her father dead in his study, she knows that her life and the lives of her mother and sisters are about to change drastically and for the worse. The estate is entailed to her half-brother John and his horrible wife Fanny, who waste no time kicking the Dashwood sisters to the curb and giving them barely enough money to survive.

The future is already looking pretty bleak for Elinor, Marianne and Margaret. But when budding chemist Elinor discovers that her father was likely poisoned, the girls are spurred into action to find his killer, leading them to some of the darkest corners of London society, as well as some of the darkest corners of their own family tree.

BFF Charm: Make It Rain

BFF charm holding an umbrella
I’m whipping out BFF charms like a sultan for this book. Aspiring chemist Elinor Dashwood is the oldest of three sisters. Her younger sister Marianne is an aspiring detective who assists their father at his private investigation firm, and their youngest sister, 11-year-old Margaret, loves to read and write mystery novels. Elinor is sweet, considerate, and feels protective of her sisters. Marianne has a bit more bite in her, and is fearless when it comes to fighting for what’s best. Margaret is precocious, hilariously intelligent, and witty – and she refuses to let her older sisters have all the fun without her.

Swoonworthy Scale: 5

Austen fans will recognize Elinor’s love interest Edward Ferrars, as well as Marianne’s two love interests John Willoughby and Colonel Brandon. All the usual suspects are here, and Price doesn’t make any major changes to the romantic outcomes of her source material. That said, romance really takes a backseat to the murder mystery in this book.

Talky Talk: Regency Riddle

While Price admits to taking some liberties with the time period in her author’s note, overall the story feels true to the Regency era. She’s a pro at balancing everything we love about an Austen story with a more fast-paced, high-stakes murder plot. And she does justice to all the characters you know and love. I especially loved following our Austen heroines into the seedy underbelly of London!

Bonus Factor: Austen Retelling

Vintage cover of Pride and Prejudice with a peacock
This is the second of three Austen novels that Price is retelling as murder mysteries. I really enjoyed Pride & Premeditation, and found this one entertaining as well. Sense and Sensibility was never my favorite of Jane Austen’s novels, but in this case, adding the murder mystery element actually made me enjoy it more.

Bonus Factor: Murder Mystery

Cast of the movie Clue gathered in doorway
Price does a particularly great job at setting up the murder mystery here, casting a wide net and making everyone feel like a suspect. Mystery aficionados might guess who the killer is, but casual mystery readers like myself will be kept guessing.

Relationship Status: Austen Allegiance

I am always down for an Austen retelling, and I love a good mystery too. So when you put them together in a Regency setting, well, I’m all in. I can’t say that I enjoyed this one quite as much as Pride and Premeditation, but that’s more about my relationship to the source material than Price’s writing! I’m still pumped to read the third Jane Austen Murder Mystery coming in 2023, Manslaughter Park.

Sense and Second-Degree Murder is a classic murder mystery story with an Austin twist. I enjoyed the feminism injected into this story and thought the plot was clever. However, I found the mystery pretty easy to solve. It's a pleasant story, I just didn't understand how Marianne was so easy to trick if she's supposed to be the sister with detective experience. There were also times when I felt like both of them were lacking some serious common sense!

Fun and entertaining book, but not really gripping or addictive for me.

As with the original, Sense and Second-Degree Murder, a reimagining of Sense and Sensibility, begins with the death of Mr. Dashwood and his second family, including his wife and three daughters, Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret, losing their home to his son by his first marriage. However, Mr. Dashwood ran a detective agency, and his daughters discover he had been poisoned. Marianne, an apprentice detective, and Elinor, a budding chemist, take on the case and discover a network of opium peddlers involved in the complex mystery. All the original characters are cleverly reassigned parts in the plot. In an author's note, the popularity of laudanum in Regency-era England and the lucrative opium trade are explained, as well as some historical inaccuracies that do not deter from the enjoyment of this clever whodunit.

Such a fun follow up in this series. Once again Price managed to adapt a beloved classic is a fun a fast paced way. It's obvious the love Prince has for her source material and her ability to adapt it while still letting the soul of Austen's beloved story shine through.

Sense and Sensibility is firmly at the core of this story and the parallels are obvious but there are also enough changes to make Sense and Second-Degree Murder feel fresh and interesting. It's a fun little escape into an alternate history of regency era private investing. I am so looking forward to continuing this series and highly recommend Sense and Second-Degree Murder.

This is super cute read for any fans of Jane Austen retellings. Or if you just enjoy 1800’s English society—Downtown Abby and the like. Especially if you like murder mysteries. Has all the social intrigue that the originals do with a great spin. I loved how she brought the old characters new life in this story and let the Dashwood sisters be a bit more modern and independent.

My personal favorite Austen is sense and sensibility and this did not disappoint. this has charm, love, and the classic mystery. so much fun these characters are and so much joy they bring me haha. I really thought this was excellently done.

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for review. Sense and Second-Degree Murder started off really fun and quite exciting with a murder in the first chapter. The patriarch of the family is dead and the family is ousted from their home by their half-brother. That is just the beginning with opium dens, chemistry, and attempted poisonings. While the pacing dragged a bit in parts, this will appeal to fans of the first book and readers who are looking for action/adventure that is not too gory or too romance heavy.

Book two of the Jane Austen Murder Mystery follows the Dashwood family--Elinor, the aspiring chemist, Marianne, their father's protégé, and Margaret, a young murder-mystery budding novelist--after the patriarch is found dead in his office by Elinor. His outdated will left the property with their estranged older half-brother and his conniving wife who has no hesitation in kicking out the three grieving daughters and their mother to fend for themselves. Before their eviction, the Dashwood sisters discover that their father's untimely death may not have been of natural causes. So they embark in the mystery of who may have killed their father and the motives for killing the private detective.
This is such a fun re-telling of the classic Jane Austen novels. Tirzah Price brings the well-known and beloved characters to life with a mystery/thriller twist while also maintaining the nuances of the time-period. Though told from the POV of the eldest sisters, Price is able to maintain the consistent voice of each young woman as they carry the burden of their family's future and in the investigation into their father's death. There were some details that made the ending guessable, but another twist that I had not predicted. Wonderful book and looking forward to the next in the series! 4.5 rounded to 5.

The second book in the Jane Austen Murder Mystery series is as thrilling as the first, and full of twists that leave readers in suspense until the very end.

True to its name, Jane Austen's classic Sense and Sensibility expectedly touches on the themes of good sense versus emotional sensitivity. Set in the late 1700s, Austen’s novel takes place in a world where there are limited roles and opportunities for women in society. Austen’s female characters do not inherit property and cannot have careers. Their futures and fortunes depend almost exclusively on the men they marry and they are expected to be dutiful, upstanding ladies of society. But, Austen depicts her female characters as thoughtful, clever, ambitious women. Even while living in a male-dominated world, female characters are able to exert power and agency.

In the same spirit, Sense and Second Degree Murder also focuses on themes of women's role in society, but with a more modern twist. In this new story, we see the sisters take a stronger control over their destiny. While their fate still remains tied to the choices of others (read: men), this telling allows them more power over their situation as they take control of solving their fathers mystery, empowering them to act rather than sit by and wait.

Retellings are important. They keep us in conversation with authors of the past, they bring relevance back to stories of the past, proving that human nature is universal and unchanging. And retellings like this are especially important, because they bring modern concepts and ideas back to the story, keeping them relevant and talked about. We still feel the same feelings that humans have felt for centuries, and will continue to feel for eons. We, all of us as humans, exist and are destined to share the same thoughts, feelings, emotions, desires, and dreams, not only that other humans are feeling, but that humans have always felt. We are all different, but we are also all the same, and always will be. We are all standing on the shoulders of giants.

I have really been enjoying this series! I love a good Jane Austen retelling, but I think that this series sets itself apart! The author maintains the critical makeup of the characters while having them face the social issues of women in a new time period! It's something i haven't seen before and I can't wait to continue the series! Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC of this book!

Idk why, but I had the hardest time getting into this one. I only got a couple chapters in on my arc before giving up and waiting for the audiobook. That helped quite a bit, but the story still didn't hold me the way I'd like. It's not bad just not what I needed at this time.

I usually don't go for retellings of the classics, but I adored every minute of this one, along with the previous novel in the series! Ms. Price has done a wonderful job once again and I'm thoroughly looking forward to reading her next work.