The Jane Eyre Chronicles, by Joanna Campbell Slan, Berkley Prime Crime, April 2013.
*This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Ms. Slan has crafted a delightful and interesting follow-up to her widely acclaimed mystery, Death of a Schoolgirl.
Death of a Dowager is set in May 1821, a few months prior to the coronation of King George IV. Jane, her beloved husband Edward, their son Ned, and Edward's ward Adele are staying in the London townhouse of their friend Lucy Brayton while their manor in Yorkshire is undergoing major repairs. Lucy is thrilled to have the Rochesters visiting and wants Jane to experience some of the delights of high society. While at a major ton event, Lady Ingram and her daughters, who are Yorkshire neighbors of the Rochesters, haughtily snub Lucy and Jane in front of a large group of the ton. This slight can affect Lucy's good standing in high society, and she is devastated. The Ingrams continue to be rude to Jane and Lucy, despite interference run by Lucy's great friend, Lady Grainger, who unfortunately is related to the Ingrams.
Jane also possesses a letter that, if released, could cause damage to the king. If the note winds up in the wrong hands, major protests and widespread havoc could break out among the country's populace, many of whom starve while the king spends a fortune on his coronation. The king, his mistress and even the note's original recipient try to obtain the letter by threatening the health and/or social standing of Jane's family and friends. But Jane maintains her objectivity and resilience while avoiding the manipulative attacks thrown her way.
Death of a Dowager is written in a style similar to that of Charlotte Bronte, the author of Jane Eyre, and to other authors from that era. Once I read through the first chapter, I felt comfortable with the different writing style and found the story easy to follow and very entertaining.
The major plots and subplots are believable, and Slan does a great job at weaving them together. She is masterful at infusing her Jane Eyre mysteries with the real social and political conditions of the time. Her detailed research shines throughout the book, highlighting real events of the day along with daily life in industrial London. She even has her characters talk about and apply various advancements in medicine and technology that were used in the 1820's. My favorite descriptions were those about the disgusting street smells and the intermixed odors of perfume, bodies and flowers at the opera house.
I thoroughly enjoyed Death of a Dowager and didn't put the book down, even to make dinner. It was easy to read, filled with appropriate clues, and contained interesting tidbits about British history. If you're looking for a good mystery or historical novel, you can't go wrong with Death of a Dowager.
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