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Item Barcode | Collection | Call Number | Status | Item Holds |
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| 33607002288309 | Adult Fiction | KIELY | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
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Summary
Summary
A die-hard fan of Jane Austen novels and the traditional English mystery, Tracy Kiely has combined elements of both for this truly delightful and witty debut.
Planning New Year's resolutions to rid her life of all things unhealthy, Elizabeth Parker has dumped fatty foods, processed sugar, and her two-timing boyfriend. Indeed, the invitation to join her Aunt Winnie for a How to Host a Murder Party on New Year's Eve at Winnie's new Cape Cod B and B comes just in time. But when the local wealthy miser ends up the unscripted victim, Elizabeth must unearth old secrets and new motives in order to clear her beloved aunt ofsuspicion. The suspects include the town gossip, a haughty rich woman, and an antiques business owner much enamored of his benefactress, a Mrs. Kristell Dubois. If that isn't bad enough, Elizabeth must also contend with her childhood nemesis, Peter McGowan---a man she suspects has only matured in chronological years---and her suspicions about his family's interest in Winnie's inn.
Yesterday, her only worry was of ever finding her Mr. Darcy. Now she has a murder to solve. Is it any wonder her resolution to achieve inner poise is in tatters?
By reimagining characters and themes lifted from the treasured classic Pride and Prejudice , and crafting an expert, intricate mystery, Tracy Kiely has brought to life something very special: a new cozy series that is clever, vibrant, and utterly disarming.
Author Notes
Tracy Kiely graduated from Trinity College withnbsp;a B.A. in English. She lives with her husband and three children in Severna Park, Maryland. This is her first novel.
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Jane Austen fans will welcome Kiely's spirited debut, a contemporary cozy that introduces Elizabeth Parker, a fact-checker for a D.C.-area newspaper who's struggling to lead a healthier lifestyle. Elizabeth resolves to give up fatty foods, along with her two-timing lobbyist beau, before leaving northern Virginia for a restorative New Year's Eve at her great-aunt Winnie's bed-and-breakfast on Cape Cod. In tribute to Jane Austen, Winnie has named the property the Inn at Longbourn (Longbourn being the name of the Bennet family's residence in Pride and Prejudice). There Elizabeth encounters dashing, Darcyesque Peter McGowan, her childhood antagonist; a Clue-worthy clutch of guests gathered for Winnie's gala murder mystery fete; and then-you guessed it-an actual murder. That, and an abundance of clam chowder, are among the few predictable elements of an engaging adventure that will hopefully be but the first of many. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Library Journal Review
Desperate to escape her well-meaning family after a breakup, Elizabeth Parker accepts an invitation to a New Year's Eve murder party at her aunt's Cape Cod bed-and-breakfast, the Inn at Longbourn-one of several Jane Austen references that pepper this debut novel. Elizabeth soon learns that her aunt's invitation is an attempt to reunite her with a childhood foe. But he turns out to be the least of Elizabeth's problems when the wealthiest and most hated man in town turns up dead. With suspicion falling on her aunt, the hapless Elizabeth begins her own investigation. While sticking to the conventional cozy mystery plot, this fast read is more chick lit, featuring a love-seeking twenty-something heroine, self-deprecating humor, and pop culture references. Verdict Jane Austen fans and modern cozy mystery readers will appreciate Kiely's debut. Best for those who enjoy Susan Kandel's Cece Caruso and Laura Levine's Jaine Austen series. [Minotaur First Selection; library marketing campaign.]-Suzie Remilien, Long Island Univ. Brooklyn Lib., NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.