This series continues to be so clever and pitch perfect! I love a historical female scientist, so giving that identity to this version of Elinor Dashwood was especially inspired and up my alley. I can see a lot of teen readers really enjoying the blend of mystery and romance as well, because the personality traits of Elinor and Marianne do work so well at a slightly younger age. Just delightful.

Sense and Second-Degree Murder mixes historical, cozy mystery and romance so well! I have been on a major historical kick as of late, and I am just discovering my love of cozy mysteries so this one is a win in my book. I think the writing was natural even given that it relies on regency slang and the romance was nice without overshadowing the mystery component. I will definitely pick up any other books in this series. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Initial Thoughts
I loved the first book in this series. P&P is my favorite Jane Austen novel but I was very interested in reading Tirzah Price’s take on another Jane Austen classic.

Some Things I Liked
The sisters were amazing. I loved their interests and the way they each brought something unique to the table to aid in solving their father’s murder.
Glorious banter. I also loved that this book preserves the wit and banter of the original story while giving it a new spin. I loved that the sisters are forward thinking and progressive and that shines through in their dialogue.

Series Value
I can’t wait to continue this series. I’m actually quite disappointed it’s only tagged as a trilogy because I’d love to read more of Tirzah’s Austen-inspired murder mysteries!

Final Thoughts
Tirzah Price captured the best parts of the original story while enhancing it with the addition of a mystery plot and a pinch of modern thinking. This series is a must read for Jane Austen fans.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the second book in the Jane Austen Murder Mystery series, but you don’t have to read them in any certain order. I always always love historical fictions featuring young women with career dreams, this one was no exception. You get to fall in love with characters again that you already know and love from Jane Austen novels. Tirzah Price does an amazing job honoring the original stories and Jane Austen’s writing style while putting a fun twist on it.

I’m not sure if it’s this book itself or because Price is following a Jane Austen story but it felt a bit slow and then allll the sudden everything happened. The ending was good but it just felt rushed. Just like Pride and Premeditation I couldn’t not love this book and the characters. I love reimagining classics in this way and if you’re a Jane Austen fan it’s a must read.

What a gosh darn delight! Take Jane Austen and add a murder mystery, women in science, and a hint of social commentary on a huge issue in modern society. This book follows a similar premise with all the same characters of Sense and Sensibility set in the regency era, but takes liberties by adding a thrilling murder mystery (and a few liberties regarding historic accuracies).

I had so much fun reading this book! I highly recommend to fans of Jane Austen, but also anyone who likes a light and fun mystery.

I enjoyed Pride and Premeditation a little bit more than this one but it was still quite enjoyable. I was also able to listen to the audiobook which really brought the characters to life. One of the things I love that Tirzah Price does is stay really true to the original text, but also make the story her own. I'm looking forward to the next installment in these Jane Austen murder mysteries!

Sense and Second-Degree Murder is a whirlwind of a story, with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end. I enjoyed the relationship between the older two sisters and appreciated how entrepreneurial they both were, despite the era of the book. I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a bit of mystery and suspense, along with some romantic undertones. Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

While I have seen a few movie versions of the original book, I have not read the entirety of the book that this is based on. However, from what I remember this is a good adaptation with added intrigue and storylines that give a little something extra to those true crime fans who love to come back to classics every now and again. It was a quick read that kept a steady pace and interest going, while the characters were well developed with unique hobbies and abilities that help them to solve the mystery of the book. Definitely recommend to any austen or true crime fan,

Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

This book was absolutely delightful. I love Jane Austen and was very intrigued by a murder-mystery retelling of Sense & Sensibility. Price did a great job of retaining the essence of Austen's original heroines, but also allowing us to see a new side of them - young ladies who have big dreams and want to make their own way in the world. I also really enjoyed that there was enough of the original story that it felt familiar, but there was enough mystery and new presentations of characters to keep me guessing. If you love Jane Austen, you will enjoy this very readable and enjoyable mystery with some of her most endearing characters. I will definitely be reading the rest of the books in this series!

Sense and Second-Degree Murder was every bit as good as Price's first novel in the series. I went into it a bit nervous because I enjoyed Pride and Premeditation so much, but this one did not disappoint. I liked that there were two points of view in this novel, which added depth and interest. I really loved that at the end of the book they included the historical details--my fifth-grade daughter read this one as well, and she really loved that part of the book. This book really helped my daughter to appreciate the storyline of Sense and Sensibility more.

These books are awfully clever. I enjoyed "Pride and Premeditation", and I was thrilled to be given an early release copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book to be a lot of fun. It manages to stay relatively true to the original storyline written by Jane Austen, and the mysteries feel expertly done, adding onto the plot without diminishing it.

I do feel that the romances in this book were lacking, but I also didn't find them as incredibly compelling in "Sense & Sensibility" either. So, I don't hold that against the author.

I'm truly looking forward to her third installment. It's sure to be as much of a delight as the first two.

Really cute follow up to Pride and Premeditation. Sense and Second-Degree Murder follows the Dashwood sisters through the old Sense and Sensibility plot, but adds a twist: their father was not a regular old gentleman, but a private investigator who taught his daughters (especially Marianne) the finer arts of being a PI. When he dies unexpectedly, Marianne suspects foul play and recruits a reluctant Elinor and enthusiastic Margaret to her cause.

I really loved how all the old elements of Sense and Sensibility are woven into this new plot featuring opium dens and chemistry labs and self-defense. The narrative takes some liberties as to the reality of women in the Regency Era, but I don't think anyone should pick this book up with those sort of expectations. All in all, this was a fun romp.

I absolutely geeked out over Tirzah Price's first book. When I saw her second novel pop up, I instantly requested it and was surprised when the protagonist wasn't the same from the first novel. After getting over that bump in the road, I dove in and found Sense and Second-Degree Murder. Price reimagines Sense and Sensibility as a whodunit, which marries together Agatha Christie and Jane Austen. What I enjoyed in both of Price's novels is the breaking of rules that is often present in regency novels and letting them be perhaps historically inaccurate, but I prefer to think Price's version is the telling of the commonly untold stories of women who were defying the status quo and history often didn't shed light on them. I highly recommend reading this one!

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This seems to be an unpopular opinion, but I thought the book was fine. I like the concept of Price's series, turning Jane Austen classics into a murder mystery series. It's a fun take on books that have been retold a million times. I also like the characters and the dynamic between the sisters. There's the smart STEM sister, the sister who's determined to continue her father's legacy, and the sassy third child. They are all likeable as characters and fun to read about during their shenanigans (and they have shenanigans).
There were things that turned me off, however. For example, the opium/morphine plotline seemed strange to me. I know the history behind it and read the author's note to make sure I had the full picture. Maybe it didn't feel fleshed out enough for me, but I just didn't buy it. It felt convoluted, kind of like the author had all these characters she had to write about and so she created an elaborate scheme that involved everyone somehow. Margaret's dialogue also bothered me because this 11 year old speaks like a grown adult. There's no difference in the dialogue between sisters. Despite the proper etiquette, I'm pretty sure kids would sound a bit different...
Overall, it's a fun and easy read, especially for those who like retellings. It just wasn't my favorite!

In this retelling of Jane Austen’s first novel, Eleanor Dashwood, an aspiring chemist, and her sister Marianne, a budding detective, must work together to investigate the cast of Sense & Sensibility to identify their father’s killer. While still facing eviction from their home at the hands of the dastardly Fanny, the Dashwood sisters are now also trying to salvage their family detective agency, looking for clues to their father’s death while wrapping up his final cases.

As with Price’s debut novel, Pride & Premeditation, each of Austen’s original characters and settings have been delightfully recast to suit a regency murder mystery but this time the weapon of choice is poison!

Both of Price’s novels are well researched and make an admirable attempt to reflect the realities of the period. The exploration of opium and laudanum is perfect for this period, considering the general public’s lack of awareness at that time regarding its addictive and lethal properties. However, I also appreciate that Price’s stories reframe the traditional regency-era roles of men and women in Austen’s stories, these leading ladies are strong women that seek financial independence and pursue boundary breaking professions.

I love that Colonel Brandon has been recast as a doctor but why was he so young? This Brandon is 20 whereas he is traditionally depicted as 35 or 36. I couldn’t find a good reason to age him down so dramatically and it caused a shift in dynamic between Brandon and the other characters that I found frustrating. Ultimately, I found myself disregarding this characterization half-way through and pretending he was older. (I mean how could I not picture Alan Rickman?)

Despite that hiccup, it really was a captivating read, and I can’t help but agree with other reviewers that Price’s sophomore novel was even better than the first, and what a delight that one was! Thank you to Tirzah Price, Harper Collins Childrens Books, HarperTeen, and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

I had high hopes for Sense and Second-Degree Murder after how much I loved the first book and I can say I was not let down! This one is just as good as the first and I am now anxiously waiting on book three to come out next year. I would also just like to point out how gorgeous these covers are! Like wow! The characters are so fun and loved watching the murder solving play out.

Fantastic retelling! I had such a hard time putting this book down. The characters were engaging and interesting.

✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
Sense and Sensibility is one of my favorite movies, so I was excited for this retelling. Thank you to @Netgalley and HarperCollins for allowing me to read this ahead of publication.

💜 What I liked:
This story does mirror the original story with some really clever differences. The Dashwood sisters are still as lovely as always, with Elinor as an aspiring chemist and Marianne wanting to follow in her father’s footsteps as a detective. Margaret is as precocious as ever, of course. They are hot on the case to solve their father’s murder.

😱 What I didn’t like:
There were some parts that I felt to be overly descriptive. But overall, the story was so enjoyable, especially if you are familiar with the original story.

🚦 My face at the end: 🤓🫖

💭 Reasons to Read:
1. A Father’s death
2. Dancing
3. Poison
4. Female empowerment



🕧 Mini-Summary:
Elinor and Marianne Dashwood are hot on the case of their father’s murderer in this Sense and Sensibility retelling.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

💯 For more details on the books we read, be sure to follow me on TikTok (@zaineylaney) or check out our Podcast - Elated Geek!

I enjoyed this retelling. The banter between the sisters as well as the alternating between the two characters added to the story and made a full picture. I appreciated how it stayed close to the original story but added a mystery element that was intriguing. The chemistry part was also a fun addition to Elinors story. While I enjoyed the first one of this series more, this one was definitely a good read as well.

A cute cozy!

I love the idea of a woman in this time period solving a murder!

It wasn't my favorite cozy mystery, but it was very enjoyable and entertaining!