Jane and the Wandering Eye
Being the Third Jane Austen Mystery
by Stephanie Barron

amazon.com
Mass Market Paperback - 320 pages (November 3, 1998) 
Bantam Books; ISBN: 0553578170

amazon.co.uk
Paperback - 276 pages ( 3 December, 1998)
Headline; ISBN: 0747253773

        Review by Anne Brown, February 9, 1998
Stephanie Barron's newest addition to the Jane Austen Mysteries brings Jane and her Gentleman Rogue back together to solve the murder of a stage manager who is killed at a "rout" that Jane attends with her 'sister' Eliza (Henry's wife).  Risking her reputation and her life Jane does her best once again to clear the name of Lord Harold's nephew and his sister, Jane's new friend Lady Desdemona.

 Set in the town of Bath and revolving around the theatre, Jane makes acquaintances with painters, actors and gentry and is seen once too often in the company of Lord Harold.  She glides through it all in style and maintains her composure despite an attempt on her life by one of the murderer's sidekicks.

Stephanie Barron seems to be accomplished in her knowledge of the era in which Austen lived. The language is lively and witty and reads like Austen's novels, though in the voice of the great Jane herself.  Barron loses no steam on her third book of this series and it is just as enjoyable as the first two.  I highly recommend it.

        Review by Linda Waldemar, February 19, 2001
I found this Third JA Mystery to be quite fun. Jane, it seems, is like Agatha Christie's Miss Marple, murders just seem to happen when she is around. In this story, Jane works closely with The Gentleman Rogue, Sir Harold Trowbridge, to solve the murder of a theatre producer. Because the local constables are ready to take the first suspect (who happens to be Sir Harold's nephew) without looking very closely, so Sir Harold and Miss Austen must solve the mystery. This puts Jane's reputation and her person into danger.

Stephanie Barron has lines and phrases from Austen's writings liberally sprinkled throughout the novel. She also borrows snippits of characters and gives them to other members of the Austen family.  Present in this story are the parents, Rev George and Mrs Cassandra Austen; her sister, Miss Cassandra Austen; her brother, Mr. Henry Austen and his colorful wife, the little Comtesse, Eliza Austen.

I thought that this story was cleverly written and it is a pleasurable read.