Murder at Longbourn: A Mystery [Hardcover]

Tracy Kiely (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2009

A die-hard fan of Jane Austen novels and the traditional English mystery, Tracy Kiely has combined elements of both for this truly delightful and witty debut.

Planning New Year’s resolutions to rid her life of all things unhealthy, Elizabeth Parker has dumped fatty foods, processed sugar, and her two-timing boyfriend. Indeed, the invitation to join her Aunt Winnie for a How to Host a Murder Party on New Year’s Eve at Winnie’s new Cape Cod B and B comes just in time. But when the local wealthy miser ends up the unscripted victim, Elizabeth must unearth old secrets and new motives in order to clear her beloved aunt of suspicion. The suspects include the town gossip, a haughty rich woman, and an antiques business owner much enamored of his benefactress, a Mrs. Kristell Dubois. If that isn’t bad enough, Elizabeth must also contend with her childhood nemesis, Peter McGowan---a man she suspects has only matured in chronological years---and her suspicions about his family’s interest in Winnie’s inn.

Yesterday, her only worry was of ever finding her Mr. Darcy. Now she has a murder to solve. Is it any wonder her resolution to achieve inner poise is in tatters? 

By reimagining characters and themes lifted from the treasured classic Pride and Prejudice, and crafting an expert, intricate mystery, Tracy Kiely has brought to life something very special: a new cozy series that is clever, vibrant, and utterly disarming.

 

 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Jane Austen fans will welcome Kiely's spirited debut, a contemporary cozy that introduces Elizabeth Parker, a fact-checker for a D.C.-area newspaper who's struggling to lead a healthier lifestyle. Elizabeth resolves to give up fatty foods, along with her two-timing lobbyist beau, before leaving northern Virginia for a restorative New Year's Eve at her great-aunt Winnie's bed-and-breakfast on Cape Cod. In tribute to Jane Austen, Winnie has named the property the Inn at Longbourn (Longbourn being the name of the Bennet family's residence in Pride and Prejudice). There Elizabeth encounters dashing, Darcyesque Peter McGowan, her childhood antagonist; a Clue-worthy clutch of guests gathered for Winnie's gala murder mystery fete; and then—you guessed it—an actual murder. That, and an abundance of clam chowder, are among the few predictable elements of an engaging adventure that will hopefully be but the first of many. (Sept.)
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Review

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that the long-dead Jane Austen remains a driving force in the lives of many authors. Such is the case--to the benefit of those who delight in the cozy mystery--with Tracy Kiely's debut novel, Murder at Longbourn....Kiely pays homage to the traditional mystery in this Christie-worthy puzzle, in which you're sure to fall in love not only with the old Cape Cod setting but also with the author's witty take on the old-fashioned whodunit."--Richmond Times-Dispatch

"The author avoids the many temptations this type of book offers....What she offers instead is a group of refreshingly civilized characters who work sensibly together and whom we come to care about as the story develops along the exact lines we hope it will. It's a great introduction to what is promised to be a new series."--The Denver Post

"With echoes of Jane Austen’s characters sure to delight readers, Kiely’s first novel offers up a satisfying mystery and a charming heroine."--Booklist

“The biggest accomplishment of Kiely's debut novel is that it leaves the reader wanting more. Amateur sleuth Elizabeth Parker and her odd assortment of friends and family are ripe for a series. Although the author delves quite deeply into her characters' lives, there's still much to learn. Jane Austen fans will thoroughly enjoy this cerebral mystery.”—RT Book Reviews (4 stars)

“Tracy Kiely weaves her old-fashioned murder mystery with a modern sensibility and the sort of humorous observations about the human character that I love….those who love good writing, well-drawn characters, a solid mystery plot that is hard to solve, and Austenesque overtones, will enjoy this book as much as I did.”—Jane Austen’s World

"Thoroughly amusing and satisfying...the perfect opener to a new mystery series."--Jane Austen Regency World

 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312537565
• ISBN-13: 978-0312537562
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #157,088 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tracy Kiely graduated from Trinity College in 1990 with a degree in English. This accomplishment, however, merely seemed to prompt most job interviewers to ask "how fast can you type?" Her standard answer of "not so fast" usually put an end to further questions.

She was eventually hired by the American Urological Association (AUA), who were kind enough to overlook the whole typing thing, mainly because they knew just what kind of stuff she'd be typing. Beggars can't be choosers, you know. After several years, Tracy left the AUA taking with her a trove of anecdotal stories that would eventually result in her banishment from polite society.

That's when she thought writing a novel might be a good idea.

Tracy's first novel, Murder at Longbourn, is a mystery set in Cape Cod, and combines her love of the classic English country house murder and Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

Most will be pleased to note that it contains no anecdotal stories of urological conditions.

Tracy currently lives in Maryland with her husband, Matt, and their three children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun murder mystery with a JA twist, October 1, 2009

By 

Austen lover - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Murder at Longbourn: A Mystery (Hardcover)

I am a sucker for all things Jane, so was excited to see this new twist. It isn't a direct re-telling, but inspired by P&P. The author did an excellent job with the suspense, and a great twist to the ending. Both Elizabeth and Aunt Winnie love P&P, which inspires the name of the B&B. They quote parts of the book to each other, which I found hilarious. This book is for the mystery genre and for the JA fans. I recommend it highly, and it isn't too short!
I am hoping the author will continue the series.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful and Riveting Austen-Inspired Mystery, October 13, 2009

By 

Meredith "Austenesque Reviews" (Wilmington , NC USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Murder at Longbourn: A Mystery (Hardcover)

Elizabeth Parker is not enthusiastically looking forward to bringing in the New Year. She was just dumped by her two-timing boyfriend, is on her way to Cape Cod to help her Aunt Winny host a Murder Mystery Dinner Party, and she has just discovered that she will be spending the weekend with her childhood nemesis, Peter McGowan. Elizabeth, recollecting how Peter McGowan tortured and tormented her when they were children, seriously doubts that he has lost his immature and mischievous ways in the last fifteen years. The only thing Elizabeth has to look forward to this weekend is spending time with her Aunt Winny at her charming new bed-and-breakfast, The Inn at Longbourn.

Winnifred Reynolds is eccentric, unconventional, and wealthy. She has an affinity for Jane Austen, drives like a maniac, and is a delightfully quirky character. The other guest attending this murder dinner party are just as colorful and uniquely defined. Henry and Joan Anderson are middle-aged antique business owners, who are grateful recipients of patronage from the esteemed Mrs. Kristell Dubois. Gerald Ramsey, a wealthy and unfriendly man, shows up with an unpleasant and acrimonious disposition. Daniel Simms, originally from England, is extremely attractive and aggressively pursues Elizabeth (to her delight), but is rumored to be having and affair with Lauren Ramsey, Gerald's younger wife. Polly, Gerald's daughter from a previous marriage, appears to be sullen and reserved, how does she live with such a controlling and disagreeable father? Wealthy and widowed Linnet Westin is new to the neighborhood and has invited her high school friend Jackie Tanner to come live with her as a companion. Jackie Tanner is well-known for her gaudy and over-sized hats and her penchant for sharing the latest gossip.

Soon the acting troupe arrives for the Murder Mystery and everything seems to be underway for a pleasant evening full of suspense and intrigue until the lights go out and the wrong person is found lying dead... Instead of finding one of the actors "dead" after the lights are turned back on, they find one of the dinner guests' lifeless form on the carpet. When the police determine that the murderer is a guest at the dinner party everyone becomes a suspect. The tension escalates when the police ascertain that Aunt Winnie has the strongest motive for murder and peg her as their prime suspect. Elizabeth, determined to clear her aunt's name, takes it upon herself to find the true culprit. Alas, Elizabeth is no Nancy Drew and clumsily and comically bungles up the investigation for the police department and she begrudgingly accepts assistance from Peter.

What a charming and remarkable debut novel by Tracy Kiely! While I am not well-versed in mystery novels, having only read the Nancy Drew series and novels by Stephanie Barron and Carrie Bebris, I found this novel to be a praiseworthy addition to the mystery genre. The events of the novel were not cliché or predictable, and the outcome was unforeseen and clever. I adored Elizabeth Parker, and I love how she and Aunt Winnie are such Austen fanatics they interject quotes from "Pride and Prejudice" into their conversations and witty banters. Furthermore, I enjoyed the character parallels between Elizabeth Bennet/Elizabeth Parker and Mr. Darcy/Peter McGowan. The subtle nuances and nods to "Pride and Prejudice" were inventive and a pleasure to discover. My only request to Ms. Kiely is to give the brooding and complex Peter McGowan more page time!

Ms. Kiely is a skillful story-teller and this suspenseful tale of murder is sure to captivate and beguile Jane Austen and Agatha Christie fans alike. I eagerly anticipate spending more time with the lovable and quirky characters of Longbourn Inn as they embark upon their next mystery the "Murder on the Bride's Side."

Austenesque Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent mystery!, September 8, 2009

By 

Caroline F "Caro" (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Murder at Longbourn: A Mystery (Hardcover)

A modern version of the classic English cozy, with lots of fun references to Pride and Prejudice, this book had me guessing "who did it" until the very end. I highly recommend this book for fans of mysteries and Jane Austen.