I love all things Jane Austen and I feel that the author did a fantastic job with the character development of both Jane and Cassandra. Jane has the chance to shine as the main character which showcases her intelligence and wit as she is put to work assisting the local Magistrate in solving the murder of a friend and also we get a quick glimpse of her falling in love (which isn't meant to be). This is going to be an excellent series.

A charming mystery starring a young Jane Austen who found a friend murdered in the library during a ball. Feeling guilty because she was late to meeting her friend, she was determined to help the magistrate investigate and bring the culprit to justice.

Good historical details and Jane seemed pretty much in character with what little I know of her. Her intelligence and observation skills came through and could be just as useful in investigations as in observing personalities and social manners that she so aptly depicted in her books years later. There was a nice relationship between Jane and her sister Cassandra. The characters were interesting and the mystery held my interest with plenty of twists. Somethings I guessed, but I've read a lot of mysteries over the years.

There were some phrases that were repeated a lot. And Jane would never have been allowed to be alone with magistrate, even if she was acting as his secretary, during this period. It would have ruined her reputation. So that historical inaccuracy was a bit annoying but sometimes if there is to be a story, such things need to be overlooked.

I would definitely read more of this series and look forward to the next installment.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Jane Austen is concerned when an old friend, Emma, confides that she saw something she should have and doesn’t know what to do. They arrange to meet in private later, but when Jane arrives a few minutes late, she finds her friend dead on the floor. Jane is determined to help with the investigation into Emma’s murder. Can she uncover the truth before someone else is hurt?

This is not the first series I’ve read with Jane Austen as an amateur sleuth. I am always on board for an adventure with one of my favorite authors. Do I believe she would have been allowed to track down criminals? No, but it is fun to imagine! This was very easy to read and I enjoyed it.

The mystery was straightforward. There were several possible suspects. I was more interested in how Jane would continue to be on hand to assist Lord Hinchbrook, the magistrate, discover the truth. There were times she couldn’t be there, and it was understandable why. There was a side plot of Jane meeting Tom Lefroy, but I found it rather uninteresting.

Overall, this was a fun book to read. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy seeing Jane Austen tackle mysteries.

Laura Martin's Jane Austen is a Triumph!

Being a Janeite the moment I saw the title and cover for Death of a Lady, a Jane Austen Investigations by Laura Martin, I knew I had to read this book! I couldn't wait to delve in and learn how Ms. Martin would treat such a beloved literary figure when taken from her real life and celebrated genre of romantic literature, and place her in the fictional historical cozy mystery genre. Well, as I completed chapter one I got my answer–Martin's Jane Austen is a triumph! Her Jane possesses all of the demure characteristics one would expect of a woman coming from a middle-class family in 18th century England. But, her Jane also possesses the drive to find the murderer, or murderers, and keen observation skills required to pursue them making her likable by a contemporary audience. When you couple Jane with Lord Hinchbrooke, the local magistrate and lead investigator, and Cassandra, Jane's sister and confidante and emotional support, you have a recipe for a regency cozy mystery that knocked my socks off! Ms. Martin excels at building characters and creating strong relationships between them. Lord Hinchbrooke is a sympathetic character with a gentle demeanor and his own physical frailties making him highly relatable and in need of Jane’s assistance. Cassandra is demure, sweet, and protective making her the stalwart sister and friend Jane relies on when she needs grounding. Due to these relationships that intertwined in a very original way we were able to get a glimpse of the Jane Austen’s home life and writing while solving a murder. I couldn't get enough of the excellent plotting that Ms. Martin took pains to balance within the confines of the regency period yet still made expertly climactic with an outcome I did not anticipate. I can’t wait for the next installment in the series! I hope Jane and Lord Hinchbrooke are paired together again! My thanks to #LauraMartin, #SapereBooks, and #NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A cozy mystery mixed with a Regency theme where Jane Austen is the main character? Well, the expectations were high, and overall, I’m happy to report I really enjoyed this first installment in the series.

It’s an easy, pleasant read where a young Jane Austen investigates the murder of one of her friends, under the helm of an experienced detective, which is a most welcome change in the cozy mystery genre where the amateur sleuth usually goes about the investigation a bit on their own.

I also enjoyed how the author depicted the lovely relationship between Jane and her sister Cassandra. It’s a well thought-out plot with interesting characters.

Looking forward to the next adventure!

A delightful addition to the numerous books based around Jane Austen. However, this has Jane herself as the central character and we get the chance to see her sharp intelligence put to work as she helps solve a murder mystery. I look forward to reading more of her adventures in the future.

I enjoyed it but I am not sure that Regency is my genre - I sometimes get a bit bored with the stuffiness. I received this as an advance copy from the author via NetGalley as an advance copy and am leaving this review voluntarily

Death of a Lady is a intriguing murder mystery that keeps you guessing til the end.

Jane Austin's friend is murdered at a ball which kick starts the story into a mystery surrounding a death and the secrets of the Westworth family.

I must admit the mystery had me guessing. And the final reveal was well thought out. It wasn't contrived and the mystery actually made sense.

I did enjoy the book, however if you are in it for the romance you're going to be disappointed. It's basically non existent. At the end Jane says that she was in love with Mr Lefroy but they had like three interactions, and there was nothing special about them. I find it very hard to believe she was in love from that alone.

I'll will definitely be keeping an eye out on any sequels.

I really enjoyed this murder mystery novel. The story is that can acquaintance of Jane’s is murdered, as she persuades the magistrate to let her assist in the investigation. I must admit that it wasn’t until almost the reveal that I worked out who the murderer was, and why, which is always a sign of a good mystery. The writing style was such that there was a good pace and it held the reader’s interest. I would highly recommend

Just loved this one! Love that history and fiction are combined. Fast moving and gripping. Held me on the edge of my seat. Definitely a must read...

I love this story, using Jane and her beloved sister Cassandra as amateur detectives is such a lovely idea, and truly a compliment from an author who has been positively influenced by Miss Austen; it works. The murder happens during a ball near Jane's family home. The murder is shocking, yet Jane and her sister are what you would expect, calm, compassionate, and curious, after all Jane Austen is genius at observing human nature and being able to read people, which benefits Jane as she turns her greatest skill into finding a murderer. I enjoyed the mystery, I enjoyed the calm, respectful world of Jane Austen, even with the dead body in the library, it felt calming.
I highly recommend it. Thank you #Netgalley #SapereBooks
carolintallahassee

This would be more aptly titled “Jane Said Quietly,” because that exact phrase occurred so often that I could hardly focus on anything else.

It wasn’t just Jane, though, but she was admittedly the quietest of the lot. Lord Hinchbrooke spoke quietly. Jane’s father spoke quietly. Cassandra murmured. Jane murmured. Lord Hinchbrooke murmured. Tom Lefroy spoke quietly, then spoke with his lips barely moving. Other unnamed characters (so I don’t spoil the plot utterly) spoke softly. Said things quietly. Murmured repeatedly. Whispered. Muttered. Quietly. Softly. It’s really a wonder they could understand each other because everyone spoke at a barely-audible decibel level.

This is pretty tough love feedback, but page after page of these repeated lines wore me down and made me a grumpy reader.

Plot-wise, it was a decent cozy mystery. Jane’s freedom and her investigative role were implausible, but that wasn’t a dealbreaker. As much as I love Jane Austen, I actually didn’t care much for this Jane Austen. She felt simultaneously both foolhardy and a little wimpy. I also felt the Tom Lefroy storyline would have been better left out — it wasn’t well-rounded and felt like an unnecessary component to the mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A well plotted and solid historical mystery featuring Jane Austen. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it kept me guessing till the end.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

What a clever tale with the beloved writer Jane Austen investigating a horrific murder. I loved the use of Jane and her sister Cassandra as amateur detectives, and found the narrative compelling as the two unravel a mystery that kept me guessing. Charming and highly recommended for every Janeite and for fans of gripping Regency stories.

I enjoy anything pertaining to Jane Austen. This book is a mystery and is intriguing with Jane as the protagonist. Red herrings gs abound. This is a quick fun read about one of my favorite historical characters. This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the talented and gifted author and to the publisher for my copy. This fiction reads like nonfiction at times. I liked this book. I really liked this book. Get cozy in a comfy chair and be transported back to the times of Austen.

It was such a delightful read. I must say I enjoyed every bit of it. Reading it was like going back in Jane Austen Era. Set in Hampshire 1795. Jane and Cassandra receives an invitation to attend the ball hosted by Lord Westworth and Lady Westworth. While both the sisters were enjoying the dance and festivities. Miss Emma Roscoe came to Jane, she asked her to meet her in the library at ten, o’clock. Perhaps they could not see what was coming. And it came as such a great shock to Jane, Miss Roscoe was murdered. Thorough investigation was done by Lord Hinchbrooke and Miss Jane Austen contributed to the investigation through her extraordinary skills. But the truth is twisted and unpredictable. I enjoyed the thorough investigation, regency murder mystery, and such a descriptive and vivid writing. I highly recommend this book to those who would love to read classic regency mystery and also to those who love Jane Austen and Agatha Christie books.

Thank you for letting me read the book.