Jane and the Wandering Eye: Being the Third Jane Austen Mystery

'Jane and the Wandering Eye' is the third novel in Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen as detective series; and she merely improves each time upon an ingenious and highly likely concept, as our favorite author plays sleuth to high-profile murders and crimes. Barron has realistically recreated Austen's time period, playing the editor to Jane's "found" diaries that record these events, and peppering her narrative with footnotes that inform the reader about Austen's day. With the third book of the series, Barron has improved upon her style. At times it almost seems a bit of a stretch to capture the language used in Austen's day, but Barron is comfortable in Jane's mindset. She does the author justice in thought and deed - one can very easily imagine Jane adventuring to discover the twists and turns of the mysteries that fill Barron's pages. And if there is a slight resemblance to some of Austen's published novels, well, we know when the idea/observation struck her. The third book introduces us to a murder mystery, filled with numerous twists and turns. Once again we find Jane in the companionship of Lord Harold Trowbridge, as they try to solve a mystery that was committed at his mother's house and that throws suspicion on his family, as well as on various suitors who would claim his niece's hand in marriage. Together, Lord Harold and Jane uncover the murderer while the law remains impotent to do so. I very much look forward to whatever mischief she may set her sights upon in book four.

They're not REALLY written by Jane Austen. If you want to read a book by Jane Austen, buy "Emma" or "Persuasion." If you want to read one written by an Austen scholar and admirer, try these. They're really interesting and quite charming. I think it's brilliant that Barron has invested her creativity in this tribute to her favorite writer. Maybe some Austenites are just too die-hard to appreciate the concept. Personally, I find these novels well designed and very entertaining. Wish I could write as well as this author does.

I liked this addition to this series of books very much. This is probably the most "social" of these books--Jane is very much part of the larger society of Bath (which constrains and enervates her.) The development of Jane's relationship with Sir Harold and his family is central to this novel, and for really the only time in this series there are some visible stresses between Jane's independence and her family's concern for how things look.

Jane Austen, a sleuth? Yes! What fun to be transported to the early 19th century and its genteel skulduggery. This delightful series requires a pot of tea at your elbow and a cat on your lap. I'm a fiction writer (not mysteries, however) who has not written a word in a week -- I'm too busy working my way through these unputdownable books. Thanks, Stephanie Barron!

I was able to read this before it was out because someone from my favorite bookshop gave me an advanced reader's copy.I really liked the inter action between Jane and Lord Harold Trowbridge.I cannot wait for the next one.