Persuasion - My Favourite TV Adaptation

I am going to go against everything that I have said in previous posts about the modern-er adaptations of Jane Austen's Novels.

The latest adaptation of Persuasion is by far my favourite!

I love it.

It is not really how the plot is portrayed - I love that too, don't get me wrong - but the way that the characters have been painted. I found that I could really gel with them in this version more than any other Austen adaption I have seen.

The way that the difference is shown between Anne's blood family and her family through marriage is brilliant, with the playful light feel that comes from her being with people who care for her and then the strict, almost bleak feel of her actual family.

Not to mention is has one of the most beautiful closing scenes when Captain Wentworth dances with Anne in front of her family home that he has just purchased as a weeding present for her. I am telling you, it is enough to bring a sentimental tear to a glass eye.

**Giveaway** - The Mystery Giveaway

This giveaway is going to be something a little different.

It is going to be a surprise....

DUN DUN DUN.

It will be a Jane Austen themed giveaway, so there will be Austeny books in the box as well as other goodies in the box. But right now that is all the info I am giving you *insert crazy take-over-the-world laugh here*

Entering for the box of coolness is easy.

Fill out the rafflecopter below.

Good luck guys! :)

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Persuasion - Novel Shout-Out Time!

Shout out time guys!

So here are some books that are based on Persuasion by Jane Austen.

Persuading Annie by Melissa Nathan (Yes, the author of 'The Nanny')

Meet Annie Markham. Gentle, sweet and kind. Except for her dark side. A dark side called Jake Mead. Seven years ago he’d been her entire world, even though her godmother had tried to persuade her to dump him. But when the going got tough, Annie’s tough got going. Jake’s hasty departure from her life proved that a) godmothers are cleverer than they look and b) the only thing reliable about men is that they’re totally unreliable.

Now Jake is back in her life. And he’s the one man who may just save her family’s ailing company. But what Annie doesn’t know is that Jake has an Achilles heel. An Achilles heel called Annie Markham. He’s never quite got over her treatment of him all those years ago. This is the perfect opportunity for what some may call closure. But what Jake calls, revenge.

Possibilities by Debra White Smith

(This is part of an Austen Series of books by the author)

Allie Ellen is the daughter of a respected, wealthy southern family who owns a plantation. Frederick Wently has no money and plans to join the Air Force. When the two meet, they feel a deep attraction. But Allie's unsentimental aunt dissuades her from the relationship--so when Frederick proposes, Allie runs off.

Years later, Allie and Frederick find themselves in the same city once again. But other love interests and Frederick's bitterness from their earlier break up may keep them apart. Will forgiveness and hope erase the memories of the past in time for Allie and Frederick to have a future?

Persuasion - My Thoughts on Persuasion by Jane Austen

Welcome to Persuasion Weeks ladies and gentlemen!

Persuasion is definitely up there near the top of my list of favourite books, never mind books by Jane Austen. And the funny thing is that I have no idea why.

As I have already mentioned in my Emma post, I do not like match-making stories because I just know there is going to be a huge screw up somewhere and lots of embarrassment. 

But Persuasion doesn't have the match-making element Alex. So why don't you like it?

Because it has second thing that I most dislike in a story. The reconciliation with an old love thing. *shiver*. I really don't like that kind of story. Even in films - you know the kind, successful business woman returns to her small home town and rekindles her romance with her now widowed high-school sweetheart complete with motherless child - I dislike that kind of story line. 

But in Persuasion I just love Anne so much - not to mention all of the colourful characters that surround her. She it is obvious that her heart is breaking as she watches the man she loves court another and listens to the gossip that he will marry someone who is not her but she made her choice years ago and is prepared to face the consequences. She does not go around thinking that the world owes her something - even though in my opinion it does after she has had to deal with her family for all those years. 

And then we have Captain Wentworth - next to Colonel Brandon he has to be my favourite Austen hero (must have a thing for guys in uniform ;)) Even though I do think he is a bit of a tube for the way that he treats Anne when they first re-meet one another he is a right gent and he is only acting that way because she broke his heart so I can forgive him - but only just. 

And just to finish off with I want to mention one last thing. 

I have come to the decision that Jane Austen is the queen of supporting characters. They are all so colourful and full of life! I find that especially true where Persuasion is concerned!

Northanger Abbey - My Favourite Adaptation

This one required absolutely nearly no thought from me in the slightest. As I have said Northanger Abbey is not a firm favourite of mine (book wise) but I do have a firm favourite when it comes to the TV adaptations and it is one of the few occasions where I would watch the DVD over reading the book.

Peter Firth as Henry Tilney

It is the version from 1986.

It is brilliant and had the whole gothicey-ness down to a T. Peter Firth does an excellent job in his portrayal of Henry Tilney - I think with some adaptations the characters come across as being a little too 'pretty' and clean cut. I don't mean that as a criticism at all, as compared to Bronte and Dickens and other authors of the time Jane Austen's writing is downright fluffy (on the surface of things anyway), and to convey this and to appeal to a new generation of viewers the way things are done and cast are bound to change.

Katharine Schlesinger as Catherine Morland

Sorry of on a tangent there.

But yes, when it comes to the 1986 version what tops it for me is the characters

My only issue with the latest adaptation of Northanger Abbey is that it seems to miss out so much Austen goodness and other character's story-lines in an effort to simplify things and fit it into a 2 hour slot. (ITV I love you for your Austen-i-ness but I am talking to YOU)

So there is my pennies worth on my favourite adaptation.

Northanger Abbey - My thoughts on Catherine Morland

Oh dear... here I go again.

So, although I enjoy Jane Austen (most of the time), Northanger Abbey is one of those books that I can't read without wanting to rip out pages.

Reason?

Catherine!!!

She is such a...a...NINNY!

Her actions have my emotions swinging from embarrassment to mortification at some of the stuff she gets up to and even anger at her stupidity.

I know that Jane Austen wrote Northanger Abbey as a way to poke some fun at the stereotypical gothic-horror-romance of the day but I cannnot help but wonder if she was trying to poke fingers at the irritatingly naive character of Catherine at the same time - I suppose I will have to read some of the novels mentioned in by Catherine and Isabelle to see if the female leads are like that in them. Or maybe she was saying that if you let your kid read these novels they will loose the ability to think with anything but their imagination and their brains will turn to mush...?

I haven't read any studies on Jane Austen's work (I will have to work on that) so I do not know exactly what the common thought is for what she was trying to say... (answers on a postcard if you know)

Anyway, back to Catherine.

Who goes nosying around someone else house? Especially when this someone isn't exactly someone who you have know for an extended period of time. Seriously, who in their right mind does that!!!! Some who is very rude I think! (Or if you are going to do that at least  wait until everyone else has been abducted by aliens and are too bust being experimented on to try and find you. Don't get yourself caught!)

I also find her to be quite insensitive in the way that she needs to know everything about EVERYTHING that is going on.

She is definitely not one of my favourite Austen heroines.

In fact, this is another Austen book where the supporting character are my favourite.

Mr and Mrs Allen are at the top of my 'people I like' list for this book.

Northanger Abbey - My Favourite Northanger Lines

No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy would have supposed her born to be an heroine.

I love this line, although at the same time I can'r help but roll my eyes. It is like some epic fantasy were Fred the bakers boy who is beaten everyday, starved and sleeps behind the fireplace (so yeah, you don't expect him to be a hero) turns out to be Prince Unpronounceable Name from the land of Hey-We-Need-A-Forgotten-Heir.

Yes, I know exactly what you will say: Friday, went to the Lower Rooms; wore my sprigged muslin robe with blue trimmings -- plain black shoes -- appeared to much advantage; but was strangely harassed by a queer, half-witted man, who would make me dance with him, and distressed me by his nonsense.

One of the characteristics that I love about Henry is his lightheartedness when he first meets Catherine. Perfect big brother material I think.

Oh! I am delighted with the book! I should like to spend my whole life in reading it

And all of us bookworms scream 'Amen' at this point.

...beware how you give your heart...

Need I say more.

And by personal favourite regarding the 7 horrid novels of Northanger Abbey

...a particular friend of mine, a Miss Andrews, a sweet girl, one of the sweetest creatures in the world, has read every one of them. 

Hehe, that  make me giggle every time I read it.

Northanger Abbey - The Novels of Northanger (Part 2)

Welcome back to the Novels of Northanger everyone!

The Horrid Mysteries: A Story From the German Of The Marquis Of Grosse by Carl Grosse, and Peter Will

(no cover I'm afraid)
The hero of the tale, the Marquis of Grosse finds himself embroiled in a secret revolutionary society which advocates murder and mayhem in pursuit of an early form of communism. He creates a rival society to combat them and finds himself hopelessly trapped between the two antagonistic forces. The book has been both praised and lambasted for its lurid portrayal of sex, violence and barbarism.

The Necromancer, or The Tale of the Black Forest by Karl Friedrich Kahlert

"The hurricane was howling, the hailstones beating against windows, the hoarse croaking of the raven bidding adieu to autumn, and the weather-cock's dismal creaking joined with the mournful dirge of the solitary owl..."

"The Necromancer" consists of a series of interconnected stories, all centering on the enigmatic figure of Volkert the Necromancer. Filled with murder, ghosts, and dark magic, and featuring a delirious and dizzying plot that almost defies comprehension, "The Necromancer" is one of the strangest horror novels ever written.

The Orphan of the Rhine by Eleanor Sleath

(The only blurb I could find for this was a watered down telling of the book on Wikipedia and I don't want to ruin it for you all. Needleass to say there is drafty castles, elopements, evil gorgeous people...You know, the works ;))

The Midnight Bell by Francis Lathom

Young Alphonsus Cohenburg enters his mother's bedroom and finds her covered in blood. She tells him his uncle has murdered his father, and orders him to flee Cohenburg castle forever to save his own life

A disconsolate exile, Alphonsus wanders the earth seeking the means of survival, first as a soldier, then a miner, and finally as sacristan of a church, where he meets the beautiful Lauretta. They wed and establish a home together, and everything seems to promise them a happy future. But their domestic tranquillity is shattered, when a band of ruffians kidnaps the unfortunate Lauretta Alphonsus must solve the mystery of Lauretta's disappearance and the riddle of his mother's strange conduct. And when he hears that ghosts inhabit Cohenburg castle, tolling the great bell each night at midnight, the mystery only deepens....

The Italian by Ann Radcliffe

(again this isn't part of the official (if you like) 7 but it is mentioned)

From the first moment Vincentio di Vivaldi, a young nobleman, sets eyes on the veiled figure of Ellena, he is captivated by her enigmatic beauty and grace. But his haughty and manipulative mother is against the match and enlists the help of her confessor to come between them. Schedoni, previously a leading figure of the Inquisition, is a demonic, scheming monk with no qualms about the task, whether it entails abduction, torture—or even murder. The Italian secured Ann Radcliffe's position as the leading writer of Gothic romance of the age, for its atmosphere of supernatural and nightmarish horrors, combined with her evocation of sublime landscapes and chilling narrative.

And there we have it. I think some of these would make some smashing October reading don't you?  

If I have missed any of the novels mentioned in Northanger shout out and I will amend this ASAP, but I think I have got them as most are mentioned in the same passage of the novel.

"... but are they all horrid, are you sure they are all horrid?"

I think we are going to have to read them and find out.... 

Northanger Abbey - The Novels of Northanger (part 1)

One of the things that I like about Northanger Abbey is that our main female leads love to read the gothic novels that are available to them. I just love it. I mean it does annoy me how Catherine really does let her imagination run away with her and she was probably one of the reasons that parents didn't approve of their children reading novels and some frowned on it... But I am going off course here. 

So, the novels mentioned in Northanger Abbey -

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe
(this book is not actually one of the 7 'horrid' novels mentioned by Isabella to Catherine but it is a book that they read)

Trapped in a gloomy medieval fortress, an orphaned heroine battles the devious schemes of her guardians as well as her own pensive visions and melancholy fancies....


The Castle of Wolfenbach: A German Story by Eliza Parsons

Matilda Weimar flees her lecherous and incestuous uncle and seeks refuge in the ancient Castle of Wolfenbach. Among the castle's abandoned chambers, Matilda will discover the horrifying mystery of the missing Countess of Wolfenbach. But when her uncle tracks her down, can she escape his despicable intentions?

Clermont by Regina Maria Roche

Clermont is the story of Madeline, a porcelain doll of a Gothic heroine, who lives in seclusion from society with her father, Clermont, whose past is shrouded in mystery. One stormy night, their solitude is interrupted by a benighted traveller, a Countess who turns out to be a friend from Clermont's past. 
Madeline goes to live with the Countess to receive her education, but her new idyllic life soon turns into a shocking nightmare. Ruffians attack the gentle Countess, and Madeline is assaulted in a gloomy crypt. And to make matters worse, a sinister stranger appears, threatening to reveal the bloody truth of Clermont's past unless Madeline marries him. Can she avoid the snares of her wily pursuers, solve the mystery of her father's past, and win the love of her dear De Sevignie? 

The Mysterious Warning by Eliza Parsons

The good old Count Renaud is dead, and his will makes the degenerate Rhodophil his heir, disinheriting his other son Ferdinand, who has married against his father's wishes. Rhodophil promises to share his new riches with his younger brother and his wife Claudina, but Ferdinand hears a mysterious voice from beyond the grave, warning him to flee his brother and his wife to save himself from sin and death!

Ferdinand obeys the supernatural warning and sets out to find fortune and adventure. In the course of his quest he will encounter a recluse in a ruined castle with a horrible secret, find himself captured and imprisoned by the Turkish army, and encounter one of Gothic literature's most depraved female characters, the monstrous Fatima. And if he survives all these dangers, Ferdinand must return to Renaud Castle to solve the mystery of the ghostly voice and uncover the terrible truth about his wife and his brother! 

I don't know about you guys but I am loving the sound of these. I supposes Counts back then are the same as Dukes today in fictions, there seems to be a surplus of them ;)

Northanger Abbery - Wishbone takes on Northanger Abbey!

I am back again with another shout out for Wishbone.

Out of the 6 novels by Jane Austen 2 of then have been televised for Wishbone. There was Furst Impressions (Pride and Prejudice) and now there is ...

Pup Fiction based on Northanger Abbey.

Like all of the Wishbone episodes there is a ink between what is happening with the kids in real life and the story that Wishbone with be telling the audience.

As we have already said through the different posts Catherine was a heavy reader of gothic romance. Could we call it the 'pulp' fiction of the day? Perhaps. And so to link the stories together one of the girls in the modern day has got into pulp thrillers. So I give you the link, a little shakey, but there it is. :)

You can find this episode floating around the web if you do a little googling :) *cough* YouTube *cough*

**Cover Reveal** The Modified by C.A. Kunz

How snazzy is this cover?

What would you sacrifice to save the one’s you love? To save the one who holds your heart? To save the world?

Kenley Grayson is all too familiar with these questions.

After Earth is thrust into its first intergalactic war with an unknown race called the Bringers, our military forces begin to suffer heavy losses. Desperate for a solution, the Allied Federation issues a worldwide draft for every able seventeen-year-old to enlist. As Kenley turns seventeen, she finds herself thrown into the very war that took her older brother’s life.

This year’s draft is a little different than in the past though. A new program, known as the Magnus Project, has been introduced, and only the best and brightest qualify. Kenley is amongst a select few whom are chosen to join this elite group of soldiers, and as a part of this project, undergoes a modification procedure that leaves her and her peers endowed with powers beyond their wildest dreams.

As Earth continues in its struggle against the Bringers, Kenley is transported to a high-tech training facility, the Magnus Academy, to prepare for the major battle that lies ahead. It’s here that she meets the California heartthrob, and son of a legendary war hero, Landon Shaw. As unexpected feelings toward Landon begin to develop, Kenley wonders if this is the right time or place for romance to bloom, especially when those feelings start to interfere with her training.

With the weight of the world on her shoulders, Kenley is constantly reminded of how important she and the rest of the Magnus cadets are to the fate of humanity. She is one of the Modified, Earth’s last line of defense against utter destruction.

The Modified releases this Fall!

Like the cover for The Modified? Well then head over to Nathan Szerdy’s website and peruse his amazing collection of works. We guarantee that you won’t be disappointed!

The mom and son author duo, C.A. Kunz, thoroughly enjoys writing about things that go bump in the night and futuristic action-packed romances while drinking massive amounts of English breakfast tea and Starbucks coffee. To find out more about this duo and their books visit their blog, or find them on Facebook and Twitter!

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Northanger Abbey - Guest Review - Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Many thanks to Alex from A Girl, Books and Other Things for sharing her thought on Northanger Abbey

A wonderfully entertaining coming-of-age story, Northanger Abbey is often referred to as Jane Austen’s “Gothic parody.” Decrepit castles, locked rooms, mysterious chests, cryptic notes, and tyrannical fathers give the story an uncanny air, but one with a decidedly satirical twist.

The story’s unlikely heroine is Catherine Morland, a remarkably innocent seventeen-year-old woman from a country parsonage. While spending a few weeks in Bath with a family friend, Catherine meets and falls in love with Henry Tilney, who invites her to visit his family estate, Northanger Abbey. Once there, Catherine, a great reader of Gothic thrillers, lets the shadowy atmosphere of the old mansion fill her mind with terrible suspicions. What is the mystery surrounding the death of Henry’s mother? Is the family concealing a terrible secret within the elegant rooms of the Abbey? Can she trust Henry, or is he part of an evil conspiracy? Catherine finds dreadful portents in the most prosaic events, until Henry persuades her to see the peril in confusing life with art.

The Deal:

Catherine Morland didn’t always look like she was going to be a heroine - her being rather tomboyish, one in a family with 10 children - but such was her path and, at the age of 17 she gets her chance for adventure when her neighbors, the Allens, invite her to go with them to Bath.

At first, things at Bath aren’t as fun as she expected, because she doesn’t really know anyone there, but she soon meets Henry Tilney, a kind young man with whom she becomes friendly.

My Thoughts:

I found Northanger Abbey to be a funny, silly, lighthearted story, it has the tone of a parody and it does poke a bit of fun at the Gothic stories that Catherine enjoys reading, but it’s not rude about it.

There are a few misunderstandings and all, but it’s all in good fun for the most part.

I did notice two things about this book: First, the voice of the narrator is felt heavily, almost as if this omnipresent narrator were a character also. Usually, when I’m reading a book in third person, I can get lost in the story but in Northanger Abbey I never stopped feeling like someone was telling me a story rather than me discovering it on my own.

And second, this feels like a younger book than any of the others I’ve read by Jane Austen. Both Catherine and Henry read very young; their mistakes are those of very young people. They are charming and nice but naïve in a way I don’t think many heroes and heroines in the Austen universe are. 

Emma - **Giveaway** Emma by Jane Austen

Making up for the rubbishiness of this week guys :)

The giveaway is international and the prize is a paperback of the novel in question.

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Emma - My Favourite Mr Knightley Quotes

I am sorry everyone, I know I am scraping the bottom of the barrel a little this week but I just can't build up any enthusiasm for this book. 

So I give you my favourite Mr Knightley moments. 

It was badly done Emma, badly done

Does that make anyone else feel like a little kid being told off?

My dearest Emma," said he, "for dearest you will always be, whatever the event of this hour's conversation, my dearest, most beloved Emma...

Ok, if that isn't enough to make you go jelly legged I don't know what is *sigh*

I cannot make speeches, Emma... 

Yeah, Mr Darcy had the same trouble and look where that got him. Insulting someone while trying to propose... At least Mr Knightley manages a bit better huh :)

Emma - Screen Adaptations

I have only seen two of the Emma adaptations that are roaming out in the wild but I have a firm favourite between the two. 

But first I had better say which ones I have seen. 

Emma (1996) - the film with Gwyneth Paltrow 

and

Emma (1996) - the TV adaption with Kate Beckinsale







Don't get me wrong, both of these are good in their own way  - which is saying a lot when you consider that I don't even like the story ;)

My favourite of the two though is the TV adaption because it actually does the impossible and helps me tolerate Emma. It doesn't make me like the story anymore but I can watch it without wanting to throw an iron at the screen turn it off. 

The film version I find to be a little too quirky - does that make sense (it does in my head). It feels a bit too...modern and it doesn't quite it well with me. 

Emma - Novel Adaptations

Some more shout-outs my darlings :)


Want to know what happens after the last page?

Emma & Knightley: The Sequel to Jane Austen's Emma by Rachel Billington

A year later, Emma and Knightley are still living at Hartfield, surrounded by the Westons, the Eltons and the Bateses. But as events unfold, the couple must deal with the return of Frank Churchill, now widowed, and Knightley's apparently endless patience is tried by events in his brother's family, as well as his beloved Emma's whims and fancies. 
But the irrepressible Emma is restless ... 
Emma wants Knightley to stop treating her like a child. Knightley meanwhile wants his young bride to love him as a husband, not as the man she's always looked up to. With tragedy in the offing, and events unfolding that include beloved characters from Emma, the couple must find their way to each other, and to perfect happiness. 
With a wonderful grasp of the manners and style of the day, this warm and witty exploration of a marriage between a sheltered (not to say spoiled) young lady and the man she looked upon as an older brother fulfills the romantic longings of Jane Austen lovers everywhere.


Or maybe you want to know what was going through Mr Knightley's mind?


Mr. Knightley's Diary (Jane Austen Heroes #2) by Amanda Grange

Relive Jane Austen's Emma- from Mr. Knightley's point of view.

Between managing his estate and visiting his brother in London, Mr. Knightley is both exasperated and amused by his irresistibly beautiful, outrageously mischievous neighbor, Emma Woodhouse, whose misguided attempts at matchmaking are wreaking havoc in the village of Highbury.

But when a handsome newcomer arrives and catches Emma's attention, Mr. Knightley is shocked by his reaction. Amusement gives way to another emotion entirely-for his unreasonable dislike of the handsome newcomer seems suspiciously like jealousy. 






*Descriptions and images from goodreads.com*

Emma - Emma the Musical!

Emma the Musical!

Who knew?

 Well, I did obviously but only after doing some random goggling about 6 months ago :)

Emma - My Grumbles on Emma by Jane Austen

Beautiful, clever, rich - and single - Emma Woodhouse is perfectly content with her life and sees no need for either love or marriage. Nothing, however, delights her more than interfering in the romantic lives of others. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protegee Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected. With its imperfect but charming heroine and its witty and subtle exploration of relationships, Emma is often seen as Jane Austen's most flawless work

I am afraid that this week is going to be one of the most un-enthusiastic of the seven.

Why?

Because I just don’t like Emma *ducks for cover* - the book as a whole or the character. I just haven’t been able to gel with her character at all and it doesn’t matter how I look at it or how hard I squint I just don’t like her one little bit.

I don’t like how she acts or her attitude. She strikes me as the kind of person who knows what she is entitled too and will make sure that everyone else know too – but will do it in such a way that it will make her look like a saint.

Nope, I don’t like her one little bit.

The one redeeming feature of this book in my eyes is the character of Mr Knightley. Yeah, call me shallow if you like but there is no denying that he is a sweetheart and I love him all the more for giving Emma a telling off when she needs it and although he loves her he is not blind to her faults. 

Mansfield Park - Changes to the Character? Good or Bad?

Welcome to another post where I talk myself in circles :)

No doubt like most Austen, Dickens and Bronte etc fans I do a happy dance round my living room whenever I hear about a new adaptation being made. (admit it, you guys do that to don't you? And I bet you get that  look from your family too. You know that one? The one that says they have no idea why you are so into that kind of thing anyway).

But the one book to TV adaption that I am always dubious about is Mansfiled park, because - in my humble opinion - it is something that has not been pulled off properly since 1983. 

What do I think makes it all go wrong?

They can never seem to get Fanny's characters right. They always seem to try and change her and maker her more...more...well just MORE that what I think she is. The think about Fanny - in my mind anyway - is that she possess a silent strength and she is the kind of person that can be in a room and chances are that no you would not notice her. She is not the kind of person to draw attention to herself. 

I do not know if it is the actresses that have played the part since or if it is the way that they have gone about portraying Fanny but they seem to have too much (to quote the Mad Hatter) muchness when in the presence of others. 

I would really recommend watching the 1983 TV adaption guys. By far one of my favourite adaptions not just of Mansfield Park but of all the Austen books. 

Mansfield Park - Mansfield Park and Murder...

Shout out Time! (again)

 Murder at Mansfield Park by Lynn Shepherd

In this ingenious new twist on Mansfield Park, the famously meek Fanny Price--whom Jane Austen's own mother called "insipid"--has been utterly transformed; she is now a rich heiress who is spoiled, condescending, and generally hated throughout the county. Mary Crawford, on the other hand, is now as good as Fanny is bad, and suffers great indignities at the hands of her vindictive neighbor. It's only after Fanny is murdered on the grounds of Mansfield Park that Mary comes into her own, teaming-up with a thief-taker from London to solve the crime. 

Featuring genuine Austen characters--the same characters, and the same episodes, but each with a new twist--MURDER AT MANSFIELD PARK is a brilliantly entertaining novel that offers Jane Austen fans an engaging new heroine and story to read again and again.