Ideal for Austen fans. A well-plotted mystery which has plenty of twists along the way to keep the reader guessing.

An enjoyable read by a talented author. The author has created a clever, well throughout plot that has enough suspense and surprises to keep readers entertained throughout. I highly recommend this author if you are a fan of Jane Austen and an intelligent mysteries.

this one was totally fine, i had to try to read it a few times and when I was finally able to get into it, there was definitely enough there to pull my attention in but not enough to have my feel emotionally invested which is a shame but also not a bad thing. I did not hate the book at all- i think it was a great one for when you kind of just needs something different between heavier/darker reads.

I’m not usually a crime reader but I do love anything Austen-related so this was one I immediately wanted to request. I read this over Christmas and it was a perfect cosy romance for the winter; this was fun and engaging! It hasn’t quite convinced me to make cosy crime part of my regular rotation, but I would like to get around to the other three books by this author!

This novel relies on the wit and perception that make Jane Austen’s novels so enjoyable, to help unravel a mystery. At a ball held by Sir John Harcourt a body is discovered. The murdered woman was a milliner and Jane’s brother George is suspected of the crime. Jane must now use her shrewd observational skills to save him from the noose. It was a really fun read with a feisty, intelligent Jane who I really enjoyed. I took to all of her family, written just like they are characters in their novels. Their letters were funny and it’s clear from the outset that the author is a huge Austen fan and was very respectful of her work.

A enjoyable lighthearted read, laugh out loud a play on true history easy to read and keep up with would recommend

So much fun and so light-hearted and joyful to read! What an absolute pleasure it was to read this especially in the middle of a reading rut. Highly recommend

This book was an absolute antidote to the heaviness of the world right now. Whilst not light in subject matter (murder and corruption) Jessica Bull has a light touch and manages to bring a huge amount of fun into the book. A supreme hybrid of historical fiction and whodunnit!
From following @jessicabullnovelist it's obvious that she is a Jane Austen aficionado and she brings her fully to life on the page and I get the feeling that this characterisation is going to develop further with more books coming. I loved how the book subtly explored the role of women in this society and you can feel Jane's drive for more.
What was brilliant about this book was how much historical fact about the Austen family was woven Theoughout

I found this book to be very disappointing.
I enjoyed the beginning of the book - probably about 40% of it and this was the point where I realised that this Jane Austen was pretty stupid.
Also, after she had incorrectly accused just about everyone, the actual murderer wasn't that much of a surprise.

I gather that this is the first in a series. I shan't be reading any others.

This was an enjoyable read that I breezed through. I loved the investigation and the letters to Cassandra helped to wrap up the most recent discoveries. I loved the regency setting and some of te secondary characters like Mary and Eliza. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book.

3.5 (RTC)

A cosy mystery with Jane as the feisty main character you’d expect.
This was an easy read and I really enjoyed the camaraderie between Jane and her siblings. To be a female independent thinker in her time was considered a rarity and how frustrating it must have been for Jane to learn to keep quiet and never give an opinion.
The actual mystery was an entertaining one, and I changed my mind several times as we were lead first this way then that as Jane’s investigation grew. A satisfactory conclusion was given to us by the end and Jane’s story definitely lends itself to more in the series.

Enjoyed how this mirrored Austen's own writing, and made the most of how smart she was, but felt that this did lack pace in many places and took too long setting up characters etc at the expense of moving the story along.

This is the first book in a series of cozy crime mysteries where the main character is Jane Austen.

I struggled a little to get into the story but I suspect that was due to the need to set the scene for the future series. I did grow to love it though, as the mystery settkled into an intriguing one that kept me guessing.

I think this will lead to a strong series of cozy mysteries.

Loved the way the Austen family is brought to life and when Jane’s brother risks imprisonment or worse she acts to pull all the facts together and by the end she finds a way through the cues to clear his name.
Brilliantly bring life of Austen’s time to life.

A cracking premise, brilliantly executed. Jessica Bull knows her Austen, but delivers it with a light touch. I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to more from this author!

The Hapless Milliner, the first book of the Miss Austen Investigates series, starts off strong with a murder of a mysterious merchant whom only our main character Jane recognizes.

The first 30% of the book was enjoyable and I thought this has the potential to being a 4 star read. However the joy flew out of the window the moment you realize Jane is not exactly clever... at all. It's definitely not going to bother everyone as it is a matter of preference, but I do expect the main character of a murder mystery novel to have at least a few working (little grey) brain cells. Jane does not need much evidence to come to conclusions and accuse (publicly!) every character she starts to suspect. She does not take her time to think it through, she just points fingers to the point where even her own family is telling her off. She did that to every main suspect, making the mystery... not really that much of a mystery.

That is also why I felt the conclusion to the mystery was anti-climactic and didn't make sense to me personally. You really want me to believe that someone who doesn't think much through and is guided by emotion rather than logic suddenly solved the murder and found an extremely unlikely murderer? I personally could not, leaving me very disappointed by the end.

There was also so many side characters and they mostly read the same, which isn't a big problem but I did find it a tad boring.

I think there is potential in this series but sadly this book just didn't do anything for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Novelist Jane Austen finds herself the investigator of a murder when her younger brother is implicated in the crime.

Cleverly working with documented events and characters from Jane Austen's life, this is a page-turner of a murder mystery with added jeopardy and left me wanting to turn back to my Austen biographies to find out more!

It's 1795 and the only thing on Jane's mind is whether Tom Lefroy is going to propose at the local ball.

But then there's the shocking discovery of a milliner's lifeless body in a closet and the tragic event has consequences the Austen family could never have envisaged.

Jane's younger brother Georgy is implicated in the crime and Jane takes it upon herself to clear his name. If she doesn't succeed the consequences are profound.

I do like a murder mystery and this was wonderfully pitched with a period setting, our familiar and admirable heroine, and just the right mix of wry humour and fear and trepidation.

I really enjoyed this, a well crafted murder mystery and with a young Jane Austen solving the crime. I loved the setting, the descriptions of the parlours and dresses. A different take on the usual cosy crime, I would recommend.

A fun and witty book that is a great mix of historical fiction and a murder mystery. Being solely from the point of view from Jane herself you go on the journey with her to find out who murdered Zoe Renard. I enjoyed the story as I am a fan of Jane Austen and her works and I do love a murder mystery and this was a well written one with good twists. However, I felt the book was just a bit too long and some elements could have been wrapped up quicker. I also wasn’t sure I felt comfortable with how Georgie was portrayed I felt like it was quite a dated view of someone with a disability.

This is a murder mystery story using the names and places of Jane Austen and her family. It is not really written in her style, and is without the wit. If you are a lover of Jane Austen, you may be disappointed. If you just want a historical crime novel, then you will enjoy it