In Murder in Highbury, the first book in an enthralling new series, Jane Austen’s Emma Knightley takes on the unexpected role of detective. Just a year into her marriage to George Knightley, Emma is thriving in her estate duties until a shocking discovery—the murder of Mrs. Augusta Elton at the church—throws Highbury into turmoil. With suspicion looming over an innocent local, Emma must use her sharp mind and social connections to unearth the true culprit. Enjoy this charming mystery with a taste of history by trying these Queen Cakes, featuring rose water, sultanas, and warm spices.
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- ½ cup caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup sultanas (or chocolate chips for a more modern version)
- ¼ cup whole milk
- Garnish: confectioners’ sugar
- Preheat oven to 375°. Line a standard 12-well muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together butter, sugar, and vanilla extract with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Fold gently into butter mixture. Fold in sultanas. Stir in milk. Divide batter among wells of prepared pan.
- Bake until cakes spring back lightly when touched, approximately 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
- Just before serving, dust tops with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
First in a captivating new series, Jane Austen’s Emma Knightley entertains a different role in Highbury—going from clever matchmaker to Regency England’s shrewdest sleuth.
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.
Vanessa Kelly is a best–selling author of historical mystery and historical romance. She has won multiple awards, including the prestigious Maggie Medallion for best historical romance. She is a USA Today, Barnes & Noble, BookScan, and Amazon bestseller several times over. To date, her books have been published in eleven languages. After receiving her MA in English literature from Rutgers University, Vanessa spent several years in the Ph.D. program at the University of Toronto, studying women authors of the 18th century. She worked as a researcher for many years and currently resides in Ottawa, Canada, with her husband. Visit her at VanessaKellyAuthor.com, or keep up with her on Facebook and Instagram.
