Rating: 
Summary: Captivating stylization of Austen with an engrossing story
Review: Stephanie Baron has captured the essence of Austen's literary style while, through the use of footnotes, providing glimpses of the lifestyles, language and social customs of the English around the time of the turn of the 19th century. The unique use of Jane herself as the protagonist is a stroke of genius and the characterization much in keeping with what is historically known of Jane Austen herself. The storyline is engrossing and neatly threaded through the book, with just the right touch of foreshadowing to keep you guessing as to the solution of the puzzle until the end. A roller coaster ride through revelation after revelation with a satisfying conclusion.
Rating:
Summary: Captures the spirit of Jane Austen perfectly.
Review: Stephanie Barron has created a delightful mystery series that captures the essence of Austen for a modern-day audience. Readers who know Jane Austen through only her novels (and not her letters, for example) may not always recognize Barron's sophisticated integration of fact with fiction, but anyone familiar with Austen's biography will surely enjoy the imagination and cleverness of this series. Mystery lovers and all but the most curmudgeonly of Austen fans will enjoy this well-written tale as well.The first in the series, this book introduces Jane-as-sleuth along with the cast of supporting characters. Barron is true to Austen's character and life (as much as we know of it, anyway) and has written a solid mystery also. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Rating: 
Summary: The first in a wonderful series
Review: Stephanie Barron is not Jane Austen. If you pick up this book thinking she is, you will be disappointed. If you pick up this book & want to be entertained, you will be pleasantly surprised. This book is great for those of us who can not seem to get enough Jane Austen. The only diappointment for me is the introduction about these being lost diaries, etc. I found the book to be a fast read & lots of fun. I was pleased by the accurate picture that Ms. Barron painted for the reader of England during this time period. She did her research.
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Summary: Jane Austen as -- Detective!
Review: Stephanie Barron's first foray into historical mystery brings us the English clergyman's daughter as the "author" of a cache of manuscripts hitherto unknown, a series of personal journals that contain chronicles of Jane's experiences with mysterious goings-on in 19th Century England.
As in Austen's own books there is a large cast of characters, some causing obstructions, or providing the clue that puts the puzzle together. Jane is soon up to her lace collars in enough red herrings and dead ends to satisfy the most ardent mystery fan.
Barron describes the settings with Jane Austen's practiced eye -- every situation commented upon, judgments of character made after studied reflection. Austen fans will also appreciate the expert rendering of Jane's cadence, and especially, phrasing. One doesn't have to be an Austen aficionado to enjoy these books, but readers of "Mansfield Park" and "Emma" will definitely feel at home. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Jane Austen as -- Detective!
Review: Stephanie Barron's first foray into historical mystery brings us the English clergyman's daughter as the "author" of a cache of manuscripts hitherto unknown, a series of personal journals that contain chronicles of Jane's experiences with mysterious goings-on in 19th Century England.
As in Austen's own books there is a large cast of characters, some causing obstructions, or providing the clue that puts the puzzle together. Jane is soon up to her lace collars in enough red herrings and dead ends to satisfy the most ardent mystery fan.
Barron describes the settings with Jane Austen's practiced eye -- every situation commented upon, judgments of character made after studied reflection. Austen fans will also appreciate the expert rendering of Jane's cadence, and especially, phrasing. One doesn't have to be an Austen aficionado to enjoy these books, but readers of "Mansfield Park" and "Emma" will definitely feel at home. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: rather good m'dears
Review: The author, Stephanie Barron, uses wit, subtle humor, and a true to form Austenesque style to captivate readers in the first of the Jane Austen mystery series. I, for one, think the idea for the book is some of it's genius--who better than Jane Austen, novelist & student of human character, to solve crime? Though i DID notice (as a couple of other readers mentioned), that sometimes her style draws the readers attention more than the story, her words are cleverly crafted, and its obvious Barron took some pains in studying prevailing(19th c.) uses of diction, syntax, etc. The mystery was excellent, definately NOT predictable. The vilian turned out to be the person I least expected (though i admit, i am quite easily duped by red herrings). A character who I found a bit revolting was Isobel. Her motives, whining, and general uselessness made me think: how could she ever have been friends with Jane Austen??!!! Another gripe with previous reviewers: I loved the footnotes. For those not intimately acquainted with the early 19th cen. England, they are valuable. How else would I know that a "square" was a thing they put on boots to raise them so they could walk through the mud? Overall, a great read. Good for time-kill, when you are sick, or need to read a comfort book. I recommend highly to all, especially Austen fans.
Rating: 
Summary: A Valiant Effort
Review: The idea of a mystery in the style of Jane Austen was very appealing to me, and though this book does captivate, keeping to Jane Austen's style seems to have been too large a task for Stephanie Barron. I was consistenly irritated by lines borrowed from Austen's works, and even more annoyed by Barron's presumptions that Austen had based her characters on the people in this novel. The book is very good when left to stand on its own - the plot twists are many and surprising, and the general style is somewhat refreshing. The only reason I can't give it full marks, is that Barron failed in keeping up the ruse that it was all written by Jane Austen. Austen never borrowed from herself in her novels, and I just don't find it likely that her journal would be any different. Also, some of the ideas presented here are just a little bit too raw, and are obviously the work of a modern writer. Hats off to Barron for the valiant attempt, but recreating Jane Austen's style is a difficult task even for the best scholars.
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Summary: Magnificent!
Review: This an absolutely wonderful reading of the first book in the Jane Austen Mystery Series by Stephanie Barron. Kate Reading is marvelous and gives a lively re-telling, carrying across Jane's wit, humor and intellect in voice. One can almost believe that it really is Jane that is talking! Even though I had read the book before I got the audio version, I was still as enthralled, excited and captivated by listening to the book as by reading it. Kate Reading should be commended for her ability to bring "alive" the detective Jane. All the excitement and mystery of Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor is captured in this audio book, and I highly recommend it to all Jane Austen lovers, young and old, who enjoy seeing their favorite author in the guise of detective and crime solver! :-)
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining; exactly what you would expect
Review: This book delivers on its promise of an entertaining mystery. Its precisely what you expect a Jane Austen-style mystery to be: not great literature, but thoughtful and diverting. I could do without the footnotes.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful read!
Review: This book was witty and entertaining. It is stylishly written, and gives a marvelous picture of life in the early 19th century. It is also an engrossing mystery. I look forward to reading the second Jane Austen mystery which I already have in my library! I hope that this will be only the beginning of a long and successful series for Ms. Barron.
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