A bit slow to start but once it got moving I couldn't put it down. This nicely written tale was predictable, but had a colorful cast of characters I couldn't wait to learn more about. I enjoyed it. ( )

Very interesting. I wonder how much of it is true. ( )

I really enjoyed reading this book. The life and times of Jane Austen appear to be well-researched, and the speculation of how she may have died was intriguing. I didn't take it too seriously but enjoyed how this obvious fan of Austen wove an interesting tale of fact and fiction. ( )

Did beloved author Jane Austen die of natural causes, or was her death brought about by more sinister means? Anne Sharpe, governess to Jane's niece, Fanny, suspects foul play. Anne and Jane had struck up a friendship, and together they discovered shocking Austen family secrets. When various members of the Austen family begin dying, no one connects the tragedies until Jane dies after having experienced unusual skin discoloration. Anne puts two and two together and suspects that Jane, as well as other members of the family, have all be poisoned. However, she has nothing but her suspicions and a potential clue left in Jane's last poem. Twenty years after Jane's death, Anne has a lock of Jane's hair analyzed and learns that it contains a high level of arsenic, confirming her suspicions. Who did it, why, and what can Anne do about it?

I am not a Jane Austen scholar, so I can't speak with any authority about the historical accuracy of the novel. I am certain that those who are Austen scholars might find plenty to object to in terms of the characterizations in the novel if they are not historically accurate. For example, Henry Austen is accused of much wrong-doing in the novel. How much he earned this characterization in reality I don't know. With that being said, I enjoyed the novel. There was just enough suspense to keep me hooked. It was interesting to get to "see" Jane Austen in a different light, not as author, but as character. I'm not so sure how realistic Anne Sharpe's character is. How many governesses in her situation would have sacrificed their jobs over qualms about the moral fiber of her employers? I have to say, though, the end was a bit disappointing. I found myself thinking, "That's it? After twenty years of obsessing over Jane's death, that's it?" Of course, maybe that's the point. After it all, after everything that Anne had uncovered, in the end she was powerless to bring the suspected murderer to justice. ( )

http://www.girllostinabook.com/2013/09/review-mysterious-death-of-miss-jane.html ( )