Jane and The Ghosts of Netley [Audio Cassette]

Stephanie Barron (Author), Kate Reading (Narrator)

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• ISBN-10: 0736693556
• ISBN-13: 978-0736693554
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #535,332 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

STEPHANIE BARRON

Stephanie Barron is a graduate of Princeton and Stanford, where she studied history. THE WHITE GARDEN is her twentieth novel, but she is perhaps best known for the critically-acclaimed Jane Austen Mystery Series, in which the intrepid and witty author of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE details her secret detective career in Regency England. JANE AND THE MADNESS OF LORD BYRON, the tenth Austen mystery, is forthcoming from Bantam in October 2010. A former intelligence analyst for the CIA, Stephanie--who also writes under the name Francine Mathews--drew on her experience in the field of espionage for such novels as THE ALIBI CLUB, which Publishers Weekly named as one of the fifteen best novels of 2006. She lives and works in Denver, CO.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Emotional Jolt, June 22, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Jane and the Ghosts of Netley (Mass Market Paperback)

I can't figure out why Romance has such a bad rep, because it's the romance between Jane and Lord Harold that makes this book compelling, especially if, like me, you've come to care for these characters (maybe too much--sniffle!) The rest of the plot was plenty entertaining, but it's the personal stuff that really drew me in. The ending is abrupt, to say the least, so I recommend that anyone who hasn't read it yet should buy the paperback edition instead of a used hardcover. The paperback contains the first chapter of the next book in the series, which serves as a good (and I think necessary) epilogue to this book.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Jane is at it again!, June 6, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Jane and the Ghosts of Netley (Hardcover)

This mystery, the seventh in Barron's series, focuses mostly on Jane and the Gentleman Rogue, as they both try to solve crimes that signal the destruction of England at the hands of the French conspirators. A killer is loose, slashing throats and causing havoc while Jane and Lord Harold try to track down not only the killer, but the whereabouts of one of Lord Harold's old loves who plays a dangerous role in this story. This book is great - Barron carefully weaves a relationship between Jane and Lord Harold without getting sappy or too romantic. It's a quick, exciting read - but warning: if you are a big fan of this series, you'll be shocked with Barron's ending, wondering where the series could possibly go next!

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Well researched, October 11, 2003

By 

Valerie Adolph "Coast Journal" (Pacific Northwest) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jane and the Ghosts of Netley (Hardcover)

This is the seventh in a series of mysteries featuring Jane Austen as sleuth. As in the previous six, the historical background of this book has been meticulously researched. Previously the speech, social customs, dress and day-to-day lives of the period had been carefully researched. Increasingly however the national history, notably the war against the French, has been brought to the forefront and in this book the espionage and naval history of the period are featured.

In addition to the meticulous research the setting, especially the ruins of Netley Abbey and the tunnels beneath it are well drawn and effective. The characterization is good and the developing relationship between Jane and Lord Harold Trowbridge intrigued even a curmudgeon like me.

So why did I find the book tedious? It plodded from one none-too-exciting drama to the next with murders, arson and vicious personal attacks following unsatisfactorily along. Perhaps Jane was just a little too far out of her element. Perhaps her social awareness and the nuances that are her strength were just lost in what might have been an action-packed spy story.

Should there be other books in the series I hope Jane will return to the drawing rooms and ballrooms where her talents can flourish in greater congruence with the plot and the action of the story.