This is the second book in the Jane Austen Investigates series and I have to admit, the series keeps improving. I thoroughly enjoyed this out for Jane and was gripped by the mystery.

Jane and her sister travel to their old boarding school in Reading where something is amiss. Jane meets some old friends from her previous adventure and makes some new ones too. However, jewellery goes missing and an innocent boy needs his name clearing.

It’s not until half way through that a necklace goes missing but the way Golding spun the story up to that point didn’t make it feel like it was dragging. I was impressed by the storytelling. I do hope Golding continues these stories as they are fun little historical mysteries that you cannot helpbutenjoy.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

I know that this book was for children that I have to say I really enjoyed it. The writing was spectacular.

I dropped everything to read this and was not disappointed - absolutely loved this next instalment in Golding's fantastic 'Jane Austen Investigates' series, and would give it more than five stars if possible!

A smashing mystery surrounding the burglary of a jewel necklace, Jane is detective once more and this time she's got her sister Cassandra by her side. Together, and with the help of new friends and old, the sisters set out to clear the name of the wrongfully accused and capture the real culprit all before it's too late!

A cracking new detective series for MG readers - pacy, full of wit, and brimming with sneaky Austen references (I'm off to re-read 'Sense & Sensibility' right now - wink wink!). Another brilliant addition to the world of Austen and a portrait of Jane I think she herself would be proud of.

Perfect for fans of Robin Stevens Murder Most Unladylike series and Katherine Woodfine's Sinclair's Mysteries.

Jane Austen Investigates: The Burglar’s Ball is the second book in the Jane Austen Investigates series, which manages to retain all the charm and intrigue of its predecessor.

When Jane and her sister are invited to an end of term ball at their previous school, the last thing Jane expects is to find herself solving yet another mystery. Can she find the culprit and clear the name of her friend, or is she barking up the wrong tree again?

I thoroughly enjoyed this witty and playful read. I particularly enjoyed Jane’s scathing commentary on the social norms of the time. I will definitely add this series to my classroom bookshelf as it offers something totally different to anything I’ve read before in children’s literature. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

4 Stars

Jane Austen is back at sleuthing, and this time it’s at the school’s ball. When the headmistress invites Cassandra, Jane’s elder sister, to join the ball at the end of the term, Jane has no option but to go along. Cassandra is excited, and why not? She’s the headmistress's favorite and can dance like a graceful swan.
Jane, well, she is more content being at home and stealing sugar plums, reading, and writing. Of course, a mystery or two wouldn’t hurt. Luckily for Jane, though unlucky for a few others, the diamond necklace of a wealthy would-be pupil gets stolen during the ball.
When the girl’s father, a collector who returned from India, blames Brandon (the dance master’s employee and an African boy), Jane takes up the task of finding the actual thief. What she unearths could cause a problem to a lot of people. When did that stop Jane, though?
I’ve recently read the first book in the series, so picking this up was inevitable. The story moves better in this one. There is enough focus on the mystery, and everything around more or less is connected to the case in some way.
Arjun and Deepti from book one are seen again and have a role to play in helping Jane. What I like the most is the author’s way of showing the other side of the story. Many historical works use the British version where India is nothing more than an ‘exotic’ land with people who need to be ruled.
The author uses Jane’s character to question and think about how the Indians feel about being ruled by a foreign company that was only supposed to do business with the locals. African slavery has been touched in this book. Not much, but enough to push the young readers to do their research and find out more.
That said, the book also reminds of me a post I read on Instagram. It was about the white-savorism theme in books. I wouldn't classify this one entirely in that genre, but there's no denying that Jane is the one who solves the crimes and saves the innocent. Even when the accused do their bit to help Jane, they still end up being thankful to Jane.
This isn't a criticism per se, but something the author could think about when plotting the next book in the series. I'm starting to have high expectations from her.
Jane’s creative letters are another plus point of the book. Though I confess that when Jane is busy solving the mysteries, I end up imagining a younger version of Agatha Christie. Can’t help it. They are both my favorite authors.
The mystery isn’t complex or confusing. Most readers will figure it out before Jane. That should be fun for middle graders who like to sleuth.
To sum up, The Burglar’s Ball is better than book one in the series and can be read as a standalone (for the mystery). It’s cute, light, and engaging.
Thank you, NetGalley and Lion Hudson Ltd, for the ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this eArc!

I didn’t realise when I read this that this is the 2nd book in a series- however I still enjoyed it!! I will definitely be re reading this and actually starting from the beginning!

Well, this was just as captivating as the first book if not more, and I am now officially in love with Jane's writing style!!!
I completely loved it!
Plot- 5 stars
Cover- 5 stars
Overall 5 stars!!!!!!!!

This is a series of young Jane Austen having adventures in England and solving mysteries. I haven't read the first book, this is the second book in the series. It is very easy to read and probably the bits that irritated me and caused the rating to go down from 4 to 3 don't bother most other people.

I was firstly enchanted by the Regency style of writing. Then I was appalled by the very modern attitude of meanness being equated with cleverness.

The main character is what? 13-14? Practically still a child. Yet she looks at the world and the people in it as if she was a middle aged spinster who thinks she's better than everyone else. She seems to find fault in everyone.

The headmistress has a wooden leg - or a cork leg - and she "hops" when she walks. This detail is referred to several times. Seems a bit mean.

A girl is described as "she should have been a beauty but there was something lacking in her expression for Jane. She appeared too placid and without the energy that was needed to animate her features."

There is an effort to put in more diversity in Jane Austen's novels... and even though that is quite as it should by modern standards, it shows a deafness to the manners of the regency era. I wish the author had invented her own characters and not ridden on Jane Austen's name, because there's not much of Jane Austen in this book. It reminds me of Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot. It would have been more enjoyable, had it not been a regency historical, but regency fantasy.

This was a fun book full of spunky characters and clever mysteries. I enjoyed seeing previous characters for the Abbey Mystery and getting a better conclusion. I loved that you also got to see Jane's relationship with her sister easier. Would definitely recommend for any tween reader!!

Wow! This book is phenomenal! It is witty, intriguing, quick-paced, moving, entertaining, and so much more! Whenever I picked up "Jane Austen Investigates: The Burglar's Ball", I was whisked back in time to the Georgian Era, put on my sleuthing hat, and went on quite the detective adventure with this story!

This is the second book in Julia Golding's "Jane Austen Investigates" series, and I hope there will be many more, as this series is simply delightful! Ms. Golding's writing style is fun, heartfelt, full of poignant messages, and, as the reader, I am truly hooked from the first moment to the last. Each and every element of her story springs to life right off of the page; from the various locations, to the characters, to the various plot elements, as well as the mystery itself. She brilliantly weaves in various clues throughout the book, and I found myself trying to solve the mystery right along with the characters.

Jane is such a kind-hearted, smart, intelligent, witty, and spunky young girl who is unafraid to stand up for what she believes to be right! When Jane's sister Cassandra is invited back to her old school to be a part of a ball, Jane goes with her. There, they meet siblings Edward, Elinor and Marianne Warren, a girl named Lucy (a relation of the Warrens), dancing instructor Mr. Willoughby, as well as see their old headmistress again. The night of the ball, a diamond necklace is stolen, and an innocent young man named Brandon is blamed simply because of his skin color. Jane stands up for him (as she should!), and decides then and there that she will find out what really happened to the diamonds so her friend is not punished. With Deepti and Arjun on her side, Jane begins to follow a trail of clues that lead in an unexpected direction. Is the theft connected to other thefts that have been going on in town? Is not everything as it seems? Do others know more than what they are letting on? You will just have to read to find out!

I adore so many of the characters in this book! Many of my favorite characters from the first book are present including Jane, Cassandra, Deepti, Arjun, and Grandison, and I loved seeing them again! One of my new favorites is Brandon! I hope we see them again in future books!

I absolutely loved reading the many nods to Jane Austen's novel "Sense and Sensibility", including a moment where young Jane promises she will one day write something about a specific character (no spoilers here.). While you do not have to be familiar with that story to enjoy this book, I had so much fun catching all of these!

If you enjoy anything related to Jane Austen, I highly recommend this book! I read it pretty much in one day as I absolutely could not put it down! I am so, so hoping there will be many more books in this incredible series!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lion Hudson Ltd for the ARC of this book, it is incredible! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The headmistress of an exclusive girls boarding school invites Cassandra Austen, a favorite former pupil to the end of the year ball and Cassandra brings her younger sister Jane along – much to the chagrin of the headmistress. At the ball a diamond necklace is stolen and Jane’s new friend, Brandon is accused – based solely on circumstantial evidence because of his race. Jane puts her investigative skills to work to find the real perpetrator and exonerate Brandon. This is a fun middle grade mystery that will appeal to fans of Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and other similar mystery series. Readers may figure it out before Jane does, but this in no way detracts from the story. In fact it might make readers enjoy it more as they congratulate themselves on their own detective skills. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher, Lion Hudson Limited, for giving me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to be automatically approved for the second one in the Jane Austen Investigates series as I absolutely loved loved loved the first one! So thank you to the author and publisher very much!

Cozy mysteries/Murder mysteries are one of my all time favourite genres, and Jane Austen who is one of the most influential authors of classic literature and who has wrote many books I absolutely adore I knew the whole plot of Jane being a bit of a sleuth would be an incredible idea for a novel and I was not wrong. I enjoyed this just as much as the first book and really hope there’s more to come!

Jane Austen Investigates has quickly become one of my favorite middle grade mystery series!

Growing up as an inquisitive tomboy in a time when girls were only allowed to be feminine she pushes against the societal norms. Her inquisitive nature has her stumbling into and eventually solving mysteries as she goes.

"The Burglar's Ball" is a delightful mystery set in 1789 in England with a 13-year-old Jane Austen as the amateur detective. I would've loved her as a kid, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story as an adult, too. Jane used modern wording and was a realistic 13-year-old girl, so younger readers will feel at home with her. She's spunky, determined, loyal, and has a sense of humor. This book is the second in a series, but it can be read as a stand-alone and didn't spoil the previous mystery.

The mystery was clue-based, and whodunit was guessable from the clues. Jane made good friends that helped her to accomplish her goal of proving who was at fault rather than the foreign, young man who was blamed. She had good ideas about where to look, what questions to ask, and what was going on. The historical details about manners and customs were deftly woven into the story, were briefly explained when needed, and didn't slow down the pacing. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable historical mystery.

Jane Austen Investigates The Burglar's Ball: Spoiler Free Review!
Hello there, and welcome back to That Introvert Reader! Today, I bring you a spoiler free review of Jane Austen Investigates Book Two! Exciting, right?
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(this was so exciting for me)

Thank you to the publisher, Lion Hudson; The author, Julia Golding; and NetGalley for approaching me to read and review this ARC. It was amazing.

First of all, if you haven't read it, here's the link to my review of the first Jane Austen Investigates, here- Jane Austen Investigates The Abbey Mystery: Spoiler Free Review
Here's a quick summary:

After the events at the Abbey (honestly I cannot remember everything that happened there just click the link my dude), Jane's older sister has received yet another invitation- to a ball at their old school. Obviously, Cassandra insists that Jane goes with her. At the school, they reunite with old friends and make new ones. Things are going spiffingly for Jane and Cassandra- until a thief strikes.

On the night of the ball, a diamond necklace is stolen from a locked room. Brandon, a former slave and Jane's friend, is immediately blamed, and Jane is thrown into a race to prove Brandon's innocence and find the real thief.

Book Two is infinitely better than the first. Jane is still not like other girls, and her dog is still insufferable (please let him die in the next book please I'm begging you Julia Golding I know it's cruel but I hate him so bad), but oh my god, this was really good.

Sparkling with Jane's witty comments and characters as real as I am, this was inspired by Sense and Sensibility (by Austen herself) and was, in short, a delight to read. I genuinely had a lot of fun reading this. (and I was sick and grumpy!)

Unlike a lot of historical authors, Julia Golding has made a point of including people of colour in her historical fiction, where a lot of authors have just said "well, they were slaves/colonised/were being mistreated at the time so they aren't relevant" and that is not the case here.

So yeah I'm very happy.

Another thing I'm happy with is Cassandra's development. *slurps obnoxiously on bubble tea* In this book, she had more of a role. It was still a main point that Cassandra was...how do I put this? Very interested in romance and young men. Yeah. Let's say it like that. Anyway, that was still there, but she and Jane have more of a relationship, and if I remember correctly, Cassandra actually gets involved with some sleuthing too at some point?

Also. DEEPTI. SHE IS SO MUCH BETTER IN THIS BOOK. She and her father, Arjun, have opened a bakery, and I am kind of desperate to go to this bakery, because it sounds so nice, but anyway. She and Jane are proper friends now, which I didn't see so much of in the first book. I was so happy to see that. So so happy.

My favourite character from the last book, Luke, never made a reappearance, but that's ok because he has been replaced by Deepti.

You know what? For a middle grade novel, which normally I will say "yeah alright that's pretty good" and poke at it a bit, but I genuinely enjoyed this. Enough to go and reread. It's a five star rating from me. :)

There is a lot I have to say. I do. *bangs head to music* but I can't remember a lot of them because I should have been sleeping when I drafted this review. (it was also a mental draft of this review)

Anyway, final conclusion.

- This was a dazzling addition to the series, and I am so thankful I got a chance to read it

- Definitely better than the first book

- Nothing would make me happier right now than the announcement of a third book

What a fab Book #2 in the Jane Austen Investigates series! I loved it even more than the first. Here, a young Jane works to catch a diamond thief at a famed ball. The twists and turns, the finely tuned characters, especially sharp-minded inquisitive Jane herself, and the nod to “Sense and Sensibility” make for a delightful read. I look forward to many more installments in this charming series, described as “perfect for readers 9 to 109.”

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 22 Oct 2021
#JaneAustenInvestigatesTheBurglarsBall #NetGalley

Thanks to the author, Lion Hudson Ltd, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

Jane Austen the detective is back and she doesn't miss a beat! I really love this adaption of Jane Austen. This time Jane is invited to a ball at a fancy school! The school is throwing the ball to try to earn money to keep the school afloat. During the ball a necklace is stolen and Jane must work with her new friend Brandon to help solve the mystery. These stories are an absolute blast. I fly through them. I love how quick witted and fun Jane is through out these stories. This is probably one of my favorite adaptions of Jane Austen in a very long time!