{"product_id":"9780063572171","title":"A Very Vexing Murder","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHarriet Smith investigates...A murder most Austen.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA witty debut whodunit that reimagines Harriet Smith, the gullible sidekick of Jane Austen’s \u003ci\u003eEmma\u003c\/i\u003e, as a spitfire con woman, hired to break off an engagement and uncover a murderer in the genteel village of Highbury.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e“Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure.” —Jane Austen, EMMA\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIs a killer lurking in the idyllic country domain of Emma Woodhouse?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo longer Emma’s naïve companion, Harriet Smith is a feisty con-woman-turned-detective tasked with breaking off Frank Churchill’s engagement and uncovering his aunt’s would-be murderer. The shrewd Mrs. Churchill suspects Frank’s unsuitable fiancée, Jane Fairfax, is out to kill her, while Harriet suspects little more than a society scandal. But what begins as a routine investigation among Highbury’s elite quickly spirals into a web of deception, deadly secrets, and a game of survival.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs Harriet interrogates a growing list of suspects with the help of her long-suffering best friend, Robert Martin, not only does she have to contend with a potential homicidal maniac and striking out as a single woman in Regency society but is also afraid her father (and former partner-in-crime) is out for revenge.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith a cast of unforgettable characters—including a charming scoundrel, a lovesick farmer, a ghoulish butler, and a ruthless heiress determined to hide her skeletons at any cost— this brilliantly reimagined mystery featuring the characters from Jane Austen’s \u003ci\u003eEmma \u003c\/i\u003eis as deliciously dark as it is delightfully clever.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lucy Andrew","offers":[{"title":"HarperCollins |  Paperback \/ softback | Trade paperback (US) |  2026-05-12","offer_id":48463775990015,"sku":"9780063572171","price":27.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0329\/9075\/7001\/files\/BNCImageAPI_ead4deae-b238-4084-b518-ad36c13c8349.jpg?v=1777486050","url":"https:\/\/riverbookshop.com\/products\/9780063572171","provider":"River Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}