Murder in Highbury (An Emma Knightley Mystery)

Written by Vanessa Kelly
Review by India Edghill

This novel introduces a new amateur sleuth, Jane Austen’s exasperatingly lovable Emma Woodhouse – now Mrs. Knightley. When she and her friend Harriet Martin go to arrange flowers in the church, the last thing they expect to see is a dead body by the altar. To their horror, the dead woman is the vicar’s wife – a woman not over-popular in Highbury. Turning from matchmaking (in Austen’s Emma) to detecting, Emma turns her wit and charm to discovering the murderer. With little help from the authorities, Emma (against the wishes of her husband George Knightley) delves into the circumstances surrounding the dead woman’s life. There are plenty of suspects: Could it be the scatterbrained Miss Bates? The farmer with a grudge against the vicar? The mysterious poultry thief? Or could it be someone else, someone right under Emma’s clever nose?

Highbury in 1815 is a charming locale, and the author’s love of Emma and her surroundings shines through clearly. The entire cast of characters from Austen’s Emma is here – Emma’s hypochondriac father is just as irritating as ever! – and they all sound very much like their Austen selves. This is a sprightly, engrossing mystery, sprinkled with wit and charm. Murder in Highbury should appeal to fans of Austen, Regency romances, and mysteries. Recommended.