“Jane & The Year Without a Summer” is Book 14 in Stephanie Barron’s “Being a Jane Austen Mystery” series. Having read the entire series and knowing Barron writes her mysteries parallel to Austen’s real life timeline, I had assumed this novel was about Austen’s death in July 1817. Blessedly, I was incorrect.

The year is 1816. Jane Austen is forty and beginning to suffer the sickness that will end her life in the coming year. She has been advised by her doctor to take the waters in Cheltenham and away she and her sister, Cassandra, go.

They stay at a guesthouse full of diverting characters providing much for the sisters to ponder as their mysteries unfurl (and maybe Jane observes, too, for future characters in coming novels.)

Barron’s gift of Austenesque prose sets the scene after an historical environmental event, a volcanic eruption a world away, that did result in an unusually cool and non-existent summer.

“My brother Frank had exclaimed over the disaster, I vaguely recalled, when he learned of it from a fellow officer; a horrific explosion and lava flow near Java, in the Dutch East Indies.” pp. 44.

Barron’s research, as always, is perfection, leading one to wonder what is fact or fiction. A murder mystery after a ball and the reappearance of Jane’s handsome artist friend, Mr Rafael West from Jane & the Waterloo Map (Book 13), increased the pacing and it did not stop until the mystery was solved, murderer revealed.

“I grasped West’s hand in my own and stepped down to the paving. He bowed low, brushing his lips over the back of my glove. ‘We should drive out more often, Jane,’ he said. ‘The wind has whipped color into your cheeks. Indeed—I should like to paint them.’” pp. 175.

I confess to have shed a tear or two or three over this cozy mystery. The romantic elements always pull at my sentimental heartstrings but especially knowing what is Jane’s future... Le sigh. “Jane and the Year Without a Summer” is a terrific read! “Being a Jane Austen Mystery” is an ambitious, imaginative series, and, even at Book 14, still remains entertaining and full of eye opening, heart-pounding moments. Why isn’t this a NetFlix series?!

*Also, though it’s a series, each book can stand on its own. Though you’re cheating yourself if you don’t read them all.

Jane Austen is feeling poorly, so at her apothecary’s suggestion she quits Chawton Cottage with her sister Cassandra (and her niece who will be left off with her brother James and his wife), and heads to Cheltenham Spa in Gloucestershire for a fortnight. Drinking the curative waters there is expected to restore the unwell back to good health. Even though this is a financially precarious time for Jane and her family, she uses the proceeds from her book, Emma, to spend the time away to acquire some rest and relaxation, and to hopefully be cured from what ails her. What she doesn’t expect, however, is to encounter mischief, mayhem and murder amongst the lodgers and acquaintances in her midst.

I LOVED this book!! It is masterfully written!! There’s all the makings of a classic British whodunnit suffused with wit, excellent characters, atmospheric charm and an intriguing plot. Jane Austen narrates this tale. Her detailed account of the mystery in the making sent me into chuckles and brought a mature Jane Austen to life in the most delightful way. I adored the characters which consisted of a doomsday cleric and his judgmental, gossipmonger wife and their little pug, Thucydides; a young invalid prone to swooning and hysterics; a theater instructor with secrets; a Captain with a dodgy leg, amongst others, and even a formerly acquainted suitor for Jane who makes an appearance in Gloucestershire to Jane’s astonishment and delight.

The language was reminiscent of the era and I employed my dictionary on several occasions to more fully understand certain words and phrases. My knowledge grew and I benefited greatly whilst reading this book. Even the title of the book was an education. The Year Without a Summer refers to 1816, the year following the eruption of Mount Tambora in the South Pacific which occurred in 1815 and caused average global temperatures to decrease resulting in severe climate anomalies. Jane’s trip to Cheltenham is affected by this weather phenomenon. It is continually raining. A clever backdrop to this mystery.

I became so enamored with this book that I looked into the author’s backlist to add others of hers to my future reading. I can’t imagine anyone who has an affinity for Jane Austen or mysteries to be disappointed by this book. It is splendid, and very highly recommended!!

Special thanks to Laurel Ann Nattress of Austenprose PR, Stephanie Barron and Soho Press, Inc. for a complimentary copy of Jane and the Year Without A Summer. My opinions of it are exclusively my own.

I received a copy of this from Net Galley in exchange for my review. I love this series so I was really excited to see that this was coming out but also anxious because I knew this would probably be the last. The author really knows Austens voice and she conveys a believable setting. interesting mystery with lots of twists and fleshed out characters. Great. Wonderful. But I am really mad about how it ends, or rather the opportunities offered throughout the series that were doomed to not work out. Don't want to spoil, but if you know the series, you probably know what I'm talking about. it's a great story really, and I wasn't expecting history to change, but serious book hangover here. You have been warned. But seriously, I love this series!

The Year is 1816. In what will be the last full year of Jane Austen’s life, a volcanic eruption has caused global climate change that has brought about crop failure and global famine. This is the summer that Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein. It is also the summer that Jane Austen spent a fortnight in Cheltenham Spa with her sister Cassandra to improve her health.

While in Cheltenham Spa, Jane and Cassandra meet an entire host of characters while staying at Mrs. Potter’s boarding house. While one Mr. Garthwaite expostulates that the end of the world is neigh, Jane and Cassandra find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery after a masquerade ball. Also visiting Cheltenham is Mr. Raphael West, an artist who Jane has previously solved a mystery with and has a spark with. Will Jane be able to solve this mystery?

I loved this book. I first started reading this series almost twenty years ago. I feel that Stephanie Barron really has Jane Austen written as a relatable and wonderful character that matches the wit of her letters. The research for the novels is wonderful. I always enjoy the notes in the text to explain the history as well as the great author’s note at the end. I feel like I get to enjoy learning about Austen’s life and world, while also having a great mystery involved. I loved the boarding house setting and the new cast of characters. As Jane learned more about the characters and peeled away the layers it added more mystery. The ending was a surprise to me. I also loved the flirtations between Jane and Mr. Raphael West.

This novel will be released on February 8, 2022, and I highly recommend it.

Overall, Jane and the Year Without a Summer is a riveting history mystery with my favorite author, Jane Austen, as the heroine.

Book Source: Review Copy from Publisher Soho Crime. Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Description (from cover): “May 1816: Jane Austen is feeling unwell, with an uneasy stomach, constant fatigue, rashes, fevers and aches. She attributes her poor condition to the stress of family burdens, which even the drafting of her latest manuscript–about a baronet’s daughter nursing a broken heart for a daring naval captain–cannot alleviate. Her apothecary recommends a trial of the curative waters at Cheltenham Spa, in Gloucestershire. Jane decides to use some of the profits earned from her last novel, Emma, and treat herself to a period of rest and reflection at the spa, in the company of her sister, Cassandra.

Cheltenham Spa hardly turns out to be the relaxing sojourn Jane and Cassandra envisaged, however. It is immediately obvious that other boarders at the guest house where the Misses Austen are staying have come to Cheltenham with stresses of their own–some of them deadly. But perhaps with Jane’s interference a terrible crime might be prevented. Set during the Year without a Summer, when the eruption of Mount Tambora in the South Pacific caused a volcanic winter that shrouded the entire planet for sixteen months, this fourteenth installment in Stephanie Barron’s critically acclaimed series brings a forgotten moment of Regency history to life.”

My Thoughts:

**I have reviewed previous books in this series and you can find those reviews by clicking on the following links: Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas and Jane and the Waterloo Map.**

Jane Austen has always fascinated me and having found a series focused on murder mysteries being solved by her, is just the icing on the cake. While it has been some five years since I have picked up a book in this series, I knew that I would enjoy reading about Jane’s adventures again. It did take me a little while to remember what happened in past books and try to figure out who the characters were (mainly Jane’s family members and their backstories). I feel that had there not been such a long gap in between reading the books, that it might have been a little easier to follow along. I did struggle initially with this book trying to keep everything straight. The plot was a little slow and it took me some time to really get into this book.

Jane and her sister, Cassandra, have left home for some rest in Cheltenham Spa where they plan on taking the curative waters to help with their many health ailments. Life has been a little chaotic for the family lately and the sisters hope that getting away for a little bit will provide respite for them. Upon arriving in Cheltenham Spa, they find that their housemates aren’t quite what they appear to be and intrigue is afoot with mysterious happenings. Jane cannot help but find herself in the middle of everything and her inquisitive mind leaves her searching for answers. When other houseguests end up being murdered in strange circumstances, Jane uses her wits and her friends to help solve the murders before someone else is harmed or worse.

As I stated previously, it did take some time for me to really start enjoying this book. The plot started out very slowly, but then as the book progressed, it started to get better. While I wouldn’t say that this was my favorite book in the series, it was nice to read about Jane and her life again. I love how the author uses real details about Austen’s life in the books and incorporates them into her stories to make them seem more realistic. While we all know Jane Austen wasn’t known for solving murders, I really enjoy the thought of Jane being a detective and solving murders in Regency England. This series has long been one of my favorites and it was nice to read this newest installment, which will be released in February 2022. If you are a Jane Austen fanatic like me, I would recommend this series for a different spin on her life and adventures.

Overall Rating: 3 stars
Author: Stephanie Barron

Series: Jane Austen Mystery #14

Publisher: Soho Crime

Publication Date: February 8, 2022

Pages: 336

Genre: Historical Mystery

Get It: Amazon

Disclaimer: An advanced reader copy of this book was provided to me by the Publisher through NetGalley. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

This made me love Austen, even though I am not a huge fan. Please read Stephanie Barron's Jane and the Year Without a Summer. This is an intriguing mystery novel.

A top-notch mystery wrapped around Miss Jane Austen and her circle as she visits Cheltenham Spa to attempt to rest and recover from an illness plaguing her. But the volcanic eruption in the South Pacific which has cast a chill over the summer skies also presages a certain darkness for Jane. This is a wonderful period piece, bringing the Regency period to life-as well as Jane herself. I'll be sad to see this series end, as it must.

Here is the reality: since Barron is following so closely the trajectory of Jane Austen's life, it's a fact that the series will naturally have to wind down. This book brings to light Jane's failing health and so has a melancholy feeling. That aside, the title has all of the characteristics I've come to love in this series: authentic period details, writing that mimics well Austen's style, and an enjoyably twisty mystery. Because so many characters come directly from Jane's own life, this is an easy series for readers to begin at any point, although once reading one title, I highly recommend going back to earlier series entries.

Stephanie Barron's mystery series involving Jane Austen began with Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor in 1996, and now stretches to fourteen volumes with Jane and the Year Without a Summer. I read partway through the series but hadn't read any of the more recent volumes, yet I believe you can hop into book #14 without any difficulties. (In looking over the previous books, I think that Raphael West first appeared in #12, Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas, but I didn't feel like I was missing any pertinent information.)

Barron weaves Jane's actual history with a murder plot--multiple murders, actually! It was a bittersweet read, though; her brothers were struggling financially during that time, and Jane is obviously ill. However, I enjoyed getting to jump back into a story with Jane as amateur sleuth; Barron has a good feel for the era, and her characters (especially Jane) are intriguingly flawed.

Well worth checking out once it's released!

The latest in this long running series is a satisfying but sad read. Jane Austen is 40 and at the beginning of the illness that will end her life within a year. She and her sister Cassandra visit Cheltenham, hoping that a change of scene and the mineral waters of this spa town will restore Jane's appetite and health.

The other residents of the guest house are an ill assorted group that provide Jane and Cassandra with plenty of amusement and several mysteries to unravel. The beautiful Miss Williams, wasting away in her basket chair and closely attended by her companion and a retired Navy captain, provides a marked contrast to a melancholy clergyman and his sister, and Quakeress "Mrs Smith" curiously employed by the theater.

Despite her illness Jane manages to enjoy Cheltenham's amusements, including the theater and a ball that ends tragically with a murder. Jane soon uncovers the real stories behind the facades of her new acquaintances and unmasks the murderer.

By chance Jane also meets up with old acquaintance Rafael West, providing a bittersweet touch of romance to this engrossing book

I was, unforgivably, totally unaware of this series before lucking into this installment. I look forward, based on the strength of what may be close to the finale, to starting from the beginning.