I'd never read Sense & Sensibility, but I really loved this retelling! Is everything more fun with murder? Probably. Here we have the Dashwood sisters - fierce Marianne, the intelligent Elinor, and the intrepid Margaret - coping with the death of their father and sudden loss of fortune. I loved how resourceful the sisters were as they worked to solve the mysteries unfolding before them. Elinor was my personal favorite, just because I love a STEM angle in a book, but all of the ladies in these books are wonderful. I cannot WAIT to read Manslaughter Park!

*Thank you to TBR & Beyond Tours, HarperTeen, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

I loved the first book in this series, and I think I might have liked this one even more! It's the ultimate cozy mystery, with a historical twist and the Sense and Sensibility characters in a completely different scenario. Seriously, what could be better than that? The Dashwood sisters have such great energy, and the ways they work together to solve the mystery (while also having their moments of sisterly antagonism) felt super realistic. The mystery keeps twisting and turning, and just when you think you know what's going on, something new happens that makes you question it all over again.

I liked that the storyline included drug use, which was well documented at the time but doesn't get talked about a lot. It's relevant from both a historical and a contemporary perspective, and the author note at the end provides excellent context.

I also loved that one of the sisters was a scientist! Not only that, but she had to learn how to forge her own way in a society that was not supportive of women in that profession. The way she pursues her passion, despite the obstacles, is really inspiring and a great message for teens (in a way that won't feel preachy to them).

This is one of those YAs that could easily fit in on adult shelves too. It has something for everybody, and I highly recommend it.!

Sense and Sensibility is not one of my favorite Austen stories, so I went into this with relatively low expectations. Don't get me wrong, I was still excited because I love Austen retellings and saw a lot of hype about Pride and Premeditation which I still haven't gotten to read. But really, I just love variations on Austen's works and will read them all day every day. Seriously, slap the words "Jane Austen retelling" on anything, and it automatically pops up on my TBR.

Anyway, back to Sense and Second-Degree Murder. It was fine just...underwhelming, which is a weird thing to say because my only real expectations for it were "Jane Austen, but murder" and that's exactly what Price delivered. I think the best way I can describe it is that the whole book just felt a little incomplete. It's like we were given the bare bones of a story, but it wasn't fleshed out. I know there can be changes between an ARC and the final copy, but version I read felt more like an early draft than a book a few months away from publishing.

For whatever reason, I had a hard time getting into Sense and Second-Degree Murder. I found myself putting it down easily and couldn't bring myself to get emotionally invested in the story or characters no matter how much I wanted to be. It's a shame because the story definitely had promise; it just felt like we got a shallow reading of the story instead of the full thing. Don't get me wrong, the potential for greatness was there, and I caught glimmers of a story I could've enjoyed. I just...didn't.

I liked Price's take on Sense and Sensibility. The way she reinterpreted the financial ruin the Dashwood's endure after Mr. Dashwood's death made it more accessible to a contemporary audience but still felt relatively reasonable in the Regency world Price built. I actually love the idea of Elinor as an amateur home chemist and can totally see Marianne wanting to following in her detective father's footsteps.

The story itself was fine. I liked the Dashwood sisters well enough--little Margaret stole the show in my opinion--but just wish they'd been more developed. The characters all felt a bit superficial just because we didn't really spend enough time with anyone to really go beyond of the surface of who they were as characters. The book definitely leaned more towards the plot-driven side, which isn't necessarily a bad thing for a mystery, and I thought Price did a pretty good job staying in the storytelling pocket, so to speak, until the ending. I think she just got a little too ambitious with what she wanted to tackle, and the mystery started to feel a little convoluted. The story got to be too big for its breeches. It's not that I don't think the story could've worked as a whole, it just needed to be developed more. Some foreshadowing would've helped a lot.

This murder-laced Sense and Sensibility retelling stars two sisters with dreams beyond what society expects of women. Elinor wants to be a scientist, and Marianne plans to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a detective. When Elinor finds her father’s dead body in his office, the women of the Dashwood family are put in a precarious financial situation. But the sisters suspect foul play, and decide they must put their skills together to find out what happened.

I'm in wonder of the careful balance Tirzah Price strikes with these mysteries! They use just enough inspiration from the original text mixed with new twists, they address heavy issues in a thoughtful way while also feeling like a lighthearted mystery, and they keep the original spirit of Austen's characters while also making them feel feminist and relevant. The mystery plot is unpredictable and the dialogue is laugh-out-loud funny. I loved every page!

I really loved this book. It ticked so many of my boxes. I have been getting into regency romances and this book was a delight. I also love books that feature a mystery element with women at the heart of this read. This book also is a lose retelling of sense and sensilbity and was super focused on sisters realtionships. The twisty turny mystery was super complicted and dealt with harder and bigger topcis but focsued on justice for their dad death. It was a super quick read and you do get nods to the first book in this mini series. If you have read the rouge of fifth avenue this book i also think you woul love!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
This book was so much fun to read! I love the twist on the classics and it makes me want to go back and have a Jane Austen read-a-thon. The interactions between the Dashwood sisters is so fun and I loved the shifting between Elinor’s and Marianne’s perspective. This book was just as gripping as the first book in the series. This retelling brings so much fun and adventure!

Oh man I really enjoyed this book. While I am not very familiar with Sense and Sensibility that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story or how much I enjoyed all character especially the Dashwood sisters. But if you do know the story then you will have fun seeing how it connects to the original story and how it was turned into a murder mystery retelling of the story and what was changed to make that happen. I really liked the trio of sisters Marianne the detective, Elinor the chemist who is also the oldest and little sister Margaret the writer and how they didn’t let the fact that they were young women and stop them from trying to figure out what happened to their father. The mystery was good and it kept me guessing until the end and it was a pretty fast read. Now I have to get the first in the series and give that a read since Pride and Prejudice is my favorite Jane Austen story.

Thanks to Harper Collins Childrens Books and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.

This fun mystery retelling of a classic has everything you need to put the clues together and go on the adventure with the Dashwood sisters as an honorary guest. And dont worry, you'll still make it in time for tea.

This is my second read in the Jane Austen Murder Mystery Series and it was as great as the first. The Dashwood sisters must solve the mystery of their father’s murder by poison. This is a reimagining of Sense and Sensibility and although the reader does not need to know the original book, it is fun to see the connections in this adaptation. Overall this mystery series is fast and fun. Elinor and Marianne are great characters and smart detectives. You will be speed reading to the end to see how the mystery wraps up.

Thank you to Tirzah Price, HarperCollins Children’s Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As with the first book in this series, the author does a wonderful job capturing the wit of Jane Austen's characters. I especially love how she adapted the youngest sister, Margaret! The mystery was intriguing, though I think there were a few loose ends that weren't resolved. But, I greatly enjoyed it and give it 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

Thank you to #NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read a digital ARC Sense and Second-Degree Murder by Tirzah Price. It will be released on April 4, 2022. All opinions are my own.

When budding scientist, Elinor Dashwood, find her father dead in his study, the lives of the Dashwood sisters are turned upside down. The girls and their mother are turned out of their home by their brother and his wife. They’re forced into a cozy two bedroom home in Cheapside. The elder sisters, Elinor and Marianne, are sure that their father’s death was not natural and they set out to prove it. Between Elinor’s chemistry knowledge and Marianne’s detective skills, the two make a formidable pair as they investigate their father’s untimely death.

This is the second book in Price’s Jane Austin Murder Mystery series, and it definitely lived up to the hype of the first book and series. I love the way Price reimagines the Regency Period to offer women a less traditional role. This book also focused on opium and it’s dangers though not 100% true to the time period. The book was full of adventure, suspense, and romance. I enjoyed the twist on Austen’s Sense and Sensibility and found the book captivating. Had I started the book on the weekend, I probably would have finished it in a single sitting. Due to my schedule this week, I read 100 pages each on Thursday and Friday and the other half of the book on Saturday. I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for book three. I may even reread Austen’s original as it’s been at least ten years since I’ve read it.

I have been waiting to get my hands on this book since Pride and Premeditation was released. I love all things Austen, and the first one was amazing. That being said, I didn’t love the 2nd one of the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries.

Sense and Second-Degree Murder is based on Sense and Sensibility, which is arguably my least favorite Austen novel. However, the characters were well developed, the storyline kept you turning pages, and the writing style was on point. The book kept me hooked and engaged until the very end.

I do recommend this book and series, it just wasn’t a home run for me like the first one was. I am beyond excited to read the third installment of this series!

I'm a longtime Austenphile who also devours cozy mysteries whenever I'm stressed, so I'm the target audience for this book. While I did enjoy its predecessor Pride and Premeditation for the attempt to merge the genres I felt it didn't always work.. There was a bit too much slapdash activity that didn't gel with the comedy of manners content.

A reimagining of Sense and Sensibility works more seamlessly then Pride and Prejudice. There is more villainy in the source material, and the Dashwood family is not as genteel or sedate. The crime and sleuthing content fits the characters better, meanwhile Tirzah Price has improved at mirroring Austen's voice.

All in all this is a good fun read for people who enjoy twists on classic literature.

A fun and brisk follow up to Pride and Premeditation, Price delivers another mash up of Austen and Christie with lots of touches entirely her own. As with the first book, readers won't need to know the source material, but those who do can enjoy all the parallels as they turn the pages, wondering which member of the extensive cast is the villain this time? Price keeps the romance plots from Austen's novel, but they take a back seat to the mystery here, as the three Dashwood sisters race to find their father's murder before the evil-doer claims another victim. Elinor and Marianne are clever girls with professional dreams modern readers can relate to, while scene-stealing Margaret begs for a follow up book all her own. Price also peppers the novel with interesting historical facts, while taking a few liberties to suit the story. These books are such enjoyable reads and I'm already looking forward to number three!

Tirzah Price has done it again! I fell in love with ‘Pride and Premeditation’ when I devoured it last year and ‘Sense and Second-Degree Murder’ has not disappointed at all! Without spoiling any details, I really enjoyed that there was a fresh mystery to solve amongst these familiar and yet newly imagined characters. The loving dynamic between sisters and the family as well as the modernizations made to the sisters interests in investigation, science, and writing, respectfully, made for a familiar and intriguing take on this well-loved classic. Overall, this was such a fun little thrill ride and cozy kind of read. I really hope that Tirzah will continue with this series (fingers crossed for a ‘Persuasion’ adaptation at some point 🤞🤞). Austen and mystery fans this series is for you!

I could not put this down. I finished it in a day. When Elinor Dashwood's father is discovered, dead, her life and that of her mother and sisters are upended. Seeking a way to come to terms with her loss she sets out to find his killer. I love the relationships between the sisters, the science (a new method) that they use to solve the mysteries. Wonderful story.

What if Sense and Sensibility was a historical murder mystery.

(Warning for spoilers)

If you know the original story then you'll know how most of this story will play out, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable.

While I did know one of the bad guys from the beginning it was still fun to see how this mystery retelling would play out. I loved getting to know Tirzah's characters, especially Margaret . My one complaint had to be Marianne since she's the first to question her Father's death and is quick to judge everyone they meet while investigating the case (after all she wants to be a detective like her father), but then she immediately falls for Willoughby and lets him in on the case. I know she's easily tricked to fall for him in the original story, but I feel for Sense and Second Degree Murder, a story that's also pushing against social expectations of Females during this time, we could have seen more bite from Marianne when she first meets him.

Overall an enjoyable read that I highly suggest others to go and read. I can't wait to see waits next by Tirzah Price.

CW: drug addiction

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for sharing with me a free digital copy in exchange for my honest review

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!

Tirzah Price, ‘Jane Austen Murder Mysteries’ is seriously the best idea. Thank you.

Sense and Second Degree Murder is an excellent follow up to Pride and Premeditation. Elinor and Marianne are sisters who, while they love each other dearly, are quite different in how they view the world. This causes issues as they try to investigate what they quickly realize was their father’s (a PI) murder.

Price does an incredible job weaving in the beloved characters (and even some iconic lines- not everyone has the same love for dead leaves as Marianne…) of Austen’s Sense and Sensibility while still creating an entirely new plot. I appreciate that the youngest sister, Margaret, actually was given character development- and she is the perfect precocious 11 year old! This was a highly enjoyable read, and I’d recommend it to Austen fans as well as mystery lovers.

Such a uniquely written story! Highly recommend! My first to read by this author but I cannot wait to read more!

Tirzah Price strikes again with another cozy historical mystery and retelling.

Now, I will admit that Sense and Sensibility isn’t the freshest story in my mind, meaning my recollection of it is hidden somewhere in the dark archives of my brain. I might need to do a reread in the near future to truly appreciate how cleverly Price weaves the thriller elements into the original tale.

But what I do know is the fresh twists on the characters in a more murder-y setting is truly a boatload of fun. Marianne’s impulsive and sometimes emotional conclusions are matched well with Elinor’s more laid-back and scientific methods. As a sleuthing duo, they complemented each other really well and really were able to investigate all angles of the mystery.

While the Dashwood sisters dynamic was fantastic, I still wish that both of them would have had more of a distinct character arc. Both of the girls did go through some character development throughout the novel, but the conclusion of it felt more like one final realization rather than an arc that had been built-up. Perhaps some stepping stones and small developments along the way would have made those final character realizations more compelling.

But you know what is really compelling? That ending. Situated in what I thought to be the perfect pacing point, the conclusion is a drama-filled, edge-of-my-seat, nail-biting, oh-my-god-what-will-happen-next kind of experience. Which, to put simply, is a good one. Though there are a few ~magical~ detective leaps made by both of the investigators along the way, the conclusion provided most of the answers to fill in the gap.

Even before the superb ending, the mystery itself is definitely a complex web of lies. There were a couple clues that gave it away for me pretty early on (namely Marianne’s use of the description “earthy”), but the more I figured out the more questions I ended up having. There are a lot of deterrents and more layers beyond my original guess, which definitely held my attention and kept the pages a turnin.

That being said, I think the greatest gap within this story lies not within the actual mystery plot, but within the romance. To be blunt, both romances felt rushed and underdeveloped. There were minimal interactions between the love interests, which hardly allowed for cute moments that made me want to ship the couples. They just needed more page time to allow for maximum shippability.

3 All and all, Second and Second-Degree Murder is a fun retelling. The Dashwood sisters and the ending both standout in this cozy historical mystery! Would definitely recommend it.