Harriet Klausner's Review Archive
In 1806, Bath, England is a very expensive place to live. When Jane Austen's father died, she, her mother and her sister moved into the South Hampton home of Captain Frank Arden and his bride. On the way to their new residence, the Austens visit relatives throughout the country. Her cousin, Edward Cooper, a rector in Staffordshire, arranges for the trio to sight see in Derbyshire.
While strolling through the nearby countryside, Jane finds a dead body. The victim was shot in the face and disemboweled. The deceased is Tess Arnold, a maid at a nearby estate. The coroner initially blames the homicide on the Free Masons, but Jane disagrees. She begins her own sleuthing that leads her into places she should avoid.
Anyone who has read the works (or seen the recent rash of movies) of Jane Austen or simply loves the Regency period will enjoy JANE AND THE STILLROOM MAID. This exciting work provides insight into an era where the excesses of Polite Society were considered normal. Stephanie Barron is a gifted storyteller whose ability to allow her readers to feel the past makes her fabulous mysteries that much more entertaining. The fifth Austen mystery keeps the audience guessing until the final chapter as it is one of the better historical who-done-its of the year.