spanish springs library mystery book club

REVIEW #1 – Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor

“I have to confess that I’m ambivalent about Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor.  When I look through it now, the language feels correct but stiff, the footnotes overly-pedantic.”

 – Stephanie Barron

I have to disagree with Ms. Barron’s view of Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor.  I have no ambivalance about this novel – for me, it was a wonderful novel of rediscovery.  First, there’s the fictionalized discovery of Jane Austen’s papers.  As a Janeist, I thought the idea was thrilling.  Just imagine if, in fact, more of Jane’s papers were found, that we were given the treat of another novel?  And here, with Ms. Barron’s work, we seemingly have.  But secondly, it’s a story from Jane’s point of view.  Jane, a person as interesting and intriguing as any of the characters she herself created.  I was enchanted with the concept and found Scargrave the perfect gateway back to Jane’s life and world.  Yes, it’s a bit of a refresher course for the era and for Jane’s personal history, and so I found the footnotes helpful in that regard, but it’s also a departure into solid sleuthing and I discovered how Jane could easily have been an excellent investigator.

This was my second reading of Scargrave – I first read it many years ago and even now, I can remember the thrill of the “what if”.  What if more of Jane’s work were to be found; what if Jane was compelled to investigate a murder; and what if Jane met a handsome nobleman.  Now I look forward to revisiting all of Jane’s mysteries and spending time with some of my favorite writers (Jane and Ms. Barron) and some of my favorite characters (I think Lord Harold is yummy).