Blog Tour Review: Sense and Second-Degree Murder (Jane Austen Murder Mystery #2)

Title: Sense and Second-Degree Murder (Jane Austen Murder Mystery #2)
Author: Tirzah Price
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: April 5, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Three of Jane Austen’s classic novels receive a murder mystery makeover in this romantic and thrilling three-book series that’s perfect for fans of The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy and Stalking Jack the Ripper. In Sense and Second-Degree Murder, aspiring scientist Elinor Dashwood and her sister Marianne, a budding detective, work together to solve the mystery of their father’s murder.
When eighteen-year-old aspiring scientist Elinor Dashwood discovers her beloved father slumped over the desk of his office study, she knows his death means dire straits for the Dashwood women. To make matters worse, an outdated will entails his estate—including Norland & Company, the private investigation firm where her younger sister Marianne worked as her father’s partner and protégé—to their half-brother and his haughty wife, who waste no time in forcing the Dashwoods out of their home and into a cramped apartment on London’s Barton Street.
But before they go, the Dashwood sisters make a startling discovery that points to foul play, and the killer might be family.
Obviously, the girls must investigate. It could be dangerous; it could ruin their reputations; and most importantly, it won’t bring back their father. But if the Dashwood sisters can combine their talents and bring their father’s murderer to justice, it may bring them all some comfort—and it might even lead to love.

Review:

When eighteen-year-old Elinor Dashwood discovers her father’s body in his study, it’s only the beginning of their problems. Her father hadn’t updated his will since Elinor and her sisters were born, so everything he had was left to his son, John Dashwood, from his first marriage. John and his wife, Fanny, take their rightful inheritance and kick Elinor, Marianne, Margaret, and Mrs. Dashwood out of their house without their fortune. However, Elinor and Marianne aren’t comfortable with the way their father died. They search his study before they leave the house and discover evidence of murder. The sisters must investigate their father’s murder while also unravelling some other mysteries along the way.

I have read Sense and Sensibility a couple of times, but it isn’t one of my favourite books by Jane Austen. Despite that, I loved this adaptation. Mr. Dashwood had been a private investigator and his daughters took up that job once he was gone. This is completely different from Jane Austen’s story, yet this storyline fit into the plot of Sense and Sensibility perfectly. This book hit all the main plot points in a way that made sense to the original story.

I love adaptations of classics. I think they’re a great way to teach the younger generation about classical literature that can seem heavy at times. This book is the second in the Jane Austen Murder Mystery series. It could be read as a stand-alone, but there were some fun mentions of the first book which readers of Pride and Premeditation will love. I hope more of Austen’s novels will be adapted in this way because I loved it!

Sense and Second-Degree Murder is a great adaptation of Sense and Sensibility!

Thank you HarperTeen and TBR and Beyond Tours for providing a copy of this book.

Other books in the series:

Pride and Premeditation

About the author:

Tirzah Price grew up on a farm in Michigan, where she read every book she could get her hands on and never outgrew her love for YA fiction. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and is a former bookseller and librarian. Now, she’s a contributing editor at Book Riot, where she can be found recommending books on the site, newsletters, podcasts, and social media accounts. When she’s not writing, reading, or thinking about YA books, she splits her time between experimenting in the kitchen and knitting enough socks to last the fierce Michigan winters.Tirzah is pronounced TEER-zuh. Pronouns are she/her.

Where to buy:

Tour schedule:

April 4th
Kait Plus Books – Interview
Worlds Unlike Our Own – Review
Books With Michelle – Top 5 Reasons to Read Sense and Second-Degree Murder & Mood Board
Stephanie Reads – Review

April 5th
Stuck in Fiction – Promotional Post
Bibliophile On Loose – Review & Mood Board
laura’s bookish corner – Review
The Book View – Review & Mood Board

April 6th
Books and Strokes – Journal Spread
Pages & Plots – Promotional Post
Phannie the ginger bookworm – 15 Reactions While Reading Sense and Second-Degree Murder
Books Over Everything – Review

April 7th
The Book Dutchesses – Interview
Books Are Magic Too – Review
Book Notes by Athina – Promotional Post
Gwendalyn’s Books – Review

April 8th
Nine Bookish Lives – Promotional Post
Fanna for Books – Review
The Blind Scribe – Book Look
Jill’s Book Blog – Review

April 9th
Stuck in the Stacks – Review
decklededgess – Book Look
Confessions of a YA Reader – Promotional Post
The carly library – Review

April 10th
The Clever Reader – Interview
Ana en Noir – Review
Little Corner Reads – 15 Reactions While Reading Sense and Second-Degree Murder
teatimelit – Review

Have you read Sense and Second-Degree Murder? What did you think of it?

Author: jilljemmett

Jill lives in Toronto, Canada. She has studied English, Creative Writing, and Publishing. Jill is the creator and content producer of Jill’s Book Blog, where she has published a blog post every day for the last four years, including 5-7 book reviews a week. She can usually be found with her nose in a book. View all posts by jilljemmett