Series: Emma Knightley Mysteries, Book 1
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Historical Mystery
eBook Source: Publisher
Audiobook Source: Purchased by Reviewer
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Less than one year into her marriage to respected magistrate George Knightley, Emma has grown unusually content in her newfound partnership and refreshed sense of independence. The height of summer sees the former Miss Woodhouse gracefully balancing the meticulous management of her elegant family estate and a flurry of social engagements, with few worries apart from her beloved father’s health…
But cheery circumstances change in an instant when Emma and Harriet Martin, now the wife of one of Mr. Knightley’s tenant farmers, discover a hideous shock at the local church. The corpse of Mrs. Augusta Elton, the vicar’s wife, has been discarded on the altar steps—the ornate necklace she often wore stripped from her neck. As a chilling murder mystery descends upon the tranquil village of Highbury, the question isn’t simply who committed the crime, but who wasn’t secretly wishing for the unpleasant woman’s demise. Emma—armed with wit, unwavering determination, and extensive social connections—realizes she must discreetly navigate an investigation of her own to protect the innocent and expose the ruthless culprit hiding in plain sight.
Emma Knightley, handsome, clever, and…amateur sleuth? That is indeed the case in Vanessa Kelly’s Murder in Highbury. Kelly beautifully captures the spirit of Jane Austen’s characters in this cozy mystery.
Emma is ensconced in Hartfield, married to Mr. Knightley and living her happily ever after. All is peaceful in Highbury until one hot summer day Emma and Harriet stumble across a corpse in the church. Mrs. Elton may not have been Emma’s favorite person, but she’s not about to sit idly by and let her magistrate husband search for clues on his own. What charmed me the most about Murder in Highbury is how well Kelly made this story feel like a natural continuation of Austen’s Emma. The characters acted as you would expect and the world came alive most beautifully. It was a delight to see Emma and George seek out clues with the help of their friends. Everyone plays exceedingly well off each other and that made the book incredibly engaging. As for whodunit, well I’ll leave that for readers to discover. Mrs. Elton isn’t the most endearing character and Kelly kept me guessing as mystery unfolded.
Murder in Highbury is a wonderful cozy mystery that will charm readers whether they’re Janeites or not. I was utterly delighted by this story and cannot wait to see Emma put her sleuthing skills to the test once again in Murder at Donwell Abbey.
Disclosure: I purchased the audiobook and received the eBook for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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