Murder at Mansfield Park by Lynn Shepherd

Age Level: Adult
Format: Book

Janeites beware: this is Mansfield Park, with a twist! In Shepherd’s novel, Fanny Price is a rich heiress with a very disagreeable character. Mary Crawford, on the other hand, is a charming young woman whose monetary situation brings her to stay with her sister in the area’s parsonage. When Fanny is found brutally murdered on Mansfield Park’s grounds, Mary and Charles Maddox, a thief-taker (private investigator, so to speak), work towards discovering the identity of the killer. Could it be Edmund Norris, Fanny’s fiancé and the man Mary adores? Or, could it be Mary’s brother, Henry Crawford, who is hiding some deep, dark secrets? Or, maybe it was one of Fanny’s cousins, sick and tired of Fanny’s attitude. The plot’s twists and turns will keep readers guessing up to the end.

I was not sure what to expect when I first started reading this novel. It seemed appalling that Fanny Price of Jane Austen’s mind could be turned into such a detested person in Shepherd’s novel, whereas Austen’s manipulative Mary Crawford becomes a very intelligent and warm person in this novel. But, this twist on the classic does work. Some Jane Austen fans will not like this: Shepherd takes the liberty of changing the characters’ information and background, besides Fanny and Mary, to fit the novel’s plot line. However, those who do not like Austen’s Fanny Price or Mansfield Park may enjoy this mystery novel just because it is not like the original. Shepherd also mirrors Austen’s writing style, which helps to set the tone of the novel. The mystery plot will appeal to historical mystery enthusiasts or those who enjoy reading mysteries set in the English countryside.

I have read several interpretations and adaptations of Austen novels, and this is one of the better ones.

Reviewed by Jessica