Happy Monday, all! For a new week of “Sam’s late on her ARCs,” we have A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales. A murder mystery in the form of a self-aware pastiche of a Jane Austen classic, what more can we ask for? While I am (of course) late in reviewing this, it is opportune because the highly anticipated book 2, A Terribly Nasty Business comes out this June. So without further ado, thank you, Netgalley!

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From the Publisher:

When a wealthy bachelor drops dead at a ball, a young lady takes on the decidedly improper role of detective in this action-packed debut comedy of manners and murder.

Feisty, passionate Beatrice Steele has never fit the definition of a true lady, according to the strict code of conduct that reigns in Swampshire, her small English township–she is terrible at needlework, has absolutely no musical ability, and her artwork is so bad it frightens people. Nevertheless, she lives a perfectly agreeable life with her marriage-scheming mother, prankster father, and two younger sisters– beautiful Louisa and forgettable Mary. But she harbors a dark secret: She is obsessed with the true crime cases she reads about in the newspaper. If anyone in her etiquette-obsessed community found out, she’d be deemed a morbid creep and banished from respectable society forever.

For her family’s sake, she’s vowed to put her obsession behind her. Because eligible bachelor Edmund Croaksworth is set to attend the approaching autumnal ball, and the Steele family hopes that Louisa will steal his heart. If not, Martin Grub, their disgusting cousin, will inherit the family’s estate, and they will be ruined or, even worse, forced to move to France. So Beatrice must be on her best behavior . . . which is made difficult when a disgraced yet alluring detective inexplicably shows up to the ball.

Beatrice is just holding things together when Croaksworth drops dead in the middle of a minuet. As a storm rages outside, the evening descends into a frenzy of panic, fear, and betrayal as it becomes clear they are trapped with a killer. Contending with competitive card games, tricky tonics, and Swampshire’s infamous squelch holes, Beatrice must rise above decorum and decency to pursue justice and her own desires–before anyone else is murdered.

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What I Enjoyed:

• The Austen References. I am a sucker for most Jane Austen adaptations and pastiche, and Seales’ book is no exception. Beatrice is a perfect foil to Elizabeth Bennett if Elizabeth was a crime buff, Martin Grub is a hysterical caricature of Mr. Collins, and the Steele parents are dead ringers for Mr. and Mrs. Bennett. Swampshire as a setting has the same small town quirks as Hertfordshire with the same nosy neighbors and odd rituals. The parody here is over the top and campy, making A Most Agreeable Murder lighthearted in a different way from the original but just as much fun.
• The Murder. I am an absolute sucker for closed door mysteries. I love a finite universe, the twists, how every person in the room has a motive always, and everyone’s dirty laundry is aired. Here it is even more fun because once Inspector Drake shows up unexpectedly, the cast is all literally locked in. While I did actually guess the murderer about 85% of the way through, it was still fun and gave “dark and stormy night” thrills.

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What Didn’t Work As Well:

• Disjointed Elements. I think that A Most Agreeable Murder was very ambitious and had a lot of genres thrown in, but it came out a bit muddled. There is a hint of fantasy / gothic that doesn’t fully form until the end of the book, it is a murder mystery but also a comedy, the humor was both an attempt at dry and slapstick, and there is an overtone of social justice regarding a woman’s place in society and India/English relations. Very ambitious, and not perfectly formed. I loved the elements separately – I would have loved a dry humor Austen pastiche with a murder, or a fantasy/humor combo ala Dungeons and Dragons. But this was too much for one book.

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Conclusion:

Julia Seales attempted to write an irreverent love letter to Pride and Prejudice, and she partially succeeded with A Most Agreeable Murder. I would still recommend this to Jane Austen fans that are able to laugh and enjoy a light pastiche but definitely not to the diehards who won’t understand the love out into this. Three waves! Available here in paperback, and stay tuned for book 2!