Rachel L's Reviews > Sense & Second-Degree Murder

4 stars

If there’s one thing I’m going to do, it’s read a Jane Austen retelling. Seriously, I love them. And Tirzah Price’s teen murder mystery take on Austen’s novels is just so much fun.

When Mr. Dashwood dies unexpectedly, sisters Elinor and Marianne work together to solve the unusual circumstances around his death. Very soon they suspect that he was murdered and embark on their own investigation. After being all but thrown out of their home by their brother, the sisters must relies on themselves and new friends to make a new start and solve their fathers murder.

You don’t see a lot of Sense and Sensibility retellings which is a shame because it’s one of my top two Austen novels. I loved this take on the story and though Price kept very true to the nature and personalities of her characters while changing other details such as occupation in the book. I always wish with every version of this story, that there was more of Brandon and Marianne. But this one really needed more than what we got.

At the heart of this story is two very different sisters who love each other dearly and in their own way, works hard to keep their family together and safe. I am SO excited for Manslaughter Park next year and I wish Price was adapting all six of Austen’s novels instead of just three (but I am greedy).