A Most Singular Venture

Elizabeth and Richard Literary Suspense #4

by Donna Fletcher Crow

Richard is teaching Jane Austen as a Queen of Crime at the University of London while Elizabeth researches all the London sites Jane knew. A lovely interlude to their summer until Richard's brother Andrew shows up to bid on a set of Jane Austen first editions, a pushy student intrudes on their agenda and they become responsible for a young boy. And then one of Andrew's business associates is murdered and he is accused of the deed.
Elizabeth and Richard are exploring Jane Austen’s London, but their murderous opponent is all-too contemporary.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Contemporary

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2016

About the author

Donna Fletcher Crow loves to give books away. If you would like a copy of one of her best-selling Lord Danvers Investigates series, go to her website: http://www.DonnaFletcherCrow.com

Donna is the author of 50 books, mostly novels dealing with British history. The award-winning GLASTONBURY, The Novel of Christian England is her best-known work, an Arthurian grail search epic covering 15 centuries of English history.
Donna authors 3 mystery series: The best-selling Lord Danvers Investigates Vitorian true-crime series; The Monastery Murders; and The Elizabeth and Richard Literary Suspense.

Donna and her husband have 4 adult children and 14 grandchildren. She is an inveterate researcher and an enthusiastic gardener. You can see pictures of her research trips and her garden, learn more about her books, subscribe to her monthly newsletter, and read her blog at: www.DonnaFletcherCrow.com

Reviews

[English · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book from my Kindle backlog that I finally got around to reading this book. I've gradually worked through the last few books in this series over the last few years. I think I enjoyed the last two best, because of their English setting.

'Literary Suspense' is a good subtitle for these novels, which are mysteries but are also saturated in a background of 19th century American Literature and English Literature from Shakespeare to Sayers. Anyone can read them, but I would say you have to have read or at least be familiar with some of the authors to get all of the references.

The story in this one was a bit slow and towards the end I was sort of able to guess one of the culprits but not the whole basis of the mystery. I'm wasn't entirely convinced by young Jack, the 11 year old student who latched onto Elizabeth and Richard. Actually, it was mostly his language. Not many 11 year olds Britain in 2016 said something was 'wizard' to mean 'good' or amazing.
Last I was aware that term was used in the 1950s.

Otherwise though, A Most Singular Venture was a good suspense novel and a good choice for lovers of Austen and the classics and mystery authors.

[Donna Crow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet again, a new Elizabeth and Richard story gives cause for celebration. More, please!
—Joceline Bury, Jane Austen’s Regency World

A delightful and engaging mini-course in British detective fiction, all wrapped up with a page-turning murder mystery and a modern-day tour of London that will have you literally walking in Jane Austen’s footsteps.
—Syrie James, best-selling author of Jane Austen’s First Love
Much to enjoy here for Janeites and mystery readers alike.
—Julie Klassen, Bestselling author of Regency fiction
Another great Elizabeth and Richard ‘whodunit’, this story is a cozy mystery and an entertaining lesson in history. What more could a reader want?
—Janet Taylor, More Agreeably Engaged
A most engaging mystery that brings Jane Austen and her London to life.
—Eva Maria Hamilton, Jane Austen’s Colouring and Activity Books

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Richard is teaching a course on the Queens of Crime & Elizabeth is working on an article about London locations Jane Austen visited, while Richard's brother is part of an auction of a set of Jane Austen first editions. Elizabeth has suspicions about the auction & those involved, & they are proven when a death occurs. Richard & Elizabeth then try to figure out who & why someone would want to kill the victim.

I really enjoyed the scenes from Richard's class. I'd never thought of Jane Austen's Emma as a murder mystery, & I wish I'd read A Most Singular Venture while I was reading Emma back in August. I'm also going to have to read more from the Queens of Crime (Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh, &
Josephine Tey), P.D. James, & Wilkie Collins.

I also loved Elizabeth's research on Jane Austen's London. Having to google all the places mentioned slowed me down, so it took longer to finish the book, but I'm not complaining.

My only complaint was that Elizabeth's suspicions seemed to come out of nowhere, as if she was trying to make a mystery happen. It felt a bit forced. Also, most of the investigating happened in the last quarter of the book, & Elizabeth even suggested that the mystery should be left up to the police - no! I'm reading to follow Richard & Elizabeth's snooping, not Scotland Yard! I felt the mystery was weak. That being said, I'd still be interested in reading more from Donna Fletcher Crow. I learned a lot about Jane Austen & her novels.

[Alethea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second of Fletcher Crow's "Elizabeth and Richard" mysteries which centers around Jane Austen, which point obviously is a huge motivator for me. And she does not disappoint - JA was a major theme which dovetailed perfectly with the novel's central mystery. I think what made me enjoy this book less than expected were the inaccuracies in detail. Fletcher Crow is a self-professed Janeite; however, throughout the book "Mr. Knightley" is spelled wrong, current-day references to the purchase of Austen's jewelry are recounted entirely incorrectly, and there were other glaring errors. There's nothing I hate more than a badly edited book; I also was turned off by Fletcher Crow using the character of Elizabeth as a mouthpiece for her own lessons on Austen. I'm offended by someone who presumes to know Austen inside and out who doesn't bother to verify the stories she presents. But I enjoyed the mystery; it was well paced and the conclusion was quite satisfying.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was primarily a vehicle for giving lots of information about Jane Austen in London. The mystery is mostly non existent while we follow a married couple studying different elements of Jane’s life. The husband gives lectures about murder mysteries and the wife does a travelogue about the sites she’s seeing while supposedly researching an article. None of it really counts as research in an academic sense, but it is fun to hear about all the places Jane could have visited with quotes from her letters. I don’t really care about the story at all—AND THE AI NARRATOR ON THE AUDIO BOOK WAS HORRIBLE. I’m usually a sucker for a literary themed mystery but the mystery wasn’t interesting and the detective work un-believable. But the info about Austen was interesting and I also appreciate the general love of the golden age detectives.

[Eunira · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first book in the series. It was remarkable reading this book and finding my beloved writers (Sayers and James, and why not, Austen) and characters entwined in the story. Richard's lessons held my interest and brought new understanding to well-known favorites.

[Marilynn Marvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clean Romantic Suspense

I have enjoyed reading this book and the previous ones ie this series. Each book has led a merry chase while I try to guess whodunit. I look forward to reading more of this series.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Way too much details on Jane Austen research. Mystery was basically wrapped up in one chapter just a little too neatly.

[Marisa]

Amazon - 03/07/2017