This is an adorable murder mystery. Emma and George are pretty amazing together. At about 70%, I started making some guesses, but was pretty surprised.

The flow was good, and the audiobook was done well by Polly Lee. There are a lot of backstories, I almost felt like I missed some previous book with the romance stories.

But it's still an enjoyable read.

#netgalley #MurderinHighbury

If you're craving a cozy mystery that feels like a collaboration between Jane Austen and Agatha Christie, you might want to approach this one with caution. The premise is enticing, blending sharp social commentary with a whodunit twist, but unfortunately, the execution leaves much to be desired.

The story is narrated in a rambling style reminiscent of that one party guest you always try to avoid—there's a charm in the wit, but it quickly devolves into excessive verbosity. At nearly 14 hours, the audiobook felt tedious, and I found myself tuning out on multiple occasions. Even at 1.5x speed, the pacing remained slow, making it a challenge to stay engaged.

While the mystery itself is relatively straightforward and easy to unravel, the journey to its resolution is exhausting. The book has moments of promise, but it’s burdened by a lack of editorial finesse. For readers who relish the Regency era and don’t mind a lengthy read—or who find themselves stuck somewhere with time to kill—this may still be worth a try. However, if you’re looking for a brisk, engaging cozy mystery, you might want to look elsewhere.

Great regency mystery that will give vibes of Bridgerton and Jane Austen. I thoroughly enjoyed this title and found the narrator quite captivating.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hello! Thank you to Netgalley for the audiobook for Murder in Highbury. I am unable to give comprehensive feedback on the audiobook, as I was not able to play the book on my device. I was able to listen to an audio excerpt, and what I heard was great. Polly Lee is an excellent narrator for what I heard, and she effortlessly conveys the spirit of Emma and of Jane Austen. I was furnished with an ARC of the book itself to read in print, and I have submitted feedback on that My ratings for the audiobook actually relate to the ARC. Here is my feedback from the book itself: "Hello! :) Firstly, many thanks, indeed, to Netgalley for having provided me with an ARC of Murder in Highbury to review. I absolutely love, love, love Murder in Highbury! I read this book in two sittings; I was super motivated throughout this book to 'turn the page' and could not wait to 'see what happens next.' I am eager buy the hardcopy as well. I have enjoyed Vanessa Kelly's other books, and Murder in Highbury is no exception. I would say it is probably her best to date. I believe Murder in Highbury is the beginning of a series, so that will be wonderful. This book seamlessly summons and captures the spirit of Jane Austen and her amazing book, Emma - in character, style (including dialogue) and essence.  Taking Emma from her role in Jane Austen's book to Emma the sleuth in Murder in Highbury is a completely smooth transition - so, to me, it was like 'why not?' to have Emma be a detective. The plot was wonderful, and the mystery was well-done and brilliantly considered. I fell in love with the characters all over agian - particularly Emma and George! Thank you again! :) I highly recommend Murder in Highbury! :)"

When I first read the blurb for this story, it sounded too fun to pass up. I love the idea of Jane Austen's Emma being an amateur sleuth and this book did not disappoint in that regard. I loved seeing these beloved fictional characters in a new light with new roles; while still feeling true to the way I imagine them from Austen's original story.
The murder mystery was entertaining and while I had my suspicions, I found myself along with Emma being thrown off the trail a few times and though I did kind of guess the villain, it was still a twist and entertaining ending.
I listened to the audiobook version of this story. I liked the narrator and was able to pick out the different characters in the dialogue. I liked her accent and felt like I was right there watching things unfold.
This is a cozy mystery with clean romance. It does have depictions of death (murder) and some light violence. I received an advance listening copy of this novel from RBmedia and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I recommend this book.

These charming and cozy mysteries in the style of Jane Austen are exactly my comfort read, and this one did not disappoint. The whodunnit aspect allows us to visit all our old favorite and play around in the world of the original Emma. Some of the portrayals were a little stiff, but overall I enjoyed the pieces of the original that was carried over and the ways they had matured. The mystery wasn't particularly twisty, though there are lots of suspects and accusations, but it was perfectly cozy.

A perfect Austen’s Emma as she is trying to solve a murder. She is always trying to find things to keep herself occupied which this certainly does. The story also gives you a look into the marriage between Emma and George. Any Austen fan needs to read this book.

I really enjoyed this audiobook! The narrator was great, and I enjoyed her voice-acting throughout. Love the Bridgerton vibes and a classic whodunnit (with some fun twists)!

I throughly enjoyed the audiobook production of this regency-era cozy murder mystery. The story is about the death of a vicar’s wife in a small English village and the air of mystery and suspicion that takes over the town. The magistrate’s wife, Emma Knightley can’t help herself as she begins to investigate the crime.

The cast of characters was great - our main character Emma was a smart, witty character who has a good head on her shoulders and I loved seeing her work out the puzzle of this small town murder.

Polly Lane does a great job narrating this book. The pacing is well done and I was entertained throughout and never found myself guessing at which character we were hearing from - Lane uses a different tone and even accent work for each character which made it easy to follow. The only quibble I have was that the voice she uses for George Knightley, our heroine’s husband, was really monotone. He is often described as witty and there are these lovely banter-filled exchanges between he and Emma, but they’re read in such a dry and flat way that it just fell short for me. Otherwise, I really loved how Lane was able to distinguish the different voices.

The plot kept me guessing right until the end and I only started to unravel the true identity of the murder when I was at about 80%, so I enjoyed a mystery that didn’t seem obvious right away!

I would recommend this book to any audiobook lovers who enjoy Bridgerton, regency romances, and Agatha Christie mystery novels.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for a fair and honest review!

As a longtime Austen fan and an admirer of Austen-inspired mysteries, Murder in Highbury fell short of expectations. Vanessa Kelly does succeed in staying true to the essence of characters like Emma and Mr. Knightley, but the pace of the story is incredibly slow, with little action for much of the book. The plot mostly involves Emma asking repetitive questions despite her husband’s advice, which grows tiresome. The constant melodrama from Mr. Woodhouse, Harriet, and Miss Bates is distracting, making Emma feel like the sole voice of reason but also somewhat isolated in the chaos. The dialogue lacks the charm I’d hoped for, and the murder’s reveal is ultimately unsatisfying, as the killer comes across as irrational rather than cleverly deceptive. For fans of Austen mysteries, this book might disappoint.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!!

What a good book! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I loved the main characters! They had great chemistry and worked so well together. I loved how the book just flowed. My first by this author but will not be my last!!!

As a lover of all things Emma, this synopsis definitely caught my attention. Emma and Mr. Knightly are happily married but suddenly life in Highbury changes drastically when Mrs. Elton is found dead in the church. What ensues is a nice little mystery with all of our favorite characters from Emma making an appearance as Knightly, acting as Magistrate and Emma, being her normal, meddling self try to determine who did it.

The author did a great job of making sure the characters acted like themselves. The sweet moments between Emma and Knightly (George as she calls him now that they are married) were very sweet and gave this epilogue-lover, a hint of what Jane Austen didn’t give us at the end of Emma - a glimpse into the happily ever after.

There a couple of moments that dragged a bit but overall this was an enjoyable read with good pacing. I also thought the stage was being set nicely for a side plot romance that didn’t come to fruition and I think I would have liked to see that happen.

The narrator did a great job with the voicing - especially when Knightly was scolding Emma, again, brilliantly keeping with the spirit of Jane Austen’s characters.

I received an advanced copy of this audiobook from NetGalley. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Content Notes: Kisses, implied intimacy

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Excuse me? Is this the sleeper hit (for me) of 2024? I do believe it is!!

Utterly charming and hilarious in equal parts, MURDER IN HIGHBURY is the perfect choice for fans of the classic Jane Austen novel and cozy mysteries. Kelly did a magnificent job of capturing the quirky and universally adored characters of Emma, making them not only approachable for the modern audience (for those of us who struggle with 'classic literature') but still reminiscent for the others that wouldn't change a single hair on Emma's nosy, intrusive, and chaotic little head.

The perfect fan-fiction inspired extension of Emma (the book), HIGHBURY picks up a year after Emma and Mr. Knightly's wedding. Fully of marital bliss and fulfilling her promise to keep her nose out of other's business, Emma finds herself right in the middle of a murder investigation. And any investigating on her part that follows is purely coincidental.

Narrator Polly Lee also did a fantastic job of capturing the large casts of character's unique voices. She delivered Emma's witty lines with perfect timing and I loved every moment of the audiobook.

This was my first of Vanessa Kelly's books, but it certainly will not be my last!

What a pleasure it was to read a super faithful to Jane Austen's writing mystery, featuring Emma (formerly Woodhouse) Knightly as our sleuth. The plot is delicious and a bit silly.. The characters we love are all all present and accounted for, albeit one is dead. Yes. Ms. Kelly, who I have never read because I am not drawn to romance novels has brought us a mystery that extends the life of Emma and at least most of the characters from the original novel. I wonder, since this is Book 1, if we will feel worse about the next character to go or if she will spare us and kill a stranger.

People will like this book best if they have read Emma or have seen one or more of its many screen versions, but it's good without ever having known the characters. It is nicely plotted but not super hard to solve although some of the suspects seemed like possiblitties. And just the fun of watching the coroner and the constable themselves chase one suspect after another is worth the rather likely solution. Not that the bar was high, but it was nice to be smarter than those two.

Definitely 100% a rousing read this! As noted, I listened to the audio book of this and Polly Lee did a wonderful job.

In 'Murder in Highbury', Emma Knightley reapplies her meddling antics as an amateur detective. Vanessa Kelly continues Jane Austen’s classic story with an entertaining murder mystery. As is typical with puzzling novels based on a well-known story, the mystery is fairly easy to deduce but the characters are so enjoyable that it's worth reading.

If you enjoy reading cozy mysteries, then I recommend this book to you! The writing, plot, and Polly Lee's narration hooked me from the beginning.

Special thanks to Tantor Audio and Net Galley for a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Regency mystery is not my normal read these days, BUT:

When I saw this murder mystery detective was none other than Jane Austen’s tireless Emma Woodhouse (now Knightly), well... I hit the request button at NetGalley quicker than you can say Frank Churchhill.

Our beloved Emma is less than one year into her marriage to magistrate George Knightley, when she stumbles upon a deceased Mrs. Augusta Elton, the vicar’s wife. She's been left on the church steps and she missing a crucial piece of jewelry!

And so begins the organized chaos that is IS Emma Woodhouse, but here she has traded in her matchmaking skills for detective work.

This audio version was SO fun, the narrators are perfect and the story will have you laughing one minute and full of tense suspense the next. I would read an entire series of Emma and George's life post nuptials, especially as she drives him a little batty with all her investigating nonsense. Thank you To Vanessa Kelly for brainstorming this wondering concoction!

Thank you to NetGalley, Tantor Audio and the author for a chance to listen and review in return for my honest opinion

A regency cozy mystery starring newly married Emma Knightley and her husband who happens to be the magistrate. Love the narrator, Polly Lee! She did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life! When Emma and her friend Harriet find the Vicar wife dead in the local church, there are several suspects. Harriet wasn’t the most beloved person in the village. And Emma can’t help being involved in her husband’s case. #MurderinHighbury

Murder in Highbury transports you back into an Austen classic, staying true to the original tones and characters, while also bringing a fresh take on the world of Emma. When Emma Knightley and her friend Harriet accidentally stumble about the murder scene of the vicar’s wife, life as they know it takes a dramatic turn. Between dealing with the hysterics of friends and family, inept coroners and constables, and trying to investigate on her own without angering her husband, Emma has her hands full. I like how this book still portrayed the characters in much the same manner as Austen’s original novel, so it really does feel like a sequel of sorts.
Polly Lee does a wonderful job bringing every character to life. I particularly liked her portrayal of Harriet and Mr. Woodhouse as her voices did a great job capturing their quirks and attitudes.
All in all, this was a very entertaining return to a beloved classic setting, as well as a clever mystery that had me questioning my suspicions until the end. I am excited to see what comes next.

Murder in Highbury is a humorous and enjoyable mystery.

We follow Emma Knightley as she stumbles on a body in the local church. Emma is determined to find the killer and solve the mystery.

I enjoyed delving into this story, it is a very good cozy historical murder mystery akin of Agatha Christie. It was very well written and the audiobook was excellent. I really enjoyed the narrators different voices for different characters and she really brought out the humor in the book.

4.5 stars

Thank you Tantor Audio for the gifted audiobook. This one’s out now!

I love Jane Austen and “Emma” is my favorite, so I always enjoy retellings and reimaginings. This one begins a few months after the events of “Emma” and features all of the characters you know and love from the original. It’s so fun to go back to Highbury and see what’s next for these beloved characters. The author does a pretty good job of keeping the characters true to themselves, though Emma herself does seem a bit more levelheaded than she is in the original, but as she’s traditionally a bit high strung, that’s probably for the best. You can definitely still read and enjoy this one if you haven’t read “Emma” — there’s plenty of introductions to the characters and the backstory you need is shared.

It’s a murder mystery (obviously!) and a pretty good one at that. I was convinced I knew who did it, but I was wrong (and I LOVE being wrong about whodunnit)! It’s maybe a little bit longer than it needs to be and felt somewhat slow at times, but not so much that I lost interest.

It’s not really a romcom since Emma and George are together, but it reads like an Evie Dunmore or Violet Marsh, so I’d recommend it to fans of theirs. I’d also recommend it to those who enjoy Austen retellings, reimaginings, and continuations.

Audio: Fabulous performance! The narrator does such a great job with different voices that I had to look up whether there was someone else reading the male voices — nope, she’s just that good! This is a great option for audiobook lovers!