Death of a Schoolgirl (#1)
Yorkshire, 1820. Happily married to a country squire and the mother of a young son, Jane Eyre Rochester enjoys an enviable life, one that as an orphan, she could have never dreamed would come true. But when a cryptic letter from her former student arrives — the writer begs for help — Jane will risk everything to save the life of an innocent child.
A frantic trip to London is fraught with danger, as Jane is robbed at knife-point. But Jane Eyre is nothing if not courageous. She arrives at the pricy girls’ school in time to see a dead body removed from the premises. Now Jane must race against the clock to prevent another child from dying. When her identity is mistaken for that of an errant German teacher, Jane decides to go undercover in this house of horrors. Once inside the school, Jane’s worst suspicions are confirmed. A killer roams the halls and targets young girls. Each hour that passes puts another child’s life on the line and Jane can only keep her identity secret for a little longer…
Can Jane track down the killer and convince the local authorities to lock up this cunning murderer? Or will Jane forfeit her reputation, the family diamonds, her health, and maybe even her life on what might be a fool’s errand?
Reviews
"In a radical departure from her scrapbooking series, Slan refashions a beloved heroine as a surprisingly canny detective. Her stylistic imitation of Charlotte Brontë is seasoned with a dash of social commentary and plenty of suspects to mull over."
"Fans of historical cozies will best appreciate Slan’s first in a new series featuring Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre."
"This is a wonderful novel for young adults who are interested in the classics of Great Britain in the 1800s. For readers who love Jane Eyre, she lives on through Joanna Campbell Slan."VOYA
"This is a beautifully written story that fully reflects the mores and social conventions of England in the early nineteenth century. Joanna Campbell Slan has marked Death of a Schoolgirl with her own indelible brand of suspense and intrigue while adhering to the cadence and restrained emotional atmosphere of the original Bronte novel. Anyone who has ever read and loved Jane Eyre will be captivated by Death of a Schoolgirl."
"Reading this novel is like visiting an old friend. Slan stays true to Jane Eyre’s character, and the storyline is a seamless progression of the original novel. Brontë fans and historical mystery fans alike will find much to enjoy in Death of a Schoolgirl."
Awards & Accolades
Daphne du Maurier Award Winner, 2013