Jane and the Canterbury Tale: Being A Jane Austen Mystery [Paperback]

There is a trail that winds through the edge of the grand country estate of Godmersham Park in Kent owned by Edward Austen-Knight, elder brother of the authoress Jane Austen. Pilgrims have traversed this foot-path for centuries on their way to the shrine of the martyr Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. Chaucer based his famous narrative, THE CANTERBURY TALES, on pilgrims who travel across this path. Author Stephanie Barron places her eleventh novel in the Being a Jane Austen Mystery series in this rich, historical environment and spins a fascinating murder mystery to rival any story offered by the Knight, the Nun or the Miller in Chaucer's original.

In the fall of 1813, while visiting her wealthy, widowed brother Edward at his grand estate in Kent, Jane attends a wedding at the neighboring Chilham Castle. Joined that day in connubial bliss are the beautiful young widow, Adelaide Fiske, and the dashing Captain Andrew McCallister. Jane's young niece Fanny Austen-Knight is also in attendance being courted by a queue of eager Beaux. While locals John Plumptre, James Wildman and George Finch-Hatton watch her dance the scandalous waltz with visiting dandy Julian Thane, a footman delivers a curious gift to the bride, a silken reticule that she accepts with some trepidation. Inside are dried brown beans. Jane is quick to observe that the bride's reaction must have some hidden meaning.

The following morning a man is found dead upon the pilgrim's path on the Godmersham estate near the ancient parish church dedicated to St Lawrence the Martyr. At first it is thought that he was felled by a stray hunting shot by one of the young local men out for a mornings sport of pheasant, but Jane sees the signs of an entirely different transgression. Her brother Edward, First Magistrate for Canterbury, is called to the scene and concurs that this was no hunting accident. The corner arrives to offer his assessment and soon discoveres that the deceased is none other than Curzon Fiske, the thought to be dead first husband of the recently married Adelaide, who after abandoning his wife in a flight from his creditors, departed for India four years prior and died there. Inside the depths of his coat pocket was a stained note with St Lawrence Church written upon it and one dried brown bean - an ominous tamarind seed.

As the mystery swiftly unfolds we are privy to an interesting collection of characters who each have their own tale to tell: a grieving widower, a young girl experiencing romance and heartbreak, an odious clergyman, a Bond Street Beau, a loose maid, a callous and calculating mother, and our adventurous detective Jane Austen, ever observant, always witty, relaying all of their stories in her journal and cleverly solving the crime.

Each chapter is epigraphed by pertinent quotes from Chaucer's tale and every word of this novel is a treasure. Barron is a Nonpareil in channeling my dear Jane. After eleven novels I never doubt her historical detail or unerring voice. This may be the last in the series, and I am sorely grieved at the loss. JANE AND THE CANTERBURY TALE is engaging, rich and dramatic. The ending is a shock, but not nearly as devastating as the possibility of the demise of this series.

Laurel Ann, Austenprose

In 1813 Jane Austen stays at the estate of her brother First Magistrate Edward in Kent. At the same time, Widow Adelaide Fiske marries Wellington's staff member Captain Andrew MacAllister. However, on Pilgrim's Way in Canterbury, the corpse of Adelaide's first husband Curzson Fiske is found; the problem is he allegedly died several years ago.

Edward leads the investigation into the murder of a "dead man". However, it is Jane who finds clues while pondering why the first spouse came to the wedding of his wife to another man, but said nothing but he left something behind for his widow. While Edward frets one of his friends is the killer, the culprit observes Jane getting close to solving the Canterbury Tale homicide.

The latest Jane Austen mystery (see Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron) is a great entry that combines a strong amateur sleuth with insight into the relationships between the extended Austen family members. Part of the fun in this wonderful series is trying to match up the support characters with the novels. The story line is fast-paced from the moment a stunned bride learns of a strange commoner visiting her nuptials and never slows down until Jane and the killer confront one another.

Harriet Klausner

As this mystery series approaches Jane's last years in "Jane and the Canterbury Tale," this ending left me rather melancholy, knowing what is to come for both. "Fanny has learnt caution, at an age when I should have wished her to study romance ...." and likening dear Jane's narration, I too "...cannot help but be sorry for it." As always, another epic hit on her hands with this Canterbury Tale. The mystery kept me turning pages til the very end. Author Stephanie Barron's gift to write in a very Austenesque manner, her astute understanding of the mores of the times, and her exacting research of the locales and Regency history, authenticates Austen's voice in this fictional work. Yes, fictional. I have to remind myself that this series is simply that... more proof of Barron's own imagination and genius.

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