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beastreader's review
3.0
Elizabeth Parker receives a New Year’s Eve party invite from her Aunt Winnie. Her Aunt is hosting a murder themed party. The night promises to be filled with lots of fun, mayhem and a few surprises. The guests have all arrived and the games are ready to begin. They turn out the lights to start when a gun shot is heard. The lights come back on and there lies a body. Unfortunately, someone has decided to raise the stakes and play for real.
Murder at Longbourn is author, Tracy Kiely’s debut novel. The story at times was both quirky and good. Elizabeth was a sweetheart. The characters and the plot reminded me of the board game “Clue”. Where everyone is a suspect and the bodies just keep piling up. As much as I like that the story kept moving, there was almost too much going on that I got lost a few times. This is because everyone was trying to solve the murder and the plot had me going in one direction and than another. Though I do have to say that the twists came at the right moments. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next.
Murder at Longbourn is author, Tracy Kiely’s debut novel. The story at times was both quirky and good. Elizabeth was a sweetheart. The characters and the plot reminded me of the board game “Clue”. Where everyone is a suspect and the bodies just keep piling up. As much as I like that the story kept moving, there was almost too much going on that I got lost a few times. This is because everyone was trying to solve the murder and the plot had me going in one direction and than another. Though I do have to say that the twists came at the right moments. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next.
aoosterwyk's review
2.0
As a huge Pride and Prejudice fan I had high hopes, but I was only mildly entertained by this mystery.
amyappy's review
3.0
A harmless P&P retelling as a modern murder mystery. Not particularly deep, but the characters are interesting and likable. I had fun figuring out which characters were supposed to correlate to Austen's characters. I realized partway through that Kiely also steals from Agatha Christie's [b:Death on the Nile|2855817|Death on the Nile (Hercule Poirot Mysteries)|Agatha Christie|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|3038762] (the names Jacqueline and Linnet, one friend shooting another's husband in the leg), without any real purpose or acknowledgement. I found that a little distracting. Otherwise, a fun, if brainless, read, especially for those obsessed with all things Austen.
jananza90's review
4.0
So glad I kept reading!! Amazing book that kept me guessing until the last page
sarahfett's review
4.0
I found the novel Murder at Longbourn by Tracy Kiely at my local library a few weeks ago and thought it would be a refreshing break from all of the reading I'd been doing for school. I'm a Jane Austen fan, though not as much as a purist as some. I don't like to read books that continue Austen's novels. I read one once, but decided that I prefer Austen's original endings. I also haven't read either of the Austen adaptations by Quirk Classics -- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. I think Quirk Classics has an interesting concept and makes great use of public domain, but I'm not particularly drawn to zombie or monster books. I do like books like this that are based on Austen's themes and characters, and Murder at Longbourn is just that. It is also a murder mystery, and I love mystery novels.
In an attempt to forget her failing search for her own Mr. Darcy, twenty-something Elizabeth Parker accepts an invitation for a How to Host a Murder New Year's Eve party at her eccentric aunt's Cape Cod B&B, with the Austen-inspired name of Longbourn. She ends up playing detective when a party guest is murdered and her aunt is framed for the killing. I enjoyed this book and was happy to learn that is is the first in a series. Elizabeth Parker returns as sleuth in Murder on the Bride's Side, which will be released in a month.
A few other books based on Austen's themes and character that I enjoyed:
* The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
* Austenland by Shannon Hale
* Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict and Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
From my blog, August 2010: http://sarahfett.blogspot.com/2010/08/murder-at-longbourn.html
In an attempt to forget her failing search for her own Mr. Darcy, twenty-something Elizabeth Parker accepts an invitation for a How to Host a Murder New Year's Eve party at her eccentric aunt's Cape Cod B&B, with the Austen-inspired name of Longbourn. She ends up playing detective when a party guest is murdered and her aunt is framed for the killing. I enjoyed this book and was happy to learn that is is the first in a series. Elizabeth Parker returns as sleuth in Murder on the Bride's Side, which will be released in a month.
A few other books based on Austen's themes and character that I enjoyed:
* The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
* Austenland by Shannon Hale
* Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict and Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
From my blog, August 2010: http://sarahfett.blogspot.com/2010/08/murder-at-longbourn.html
quietjenn's review
3.0
entertaining mystery of a murder-mystery-party-gone-wrong, with a slight jane austen twist. not breaking any ground here, although good fun and the characters are winning enough that if it becomes a series i'll read them. nice little nods to forerunners for mystery fans, although being set on cape cod, i would've liked an asey mayo shout-out.
cmbohn's review
3.0
Fun but very light story. The Jane Austen connection was faint, consisting mostly of our main character's obsession with the books and the completely predictable (but still fun) romantic tension with the man she professes to dislike. Not a lot of surprises in this one, but it was a good summer read.
timelord10's review
5.0
Okay, so I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did. It was a bit cheesy I’ll have to admit, but it was still very gripping. I tried to guess who committed the murder, but I couldn’t. And the plot twist surprised me. So, I’d say it’s a very good murder mystery. I also loved the characters and the hint of romance. Will continue reading the series.