Cover Image: A Poisoned Fortune

A Poisoned Fortune

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Member Reviews

Entertaining and well plotted story, a solid mystery that kept me reading.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

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An interesting Regency mystery. If you like Jane Austen and Nancy Drew then this is one you will love!

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This was a great overall feel to the mystery genre, I enjoyed the Jane Austen elements. It was a strong third book in this series and had everything that I was hoping for in this series. The characters felt like they were supposed to and I enjoyed the mystery elements overall. Laura Martin has a great writing style and I can’t wait to read more from her.

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Devastated by her fiancé's death, Cassandra Austen sinks into melancholy, prompting her sister Jane to suggest a trip to Bath to lift her spirits. There they meet Lady Arabella Waters, a young woman married to a man fifty years her senior. When Lord Waters suddenly collapses and dies, Jane senses foul play. An inquest reveals poison, leading to Lady Waters’ arrest. But Jane is sure there is something more at play and is determined to solve the crime.

Earlier this year, I read the first book of this series and enjoyed it. Somehow, I missed the second, but I’m excited to read the third. Happily, this is a series where you don’t necessarily have to read them in order to understand what is going on. Just like the first book, this one was easy to read.

The mystery was easy to follow. I liked seeing Jane Austen in Bath, a place where she has no family influence. She had to get creative to learn what she needed to know, and several times she treads the line of what is socially acceptable to do so.

At times, the writing felt a bit modern for the time period, as though the only thing tying it to the Georgian era was the fact that it was Jane Austen. And I was annoyed at how many times an address was mentioned. I didn’t need to be constantly reminded that she was staying at “number one, The Paragon.”

Overall, it was an enjoyable read. I would recommend it to readers looking for an easy murder mystery.

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This book was part of the Jane Austen Investigations series. The protagonists were Jane Austen and her sister Cassandra. I hadn't heard of this series before, and I liked the premise, but I found that I didn't connect with Jane and Cassandra as well as I would have liked. They didn't quite come to life for me as characters, and some of the interactions in the story seemed a little bit wooden to me. On a more positive note, at just under 200 pages, this is probably an ideal choice for when you're looking for a historical mystery that's light enough to read in one sitting.

Although Jane and Cassandra didn't quite work for me in this book, I probably would try another book by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

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Historical drama set in Bath. Miss Jane Austen is a bit of an amateur sleuth and with her sister tries to solve the murder of an ageing aristocrat. Good characters and an unusual plot.

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A Jane Austen based story on Jane’s sleuthing skills. Different and very good reading.

Jane and her sister Cassandra are in Bath on a small vacation mainly to help Cassandra come to terms with her fiancées death. Jane is worried over her sisters mental state and tries in small ways to assist her. In Bath a chance encounter with Lady Waters and her much older husband set the scene for the story. When Lord Waters dies suddenly, despite his advanced years and ill health Jane is suspicious over his death, and brings it to the attention of the authorities.

This does not go down well with not just the doctors involved, but also the family who just want the wife convicted, and financial matters settled with no scandal attached to the family and with little inconvenience to themselves. Jane delves further into the matter and justice is sErved.

The story set in 1797 England indicates the precarious position for women of that era, commoner or aristocracy alike. Very little was fair to women and their position in society was dependent on the whims of family.

A different Jane Austen variant which was excellent reading.

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A POISONED FORTUNE is the third novel in the Jane Austen Investigations series by LAURA MARTIN, but it can easily stand alone. It is an easy and pleasant read.
The story takes place in Bath in 1797 with Janr Austen and her siser Cassandra visiting their aunt and uncle. On one of their walks around the town they meet Lady Arabella Waters who befriends them and invites them to her home to meet Lord Waters, her elderly husband. Lady Waters is treated with disrespect and even hatred by her husband’s family and suspicion by the inhabitants of Bath.
When Lord Waters drops down dead, Lady Waters is the main suspect and it is here that Jane’s well honed investigative powers come to the for. It is interesting to see how Jane comes to her conclusions as far as the murderer is concerned……
I enjoyed the read.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Sapere Books, The opinions in this review are completely my own.

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Another entertaining mystery for Jane Austen and her sister to solve away from home this time in bath. The usual interesting twists and turn's but this time Jane struggles more as she doesn't know the area but does make some new friends along the way.

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In 1797 Bath, sisters Jane and Cassandra meet Lady Waters, who becomes embroiled in scandal when her husband dies from poisoning. Belladonna is found in Lady Waters' possession, leading to her arrest. As the sisters investigate, puzzling questions arise—why did Lady Waters have poison, and who wanted her husband dead? The the sisters must unravel this mystery to clear their friend's name.

This is an engaging Agatha Christie–style mystery with a Pride and Prejudice twist. The plot-driven story kept me guessing.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

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This was a quick, fun read.
I enjoyed strolling the streets of Bath and solving murders with Jane (and her sister).
It was good uncomplicated entertainment.

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