When Jane Austen’s Regency-era heroine Emma Knightley visits her pregnant friend Jane and her husband Frank Churchill at their Yorkshire estate, a proper country house party soon becomes the site of a ghastly murder . . .
Emma, her husband George, and her father and his new wife have journeyed to Enscombe Park, the grand estate where Jane and Frank live with his uncle, who adopted Frank as a boy. Upon their arrival, they are concerned to find Jane wan from her condition, Frank bruised from a mysterious accident, and Mr. Churchill in an ill temper, as well as surprised by additional houseguests including Miss Caroline Bingley and a distant cousin from the West Indies.
Emma worries this might all be too much for Jane, but it is Mr. Churchill who is decidedly out-of-sorts, possibly due to his heart medication. When Frank’s uncle is found dead in the library, it appears he’s fallen victim to heart seizure. But Emma—despite George’s admonitions to stay out of it—begins to wonder if he may have been poisoned.
Experience has taught Emma that her matchmaking instincts may not always be spot-on, but her sleuthing skills are as sharp as ever. As a recently altered will and secret debts come to light, suspicion falls on Frank Churchill of all people. Now it’s up to Emma to save her friend’s husband from the gallows . . .
Vanessa Kelly is a bestselling author of historical mystery and historical romance. She has won multiple awards, including the prestigious Maggie Medallion for best historical romance. She is a USA Today, Barnes & Noble, BookScan, and Amazon bestseller several times over. To date, her books have been published in eleven languages. Vanessa also wrote USA Today bestselling contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels with her husband, under the pen name of V.K. Sykes.
After receiving her MA in English literature from Rutgers University, Vanessa spent several years in the Ph.D program at the University of Toronto, studying women authors of the 18th Century. She worked as a researcher for many years, and currently resides in Ottawa, Canada, with her husband.
A country house party that has already gone sour is the unsurprising location for a murder and the guests and staff become suspect. Vanessa Kelly’s Emma Knightley series is a bright spot on my reading calendar and I was jazzed to pick up the latest installment in the series and see quick and observant Emma track another murderer.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 11.25.26.
A visit to Enscombe Park brings together familiar faces from both "Emma" and "Pride and Prejudice" and makes for an excessively diverting Austen-esque reunion. Yet, beneath the decorum of a country house party, something is amiss, and when a death occurs under suspicious circumstances, Emma Knightley finds herself with a mystery to unravel. I loved accompanying Emma and George as they navigated the peculiarities of society, family, and an unexpected crime in MURDER AT ENSCOMBE PARK.
“Emma mentally raised her eyebrows. Frank’s apparent dislike of his distant relation seemed irrational, especially since Mr. Nolan appeared to be the perfect gentleman. Perhaps Frank didn’t like the competition from such a charming man, having grown too used to always being the most popular person in any social setting.” —Chapter 3.
Emma proves herself a determined investigator, undeterred by George’s occasional objections or the many distractions of their fellow guests. From her father’s preoccupation with his health to his new wife’s (the former Miss Hettie Bates) inexhaustible conversation, Enscombe offers no shortage of entertaining personalities. Caroline Bingley, Mr. and Mrs. Hurst, and various Churchill relations add further charm and intrigue to the proceedings. Behind the polite conversations and carefully maintained appearances, however, lie secrets that Emma is determined to bring to light.
“As far as Emma was concerned, Frank wasn’t in the proper state to do very much. Which meant that as usual, she and George must step into the breach. ‘Yes, you are not worry about anything Jane,’ Emma briskly said. ‘We’ll get everything sorted. I know exactly what to do.’” —Chapter 8.
Beyond the mystery, I particularly enjoyed the exploration of Frank and Jane’s marriage, especially given the rather complicated impression Frank leaves in “Emma” and the secrecy that once surrounded their attachment. Questions of family loyalty, inheritance, and the consequences of a newly revised will muddle the investigation. With its colorful cast of familiar characters, clever sleuthing, and delicious Regency-era scandal, MURDER AT ENSCOMBE PARK was a thoroughly satisfying addition to the series. (Advanced copy via NetGalley.)
I have loved every book in this Jane Austen-themed series and this book did not disappoint. Emma, Knightley, Mr. Woodhouse, and the new Mrs. Woodhouse travel to visit Jane & Frank at Enscombe Park. Unfortunately, some uninvited guests are staying there at the same time, including Caroline Bingley and Mr. & Mrs. Hurst. They quickly notice that Frank's Uncle, Mr. Churchill, is overly sensitive and disagreeable to everyone. Frank is quick to react with his own uneven temper to him and all around him. When Mr. Churchill dies, there is some disagreement over whether it was his bad heart or something more sinister. The mystery becomes more complicated by various wills that Mr. Churchill has left, with surprising changes involving a little-known branch of the Churchill family in the West Indies. One of these family members is a guest who has traveled to help close the breach using his skills as a barrister. Woven into the story are the staff in the house and their possible involvement in crime, and friends of Mr. Churchill who are also staying at the house, who are not entirely honest about why they are there. Emma is determined to protect Jane and discover if Mr. Churchill was murdered and why.
I can't wait for the next book in this series! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy.
I had such a fun time with this one! I love when a familiar literary world gets turned into a mystery, and seeing Emma step into the role of amateur sleuth was such a treat.
The setting at Enscombe Park was atmospheric, and I really enjoyed the mix of familiar characters and new faces. There was a great sense of tension from the moment everyone arrived, with secrets, suspicious behavior, and just enough unanswered questions to keep me turning the pages.
What I especially enjoyed was Emma herself. Her curiosity and determination felt very true to her character, and watching her investigate despite being told to stay out of it made for some entertaining moments. The mystery kept me guessing, and I appreciated that there were plenty of suspects and motives without giving everything away too quickly.
I went into this expecting a cozy, character-driven mystery with a Jane Austen twist, and that’s exactly what I got. It was entertaining, atmospheric, and a really enjoyable read. Definitely one I’d recommend to readers who love historical mysteries, classic-literature retellings, and amateur sleuths.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.
This delightful cozy mystery is set in the world of Jane Austen’s Emma. Emma and George Knightly, her father, and her new stepmother, Hetty, embark on a trip to stay with Hetty’s niece, Jane, and her husband, Frank Churchill. Upon their arrival at Frank’s uncle’s estate, Enscome, they are greeted by a lively house party with unexpected guests.
The party includes a Pride and Prejudice crossover with Mr. and Mrs. Hurst and Caroline Bingley, Mr. and Mrs. Braithwaite and their son Thomas, and Reggie Boland, a distant cousin of the Churchills from Bermuda. Everything seems to be going smoothly until Frank’s uncle unexpectedly passes away from a heart attack. However, it soon becomes apparent that Frank’s uncle was murdered, and everyone becomes a potential suspect. Emma, once again, takes on the challenge of solving the murder.
This book is a great read for fans of Jane Austen and cozy mysteries. I particularly enjoyed the crossover with Pride and Prejudice, which even included a mention of Pemberley and the Darcys. The mystery and characters were well-written, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. This is the third book in the series, and I eagerly await the next installment. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for my honest review.
To be 100% clear, I LOVE this series. I think Emma and George are delightful and Emma's father CRACKS ME UP. Kelly thinks up great stories, and Murder at Donwell Abbey (Book 2) has been my favorite of the series. And Enscombe was shaping up to be a good whodunit, but honestly, I don't know what happened.
I feel like Kelly had a short story plot that was made into a novel. For so long there was just Frank being angry (again, and again, and again - so much so he was VERY unlikable) and Jane not being worked up - and a bunch of sourpuss house guests.
Now, that's not to say that the elder gentlemen napping and complaining about drafts weren't delightful (because they were), but there seemed to be a lot of excess fat in this one that could have been trimmed to make a tighter story.
Thank you to the publisher via netgalley for this book.
The last 15 (or so) percent of the book really did a lot of heavy lifting to save the ending. I am quite sure that book 4 will return us to Donwell where Emma will find another way to solve a murder, all while avoiding gruel and drafts!
Another charming addition to the Emma Knightley Mysteries series!
In this installment, Emma and George travel to Enscombe Park to visit with the Churchills. While there, they find themselves embroiled in another whodunnit when Mr. Churchill, Frank's uncle, is found dead in the library. It is once again up to the Knightleys to put together the pieces behind Mr. Churchill's erratic behavior in the months preceding his death, which included a recently altered will and secret debts, and to figure out why Frank, who is short-tempered and impulsive, is seemingly being framed for the crime. Will Emma be able to unearth the real culprit before an innocent man is charged?
Once again, this was a cozy little escape that was the perfect balance of mysterious, humorous, and enjoyable. Even though Frank felt wildly volatile at times and the plot meandered somewhat longer than necessary, I still found this to be a pleasant read. I look forward to more from this series in the future.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my review.
A creative imagining of what the life of Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax were like after the events of Jane Austen’s Emma. I enjoyed seeing how Jane Austen’s worlds collided between Emma and Pride and Prejudice at Escombe Park. I also enjoyed another opportunity to see Emma and George Knightley investigate a suspicious death premises.
Emma makes a great sleuth detective and as she tries to uncover secrets around the manor she has a variety of delightful characters including her health obsessed father and the chatty Miss Bates (if you know you know) at the park in addition to Caroline Bingley, Mr. and Mrs. Hurst and a acquaintances of the Churchills.
The book brought up some interesting relationship dynamics (since Frank’s character is not always shown in the best light in Emma and his relationship with Jane is kept hush) as well as inheritance changes since Frank was raised by his aunt and uncle. Overall, another great installment in this series. I was very invested in the story and see what happened next!
What a fun read! This is the third in Vanessa Kelly's Emma Knightley series, though the first that I have read. Murder at Enscombe Park is a delightful mystery retelling with many of the characters from Jane Austen's world. This theme is a favorite of mine, and I have already procured the first two books in the series.
Emma and her husband, George, are visiting Enscombe Park and the Churchills when a suspicious death occurs; the catalyst that peaks Emma's desire to solve the mystery. As entertaining as the mystery portion is, the relationships of the supporting characters drew me deeper into the story.
I am looking forward to catching up with the backlist while waiting on the next installment in the series. I would recommend this book to others who enjoy historical mysteries and/or classical retellings.
Thank you to #NetGalley #KensingtonPublishing #VanessaKelly for the advanced e-copy to read at my request. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #EmmaKnightleyMystery
Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley, SKensington Publishing and Kensington.
I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.
Emma and her newly husband visits her pregnant friend and her husband at the estate home that is owned by his uncle who adopt[ted him as a child. On arrival they find her friend pale and her husband showing bruises from a mysterious accident. Also the uncle seems to be mis--tempered and a distant cousin who recently arrived from the West Indies, The uncle seems out of sorts due to medication but he ends up de ad seemingly from a heart seizure. Was it naturally or dd someone wanted him dead? Emma wll undercover the truth n this mystery. A Jane Austen type mystery read.
I enjoyed MURDER AT ENSCOMBE PARK. The author conducts thorough research of the time period from the customs to the vocabulary used throughout the story. The setting and the characters are well-written making it easy for the reader to picture. The secondary characters add depth, drama and humor to the story making it so much fun to read.
There were plenty of suspects in this story and once again, Emma finds herself fully in the middle of the investigation. This was a house party like no other and finds Emma and George doing all they can to help their friends, Frank and Jane Churchill.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy Jane Austen themed historical fiction, cozy mystery stories.
1817 The Knightleys and Woodhouses are invited to Enscombe Park home of the Churchills. Only to find they are not the only guests. Among them there seems to have underlying tensions. But soon a death occurs. Will Emma be able to solve the mystery before an innocent person is charged. An entertaining and well-written cozy mystery with its cast of mainly likeable and interesting characters. Another good addition to this enjoyable series. An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
In “Murder at Enscombe Park” by Vanessa Kelly, Emma solves her toughest mystery yet. Emma and some of her family travel to visit her dear friend Jane, but other houseguests make the visit a bit complicated. When someone is found dead Emma is on the case to figure out what happened. When an obviously innocent person is accused Emma must race time to prevent the worst from happening. This is the third book of “Emma Knightley Mysteries” series and a very enjoyable read, check out the other two wonderful books and this one when it comes out!
4.75 Stars This cozy mystery is the third book in the series, but the Austen characters are spot on, the worldbuilding complements these characters' universe very well, and the murder mystery is elaborate and entertaining. Frank Churchill was a bit too emotionally explosive for my taste, but could he have also been affected as his adoptive father? I thoroughly enjoyed this novel (and the entire series!) and I hope there will be another installment in the future. This series is one of my favorite cozy series by far!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishers for the ARC. These are my opinions. This is another wonderful book in the series! Emma, her husband George, and her father and stepmother Hetty, have been invited to visit Frank and Jane at Enscombe Park. When they arrive, they find a houseful of other guests. When Frank's uncle dies a suspicious death, Emma becomes entangled into solving the mystery. There were interesting secondary characters, secondary plot lines, and a secret that Emma is keeping from George. I can't wait for the next book in the series!
I've really been enjoying this series set in the world of Jane Austen's Emma.
Emma and family are visiting Frank and Jane Churchill when disaster strikes. As you might expect, Emma is soon in the middle of investigating. We even get a little Pride and Prejudice crossover!
And while this wasn't my favorite book of this series, it was still a very enjoyable read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the advanced copy.
This third in the series is the best one yet. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and will I did suspect the murderer early on, other red herrings led me astray and so wan't sure who the villian was until the end. I felt like this was the best in the series so far in terms of Emma's voice feeling authentic, not trying too hard to emulate Austen's style. I do hope there will be more Emma Knightley mysteries.
Book 3 in this splendid Emma Knightley series continues the fun with a terrific Austen-adjacent mystery involving Frank Churchill, his pregnant wife Jane, and an unexpected death during a country house party in Yorkshire, with Emma acting as a sleuth once more. Recommended!
I LOVED the first book in this series and enjoyed the second, so I was looking forward to seeing what the third would provide. It did not disappoint and was an par with the first! This continued to be a delightful reimagining of the original characters with some additions from Austen's other books as well. 'Enscombe Park's takes place in the home of Frank Churchill, and centers around the sudden death and mystery of his adoptive father.
I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery, I had some suspicions but it had me guessing right up to the end. I loved the characters and their dynamics (even those you love to hate) - especially between Emma and her beloved and long suffering Mr. Knightly. I did feel that they made Frank unnecessarily volatile - strong emotions were understandable and suspicion warranted - but he was exhausting and I was losing sympathy by the end. But otherwise, this was intriguing and delightful and I binged it on a recent flight!
Another well written and riveting mystery murder in this regency set series. I enjoyed all the characters, the plot and mystery flowed well and I was guessing to the end on who it could be. A little suspense and pace towards the end gave this story that extra something.
You know, I was just thinking: I enjoyed this book but I don't know why. I mean I actually kind of loathe every single character in Emma (excepting possibly Mr. Weston) so how did I find myself here in the first place? You guys, I liked it despite myself. Woah.
I loved loved everything about this story, the setting, the characters, the classic but mystery murder plot. My favorite part was how this author take well known characters and bringing them into a new world.
It was so lovely reuniting with Emma for another delightful mystery! This entire cast of characters is so fun and charming. While the mystery is a tad predictable, I just have such a good time reading I can ignore that bit. Overall I recommend this series to anyone looking for a cozy historical mystery series.
Tropes * Inheritance Drama * Cozy Mystery * Regency Era * Amateur Sleuth