The Burglar's Ball

With a witty and confident central character, a varied supporting cast and subtle allusions to Austen’s original works, The Burglar’s Ball is an entertaining and pacy mystery to solve. Determined to uncover the solution, our humorous heroine questions a range of well-constructed characters in an attempt to prove that her new friend has been wrongly accused. The plot is a successful blend of historical fiction and pacy mystery, but also includes reflections on the realities of Regency life beyond the parlour as Jane ponders enslavement, empire and the treatment of animals in a sensitive way.

Although the second in the series, this instalment can be read as a stand-alone story and is great addition to the genre for a young reader (particularly those who are fans of Austen) with a not-scary but engaging plot.