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| Plot Summary of Jane and the Prisoner of Woolhouse |
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"This is another of Jane Austen's adventures in intrigue as the intelligent authoress attempts to find evidence that will acquite her brother's friend Captain Seagrave from being hung for allegedly murdering a Frendh sea captain after he surrendered. She ends up tending the sick French prisoners in order to find out what actually happened on the French ship. There she meets the prisoner, Etienne La Forge, a curiously noble and educated ship's surgeon who has the evidence she needs. However, his testimony to save Seagrave puts his own life in danger. The plot revolves around saving not only Seagrave, but also Etienne from someone who is out to murder them."
Amanda Mathieu, Resident Scholar
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Bantam, Dec 2001, 23.95, 291 pp.
ISBN 0553107356
In 1807, Jane Austen and her mother live in the home of her brother Frank until their own residence can be made ready. Frank, a captain in the British Royal Navy, is without a ship at present but might get command of the Stella Maris. Frank wants his own command, but not at the cost of his good friend captain Thomas Seagraves, who will have been hung after a court-martial for killing a French officer during a flag of truce.
His lieutenant accuses Thomas of this crime. On the day of the court martial, the lieutenant fails to show up. Soon word arrives at the hearing that he was found murdered by a garrote. Thomas is arrested for the crime and awaits trial but instead Jane Austen, influenced by her brother's opinion of the man decides to investigate and see if she can find evidence that will clear him.
Stephanie Barron writes in a style similar to that of Jane Austen so that the reader actually feels that they are reading a nineteenth century style cozy-amateur sleuth tale. The intelligent Jane is so independent, she seems as if she would be more at home in the present century then she was in her own time. The heroine never quite crosses the line into scandal, but Jane is so out of the box that she pushes the boundaries to the outer limit as a blue stocking. JANE AND THE PRISONER OF WOOL HOUSE is a fascinating mystery that relies on the readers sleuthing abilities to find out who the perpetrator really is.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Jane and the Prisoner of Woolhouse |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%
Tone of story
- very upbeat
How difficult to spot villain?
- Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story:
- 19th century
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 80%
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- Proving innocence of very obvious suspect
Kind of investigator
- skilled citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- searching for missing person
- feelings towards lover
Legal Thriller
Yes
Legal Plotlets
- finding out whether someone is really guilty
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- writer
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
- a little
Ethnicity/Race
- British
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Female
Age:
- 20's-30's
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- unemployed
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
- money/treasure
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
- quite fatty
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
- France
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 1st
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 3-4
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Click here for more information about this book
Stephanie Barron Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Alan J. Bishop
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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