Crime & Culpability - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to allow Elizabeth Gilliland to take over Cozy Up With Kathy today. Elizabeth is the editor and one of the authors contributing to the anthology CRIME AND CULPABILITY that was released earlier this month.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if some of your favorite characters from different books were put into the same room and had to have a conversation with each other?

That’s one of the main reasons I wanted to write my cozy mystery series, The Austen University Mysteries, featuring many of the characters from Jane Austen’s novels, put together in one modern-day university setting, with a healthy dash of mystery added in.

Yes, I love seeing how Catherine Morland might go about solving a murder (if she were obsessed with murder podcasts instead of Gothic novels) or how Emma Woodhouse might react if she were accused of a crime. I really enjoyed figuring out what might make Darcy confess to a crime that he might not have committed.

But the parts of the story I almost always enjoy the most is when two characters who wouldn’t otherwise meet (since they, you know, belong to separate novels) are suddenly forced to interact with each other. Who will get along? Who will loathe each other at first sight?

In The One Vs. The Many: Minor Characters and the Space of the Protagonist in the Novel, Alex Woloch talks about how minor characters are only minor because they’ve been edged out of the novel by the space taken up by the protagonist. If we were to give them more attention, we might discover all kinds of hidden lives and details that are never hinted at in the narrative, simply because there isn’t room for them to be as three-dimensional as the main character.

I’m not the first one to explore this idea in fiction, of course. There are so many novels written about Austen’s minor characters, and even other series like mine where the characters cross over into each other’s stories. The 2015 BBC series Dickensian features characters from Dickens’s universe overlapping with each other, and the YouTube series Edgar Allan Poe’s Murder Mystery Dinner Party features characters and authors across time interacting with each other. (That one is really fun! I highly recommend.)

Even though I wasn’t the first to have this idea, I knew it was going to be an integral part of my series. I love “straight” adaptations of classic texts as much as anyone, but I thought there might be more for me to say by mixing up the plot lines and characters. How much of our behavior depends on who we’re interacting with? How might characters behave differently depending on who they’re juxtaposed with in the story? How do things change when minor characters get to step into the spotlight? How might they surprise us?

For my short story for the Jane Austen mystery anthology, Crime & Culpability, I decided to throw together a rather unlikely pairing from Austen’s novels: Walter Eliot from PERSUASION and Lady Susan from LADY SUSAN. In some ways, these characters have a lot in common—they’re both vain social climbers who have some major main character syndrome. But they have one very key difference—one is an incompetent nincompoop, and the other one is Lady Susan.

Poor Walter. He has no idea what’s coming for him…

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To see how Walter’s and Susan’s story turns out, check out my short story, “The Beginning and the End,” in Crime and Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology, available in ebook, paperback, and on Kindle Unlimited.

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Review

CRIME & CULPABILITY: A JANE AUSTEN MYSTERY ANTHOLOGY

Edited by Elizabeth Gilliland Rands

 

CRIME & CULPABILITY is an anthology of seven short stories inspired by the works of Jane Austen. Some are set in the time period in which she wrote, others brought into the modern world. The informative forward and introduction illustrate the myriad ways authors and filmmakers have used Jane Austen's work, either as adaptations or a jumping point to an original story, showing the timelessness of the originals.

 

Readers don't have to know anything about Jane Austen or her characters to appreciate the stories here, however, a basic knowledge of her works will increase your enjoyment. The main issue I had was that more than one story ended without a proper resolution. Though not necessarily a cliffhanger, there were too many loose ends. One author actually acknowledged that fact and apologized for leaving her short as she did. Fortunately, she plans on writing another piece addressing these unanswered questions.

My favorite stories included Order and Disorder, partially due to my knowledge of the characters, Death at the Races, a fun story with a tinge of romance, and the atmospheric Shadows at Northanger, despite my unanswered questions.

CRIME & CULPABILITY: A JANE AUSTEN MYSTERY ANTHOLOGY is a delightful set of short stories that proves once again the influence and permanence of wonderful characters written over two hundred years ago.

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Crime & Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology by Regina Jeffers, Riana Everly, Jeanette Watts, Michael Rands, Linne Elizabeth, Emma Dalgety, and Elizabeth Gilliland

About Crime & Culpability

Crime & Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology
Cozy Mystery Anthology
Settings - (Regency England, modern-day America)
Publisher: ‎ Bayou Wolf Press (September 10, 2024)
Print length: ‎ 176 pages

"No one can withstand the charm of such a mystery." - Jane Austen, Persuasion

Jane Austen mysteries have become a popular subgenre of Austen variations, but this is more than just a trend. Austen was a masterful storyteller who embedded clues within her stories for her readers to follow, inviting readers to read between the lines and "gather the evidence" to follow her intricate plotlines.

In this anthology, various authors who are also fans and admirers of Austen's work have taken the challenge to add some mystery to Austen's stories and characters. From Regency sequels to film noir retellings to cozy art heists, Crime and Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology explores the many faces of Austen and all of her enigmas.

Featuring stories by Regina Jeffers, Riana Everly, Jeanette Watts, Michael Rands, Linne Elizabeth, Emma Dalgety, and Elizabeth Gilliland, with a foreword by Regina Jeffers and an introduction by Elizabeth Gilliland Rands.

About the Authors

Elizabeth Gilliland: Elizabeth Gilliland is the author of the Austen University Mysteries series, including What Happened on Box Hill, The Portraits of Pemberley, and two prequel novellas, Dear Prudent Elinor and Sly Jane Fairfax. (Look out for book three sometime next year!) She has written and presented at various academic confer‐ ences on Jane Austen and wrote her dissertation on Jane Austen adaptations, dedicating herself to watch the lake dive scene as many times as necessary for scholarly pursuit. She also writes Gothic horror as E. Gilliland and romance as Lissa Sharpe, and she is the co-founder of Bayou Wolf Press.

Author Links Website: www.bayouwolfpress.com  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/egilliland 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id= 100094046020056  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/ 21986541.Elizabeth_Gilliland  

Blog: https://lissag7.medium.com/  

Newsletter: Signup form at https://www.bayouwolfpress.com/  

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B09L HV8VKV?ingress=0&visitId=00a42e2f-c711-4615-a050- 9d2250f9f124&ref_=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1

Website - https://www.bayouwolfpress.com/

Twitter - https://x.com/BayouWolf3

 

Regina Jeffers - Regina Jeffers writes books about corsets, rakes, daring heroines, dashing heroes and all aspects of the Georgian/Regency era. She is an award winning author of cozy mysteries, historical romantic suspense, and Austenesque vagaries. Jeffers has been a Smithsonian presenter and Martha Holden Jennings Scholar, as well as having her tales honored by, among others, the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, the Frank Yerby Award for Fiction, the International Digital Awards, and the Chanticleer International Book Award.

Author Links: Every Woman Dreams (Blog) https://reginajeffers. wordpress.com  

Always Austen (Group Blog) https://alwaysausten.com/ 

 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Regina-Jeffers-AuthorPage-141407102548455/?fref=ts  

Twitter https://twitter.com/reginajeffers  

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Regina-Jeffers/ e/B008G0UI0I/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1479079637&sr=8-1  

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/jeffers0306/  

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/regina-jeffers  

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/darcy4ever/  

You Tube Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= vzgjdUigkkU  

Regina Jeffers Website https://rjefferscom.wordpress.com/

 

Riana Everly: Riana Everly is an award-winning Canadian author of Austenesque fiction, both Regency and contemporary. Her historical mystery series, Miss Mary Investigates, has quickly become a favourite of Jane Austen fans and cosy mystery fans alike. Trained as a classical musician, she also has advanced degrees in Medieval Studies, and pretended to be an academic before discovering that fiction doesn’t need footnotes. She loves travelling, cooking her way around the world, playing with photography, and discussing obscure details with her husband and children. Possibly in Latin. She can be found in the usual places and loves connecting with readers, so please give her a shout!

Author Links: Newsletter: https://form.jotform.com/80367829232259  

Website: rianaeverly.com  

Facebook: facebook.com/RianaEverly 

 Instagram: instagram.com/RianaEverly  

Amazon: amazon.com/Riana-Everly/e/B076C6HY27

 

Jeanette Watts: Jeanette Watts is a dance instructor, writer, seamstress, actress, and very, very poor housekeeper. With books on historical fiction, modern romantic comedy, LGBTQ romance, Jane Austen-inspired stories, and she is contemplating writing steamier works, what do all these genres have in common? Jeanette writes about people with a secret. Secrets are fun. Keep up with the various parts of Jeanette's brain at her YouTube Channel, “History is My Playground,” and her webpages, Jeanette‐ Watts.squarespace.com and DancingThruHistory.com.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanettewattsauthor/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeanetteWattsAuthor/  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeanetteAWatts  

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanette-watts3b212228/  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UClz5LwyUEhPYhBS6piNpBqQ  

Website 1: https://jeanettewatts.squarespace.com/  

Website 2: https://www.dancingthruhistory.com/ 

 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6967936.  

Jeanette_Watts Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/ Jeanette-A-Watts/author/B00ICRA7JC?ref=ap_rdr&isDramInte grated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

 

Michael Rands: Michael Rands is the author of the novels The Chapel St. Perilous and Praise Routine Number Four, co-author of the economic satire The Yamaguchi Manuscripts, and Kamikaze Economics (a story of modern Japan). He’s co-author of the humorous dictionary Stay Away from Mthatha. He co-created the audio drama The Crystal Set and co- hosted the podcast Detours Ahead. In South Africa he worked in television as a writer, director and producer. He taught English in Japan. He holds an MFA from Louisiana State University, and currently teaches English and Creative Writing at the college level. He is the co-founder of Bayou Wolf Press. He lives with his wife, son, and labrador, in Alabama. His new novel, When the Witch Calls, comes out in November 2024.

Author Links:  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.rands.14  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikerands  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelrands/?hl=en  

Blog: https://medium.com/@notmikerands

 

Linné Elizabeth: Linné Elizabeth is an English instructor at Utah Tech University, a freelance content writer, and an award-winning author. When she's not devouring chocolate while nose-deep in a book, you can find her playing in the russet desert of southern Utah with her four incredible - sometimes feral - kids and her handsome husband. Check her out on Instagram: @library4one or on Facebook: @linneelizabeth

Author Links: 

Website: https://sites.google.com/asu.edu/ linnemarshportfolio/home  

Instagram: @Library4One 

 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ linneelizabethmarsh/  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LinneElizabeth  

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/linneelizabeth.wordpress.com  

Emma Dalgety: Emma Dalgety grew up in Mobile, Alabama. She received a BA in Music and English from the University of Mobile in 2023. As a musi‐ cian and a writer, she has performed violin across the Southeast and internationally, finding creative inspiration and filling notebooks with story fragments throughout her travels. When she isn't writing, she is researching interdisciplinary connections in literature as she works towards an MA in English, or teaching music lessons in her private studio. Purchase Link - Amazon  

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The Portraints of Pemberly - A Guest Post, Review, & Giveaway

Karoline Bingley has decided to take over Cozy Up With Kathy today. When not commandeering other people's blogs, you can find Karoline on the pages of the Austen University Mystery series. THE PORTRAITS OF PEMBERLY is the second book in the series and was released this week!

To: lbennet@au.edu

From: kbingley@au.edu

Subject: Free Darcy!

Lizzy - since we’ve agreed to team up to clear Darcy’s name, I thought you might start by posting something in that little school paper of yours. I know no one actually reads it most of the time, but maybe if I post it on my socials, too, it might stand a chance of being seen.

I’ve taken the liberty of putting together the article since, let’s face it, your newspaper is usually a snoozefest.

***

Stop the presses! (That’s what you people say, right?) It has come to our attention that there has been an EGREGIOUS error that must be corrected immediately. Fo-Hian Darcy has been accused of assaulting George Wickham and will lose his place at Austen University if we don’t rally the troops!

Darcy obviously didn’t do it. OBVIOUSLY. First of all, Darcy’s super rich. You think he would assault someone on his own? With that kind of money? He would definitely hire someone to do it, not do it himself. And did anyone see a paid thug running away from the scene of the crime? No. Therefore, it wasn’t him!

Second of all, Darcy might not like Wickham, but Wickham is so far below him on the social ladder that it doesn’t make sense for him to actually DO something about it. It would be like if a thoroughbred horse decided it didn’t like a fly that kept buzzing around it. Well, duh, but the horse isn’t going to beat the fly up, strip it naked, and tie it up on campus. That’s SO much effort just to get rid of a little fly.

Third of all, I’m sorry, I just can’t imagine it. Darcy’s, like, cultured. He reads the news and watches documentaries, FOR FUN. That is not the kind of man who goes around tying up people naked.

I rest my case, your honor. Now it’s time for the people to demand justice! We will not rest until Darcy’s free! (Metaphorically. He’s not, like, in jail or anything.)

For more details on this fascinating unraveling case, follow me on TikTok- @KweenKaroline  

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Review

THE PORTRAITS OF PEMBERLY by Elizabeth Gilliland

The Second Austen University Mystery

 

It may have been poetic justice that George Wickham was found tied up, spread eagle, and completely naked on the campus square, but his comeuppance comes at a cost. Lizzy Bennett is threatened with expulsion if she doesn't find out who assaulted Wickham and then Darcy confesses to the crime. Believing him to be innocent, Lizzie and members of the Austen Murder Club will try to uncover the real culprit before Darcy's untimely exit from Austen University.

The second Austen University Mystery once again transports and updates the characters of Jane Austen's novels placing them in a modern Louisiana University. You don't need to be familiar with these characters in order to enjoy the current mystery, but the more you know about them, the greater appreciation you'll have. After a congenial meeting between Lizzie and a sexy TA, he revealed his name, which may have led me to gasp in horror.

 

I really enjoyed this re-imagination of these famous characters. The mystery was intriguing, as well as everyone's actions and reactions to things going on. I liked how the unlikable Karoline Bingley became almost a good guy while other baddies remain just as despicable. 

The one thing I didn't care for was the timeline. The story started after "the incident", then it went to a time before the incident. Time seemed to go back and forth and although chapters were labeled it caused for some confusion.

With great character dynamics, foes learning to work together, and the realization that first impressions are not always correct, THE PORTRAITS OF PEMBERLY is a fun read for everyone, not just Jane Austen fans.

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The Portraits of Pemberley (Austen University Mysteries) by Elizabeth Gilliland

About The Portraits of Pemberley

The Portraits of Pemberley (Austen University Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - Louisiana
Bayou Wolf Press (July 5, 2023)
Number of Pages - 285

After George Wickham is found tied up, naked, on the Austen University Campus Square, President de Bourgh gives student journalist Lizzy Bennet an ultimatum: Find out who committed the crime, or be expelled from the school. Lizzy must team up with some old friends (like the Austen Murder Club) and some new (like...Karoline Bingley?) to get to the bottom of the truth.

Complicating matters is the fact that the prime suspect is Fo-Hian Darcy. Darcy and Lizzy have a messy history, but even so, Lizzy just can't accept that Darcy committed the crime. An anonymous whistleblower tips off Lizzy about a secret website called the Portraits of Pemberley that may help her get to the bottom of the mystery--but discovering the truth about who's involved may very well challenge everything that Lizzy believes.

The Portraits of Pemberley is Book 2 of the Austen University Mysteries series but can be read as a standalone novel. It combines plot points of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice with Sense and Sensibility (and characters from all of Austen's novels) in a modern-university setting, with mysteries.

About Elizabeth Gilliland

Elizabeth Gilliland is a writer, Dr., wife, mom, and lifelong Jane Austen fan. She is a playwright (whose plays have appeared off-off Broadway), a screenwriter (with a master's in screenwriting and production), an academic (with a PhD and a dissertation on Jane Austen adaptations), and now a published author! When she isn't writing or grading papers, she is most likely reading a good book, binge watching the latest hit, working on a puzzle, or hanging with her cute kid.

Author Links: 

Blog - https://medium.com/@lissag7  

Twitter: @egilliland7 – https://twitter.com/egilliland7  

Publisher Website: www.bayouwolfpress.com  

Purchase Link - Amazon

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What Happened on Box Hill - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Elizabeth Gilliland to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Elizabeth pens the Austen University Mystery series. WHAT HAPPENED ON BOX HILL is the first book in the series and was released last week. 

Kathy: WHAT HAPPENED ON BOX HILL brings the characters of Jane Austen into the present day. While the work of Jane Austen is just as relevant today as it was over 100 years ago, what made you decide to rejuvenate her characters?

EG: When I first started writing WHAT HAPPENED ON BOX HILL, I also happened to be writing my dissertation about Jane Austen adaptations, so the topic was on my mind. I am a big fan of Jane Austen, and I also grew up loving so many of the amazing adaptations that have been made–Clueless, Sense and Sensibility (1995), the Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice, etc. During my studies I found that a lot of fans, academics, and readers really seemed to resent some of the adaptations, but I always thought that anything that allowed me more time in the world of Austen was a good thing. When I thought about writing my own (then hypothetical) version, I knew it would have to be something I’d never seen before, and I love genre hybrids, so I thought why not really think outside the box? Part of what makes Austen brilliant is her adaptability into so many times, cultures, traditions, and genres, so I hope that this is a fitting tribute!

Kathy: Setting plays an important part in mysteries, why choose Louisanna, indeed a college in Louisiana, for the Austen University Mystery series?

EG: Part of the decision was purely practical–I was living in Louisiana at the time I began writing, going to school and teaching at LSU. It was a brand-new culture for me (I do NOT come from the South) and it just felt right. Even after moving to a different Southern state, I still felt like Louisiana had the best flair for this story. There is something really kind of fun and weird about Louisiana that fits the setting for a fun, weird murder mystery.

Kathy: There have been many adaptations of Jane Austen's novels, several set in the present day. My favorite is the film Bride and Prejudice. Do you have a favorite?

EG: I love Bride and Prejudice, too! It’s hard to choose just one, but I think my all-time favorite would have to be Clueless. It’s just such a smart adaptation and it has the most nostalgic value for me. A close runner up would be The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, which is really innovative and fun and isn’t afraid to take the story in new and unexpected directions.

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

EG: I kind of was a fan of cozy mysteries before I knew what they were. Growing up, I spent a lot of time at the local library and read pretty much anything I could get my hands on. I love lots of different genres, but some of the earliest books I remember really sticking with me (aside from Austen) were Mary Higgins Clark and Agatha Christie. Like I said before, I love genre hybrids and a cozy mystery is just the perfect blend of naughty and nice, funny and dark, to keep things interesting.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

EG: Yes - I pretty much write whatever I’m in the mood to read. In the past few years I’ve been doing a lot of literary retellings, but most are genre hybrids, ranging from romance to fairytale noir to space opera. This will be my first published novel, though, but hopefully some of those will be ready to see the light of day in the near future!


Kathy: Tell us about your series.  

EG: The Austen University Mysteries re-envisions the main characters from all of Jane Austen’s novels in one modern setting: Austen University, a small school in Louisiana.

The series will work both for fans of Austen and those unfamiliar with her work; the novels contain unique, individual stories that you can follow even if you’ve never read Austen (I’ve had beta readers verify this!) but also pay homage to major plot points and characters that Austen fans will recognize.


Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

EG: Hmmm… that’s really difficult, because I truly have grown to love them all. Maybe Tilney, because he was probably the character who most consistently refused to stick to what he was supposed to do.


Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

EG: Aside from Austen, I wanted the book to really pay tribute to Agatha Christie and true crime podcasts, and to have the feeling of Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do” lyric video (found here). Also, the series came out after I’d finished writing the book, but the tone of Only Murders in the Building is very similar to what I was hoping to accomplish.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

EG: My husband was actually very much a driving force, both in encouraging me to write the novel in the first place (I thought I was just having fun daydreaming, but he told me I should actually write it down) and in having the courage to start our own small press and publish. Without him I really don’t think I would have been brave enough to do it.


Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

EG: Ooh, good question. It will probably come as no surprise from my previous answers that Jane Austen and Agatha Christie would definitely be on the invite list. I would be very curious to meet Lord Byron, so we’ll make him the third. And because I love her and I think she would be as excited to meet Jane Austen as I would be, I’ll make Emma Thompson my fourth.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

EG: I’m reading John Green’s THE ANTHROPOCENE REVIEWED for a book club that I’m in. I don’t know if it’s a book I would have chosen for myself, but it’s really interesting!


Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

EG: I’ve gotten back into cross-stitching lately. I used to do it a lot when I was younger, fell out of it for a long time, and took it back up again (like everyone and their mother) during the early days of quarantine. It is incredibly relaxing and I’m glad it’s back in my life!


Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

EG: Cottage cheese, grapes, dark cocoa powder, and honey


Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

EG: There are two more books to follow soon in the Austen University series - next up will be THE PORTRAITS OF PEMBERLEY and the third and final will be LOVERS' VOWS.


Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

EG: So many things, but today something cool and new happened - I got to look my book up on Amazon and click through the ‘look inside’ preview. I’ve done that for a thousand other books before, but doing it for my own book, I had a weird lightbulb moment realizing, I’m publishing a book! I don’t know why, but that really made everything feel real!

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Review

WHAT HAPPENED ON BOX HILL by Elizabeth Gilliland
The First Austen University Mystery

Freshman Caty Morland is excited to be a student at Austen University pledging the Pi Kappa Sigma sorority. Although she's having some issues with her roommate, Isabella, Caty still considers the girl her bestie If only her brother wasn't such a jerk. When Isabella winds up dead, Caty is certain it's murder, not an accident, and is determined to investigate, just like the heroes on her favorite podcast. With some cute boys, some sorority house drama, and some mysterious goings on, Caty will have to keep her wits about her lest she meets an untimely end!

WHAT HAPPENED ON BOX HILL transforms Jane Austen's characters into university students in modern day Louisiana. While you don't have to be familiar with the original characters, basic knowledge does make this mystery even more fun. I love seeing the interplay of characters from different novels, though admittedly I really only know the PRIDE AND PREJUDICE gang.

I was never a part of sorority life, in fact my university didn't have Greek life at all, a fact for which I am extremely grateful. Indeed, modern day sororities and fraternities mirror the societal mores of Jane Austen's time. I think Jane would appreciate this aspect in particular. The timeline, going back and forth telling the story from before Isabella's death and Caty's investigation after, was a bit cumbersome, especially with all of the characters involved. I did like how Caty thought through her investigation, making plenty of mistakes and assumptions along the way. However, the idea that the local police were encouraging her was a bit unbelievable.

WHAT HAPPENED ON BOX HILL is a fun reimagining of Jane Austen characters in a thoroughly modern world.

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 What Happened on Box Hill: Austen University Mysteries by Elizabeth Gilliland

About What Happened on Box Hill

 

What Happened on Box Hill: Austen University Mysteries
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Louisianna
Bayou Wolf Press (February 1, 2022) 240 Pages

What would happen if you combined all of Jane Austen’s characters into one modern-day novel?

Murder, of course.

When Caty Morland’s roommate, Isabella, falls to her death on Initiation night, Austen University is quick to cover up the scandal and call it a tragic accident. But avid true-crime lover Caty remains convinced that Isabella didn’t fall; she was murdered. With the help of Pi Kappa Sigma President Emma Woodhouse, Caty organizes a dinner party with the most likely suspects, including familiar faces such as Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, Knightley, and Marianne Dashwood. The theme of the night is murder, and Caty has three courses to find out what happened to Isabella--and to try to keep the killer from striking again.

 

About Elizabeth Gilliland

Elizabeth Gilliland teaches English at the university level, putting as much Austen into her syllabi as she can get away with. In 2018, she completed her Ph.D. from Louisiana State University, where she wrote her dissertation on Jane Austen adaptations and fever-dreamed this series in a caffeine-induced haze. She is a proud member of the Jane Austen Society of North America, and excerpts of the Austen University series have won awards through JASNA and Jane Austen & Co/The Jane Austen Summer Program. She lives in Alabama with her husband and son.

Author Links: 

Twitter: @egilliland7 - https://twitter.com/egilliland7  

Website: www.bayouwolfpress.com  

Newsletter sign up: https://us20.list-manage.com/contact-form?u=67ebbfd39cb93640a7c460915&form_id=d60011269449aae841b84e9452193c5d  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21986541.Elizabeth_Gilliland  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bayou-Wolf-Press-108936207458522  

Purchase Link Amazon 

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Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading What Happened on Box Hill by Elizabeth Gilliland. This book is the first in the Austen University Mystery series and was released last week.

Freshman Caty Morland is excited to be a student at Austen University pledging the Pi Kappa Sigma sorority. Although she's having some issues with her roommate, Isabella, Caty still considers the girl her bestie If only her brother wasn't such a jerk. When Isabella winds up dead, Caty is certain it's murder, not an accident, and is determined to investigate, just like the heroes on her favorite podcast. With some cute boys, some sorority house drama, and some mysterious goings on, Caty will have to keep her wits about her lest she meets an untimely end!