Jane Austen Investigates: The Abbey Mystery
4.5/5
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About this ebook
'Julia Golding’s Jane Austen Investigates offers a gripping detective story with an abundance of Easter eggs for Austen fans... This is a delightful riff on the wit and irony of Austen’s works; of her wonderful juvenilia, especially.' David Taylor, Associate Professor, Faculty of English, University of Oxford
Jane Austen turns detective in this spooky historical adventure by award-winning author Julia Golding!
It’s 1789 and a young Jane Austen turns detective as she seeks to solve the mysterious happenings at Southmoor Abbey. When a carriage accident forces a change of plans, 13-year-old Jane is sent to be a companion to Lady Cromwell for a week as the household prepares to celebrate the eldest son’s coming-of-age party. While there, Jane vows to solve the mystery of the ghostly monk in the Abbey grounds – for she does not believe in such stories!
But this is not the only strange occurrence for the adventurous young Jane to investigate. There are shivery night-time investigations, an Indian girl with secret talents, a library fire, two prize horses in danger, and friends to save from false accusations.
With notebook in hand and her faithful dog Grandison by her side, will Jane overcome the continuous obstacles and find out the truth?
Julia Golding
Julia Golding is a multi-award winning children’s author who has been awarded both the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize. A former British diplomat and Oxfam policy adviser, Golding also has a doctorate in English Literature from Oxford University, and was writer-in-residence at the Royal Institution in 2019. An avid Jane Austen fan, her Jane Austen-themed podcast 'What Would Jane Do?' offers a 19th century take on modern life. Golding is the successful author of The Curious Science Quest series, The Tigers in the Tower and the Jane Austen Investigates series.
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Reviews for Jane Austen Investigates
4 ratings1 review
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jane Austen Investigates: The Abbey Mystery is a delightful mystery story for middle-years readers, introducing the famous Regency author Jane Austen in the guise of a young detective. The story includes many references to Austen's rather humble, yet supportive, family background and pointers to her future literary works. I read the book out loud with my 11-year-old daughter, who loves mystery stories and is developing an appreciation for the world of Jane Austen.
After her older sister Cassandra is injured in a carriage accident, 13-year-old Jane Austen is sent in her stead to act as a ladies companion to the rather snooty Lady Cromwell at Southmoor Abbey. Sir Charles and Lady Cromwell are preparing to host a grand coming-of-age party for their son and heir.
Foreshadowing her future heroines, the young Jane is far from the meek and cowering young woman her hosts had expected. Shortly after arriving, Jane has discovered a dangerous family secret, concerning the future inheritance of Southmoor Abbey, and has defied the rules of the house to explore at night the adjacent ruins of the ancient abbey for which the house is named. She makes friends of stableboy Luke, Fitzwilliam, the son of Sir Charles's steward and the multi-talented Deepti, daughter of Southmoor's Indian cook.
On the eve of young Cromwell's party, a fire in Southmoor's library wakes the household, and shortly thereafter Sir Charles's two most loved and valuable horses, Romeo and Arachne, are found to have been stolen. Jane, aided by her new friends and her loyal "lapdog" Grandison, sets out to identify the culprit or culprits.
The language and themes in the story are fitting for the late 18th-century setting, but also accessible to a young 21st century audience, which is quite an achievement! There are frequent oblique references to tropes and themes Austen would go on to employ in her famous early-19th century novels. The young Jane is depicted as being already an astute observer of the ridiculous in polite society. The few letters she writes home to the ailing Cassandra are delightfully clever and witty.
Jane Austen Investigates: The Abbey Mystery was a joy to read, and both my daughter and I enjoyed it immensely - we're hoping desperately that it's the first book in a new series! I'd recommend the book to young readers (9-14) interested in historical stories and/or mysteries, and to parents, educators and others who seek to introduce the world of Austen to a younger audience.