ECPA award winner 2023 - Best fiction cover Set in the early industrial revolution and the great canal building age, a young Jane Austen takes on the role of detective as she seeks to solve the mysterious events at the Oxford canal terminus. Nearing completion, convicts work on completing the wharf overseen by the charming secretary Mr George, who shows Jane around. A rude convict Gardiner does not make a good impression though. When Gardiner goes missing and canal funds turn up short, an exciting manhunt ensues but Jane begins to expect something suspicious about the secretary and the reasons why Gardiner was in prison. Were Jane's first impressions very wrong about the relative merits of the convict and the secretary? With the ever-present Austen spirit, Jane with notebook in hand, boldly overcomes the obstacles to finding the truth and exposes some intriguing secrets. Inspired by Austen's third novel Pride and Prejudice.

A third young Jane Austen adventure to uncover the mystery of a missing convict.

About the Author
Julia Golding is a multi-award winning children's author who has been awarded both the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and the Nestle Smarties Book Prize. A former British diplomat and Oxfam policy adviser, Golding also has a doctorate in English Literature from Oxford University, and was writer-in-residence at the Royal Institution in 2019. An avid Jane Austen fan, her Jane Austen-themed podcast 'What Would Jane Do?' offers a 19th century take on modern life. Golding is the successful author of The Curious Science Quest series, The Tigers in the Tower and the Jane Austen Investigates series.

Reviews
'A brilliant children's historical mystery series that I absolutely recommend. Perfect for ages 8 to 108!' -- Fiona Sharp, Waterstones Bookseller


Awards
Winner of To Shelf Book Cover Awards Fiction 2023.



Book Information
ISBN 9781782643661
Author Julia Golding
Format Paperback
Page Count 176
Imprint Lion Fiction
Publisher SPCK Publishing