“Reader, I murdered him.”
That’s a great byline. It captures the idea of the author speaking to the reader, using the frank manner in which Jane weaves her tale. Jane’s language emulates author Jane Austen, which is both good and bad; her wording style is flowery, yet biting.
Jane Austen’s novels take place in the late 17th century, and this one does, too. The heroine is orpaned at an early age, and is sent to a boarding school by her wicked aunt. But, Jane has commited her first murder before she leaves. It’s self defense, actually, but the act is definitely overkill for the circumstance. Especially, since it was her cousin. Other murders occur, but are justified in the same manner as when Dexter (TV series) satisfies his “dark passenger.”
The way in which the author imitates Austen’s style is entertaining, but after a while, gets tedious, especially in the second part of the book, where her romance with one of the characters, starts to read like a romance novel.