Manslaughter Park (Jane Austen Murder Mysteries, 3)

Originally reviewed on Cyn's Workshop

Follow Fanny Price in Manslaughter Park, the third novel in the thrilling Jane Austen Murder Mystery, with a queer spin and a thrilling mystery.

A brilliant addition to the Jane Austen Murder Mystery, Price captures the era and characters created by Austen with humor and a gripping murder.

Great Characterization
I am not a Jane Austen fan, per se. I love movie adaptations (I’m sure I’ve written that somewhere before) and retellings. But as for reading Jane Austen, I struggle. I’m a Bronte girl (I know I’ve said that before), but I love the heart of Austen’s work and the characters she has created, so I will read any retelling.

Price does such a fantastic job of retelling Austen’s work. Fanny comes alive in her desire to solve her uncle’s murder and in her desire to be taken seriously as an artist. But I also love how different she is from Lizzie from Pride and Premeditation.

There is a lot that goes into Fanny that makes her stand out. She is a little oblivious sometimes, and while that can be annoying to some, I found it charming. When a character is too oblivious, I tend to get annoyed. Still, given Fanny’s situation, it fits the story’s contents. She is focused on her art, making a name for herself, and finding a way to support herself so she does not have to rely on her uncle’s family. This gives her tunnel vision.

However, in investigating the murder of her uncle, she grows. Fanny not only becomes more observant of the world but also discovers herself in the process, leading towards the LGBTQ representation of the story.

Storytelling
I admire that the LGBTQ aspect of the story fits into the plot. Sometimes, it annoys me when the LGBTQ storyline feels forced. As someone who is bisexual herself, I really connected to Fanny’s struggle with building affection for Mary as she struggles with her own feelings for Edmund.

Price made sure that elements of the characterization, while fitting in with more contemporary ideals, still fit within the era of storytelling. Everything that feels modern to most readers won’t be removed from the story because the story and characters balance each other.

Manslaughter Park flows; it knits together wonderfully, throwing red herring after red herring at the reader and keeping them on their toes as they solve the murder alongside Fanny.

Final Thoughts
A perfect fun murder mystery, Manslaughter Park is perfect for fans of Jane Austen and cozy mysteries.

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While this work functions as a fictional extension of Jane Austen's work Pride and Prejudice, the characters in "Manslaughter Park" don't compliment the setting. A lot of scenes were rushed, scenes that are vital in terms of discovering character motives and beliefs. The main character was very hard to relate to; it was hard to like her personality because she was so stiff to me. Also, why is she in love with her cousin? Although not biological, why was it necessary to tie the characters in such manner in a FICTIONAL book. This entire story is made up, why was it made up with incest subtext. The mystery plot aspect was entertaining enough to keep reading. The reveal was a little bit underwhelming. The flow of the reading was enjoyable in terms of no major plot holes and confusion.