Murder in Highbury
An Emma Knightley Mystery, Book 1
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Narrated by:
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Polly Lee
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By:
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Vanessa Kelly
About this listen
Less than one year into her marriage to respected magistrate George Knightley, Emma has grown unusually content in her newfound partnership and refreshed sense of independence. The height of summer sees the former Miss Woodhouse gracefully balancing the meticulous management of her elegant family estate and a flurry of social engagements, with few worries apart from her beloved father's health . . .
But cheery circumstances change in an instant when Emma and Harriet Martin, now the wife of one of Mr. Knightley's tenant farmers, discover a hideous shock at the local church. The corpse of Mrs. Augusta Elton, the vicar's wife, has been discarded on the altar steps—the ornate necklace she often wore stripped from her neck . . .
As a chilling murder mystery blooms and chaos descends upon the tranquil village of Highbury, the question isn't simply who committed the crime, but who wasn't secretly wishing for the unpleasant woman's demise. When suspicions suddenly fall on a harmless local, Emma—armed with wit, unwavering determination, and extensive social connections—realizes she must discreetly navigate an investigation of her own to protect the innocent and expose the ruthless culprit hiding in plain sight.
©2024 Vanessa Kelly (P)2024 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
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- By: James Patterson, Duane Swierczynski
- Narrated by: Sarah Paulson, Patina Miller, Mel Rodriguez, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 25 mins
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Kidnappers grabbed Jenna in broad daylight, right in front of her children and their horrified classmates. Her family was issued an insane ransom demand: $25 million in cash and jewels, payable by the end of the school day, otherwise they’ll never see her again. As Jenna’s mother scrambles to gather the money, detectives Mo Butler and George Ortega follow the trail of the kidnappers, which will lead them through a sordid landscape of jealous lovers, broken dreamers, and twisted schemers. But every second counts, and there’s one thing Jenna Wade doesn’t have: very much time.
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This was such a fun Quick listen
- By Mdc on 10-08-24
By: James Patterson, and others
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George Orwell’s 1984
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- By: George Orwell, Joe White - adaptation
- Narrated by: Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, and others
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It’s 1984, and life has changed beyond recognition. Airstrip One, formerly known as Great Britain, is a place where Big Brother is always watching, and nobody can hide. Except, perhaps, for Winston Smith. Whilst working at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history, he secretly dreams of freedom. And in a world where love and sex are forbidden, where it’s hard to distinguish between friend and foe, he meets Julia and O’Brien and vows to rebel.
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A Revelation!
- By wotsallthisthen on 04-07-24
By: George Orwell, and others
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Artemis
- By: Andy Weir
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Jazz Bashara is a criminal. Well, sort of. Life on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon, is tough if you're not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional harmless bit of contraband barely counts, right? Not when you've got debts to pay and your job as a porter barely covers the rent. Everything changes when Jazz sees the chance to commit the perfect crime, with a reward too lucrative to turn down.
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A ferrari with no motor
- By will on 11-18-17
By: Andy Weir
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The Mysterious Affair at Styles
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England, 1914. The world is at war. Captain Hastings, injured and shaken, is invited to Styles Court to recover. It’s a grand old country house - the family home of his old friend - and a perfect haven. Or so it seems. But in the blistering summer heat, trouble is afoot. Simmering tensions are tearing the family apart, and it all comes to a head in the most horrifying way.
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It’s a perfect audible movie!
- By Malissa Caudell on 11-15-24
By: Agatha Christie, and others
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The Woman in Coach D
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Jenny sits in the same seat on the same train every week, seeing familiar faces come and go. Until a chance encounter shatters her world. Sixteen years ago, Jenny survived a traumatic ordeal that left her best friend, Susie, missing and presumed dead. The world has its theories about what happened to Susie Patterson, and one of those theories points the finger at Jenny. Now she lives a quiet life, volunteering at a crisis helpline while trying to deal with her own anxiety and the true crime fans obsessed with finding her missing friend.
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Too long
- By Anonymous User on 11-15-24
By: Sarah A. Denzil
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The Ex
- By: Freida McFadden
- Narrated by: Nicol Zanzarella
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Cassie thinks she has met the perfect man. Joel is sweet, handsome, romantic, and best of all, he’s crazy about Cassie. She thinks she’s found the guy she’ll spend the rest of her life with. Have children with. Grow old with. Yes, she knows about his perfect ex-girlfriend, Francesca. The beautiful, brilliant chef, beloved by all his friends. But she thinks Francesca is out of the picture. She thinks Francesca is gone for good. Think again, Cassie.
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Too bizarre for someone who loves bizarre
- By G. C. Webster on 07-01-22
By: Freida McFadden
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Too Late
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- By: Colleen Hoover
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- Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
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Sloan will go through hell and back for those she loves. And she does so, every single day. Caught up with the alluring Asa Jackson, a notorious drug trafficker, Sloan has finally found a lifeline to cling to, even if it’s meant compromising her morals. She was in dire straits trying to pay for her brother’s care until she met Asa. But as Sloan became emotionally and economically reliant on him, he in turn developed a disturbing obsession with her—one that becomes increasingly dangerous every day.
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Triggering and poor narration
- By Katherine Epperson on 07-11-23
By: Colleen Hoover
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Breaking the Dark
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Meet Jessica Jones: retired superhero, private investigator, loner. She tried her best to be a shiny spandex crimefighter, but that life only led to unspeakable trauma. Now she avoids that world altogether and works on surviving day-to-day in Hell’s Kitchen, New York. The morning a distraught mother comes into her office, Jessica would prefer to nurse her hangover and try to forget last night’s poor choices. But something about Amber Randall’s story strikes a chord with her. Amber is adamant that something happened to her teenage twins while they were visiting their father in the UK.
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Not the Lisa Jewel I'm used to
- By Yvonne Buchanan on 07-22-24
By: Lisa Jewell
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What listeners say about Murder in Highbury
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Laura Hartness
- 11-03-24
Fun cozy mystery for fans of Jane Austen’s “Emma”
Although several authors have reimagined Jane Austen and her fictional characters in the role of mystery-solving sleuth, Emma Woodhouse Knightley is uniquely qualified for the appointment, in my opinion. Janeites can recall Emma’s penchant for meddling, in particular within the realm of matchmaking. See seems to notice details that others don’t, and while she does not always make the best choices, she is often wise in her assessments. Appreciating her uniqueness is George Knightley, who marries her in spite of, and possibly because of her foibles. He loves her for all that she is. These characteristics remain true in the new novel by Vanessa Kelly, Murder in Highbury. In this Austenesque murder-mystery, Emma sets aside her matchmaking hobby (for now) when she stumbles upon a gruesome death. Along with husband George, she pieces together the clues to determine the full picture of what has occurred in their otherwise quiet town.
Murder in Highbury does open with the discovery of a startling murder, but the general feel of the novel is very light and is a diverting tour of the characters from Jane Austen’s Emma. Vanessa Kelly most certainly has her fingers on the pulse of these vivid personalities, from Emma and her family members, down to employees on the estate grounds. Readers who are unfamiliar with the source material would do well to either read the original text or at minimum watch a faithful screen adaptation of Austen’s novel. The 1996 Emma movie with Gwyneth Paltrow is one of my favorites, and the faces from that film populated my mind as I read the book. Understanding the backstory of the main characters was helpful to me as I took in Kelly’s mystery and enjoyed the narrative.
From a content standpoint, Murder in Highbury does have a few adult moments, but they are quite tame. Of course there is the murder of Mrs. Elton, done in a somewhat dramatic way on the grounds of the church. There are also just a few instances of salty language, but those moments are rare and very PG-rated. I would feel comfortable recommending the material to just about anyone.
Vanessa Kelly has done fabulous work with Austen’s characters. She understands them inside and out, and she is also quite cognizant of the historical aspects of the period. Emma as a married female does not have the exact standing as her husband, a local magistrate. Women did not have the same place in courtrooms that men did. Kelly shines a light on these issues without being overly derogatory, and she also promotes the strength and intelligence of women as well. I particularly liked the manner in which Emma and George interacted with each other. George understood his place in society, but he never belittles his wife. He cannot fully endorse her “sleuthing”, as she is not an officer of the law, but he works in concert with her as she sniffs out information. Although they hold different positions in their community, they are nonetheless equals in their relationship with each other. It was refreshing to witness this type of loving interaction within a 19th century marriage.
I was excited to learn that Murder in Highbury is the beginning of a series. This opening volume was light, interesting, and kept me guessing. Now that I’ve finished the novel, I want to return to the opening chapters in order to suss out the clues that I missed all along the way. The answer to the “whodunnit” question was in front of me the entire time. Vanessa Kelly took me on a fun ride, and I look forward to seeing what she brings to her readership next.
Regarding the narration of Polly Lee for the audio edition: Ms. Lee's vocal talents were evident, as she managed many character types and British cultures. However, her rate of speaking was a tad slow for me, but that was easily remedied with the speed control within the Audible app.
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