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Jane Austen Murder Mystery #3
Manslaughter Park
In this queer retelling of the classic novel and third book in Tirzah Price's Jane Austen Murder Mystery series, Mansfield Park is the center of a deadly accident (or is it?). Perfect for fans of the Lady Janies and Stalking Jack the Ripper.
Aspiring artist Fanny Price is an unwelcome guest at her uncle Sir Thomas Bertram’s estate. It’s his affection for Fanny that’s keeping her from being forced out by her cousins Tom and Maria and nasty Aunt Norris, back to a home to which she never wants to return. But then Sir Thomas dies in a tragic accident inside his art emporium, and Fanny finds evidence of foul play that, if revealed, could further jeopardize her already precarious position.
Edmund, her best friend and secret crush, urges Fanny to keep quiet about her discovery, but Fanny can’t ignore the truth: a murderer is among them.
Determined to find the killer, Fanny’s pursuit for justice has her wading into the Bertram family business, uncovering blackmail, and brushing with London’s high society when Henry and Mary Crawford arrive at Mansfield Park with an audacious business proposal. But a surprising twist of fate—and the help of local legends Lizzie Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy—brings Fanny more complications than she ever expected and a life-altering realization about herself she never saw coming.
Aspiring artist Fanny Price is an unwelcome guest at her uncle Sir Thomas Bertram’s estate. It’s his affection for Fanny that’s keeping her from being forced out by her cousins Tom and Maria and nasty Aunt Norris, back to a home to which she never wants to return. But then Sir Thomas dies in a tragic accident inside his art emporium, and Fanny finds evidence of foul play that, if revealed, could further jeopardize her already precarious position.
Edmund, her best friend and secret crush, urges Fanny to keep quiet about her discovery, but Fanny can’t ignore the truth: a murderer is among them.
Determined to find the killer, Fanny’s pursuit for justice has her wading into the Bertram family business, uncovering blackmail, and brushing with London’s high society when Henry and Mary Crawford arrive at Mansfield Park with an audacious business proposal. But a surprising twist of fate—and the help of local legends Lizzie Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy—brings Fanny more complications than she ever expected and a life-altering realization about herself she never saw coming.
Hardcover
First published June 27, 2023
About the author
Tirzah Price
7 books731 followersTirzah Price holds an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and has worked with books for over a decade. When she’s not writing, reading, or talking about YA books, she splits her time between experimenting in the kitchen and knitting. She lives in Michigan.
Tirzah is pronounced TEER-zuh. Pronouns are she/her.
Tirzah is pronounced TEER-zuh. Pronouns are she/her.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 293 reviews
October 11, 2023
4 stars!
I will admit, of the five Austen books I've read Mansfield Park is my least favorite. But I really enjoyed this YA queer retelling a lot. In Manslaughter Park, Fanny Price hopes to solve the mystery of the person who murdered her Uncle. With help from her friends and some unexpected characters, Fanny finds herself challenged as well as uncovering many truths.
Fanny Price was never my favorite classic character, but I really enjoyed the interpretation of her in this book. Plus I thought a queer retelling fit quite well as Edmund never really stood out to be as a great hero. I know a lot of people were upset by this book (as I saw from all the reviews) but I feel if you go into this book with an open mind and know it will be different (like the first two books) I think it would be a fun read.
I will admit, of the five Austen books I've read Mansfield Park is my least favorite. But I really enjoyed this YA queer retelling a lot. In Manslaughter Park, Fanny Price hopes to solve the mystery of the person who murdered her Uncle. With help from her friends and some unexpected characters, Fanny finds herself challenged as well as uncovering many truths.
Fanny Price was never my favorite classic character, but I really enjoyed the interpretation of her in this book. Plus I thought a queer retelling fit quite well as Edmund never really stood out to be as a great hero. I know a lot of people were upset by this book (as I saw from all the reviews) but I feel if you go into this book with an open mind and know it will be different (like the first two books) I think it would be a fun read.
August 8, 2023
I will admit, I have a hard time reading novels set in a historical time period that have clearly been written with 21st century values imposed onto them. I’m not surprised that this was the case here, because I noticed it in the two sequels as well, but it’s easier to get away with that kind of thing with heroines who are already more independent and strong-willed. However, not only was it much more noticeable in this book, but many of her attempts to “update” and “fix” the story resulted in this feeling like a completely different novel. The author does admit that “Mansfield Park” was her most difficult Austen novel to connect to, so I wonder that she chose this one for a retelling at all. Many of us believe that Fanny Price deserved better, but the way that Price went about rewriting it makes it feel like she didn’t like anything about the original novel. I have a lot of similar complaints about this book that I also had about Netflix’s recent Persuasion remake. It seems that a lot of people want to “Elizabeth-Bennet-ify” some of Austen’s less independent heroines and make cultural commentaries on the era, forgetting that Jane Austen herself showed many different ways that women could demonstrate strength and was already critiquing her society at the time of writing.
For instance, one of Fanny’s best qualities is that she has a strong moral character and always does the right thing, despite how poorly she may be treated for it, or regardless of any consequences that might come from it, and this is attributed in part to her faith in God. Price attempts to replicate this and show her to be of strong character, but then at the same time is having Fanny outright lie and her reasons for wanting to take the moral high road always feel flimsy and she usually is not able to articulate why she is doing what she’s doing. Her faith in God was cut entirely, which again, does not surprise me, but I hated the way that the few references to religion or faith felt very condescending. For example, in this retelling Edmund wants to be a musician rather than a preacher, and at one point in the story this profession is recommended to him as a way to earn his own living and he essentially scoffs at the idea and says something along the lines of “You know I would never do that.”
Additionally, I felt that the whole book was pretty predictable. Everything just felt too on the nose, and I saw most of the plot points coming from a mile away.
I don’t know, I don’t really want to give away any spoilers, but if you have any sort of emotional attachment to the original, I wouldn’t recommend it. The author took a lot of liberties and there weren’t really any characters I was rooting for, even Fanny.
For instance, one of Fanny’s best qualities is that she has a strong moral character and always does the right thing, despite how poorly she may be treated for it, or regardless of any consequences that might come from it, and this is attributed in part to her faith in God. Price attempts to replicate this and show her to be of strong character, but then at the same time is having Fanny outright lie and her reasons for wanting to take the moral high road always feel flimsy and she usually is not able to articulate why she is doing what she’s doing. Her faith in God was cut entirely, which again, does not surprise me, but I hated the way that the few references to religion or faith felt very condescending. For example, in this retelling Edmund wants to be a musician rather than a preacher, and at one point in the story this profession is recommended to him as a way to earn his own living and he essentially scoffs at the idea and says something along the lines of “You know I would never do that.”
Additionally, I felt that the whole book was pretty predictable. Everything just felt too on the nose, and I saw most of the plot points coming from a mile away.
I don’t know, I don’t really want to give away any spoilers, but if you have any sort of emotional attachment to the original, I wouldn’t recommend it. The author took a lot of liberties and there weren’t really any characters I was rooting for, even Fanny.
June 29, 2023
very good, very queer 🫡
Shelved as 'tbr-maybe'
June 15, 2022I wasn't planning on continuing the series but if the Henry Crawford plotline goes the way I want it to I will buy this so fast 😂
July 25, 2023
Probably my least favorite in the series, but I love that Lizzie and mr darcy were around for the ride. 3.5
July 18, 2023
Jane Austen but make it queer. Once again I had never read Mansfield Park before but I did love this retelling. I loved that Fanny learns to stand up for herself. I loved the element of the art emporium but with the title of Manslaughter Park I had expected more than one murder. And this time around the murder investigation wasn't as present as in the other retellings but I loved the cameos of Lizzie, Mr. Darcy and Miss Lucas and the mention of the Dashwood sisters from the other novels.
I am once again intrigued to read the original after reading this one.
I am once again intrigued to read the original after reading this one.
July 5, 2023
This was SO disappointing. Mansfield is certainly a tough book for many to connect to, but I have always held a special place for it in my heart. I loved the first two reimaginings in this series, but this one fell flat entirely. The first half of the book was interesting enough, but then we decided to change Fanny's entire personality, which was odd. Not a fan of this one.
June 28, 2023
I should have known that I wouldn't like this as much as the others in the series when the author's note starts off with talking about how much she dislikes Mansfield Park, and Fanny Price specifically.
July 16, 2023
"To all the readers who think that Fanny Price deserved better."
I never liked Mansfield Park, which is probably why I loved this reimagined version with mystery, art, and murder. It was soo good to see Fanny get the ending she deserved. And finally stand up for herself.
I never liked Mansfield Park, which is probably why I loved this reimagined version with mystery, art, and murder. It was soo good to see Fanny get the ending she deserved. And finally stand up for herself.
July 12, 2023
The dedication alone (for those who think Fanny deserved better) had me thinking I’d like this retelling of Mansfield Park. It’s hard to talk about this one without spoilers, but the characters are all themselves, just in a very different environment. It was so fun to have Lizzie, Darcy, and Charlotte in this.
August 29, 2023
It seemed as though she simply didn’t like the original book very much so she just lazily half-adapted the characters and then wrote her own book.
What was fun about the first two books in the series was that I felt she understood who the main characters were and even though she put them in new situations, she stayed true to their essential natures. Not so with this one.
What was fun about the first two books in the series was that I felt she understood who the main characters were and even though she put them in new situations, she stayed true to their essential natures. Not so with this one.
July 13, 2023
⭐️ 1 STAR
I have loved the Jane Austen Murder Mystery series up until this point, but this book was a HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT. I couldn’t even finish it. Probably won’t be reading books by this author anymore.
I have loved the Jane Austen Murder Mystery series up until this point, but this book was a HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT. I couldn’t even finish it. Probably won’t be reading books by this author anymore.
July 28, 2023
It's a retelling, so I guess she can take artistic license in any direction she wants 🤷🏻♀️ I couldn't connect to the story and I felt that the same sex relationships were a total stretch.
January 14, 2024
Mild spoilers ahead
Fanny Price, poor relation at Mansfield Park, dreams of becoming an artist and earning her independence. She scrupulously copies her favorite paintings in hopes one day her uncle, Sir Thomas Bertram, will see how good she is and provide her with art lessons. Fanny's dreams for her future also involve fellow outsider, Edmund Bertram, orphaned cousin of her Mansfield cousins. Edmund's dreams only seem to involve music though and not Fanny. Then, Sir Thomas take a terrible and tragic fall down the stairs and Fanny is horrified. She saw Sir Thomas trip and wonders whether someone killed her uncle! If so, it was one of her own relations! Fanny can not keep quiet about what she saw and shares with her her uncle's new solicitor, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, who encourages Fanny to investigate. When the will is read, it becomes clear that Sir Thomas did not manage to provide for his own family, let alone Fanny and Edmund. The two eldest cousins, Tom and Maria, are now in charge of Fanny's beloved Mansfield Emporium and have plans to turn the Emporium into a commercial success with the help of an art dealer friend of Maria's fiancé, Mr. Rushworth, and a hot shot art dealer from London, Mr. Henry Crawford. When Henry and his sister Mary arrive, they shake up Mansfield with their London ways. Fanny strongly objects to Henry Crawford tricking people into buying art but her objections are ridiculed and overruled. Her investigation turns up something unusual in Aunt Norris's cottage that makes Fanny suspicious her aunt and cousin have something to hide. Did they conspire to kill Sir Thomas? Soon Fanny becomes an outcast at Mansfield and her only friend is Mary Crawford. As Fanny gets to know Mary better, her dreams of an independent future start to shift but when Fanny is cast out of Mansfield, she fears Mary will never want to be her friend again. Are they friends or is it something more?
*SIGH* Mansfield Park is a slog with unappealing characters. I get it. I get the author's decision to update the story for a modern teen audience. The execution leaves a lot to be desired. THIS adaptation is STILL a slog. I had to skip ahead to see who the murderer was. I was very shocked at the plot twist. That wasn't what I was expecting at all. The villain was evil and diabolical.
I still don't love Fanny. She's more bold and forthright than in the original, speaking out about what she disagrees with and what she wants. However, it would have made far more sense for Lizzy to investigate than Fanny. Or at least assist Fanny with her investigation. While Lizzy seems to have a thriving network of informal detectives and a connection to Bow Street, she also knows Marianne Dashwood. Even Marianne Dashwood would make a better sleuth than Fanny. Fanny stumbles around, accidentally finds clues she doesn't know what to do with and gets caught. I don't understand her moral high ground on art. It doesn't make sense. If your family is destitute and you need a way to survive, you don't wait around to see if you're talented enough to become a famous artist. You do something! As awful as Tom and Maria are, they're doing something about paying off their father's debts and helping themselves, their mother and sister maintain their way of life. Fanny has no right, no reason to object. So what if the silly members of the ton want to collect art just to be fashionable and show it off? People still do that. Let them. Just don't sell YOUR personal paintings if that bothers you. I get it. There's commercial art and art for art's sake. Mansfield Emporium existed for making money but obviously that didn't work out so well so why not do it Henry's way? When you have money of your own then you can decide who to sell your art to.
The Bertrams are still unlikable. I believe Sir Thomas has a fondness for Fanny and is kind to her but in a dismissive sort of way. He sees her when it is convenient and ignores her when it's not. He put his own family ahead of Fanny and never stood up to Aunt Norris. If he truly loved Fanny he would have helped her. He would have shut down Aunt Norris, paid for art lessons and helped Fanny gain confidence by introducing her to the art world in London. Aunt Bertram is a little better than in the original. Pug is adorable and more active than in Austen's novel. She even helps discover a clue. Tom isn't that bad. He's a little foolish and trusts maybe too much in his "friend" (lover) Mr. Yates but he isn't cruel or deliberately unkind the way Maria is. Maria is Aunt Norris's favorite and we all remember what she's like. Aunt Norris is even more cruel to Fanny in this update than in the original. Aunt Norris is openly hateful and hurtful and it's clear she's in charge. There's no reason for Maria and Julia to be so awful. Julia is not very bright, spoiled and selfish. Maria is smarter than her sister. She's a smart businesswoman, maybe? Her engagement to Mr. Rushworth would not be official or a marriage allowed without the consent of her guardian. Sir Thomas did not give his consent so that plotline didn't make sense. It would, however, give Mr. Rushworth a good motive for murder if he thought Tom would give consent. Mr. Rushworth isn't bright enough for premeditated murder unless he's acting the fool.
Edmund is more of a secondary character here. We don't know why Fanny is so attached to him. Making him a cousin is ridiculous because that removes the closeness of their relationship. In the original novel, Fanny loved Edmund because he was kind to her when she first arrived at Mansfield. He was the only one who was kind. In this novel it was Sir Thomas who was kind to Fanny. Edmund is less of a weenie. He's preoccupied by music and thoughts of become a famous musician but feels frustrated because he doesn't have the money to go to London and make contacts. He was there when Sir Thomas fell, they all were, but Edmund is the only one who believes Fanny. He helps her investigate from time to time but he doesn't care about her either. He's careless of consequences. It's Ok for HIM to break the unspoken rules about his place in the household. He's a man and if he's banished, he can go get a job and support himself. Fanny, as a mere female, and an impoverished one, does not have that safety net. She has to return home to Portsmouth to her family who can't afford to keep her. Edmund makes things worse in trying to help.
Henry Crawford is a businessman. He may be slimy and unethical at times. He's an opportunist. As Mary points out, they're orphaned to and Henry basically has to be a hustler to survive. He's not in the story much and certainly not as charming as the original Henry. That whole subplot is reduced to "OMG Henry's flirting with Maria!" a few times. Then there's an original subplot that isn't fully explained. Does he know Maria in London? They become chummy pretty quickly. Are they trying to cut out Tom? What scheme are they cooking up? Did they conspire to murder Sir Thomas? With all due respect to Tizrah Price, she misread the original novel. Mary was NOT kind to Fanny, at least not selflessly. She was trying to please Edmund so he would like her more and then she was trying to push Fanny into letting Henry seduce her. Mary is the worldly bad girl. In this update, she's the opposite. Mary is the only true friend to Fanny and the only one who really tries to help Fanny. Mary is sweet, pure and lovely. I liked her best of all the characters. She's very self aware though with no explanation of how she got to be that way. Obviously in the original, growing up with that terrible uncle who moved his mistress into the home would make her aware of things pretty quickly and growing up around the navy, she would have seen things she would have to learn to make sense of. In this book her backstory is lost to the murder mystery.
I don't have a problem with queer romances but historical queer romances are tricky, especially for girls like Fanny who lack the worldly knowledge to understand what they're feeling and seeing. I'm fully well aware of the Ladies of Llangollen and Anne Lister ("Gentleman Jack"). For the Mary of the original novel, it would make more sense because she's fully well aware of "rears and vices" (It IS a pun, I assure you) and would understand the desire to kiss someone, whether that be a man or woman. Fanny is such an upright, moral little prig that she would see those feelings as somehow wrong and evil, needing to be hidden and ignored. The romance doesn't make sense in the context of the world of Mansfield Park. For Mary and someone else, maybe someone like Charlotte Lucas, who is also self-aware, a romance would make more sense.
I mainly read this one to see what Lizzy and Darcy were up to. They're not married yet but they act like they are. Fanny and Mary are confused as to who Darcy is to Lizzy. We get an update on Charlotte but the intelligent, intrepid Dashwood sisters are only mentioned by name.
This one was my least favorite of the trilogy. It was just too modern and lacking in context.
Fanny Price, poor relation at Mansfield Park, dreams of becoming an artist and earning her independence. She scrupulously copies her favorite paintings in hopes one day her uncle, Sir Thomas Bertram, will see how good she is and provide her with art lessons. Fanny's dreams for her future also involve fellow outsider, Edmund Bertram, orphaned cousin of her Mansfield cousins. Edmund's dreams only seem to involve music though and not Fanny. Then, Sir Thomas take a terrible and tragic fall down the stairs and Fanny is horrified. She saw Sir Thomas trip and wonders whether someone killed her uncle! If so, it was one of her own relations! Fanny can not keep quiet about what she saw and shares with her her uncle's new solicitor, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, who encourages Fanny to investigate. When the will is read, it becomes clear that Sir Thomas did not manage to provide for his own family, let alone Fanny and Edmund. The two eldest cousins, Tom and Maria, are now in charge of Fanny's beloved Mansfield Emporium and have plans to turn the Emporium into a commercial success with the help of an art dealer friend of Maria's fiancé, Mr. Rushworth, and a hot shot art dealer from London, Mr. Henry Crawford. When Henry and his sister Mary arrive, they shake up Mansfield with their London ways. Fanny strongly objects to Henry Crawford tricking people into buying art but her objections are ridiculed and overruled. Her investigation turns up something unusual in Aunt Norris's cottage that makes Fanny suspicious her aunt and cousin have something to hide. Did they conspire to kill Sir Thomas? Soon Fanny becomes an outcast at Mansfield and her only friend is Mary Crawford. As Fanny gets to know Mary better, her dreams of an independent future start to shift but when Fanny is cast out of Mansfield, she fears Mary will never want to be her friend again. Are they friends or is it something more?
*SIGH* Mansfield Park is a slog with unappealing characters. I get it. I get the author's decision to update the story for a modern teen audience. The execution leaves a lot to be desired. THIS adaptation is STILL a slog. I had to skip ahead to see who the murderer was. I was very shocked at the plot twist. That wasn't what I was expecting at all. The villain was evil and diabolical.
I still don't love Fanny. She's more bold and forthright than in the original, speaking out about what she disagrees with and what she wants. However, it would have made far more sense for Lizzy to investigate than Fanny. Or at least assist Fanny with her investigation. While Lizzy seems to have a thriving network of informal detectives and a connection to Bow Street, she also knows Marianne Dashwood. Even Marianne Dashwood would make a better sleuth than Fanny. Fanny stumbles around, accidentally finds clues she doesn't know what to do with and gets caught. I don't understand her moral high ground on art. It doesn't make sense. If your family is destitute and you need a way to survive, you don't wait around to see if you're talented enough to become a famous artist. You do something! As awful as Tom and Maria are, they're doing something about paying off their father's debts and helping themselves, their mother and sister maintain their way of life. Fanny has no right, no reason to object. So what if the silly members of the ton want to collect art just to be fashionable and show it off? People still do that. Let them. Just don't sell YOUR personal paintings if that bothers you. I get it. There's commercial art and art for art's sake. Mansfield Emporium existed for making money but obviously that didn't work out so well so why not do it Henry's way? When you have money of your own then you can decide who to sell your art to.
The Bertrams are still unlikable. I believe Sir Thomas has a fondness for Fanny and is kind to her but in a dismissive sort of way. He sees her when it is convenient and ignores her when it's not. He put his own family ahead of Fanny and never stood up to Aunt Norris. If he truly loved Fanny he would have helped her. He would have shut down Aunt Norris, paid for art lessons and helped Fanny gain confidence by introducing her to the art world in London. Aunt Bertram is a little better than in the original. Pug is adorable and more active than in Austen's novel. She even helps discover a clue. Tom isn't that bad. He's a little foolish and trusts maybe too much in his "friend" (lover) Mr. Yates but he isn't cruel or deliberately unkind the way Maria is. Maria is Aunt Norris's favorite and we all remember what she's like. Aunt Norris is even more cruel to Fanny in this update than in the original. Aunt Norris is openly hateful and hurtful and it's clear she's in charge. There's no reason for Maria and Julia to be so awful. Julia is not very bright, spoiled and selfish. Maria is smarter than her sister. She's a smart businesswoman, maybe? Her engagement to Mr. Rushworth would not be official or a marriage allowed without the consent of her guardian. Sir Thomas did not give his consent so that plotline didn't make sense. It would, however, give Mr. Rushworth a good motive for murder if he thought Tom would give consent. Mr. Rushworth isn't bright enough for premeditated murder unless he's acting the fool.
Edmund is more of a secondary character here. We don't know why Fanny is so attached to him. Making him a cousin is ridiculous because that removes the closeness of their relationship. In the original novel, Fanny loved Edmund because he was kind to her when she first arrived at Mansfield. He was the only one who was kind. In this novel it was Sir Thomas who was kind to Fanny. Edmund is less of a weenie. He's preoccupied by music and thoughts of become a famous musician but feels frustrated because he doesn't have the money to go to London and make contacts. He was there when Sir Thomas fell, they all were, but Edmund is the only one who believes Fanny. He helps her investigate from time to time but he doesn't care about her either. He's careless of consequences. It's Ok for HIM to break the unspoken rules about his place in the household. He's a man and if he's banished, he can go get a job and support himself. Fanny, as a mere female, and an impoverished one, does not have that safety net. She has to return home to Portsmouth to her family who can't afford to keep her. Edmund makes things worse in trying to help.
Henry Crawford is a businessman. He may be slimy and unethical at times. He's an opportunist. As Mary points out, they're orphaned to and Henry basically has to be a hustler to survive. He's not in the story much and certainly not as charming as the original Henry. That whole subplot is reduced to "OMG Henry's flirting with Maria!" a few times. Then there's an original subplot that isn't fully explained. Does he know Maria in London? They become chummy pretty quickly. Are they trying to cut out Tom? What scheme are they cooking up? Did they conspire to murder Sir Thomas? With all due respect to Tizrah Price, she misread the original novel. Mary was NOT kind to Fanny, at least not selflessly. She was trying to please Edmund so he would like her more and then she was trying to push Fanny into letting Henry seduce her. Mary is the worldly bad girl. In this update, she's the opposite. Mary is the only true friend to Fanny and the only one who really tries to help Fanny. Mary is sweet, pure and lovely. I liked her best of all the characters. She's very self aware though with no explanation of how she got to be that way. Obviously in the original, growing up with that terrible uncle who moved his mistress into the home would make her aware of things pretty quickly and growing up around the navy, she would have seen things she would have to learn to make sense of. In this book her backstory is lost to the murder mystery.
I don't have a problem with queer romances but historical queer romances are tricky, especially for girls like Fanny who lack the worldly knowledge to understand what they're feeling and seeing. I'm fully well aware of the Ladies of Llangollen and Anne Lister ("Gentleman Jack"). For the Mary of the original novel, it would make more sense because she's fully well aware of "rears and vices" (It IS a pun, I assure you) and would understand the desire to kiss someone, whether that be a man or woman. Fanny is such an upright, moral little prig that she would see those feelings as somehow wrong and evil, needing to be hidden and ignored. The romance doesn't make sense in the context of the world of Mansfield Park. For Mary and someone else, maybe someone like Charlotte Lucas, who is also self-aware, a romance would make more sense.
I mainly read this one to see what Lizzy and Darcy were up to. They're not married yet but they act like they are. Fanny and Mary are confused as to who Darcy is to Lizzy. We get an update on Charlotte but the intelligent, intrepid Dashwood sisters are only mentioned by name.
This one was my least favorite of the trilogy. It was just too modern and lacking in context.
July 20, 2023
I love this series so much. I really loved Fanny's character development in this one. so good!
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August 12, 2023disclaimer if you’ve read other reviews by me and are noticing a pattern: You’re correct that I don’t really give starred reviews, I feel like a peasant and don’t like leaving them and most often, I will only leave them if I vehemently despised a book. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not, regardless if I add stars or not. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial
"To all the readers who think that Fanny Price deserved better."
First of all, any *purists* (also, ew. Do you not recognize how icky, pretentious, & elitist that sounds in this day & age?) should just go read the original. This is a reimagining, inspired by the original source material, and there are of course going to be creative departures. I truly cannot fathom being upset with any author for taking liberties with the plot or other elements of the original story, when that is the point of reimaginings and retellings. If you don't want the "integrity" of the story "messed with," go read the original. It is actually as simple as that lol.
Premise:
-historical murder mystery with a splash of romance // reimagining of Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
-3rd book in this interconnected series of standalone retellings / murder mysteries
-third-person limited POV
-Aspiring artist Fanny Price is an unwelcome guest at her uncle Sir Thomas Bertram’s estate
-Fanny's family sent her to live with her uncle because of their socioeconomic situation, and with so many children, it was easier for her parents to know she'd be taken care of
-Her cousins Tom & Maria, along with her aunt Norris don't want her around, and then when her -uncle falls and dies in his art emporium, Fanny realizes he was murdered!
-Fanny begins to investigate his alleged murder, all while still pining for her childhood-best-friend, Edmund, and this has now become an unrequited love situation
-Henry and Mary Crawford arrive at Mansfield Park with an audacious business proposal
cameos from previous book legends, Lizzie Bennett, Fitzwilliam Darcy and Charlotte Lucas! <3
-cw: murder, sexism, classism, abandonment, emotional abuse, toxic relationship
Thoughts:
Mystery, art heists, and sapphic awakening, oh my!
Tirzah has great skill in paying homage to these timeless characters and capturing their essence, amidst changing storylines and even switching up romantic interests *oop*. I love the way I felt like I was reading a Jane Austen novel, yet I felt Tirzah's intrigue and mystique come through! Mansfield Park has never been my favorite JA so I actually prefer this reimagining. It's an absolute romp and I rooted hard for Fanny!
I especially loved the scene of meeting Fanny's family (mom, dad, siblings) when she goes to stay with them for a bit. This was helpful context to sympathize with why Fanny has put up with all she has at Mansfield Park for as long as she has. Tirzah tells us about why Fanny is a people-pleaser and seeks out acceptance and love, but she also showed us, especially in scenes like this. It was another layer of softness and a major factor of her growth that I really appreciated.
There is a quiet romance between Fanny & Mary, and in the author's note, Tirzah goes into the presence of queer folks in history, and how they have always been there. She obviously made creative decisions to make this more of a queer-normative world, which I take no issue with, as this is not a history textbook. Tirzah does what Jane Austen did with commenting on women's sexism and societal constraints of women during this time, but she also writes a happily ever after that includes stories like Fanny's arc of finally standing up for herself, and learning that confronting your not-so-fun feelings are necessary for growth.
If you haven't read books 1 & 2, I highly recommend it. They're such lovely cozy mysteries!
"To all the readers who think that Fanny Price deserved better."
First of all, any *purists* (also, ew. Do you not recognize how icky, pretentious, & elitist that sounds in this day & age?) should just go read the original. This is a reimagining, inspired by the original source material, and there are of course going to be creative departures. I truly cannot fathom being upset with any author for taking liberties with the plot or other elements of the original story, when that is the point of reimaginings and retellings. If you don't want the "integrity" of the story "messed with," go read the original. It is actually as simple as that lol.
Premise:
-historical murder mystery with a splash of romance // reimagining of Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
-3rd book in this interconnected series of standalone retellings / murder mysteries
-third-person limited POV
-Aspiring artist Fanny Price is an unwelcome guest at her uncle Sir Thomas Bertram’s estate
-Fanny's family sent her to live with her uncle because of their socioeconomic situation, and with so many children, it was easier for her parents to know she'd be taken care of
-Her cousins Tom & Maria, along with her aunt Norris don't want her around, and then when her -uncle falls and dies in his art emporium, Fanny realizes he was murdered!
-Fanny begins to investigate his alleged murder, all while still pining for her childhood-best-friend, Edmund, and this has now become an unrequited love situation
-Henry and Mary Crawford arrive at Mansfield Park with an audacious business proposal
cameos from previous book legends, Lizzie Bennett, Fitzwilliam Darcy and Charlotte Lucas! <3
-cw: murder, sexism, classism, abandonment, emotional abuse, toxic relationship
Thoughts:
Mystery, art heists, and sapphic awakening, oh my!
Tirzah has great skill in paying homage to these timeless characters and capturing their essence, amidst changing storylines and even switching up romantic interests *oop*. I love the way I felt like I was reading a Jane Austen novel, yet I felt Tirzah's intrigue and mystique come through! Mansfield Park has never been my favorite JA so I actually prefer this reimagining. It's an absolute romp and I rooted hard for Fanny!
I especially loved the scene of meeting Fanny's family (mom, dad, siblings) when she goes to stay with them for a bit. This was helpful context to sympathize with why Fanny has put up with all she has at Mansfield Park for as long as she has. Tirzah tells us about why Fanny is a people-pleaser and seeks out acceptance and love, but she also showed us, especially in scenes like this. It was another layer of softness and a major factor of her growth that I really appreciated.
There is a quiet romance between Fanny & Mary, and in the author's note, Tirzah goes into the presence of queer folks in history, and how they have always been there. She obviously made creative decisions to make this more of a queer-normative world, which I take no issue with, as this is not a history textbook. Tirzah does what Jane Austen did with commenting on women's sexism and societal constraints of women during this time, but she also writes a happily ever after that includes stories like Fanny's arc of finally standing up for herself, and learning that confronting your not-so-fun feelings are necessary for growth.
If you haven't read books 1 & 2, I highly recommend it. They're such lovely cozy mysteries!
July 27, 2023
The only good thing about this book is the title.
This is going to be a spoiler filled review so you have been warned!
I’m so disappointed with this book because she completely changed some characters and the romance!! I know that she made some changes in the other books but the main components of people and the story were still the same. All the Austen couples ended up together and the mystery makes sense as to why it happened. I enjoyed the first two books, in fact I think the second book is my favorite! I felt like the author was getting her groove. But this book was a failure in my eyes.
The author did say she had a hard time connecting to Mansfield Park and wanted a better romance from it. This was her chance to develop it! She could have easily done a childhood friends to lover romance that would have fit so well but instead she made the Austen hero the murderer!!!!! To me, that is unfathomable.
Mansfield Park is more about criticizing society and pointing out the hypocrisy which is why the romance is not as prominent. Fanny is a sweet and steadfast girl you can observe everything because she is too high class to be a servant but too low class since she is poor. I don’t mind that the author decided to give her a bit more gumption but she could have taken the story another way without having Edmund as the killer. In the original story he is happy with his life and is a good man who gets swept up by a pretty woman who just uses him and wants him to be more than a clergyman which is something he actually loves and wants to be!!
Anyway, my rant is over but I’m still a bit upset. Others might like this but if you like Mansfield Park you won’t like this.
This is going to be a spoiler filled review so you have been warned!
I’m so disappointed with this book because she completely changed some characters and the romance!! I know that she made some changes in the other books but the main components of people and the story were still the same. All the Austen couples ended up together and the mystery makes sense as to why it happened. I enjoyed the first two books, in fact I think the second book is my favorite! I felt like the author was getting her groove. But this book was a failure in my eyes.
The author did say she had a hard time connecting to Mansfield Park and wanted a better romance from it. This was her chance to develop it! She could have easily done a childhood friends to lover romance that would have fit so well but instead she made the Austen hero the murderer!!!!! To me, that is unfathomable.
Mansfield Park is more about criticizing society and pointing out the hypocrisy which is why the romance is not as prominent. Fanny is a sweet and steadfast girl you can observe everything because she is too high class to be a servant but too low class since she is poor. I don’t mind that the author decided to give her a bit more gumption but she could have taken the story another way without having Edmund as the killer. In the original story he is happy with his life and is a good man who gets swept up by a pretty woman who just uses him and wants him to be more than a clergyman which is something he actually loves and wants to be!!
Anyway, my rant is over but I’m still a bit upset. Others might like this but if you like Mansfield Park you won’t like this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2024
“She was wistful for things that she couldn’t even fully articulate.”
As a lover of Jane Austen, Tirzah Price’s murder mystery retellings have been an absolute treat to read. Out of all Austen’s works, Mansfield Park is my least favourite (soz girl!) but I’m actually glad this author decided to retell this one, instead of another more ‘popular’ novel.
I loved this! And I LOVE that this was queer retelling. And I don’t know about you but I feel like there were already subtle gay undertones to every conversation Fanny Price and Mary Crawford had throughout Mansfield Park - or was that just me? I wonder if Tirzah Price did, too.
I really enjoyed the mystery in this one. The murder of Sir Thomas Bertram, Fanny Price’s wealthy uncle masked to look like a terrible accident. Amateur sleuth Fanny trying to look for clues and truth while under the eyes of her detestable family. It was all very compelling and fun - and it was just one of those books where I just forgot I was reading. I was so impressed by the smoothness of the writing, just how it flowed on the page and I loved how Tirzah Price took these rather bland characters (soz again Jane!) and brought them to life. Also, I literally gasped when Mr Darcy, Lizzy and Charlotte rocked up to Mansfield Park! Talk about an iconic cross-over!
Truly love the dedication to this book: ‘To all the readers who think that Fanny Price deserved better.’
As a lover of Jane Austen, Tirzah Price’s murder mystery retellings have been an absolute treat to read. Out of all Austen’s works, Mansfield Park is my least favourite (soz girl!) but I’m actually glad this author decided to retell this one, instead of another more ‘popular’ novel.
I loved this! And I LOVE that this was queer retelling. And I don’t know about you but I feel like there were already subtle gay undertones to every conversation Fanny Price and Mary Crawford had throughout Mansfield Park - or was that just me? I wonder if Tirzah Price did, too.
I really enjoyed the mystery in this one. The murder of Sir Thomas Bertram, Fanny Price’s wealthy uncle masked to look like a terrible accident. Amateur sleuth Fanny trying to look for clues and truth while under the eyes of her detestable family. It was all very compelling and fun - and it was just one of those books where I just forgot I was reading. I was so impressed by the smoothness of the writing, just how it flowed on the page and I loved how Tirzah Price took these rather bland characters (soz again Jane!) and brought them to life. Also, I literally gasped when Mr Darcy, Lizzy and Charlotte rocked up to Mansfield Park! Talk about an iconic cross-over!
Truly love the dedication to this book: ‘To all the readers who think that Fanny Price deserved better.’
July 6, 2023
The inscription begins Manslaughter Park with these words, "to all the readers who think that Fanny Price deserved better." She did deserve better. It may have taken some 200 years, but it does appear that someone has done better by Fanny Price. And I'm glad to bear witness to this improvement.
I am always fascinated to see how Tirzah Price takes the essence of characters and brings them to life in these different settings. I felt that more liberties were taken with this novel than her previous works, and yet I cannot fault the finished product in the least. It was a wild adventure - or at least as wild as a perfect little cozy can be. There were times I wasn't quite sure how anything was to turn out, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Fanny's character growth and the well-developed mystery were an absolute delight and I cannot wait to see what the next installment in this series will bring! Definitely the best book I've read so far this summer!
I am always fascinated to see how Tirzah Price takes the essence of characters and brings them to life in these different settings. I felt that more liberties were taken with this novel than her previous works, and yet I cannot fault the finished product in the least. It was a wild adventure - or at least as wild as a perfect little cozy can be. There were times I wasn't quite sure how anything was to turn out, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Fanny's character growth and the well-developed mystery were an absolute delight and I cannot wait to see what the next installment in this series will bring! Definitely the best book I've read so far this summer!
July 26, 2023
I love Jane Austen retellings in all shapes and forms and this was no exception!
Fanny Price has never been my favorite Austen heroine but I loved how Tirzah Price was able to make her character more assertive and sure of herself without removing what makes Fanny, Fanny.
What I enjoyed:
- the art forgery elements
- queer retelling
- cameos of characters from the other two books
As with the other two retellings, I felt like the author flawlessly incorporated a murder mystery into the classic novel. But as Mansfield Park is not as beloved to me as Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility, I wasn’t able to fully root for these characters. I still enjoyed the book and will read anything Tirzah Price writes.
Fanny Price has never been my favorite Austen heroine but I loved how Tirzah Price was able to make her character more assertive and sure of herself without removing what makes Fanny, Fanny.
What I enjoyed:
- the art forgery elements
- queer retelling
- cameos of characters from the other two books
As with the other two retellings, I felt like the author flawlessly incorporated a murder mystery into the classic novel. But as Mansfield Park is not as beloved to me as Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility, I wasn’t able to fully root for these characters. I still enjoyed the book and will read anything Tirzah Price writes.
August 25, 2023
I think I'm done with this series for a few reasons.
1. Unfortunately I figured out the murder mystery AND the painting forgery bit very early on which took 98% of the suspense away.
2. Fanny was VERY blasé about witnessing 2 men kissing and then in turn, her own kisses with someone from the same gender. I'm not saying that homosexuality didn't exist in this time period, but I find it highly unlikely that someone as sheltered as Fanny wouldn't have been more scandalized and conflicted by it.
3. I didn't like any of the characters in this book - that includes Lizzie and Darcy from the previous books.
I do like this author's style of writing in general, but sadly I don't think this series is right for me. (And I wouldn't call myself an Austen purist, just to be clear.)
1. Unfortunately I figured out the murder mystery AND the painting forgery bit very early on which took 98% of the suspense away.
2. Fanny was VERY blasé about witnessing 2 men kissing and then in turn, her own kisses with someone from the same gender. I'm not saying that homosexuality didn't exist in this time period, but I find it highly unlikely that someone as sheltered as Fanny wouldn't have been more scandalized and conflicted by it.
3. I didn't like any of the characters in this book - that includes Lizzie and Darcy from the previous books.
I do like this author's style of writing in general, but sadly I don't think this series is right for me. (And I wouldn't call myself an Austen purist, just to be clear.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2023
I approve of the villain. I also guessed who the villain would be. But did I catch the clues or was it because I've always hated this character? If you know my thoughts on Mansfield Park you can probably guys who did it. I have always liked Fanny though.
July 5, 2023
Sapphic Jane Austen murder mysteries are exactly my cup of poisoned tea.
September 4, 2023
Such a fun read! I love that Fanny Price got a better ending than the original. Satisfying!
August 27, 2023
Manslaughter Park has the best title out of the series, but sadly it's my least favourite. I share the author's feelings about Mansfield Park and I loved her attempt at justice for Fanny, but her execution didn't always work for me. Some of that is my own dislike of the original. It's a book about everyone being awful and I just don't enjoy spending time there. Price redeems some characters, but I still have to witness a lot of abuse. Not fun.
My personal aversion to Austen's classic does not factor into my low rating here. Instead I struggled with the repetitive structure of the investigation. Fanny gets interrupted while sleuthing every single time. That formula just got too much for me by the 8th go-around. The novel comments on this, but that wasn't enough to save itself.
Here is a list of other things that did not work for me. Most of them have to do with a lack of believability concerning the time period. While the author is aware of this, I think you can only ask your audience to make so many mental leaps before it all becomes a bit jumbled.
-Darcy and Lizzie spend a lot of time together for two people who aren't married.
-Will's gaydar is way too strong for a Regency boy.
-How is Julia getting a dress made in one day?
-Woman without any formal training, who only paints for fun can produce an exact replica in oils???
-The killer was very obvious.
-If the author knew that a baronnet wouldn't own an emporium then why not just make him a mister?
Even with all the flaws, I wish the author would continue with this series, because she is a capable writer, and these mysteries are a lot of fun.
My personal aversion to Austen's classic does not factor into my low rating here. Instead I struggled with the repetitive structure of the investigation. Fanny gets interrupted while sleuthing every single time. That formula just got too much for me by the 8th go-around. The novel comments on this, but that wasn't enough to save itself.
Here is a list of other things that did not work for me. Most of them have to do with a lack of believability concerning the time period. While the author is aware of this, I think you can only ask your audience to make so many mental leaps before it all becomes a bit jumbled.
-Darcy and Lizzie spend a lot of time together for two people who aren't married.
-Will's gaydar is way too strong for a Regency boy.
-How is Julia getting a dress made in one day?
-Woman without any formal training, who only paints for fun can produce an exact replica in oils???
-The killer was very obvious.
-If the author knew that a baronnet wouldn't own an emporium then why not just make him a mister?
Even with all the flaws, I wish the author would continue with this series, because she is a capable writer, and these mysteries are a lot of fun.
November 26, 2023
Rating: Loved It, 4.5 stars
I think that my rating for this might be a half star lower than Sense and Second-Degree Murder, but I think I liked this one more. The dedication was to "everyone who thought Fanny Price deserved better" and I loved that. I think it's absolutely true. Mansfield Park is my least favorite out of the Austen novels that I've read, and I loved the spin that this one gave it.
I honestly have such a good time with this series. I love the retellings as murder mysteries, and these are all just so much fun! I really appreciate these, and it was the absolute perfect book for the funk that I've been in.
I don't want to say much about this, but I thought it was a pretty decent retelling from what I remember of the original. I think it probably diverged the most from the original tale of the three, but I appreciated the spin. It does feature a queer love story along with the murder mystery, and I loved that so much. I felt like Fanny finally got justice!
I think that my rating for this might be a half star lower than Sense and Second-Degree Murder, but I think I liked this one more. The dedication was to "everyone who thought Fanny Price deserved better" and I loved that. I think it's absolutely true. Mansfield Park is my least favorite out of the Austen novels that I've read, and I loved the spin that this one gave it.
I honestly have such a good time with this series. I love the retellings as murder mysteries, and these are all just so much fun! I really appreciate these, and it was the absolute perfect book for the funk that I've been in.
I don't want to say much about this, but I thought it was a pretty decent retelling from what I remember of the original. I think it probably diverged the most from the original tale of the three, but I appreciated the spin. It does feature a queer love story along with the murder mystery, and I loved that so much. I felt like Fanny finally got justice!
August 8, 2023
In this mysterious retelling, Sir Thomas Bertram dies after a fall down the stairs and Fanny finds evidence that this fall was no accident. She decides to investigate, and in doing so, discovers a number of secrets that the Bertram family has been hiding. But can she also find the murderer?
All respect to Jane Austen but Mansfield Park has always been my least favorite book of hers. In this novel, the author pinpoints what makes Fanny a solid character: her determined belief in what is right and good. That said, in both the original and this book, we spend entirely too much time in her head, which just isn't a very interesting place. In this novel, that creates the additional problem that it doesn't leave enough room for murder investigation. I do actually like Fanny in this version just a bit more than the original, due to the fact that the author eventually morphs her into a different character - a bit more forceful and perhaps a little less sweet. It felt slightly off, but it was interesting. The other characters are a bit flatter in this story, which unfortunately makes the murderer even more obvious than he would be already. So this was okay but not my favorite of this series, and hopefully the author does one more, because I would hate to leave it on this note.
All respect to Jane Austen but Mansfield Park has always been my least favorite book of hers. In this novel, the author pinpoints what makes Fanny a solid character: her determined belief in what is right and good. That said, in both the original and this book, we spend entirely too much time in her head, which just isn't a very interesting place. In this novel, that creates the additional problem that it doesn't leave enough room for murder investigation. I do actually like Fanny in this version just a bit more than the original, due to the fact that the author eventually morphs her into a different character - a bit more forceful and perhaps a little less sweet. It felt slightly off, but it was interesting. The other characters are a bit flatter in this story, which unfortunately makes the murderer even more obvious than he would be already. So this was okay but not my favorite of this series, and hopefully the author does one more, because I would hate to leave it on this note.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2024
Content warnings: murder, classism, death of a loved one, theft, fraud, blackmail
3.5 stars
I feel moderately confident in saying that Mansfield Park is everyone's least favourite Austen book - Price says in the author's note at the end that it's hers - and yet despite that, I was really curious to see how Price was going to handle some of the content of Mansfield Park and turn it into a crime novel.
And, for the most part, I was sold. It was engaging and I flew through the story. I liked Fanny as a protagonist (although I definitely would have changed her name and/or not started as many chapters with her name), and I loved the way that Lizzie and Darcy were brought into the story (don't @ me for spoilers, it's in the blurb).
All of that being said, the mystery WAS kind of predictable. Although I don't know if it's predictable because I've read Mansfield Park multiple times?? So maybe teens - i.e. its target audience - will find it less predictable than I did? I genuinely don't know.
3.5 stars
I feel moderately confident in saying that Mansfield Park is everyone's least favourite Austen book - Price says in the author's note at the end that it's hers - and yet despite that, I was really curious to see how Price was going to handle some of the content of Mansfield Park and turn it into a crime novel.
And, for the most part, I was sold. It was engaging and I flew through the story. I liked Fanny as a protagonist (although I definitely would have changed her name and/or not started as many chapters with her name), and I loved the way that Lizzie and Darcy were brought into the story (don't @ me for spoilers, it's in the blurb).
All of that being said, the mystery WAS kind of predictable. Although I don't know if it's predictable because I've read Mansfield Park multiple times?? So maybe teens - i.e. its target audience - will find it less predictable than I did? I genuinely don't know.
August 8, 2023
⭐️=3.5? | 😘=2 | 🤬=1 | ⚔️=3 | 13/14+
summary: Mansfield Park but it's a mystery where Sir Thomas Bertram is mysteriously murdered and he owned an art emporium so there's forgery drama and also Fanny and Edmund aren't cousins and also Fanny is bi
thoughts: given my opinions on Mansfield Park, i was quite satisfied with the results of the whodunit aspect . there was a switch from Sir Thomas Bertram owning a bunch of art instead of, like... enslaving people, so that's good, and imo the art stuff was effectively used to establish themes talked abt in the author's note. Tirzah Price mostly(?) captured Fanny's personality (what little there is to capture; mostly, Fanny is just super moral, but Price also gave her actual hobbies and a bit of autonomy, which is nice). honestly, that's pretty impressive given that Price also basically erased religion from Fanny's life or ignored religious elements of Regency era England overall, which (imo!!) is at least a little disingenuous to Fanny's character; because she has almost no family that cares about her, she relies on a higher power for guidance and comfort that she doesn't reliably receive elsewhere––if you remove religion from Fanny's life, you have to replace it with something else to give her another motivation for morality in the face of immorality (in!! my!! opinion!!).
anyway.
i liked that Fanny's semi-jealousy over Edmund and Mary's relationship was transformed into a crush on Mary instead of a crush on Edmund, but I don't know how I feel about Mary's personality; like, her flirtatiousness and wit was turned down a little bit so that she and Fanny would seem more viable as a couple?? idk.
basically: mixed thoughts overall. the mystery was good, there were great changes made, but some of the characterization was off for me.
summary: Mansfield Park but it's a mystery where Sir Thomas Bertram is mysteriously murdered and he owned an art emporium so there's forgery drama and also Fanny and Edmund aren't cousins and also Fanny is bi
thoughts: given my opinions on Mansfield Park, i was quite satisfied with the results of the whodunit aspect . there was a switch from Sir Thomas Bertram owning a bunch of art instead of, like... enslaving people, so that's good, and imo the art stuff was effectively used to establish themes talked abt in the author's note. Tirzah Price mostly(?) captured Fanny's personality (what little there is to capture; mostly, Fanny is just super moral, but Price also gave her actual hobbies and a bit of autonomy, which is nice). honestly, that's pretty impressive given that Price also basically erased religion from Fanny's life or ignored religious elements of Regency era England overall, which (imo!!) is at least a little disingenuous to Fanny's character; because she has almost no family that cares about her, she relies on a higher power for guidance and comfort that she doesn't reliably receive elsewhere––if you remove religion from Fanny's life, you have to replace it with something else to give her another motivation for morality in the face of immorality (in!! my!! opinion!!).
anyway.
i liked that Fanny's semi-jealousy over Edmund and Mary's relationship was transformed into a crush on Mary instead of a crush on Edmund, but I don't know how I feel about Mary's personality; like, her flirtatiousness and wit was turned down a little bit so that she and Fanny would seem more viable as a couple?? idk.
basically: mixed thoughts overall. the mystery was good, there were great changes made, but some of the characterization was off for me.
August 17, 2023
This is a waste of time. Just read Jane Austen in her pure, masterful, poetic perfection. The added murder mystery just makes it bad, and the writing is nowhere near as good as Austen. Is it queer? Sure. Still not worth it.
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