Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron (Jane Austen Mysteries, #10)
by Stephanie Barron

4 out of 5 stars

Following the death of her sister-in-law, Eliza, Jane Austen and her bereaved brother Henry spend two weeks at Brighton for their health. As soon as they arrive, they discover a young lady kidnapped and tied up in Lord Byron’s carriage! They free the young lady and restore her to her father, who accuses her of purposefully running away with the romantic Lord Byron. A few days later, the poor girl is found murdered, and Jane suspects that Byron could be the culprit. Every woman who meets Byron feels his magnetic charm, and even Jane herself is not immune. He is wild and arrogant, but is he a murderer?

I liked this murder mystery, and the history behind it. There is quite a lot of real history woven into the story with Jane’s family and her acquaintances, but of course the murder mystery and Jane’s involvement in the investigation are entirely fictional.

I enjoyed seeing more of Jane’s brother Henry and their sibling relationship. It was lovely to see how Jane cares so much for her family, and how Henry respects and values Jane and her keen mind.

I love the formal writing style that mimics the Regency era language. The dialogue is fairly close to what a real conversation might have been like in that time period. It really immerses you in the history.