Sense and Second-Degree Murder by Tirzah Price
Series: Jane Austen Murder Mystery, #2, #2
Published by HarperTeen on April 5, 2022
ISBN: 0062889834
Pages: 404
Genres: Mystery
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
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A retelling of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, casting the Dashwood sisters as an amateur chemist (Elinor) and an aspiring detective (Marianne), who team up to solve the mystery of their father’s murder. The Regency England setting is detailed, giving a vivid sense of place, and while the characters do more or less follow the personalities Austen created for them, there are moments where they take more modern path (setting off a smoke bomb, starting a brawl, getting shot, kissing suitors). If anything, these scenes create a bridge between the relatively tranquil novel of Austen’s era, and the action-packed fantasy novels devoured by audiences today.

The book is second in a series but can be read as a stand-alone. Having read Austen’s original work is not necessary – the characters do not depend on previous acquaintance to be understood – though readers who are familiar with the Dashwood sisters might find this alternate telling a little more amusing for having done so. Teens who enjoy twists on classics or historical mysteries will be fans.

Reviewed by Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library