Secrets in the Snow: A Novel of Intrigue and Romance

Jane Austen is swept up into shocking events when her cousin Eliza's husband, who was reportedly guillotined a year ago, makes a surprise reappearance, demanding money from Eliza. When Jane finds his indisputably dead body the following day, can she solve the murder before the magistrate is called in and scandal envelopes the family?

This was an interesting game of "what-if" about a historical figure. I found the various elements of the book (writing, character, plot) rather mediocre. It was a moderately enjoyable read, I'm not sorry that I read it, but I would only recommend it to those who devour all things related to Austen.

Young Jane Austen is busy working on a draft of Elinor and Marianne when a family friend introduces her to a charming young man, Tom Lefroy. Jane is amused and annoyed at the prospect at the same time. Since the Austen family is poor, it is important for the daughters to be married off. However, clever Jane has a habit of turning every single suitor away.

Before she has a chance to get to know Mr. Lefroy, mystery arrives by way of her sophisticated cousin. It seems the War Office is keeping an eye of the vivacious, beautiful widow. With clandestine meetings and a gruesome murder, readers will get plenty of mystery and suspense in this well-researched novel.

The Bottom Line: This delightful imagining of a young Jane Austen is a fun, show more quick read sprinkled with romance and suspense. Recommended for teens and adults interested in historical fiction and Jane Austen. show less

You've given me the seed of a story. Who knows what it will grow into?"

What a fun story. Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors, so to read about her life - even fictionalized - is just a fun book all around. Add in espionage and a murder mystery and you have me hooked.

I loved Jane's sassy words, sharp judgement and fun humor. She was a force for sure from page 1 and I loved imaging her in this world. I also loved the slight nods at almost all her words as you see her glean ideas for her books from her adventures.

I also loved the small view into her brothers, sister, aunts and other country neighbors. Their parties and interactions were lovely to wonder about. I completely enjoyed this quick story.

I enjoyed this book, in fact quite a bit more than I was expecting to. I was initially turned off by the Harlequin-romance title, but I do love Jane Austen and the idea of her starring in a murder mystery intrigued me. I thought the author did a great job of taking real characters and a few bare-bones facts from Austen’s life and spinning them into an engaging, fun-to-read story. If there is a winter equivalent of a beach read (fireplace read?), this is it! The female characters were feisty and clever, and the murder, while simple, had enough red herrings that the solution wasn’t clear till the ending, which also provided the opportunity for different resolutions. I find it doubtful that the strict social propriety of the time would show more have granted Jane and her love interest Tom Lefroy so much alone time together, but it was a nice way to flesh out a part of Jane’s life that is famously hinted at in her letters. Overall, a quick, enjoyable read! show less

I received this through LibraryThing Early Reviewers and Chronicle Books as a free giveaway in exchange for an honest review, so here it is:

First of all, I need to say I love the design of this book: the feel of the pages made me blissfully happy and the design on the endleaves repeats beautifully in the chapter titles and page headings. I also loved the way quotes from several of Jane Austen's novels introduced each chapter, pertaining perfectly.

I'm a Jane Austen fanatic, and have read her novels, many of her letters, and several biographies. Therefore, I always have mixed feelings about books concerning her or her novels. I always want to experience another glimpse of her/her stories, but always worry that it will be corny or poorly show more done. That being said, this was more enjoyable and better done than most.

Secrets in the Snow includes some of the most interesting aspects of Jane's life (her flirtation with Tom Lefroy, her cousin Eliza who was a French comtesse, and the threat the French Revolution held over England) along with the typical normality of her life. Both exciting and commonplace are worthy of ink and paper. Of course, the mysterious murder in this book didn't really happen, but the spirit of the book felt right. Jane's reactions to everything seemed to fit well with what I have read of/from her and of course made her a very appealing character. Her brother Henry, Tom Lefroy, and Eliza were all especially enjoyable as well.

If you're looking for a serious murder mystery, this is not really for you. If you're looking to experience the joy of living with Jane Austen for a few days, imagine her meetings with Tom Lefroy, and hold a lovely book, it is. show less

I enjoyed this quick read!

I loved getting to know Jane Austen when she was a young woman who had not been published yet. I really enjoyed having quotes from her novels as chapter headings, it gave some clues as to where the plot was heading and helped tie this book to her novels.

The mystery was fun and led to an interesting conclusion! I wished that Jane hadn't been allowed by her brother to investigate the mystery so that there would have been a layer of sneaking around- which I personally enjoy.

Honestly, the one thing I wasn't looking forward to was the romance. (Shocking-especially for me!) The thing is I already knew how it would pan out because I have read about Jane Austen's life. I didn't want to get invested in character's show more lives just to be sad at the end.

All in all, it was a good book! I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun mystery and a quick read! show less

I received Secrets in the Snow through the Early Reviewers program and have received a few of MacColl's other books this way, too. I've always enjoyed MacColl's lighthearted, fun spins on historical figures. While I enjoyed Secrets in the Snow, it fell a little flat for me compared to MacColl's other novels. The mystery seemed a little forced and the take on Jane Austen wasn't very believable and didn't seem very necessary. Other MacColl novels seem built around the historical figure they feature - this one felt kind of thrown in last minute. Maybe I'm being extra critical because I love Jane Austen!

All in all, Secrets in the Snow was a fun, quick read, but not a MacColl novel I'll be revisiting.