Jane And The Canterbury Tale (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
"You are a formidable lady, are you not, Aunt Jane?" she asked wistfully. "When I was a child, I was used to think you were like a good faerie- always dropping out of the sky with your delightful stories, and dolls-clothes you embroidered so neatly; playing at cricket regardless of the stains the lawn left on your dress, and teaching the little ones to toss spillikins. It is only now I am grown older- and have been privileged to read your novels, and apprehend the subtlety of your observations-that I know how cold a reason you command.""I shall chuse to take that as a compliment." Fanny Austen-Knight to Jane Austen in Jane and the Canterbury TaleAnd this quote is an apt description of the Jane Austen as described by Stephanie Barron in the latest of her brilliant historical mystery series featuring the famous author as sharp-eyed and even sharper witted detective solving ticklish murders that baffle everyone else. The series is written in such a way that it is faithful to the timeline of Jane's life and the real people that moved through it. When fiction meets the authentic, it fits together seamlessly into a cohesive story that is believable. Well...perhaps her penchant for being a magnet for murder might be a bit excessive, but I find myself not minding that at all. I have been a fan of this series since the beginning and I get so excited when each new installment makes its appearance. This particular segment returns to the home of Jane's brother Edward, Godmersham Park in Kent, as the setting for the story. It is part of a series and would best be read in the series order, but in a pinch it could be read out of order.Jane is on a visit to her brother and her niece, Fanny. While she's there, they attend the wedding of some people associated with Edward's nearest neighbor. Things get interesting when the bride's ne'er do well dead husband is discovered to have returned from the dead only to be found murdered on The Pilgrim's Way that runs through Edward's property. Edward is the magistrate charged to investigate and he requests Jane's help in untangling this nasty murder that involves people he considers friends and close acquaintance.The plot was a slow-paced twisty type that laid out the facts, the set of characters/suspects, teased out the character's personalities, and presented just a bit more of Jane's life at the time. It's always interesting how there are several inexplicable little mysteries going on that may or may not have any bearing on the main mystery just like there are so many suspects that its tough to settle on a solution prior to the reveal.I was impressed with the depth to which the character's were drawn. Even the unlikeable ones or ones that seem almost background are more than 2-D. Many were so sympathetic that I was on pins and needles that one of my favorites would be the culprit.The historical background is one of the big draws for me to this series. All the little details from the time period from the speech, to the activities, to the description of things like carriages or clothes, household life and social norms. There are nifty footnotes sprinkled through to explain further or show when an actual letter gets quoted.All in all, this was another sparkling one from this series and I look forward to what comes next. Those who enjoy historical mysteries and particularly those who are Austenesque fans should give this series a try.
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 and being courted by a queue of eager Beaux. While locals John Plumptre, James Wildman and George Finch-Hatton watch her dance the 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
What do You think about Jane And The Canterbury Tale (2011)?
This is the only book in the series that I've read. I picked it up just to see if I enjoyed the story, the writing, and the mystery itself. What I loved about this book was the setting and the writing: the sentence structures and word choices and pacing all worked together to put me in the right frame of mind for this period. I also very much enjoyed learning about Jane Austen's life, because although I've read all her novels, I don't know much about her or her life.On the mystery level, I was disappointed. An obvious suspect was overlooked by the sleuth. That lessened my enjoyment of the story. I would like to see Jane look smarter than this.
—Barbara Gregorich
I was missing Jane Austen, sleuth, and here she is again! Slow and oddly non-Jane at the start, but improves as it goes and a flat-out excellent mystery involving a presumed-dead husband appearing at his wife's wedding feast, travelers from India & Ceylon, romantic young men, snarky women, etc. Jane is a bit more recovered from Lord Harold's death. The author praises the cover art in a note at the end, but doesn't include as much history as usual. And the cover art of the paperback I read is vastly different from the previous hardcover art. Also, this seems to have appeared only in paper, no hardback edition, which is odd given how good this series has been.
—Kate
This is the eleventh in the series of Jane Austen mysteries, ones in which Jane herself is the detective. Barron imitates the style of Austen (which is slow-moving at times) and has researched the period and Austen’s life in great detail and makes everything fit into the timeline and the culture of Jane Austen's life. I recommend the whole series but this one in particular because she makes it work with the pilgrims’ tales from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, so there’s a lot of interplay with that literary work. (It helps to have read that work or at least a Cliff’s notes on the CT.) Other than the one in which Jane's love of her life ( a spy for the king involved in royal intrigues but who recognizes the wonderful qualities in this interesting, if quiet, woman) dies in her arms, this was the best of the novels!
—Christine
