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Though I tend to read a lot of light mysteries and easy-going fiction, the English major in me still adores the classics. And now readers like me (who love the classics but don’t always have the time or energy to sit down and revisit them) can mix the two with author Katherine Bolger Hyde’s Crime with the Classics series, beginning with the first installment, Arsenic with Austen.
The story travels to the quaint seaside town of Stony Beach, Oregon, with literature professor Emily Cavanaugh following the death of her aunt Beatrice. Informed that she’s been named in her aunt’s will, Emily hopes for nothing more than some of the books from Beatrice’s fabulous library. Instead, she discovers that she’s inherited most of her aunt’s fortune: rental properties, most of the shops downtown, and her gorgeous estate, Windy Corner. But she’s also inherited a mystery—because it soon becomes clear that Beatrice’s death wasn’t caused by bad lobster. And, to complicate matters even more, Emily’s joined in her investigation by the man whose disappearance broke her teenage heart 35 years ago.
With its charming coastal setting, its mysterious old Victorian mansion, and its frequent references to classic literature, Arsenic with Austen is about as cozy as cozy mysteries can get. It’s like a literary retreat and a seaside vacation wrapped up in one light and entertaining mystery.
Stony Beach is a quaint little town—complete with quiet beaches and mom and pop shops and tasty hole-in-the-wall diners—where everyone knows everyone else’s business. And while most of the supporting characters feel a little flat (and a little too obvious), there are some gems here—like quirky Billy Beech, the caretaker who sounds like he walked straight out of one of the novels in Emily’s college lit lectures. And Emily herself is a likable main character—a middle-aged widow who’s lived with secrets and heartbreak and is finally getting her chance to live the fairy tale that she once hoped for as a teenager. She has a new-found fortune, a beautiful home, and a rekindled romance with the love of her young life—and that gives her (and her new cozy mystery series) plenty of potential.
Meanwhile, each chapter begins with a quote from the works of Jane Austen—and as Emily tries to solve her aunt’s murder, she often thinks about the characters in various classic novels. Still, the classic novel aspect of the series isn’t entirely solidified yet—and, like the characters, the theme will need a little more development in upcoming installments.
Arsenic with Austen is a promising first installment in a super-cozy new series. If you love beachfront getaways, easygoing mysteries, and classic literature, be sure to pick up a copy.
Listen to the review on Shelf Discovery:
