Murder in Highbury
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- $179.00
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- $179.00
Descripción editorial
First in a captivating new series, Jane Austen’s Emma Knightley entertains a different role in Highbury—going from clever matchmaker to Regency England’s shrewdest sleuth.
"Clever and charming, Vanessa Kelly brings Austen’s world in Highbury village to life with beloved characters, twisty hijinks, and a mystery that will keep you guessing." —Madeline Martin, New York Times bestselling author of The Keeper of Hidden Books
Less than one year into her marriage to respected magistrate George Knightley, Emma has grown unusually content in her newfound partnership and refreshed sense of independence. The height of summer sees the former Miss Woodhouse gracefully balancing the meticulous management of her elegant family estate and a flurry of social engagements, with few worries apart from her beloved father’s health . . .
But cheery circumstances change in an instant when Emma and Harriet Martin, now the wife of one of Mr. Knightley’s tenant farmers, discover a hideous shock at the local church. The corpse of Mrs. Augusta Elton, the vicar’s wife, has been discarded on the altar steps—the ornate necklace she often wore stripped from her neck. As a chilling murder mystery descends upon the tranquil village of Highbury, the question isn’t simply who committed the crime, but who wasn’t secretly wishing for the unpleasant woman’s demise. Emma—armed with wit, unwavering determination, and extensive social connections—realizes she must discreetly navigate an investigation of her own to protect the innocent and expose the ruthless culprit hiding in plain sight.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Jane Austen's nosiest protagonist turns out to be an excellent amateur sleuth in this buoyant series launch from romance author Kelly (the Clan Kendrick series). Emma Knightley (née Woodhouse) is socializing with her best friend, Harriet Martin, one afternoon when the pair stumble on the dead body of Augusta Elton, the vicar's wife. Harriet panics, but Emma surprises herself by keeping calm and searching the premises while they wait for the authorities to arrive. As word of the sanctimonious Augusta's death spreads across the sleepy village of Highbury, there's no shortage of suspects, but the bumbling coroner and constable are slow to investigate. Emma grows impatient, and sets off on her own to ferret out the killer, much to the dismay of her husband, George Knightley. Kelly makes good use of the most memorable characters from Emma, including the impoverished Miss Bates and Emma's dim-witted father, folding them neatly into a well-executed mystery plot. The real draw, however, is the way Kelly effortlessly transforms Emma into a successful gumshoe by exploiting the same qualities Austen gave her heroine. Readers will be charmed.
