Stephanie Barron

May 1816: Jane Austen is feeling unwell. She attributes her poor condition to the stress of family burdens. Jane decides to use some of the profits earned from her last novel and treat herself to a period of rest and reflection at the spa, in the company of her sister, Cassandra. Cheltenham Spa hardly turns out to be the relaxing sojourn as it is immediately obvious that other boarders at the guest house have come to Cheltenham with stresses of their own - some of them deadly. But perhaps with Jane's interference a terrible crime might be prevented.

Jane and the Year Without a Summer

"If you have a Jane Austen-would-have-been-my-best-friend complex, look no further . . . [Barron] has painstakingly sifted through the famed author's letters and writings, as well as extensive biographical information, to create a finely detailed portrait of Austen's life—with a dash of fictional murder . . . Some of the most enjoyable, well-written fanfic ever created."—O Magazine May 1816: Jane Austen is feeling unwell, with an uneasy stomach, constant fatigue, rashes, fevers and aches. She attributes her poor condition to the stress of family burdens, which even the drafting of her latest manuscript—about a baronet's daughter nursing a broken heart for a daring naval captain—cannot alleviate. Her apothecary recommends a trial of the curative waters at Cheltenham Spa, in Gloucestershire. Jane decides to use some of the profits earned from her last novel, Emma, and treat herself to a period of rest and reflection at the spa, in the company of her sister, Cassandra. Cheltenham Spa hardly turns out to be the relaxing sojourn Jane and Cassandra envisaged, however. It is immediately obvious that other boarders at the guest house where the Misses Austen are staying have come to Cheltenham with stresses of their own—some of them deadly. But perhaps with Jane’s interference a terrible crime might be prevented. Set during the Year without a Summer, when the eruption of Mount Tambora in the South Pacific caused a volcanic winter that shrouded the entire planet for sixteen months, this fourteenth installment in Stephanie Barron’s critically acclaimed series brings a forgotten moment of Regency history to life.

Heather Harrington

I was hesitant going into this seeing as how it's the 14th installment of a series I'd never read before, but I quickly realized there was nothing to fear. There was never any point where I felt confused or didn't understand what was happening. I did get overwhelmed just given the huge cast of characters, but once I found my footing it didn't feel as daunting. I did find the first half very slow, but it picked up nicely by the second half. I enjoyed the mystery aspect and wasn't expecting it to be as twisty as it was. Mysteries aren't that fun to me if I can predict what's happening, but this one left me guessing which I appreciated. I also wasn't expecting an element of romance to be in this between Jane and West, but I thought it was lovely, and it tugs at your heartstrings. My favorite part of this was how much Barron nails Jane Austen. You could tell how much research she must've done into Austen's background to make the narrative sound so spot on and as if you were reading from her perspective. It felt very authentic. Overall, if you enjoy historical mysteries or Jane Austen, this series is one to check out.

Jane and the Year Without a Summer

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