A review by louisekf
Murder in Highbury by Vanessa Kelly

lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

If you’re a fan of Jane Austen’s work, especially her novel, Emma, this book is for you. Murder at Highbury features many of the characters from Jane Austen’s Emma, including Emma herself, now Mrs. George Knightley; George Knightley; her friend Harriet; the Reverend Mr. Elton; Emma’s father Mr. Woodhouse; and so forth. When Emma and Harriet find the murdered body of Mrs. Elton in the church, the action starts. But there’s really not a lot of action. While she has abandoned her matchmaking efforts, Emma now flexes her talents as an amateur sleuth - mostly by talking to people and being observant. And there’s lots and lots of talking. And drinking of tea. I think there really was only one significant action scene and that was very near the end when the murderer was revealed. At 400 pages, I think it could have been pared down quite a bit and been a more enjoyable reading experience.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Misogyny