Jane and the Wandering Eye
Review of the Third Installment of the Jane Austen Mystery Series
In the third installment of Jane Austen Mystery series, Jane and the Wandering Eye, the reader sees more focus on the relationship between Jane and Lord Harold Trowbridge. As a reminder, Lord Trowbridge has a reputation as a rogue who performs sensitive work for the Crown. Despite his reputation, Jane and Lord Harold have become friends. That friendship is scrutinized in this novel. Lord Harold’s nephew is accused of killing Richard Portal, an employee of a theatre company, who is rumored to have romantic connections to Lady Desdemona Trowbridge, Lord Harold’s niece.
Lord Harold commits himself to proving his nephew’s innocence. Jane assists him and with them being in Bath (a popular place to vacation; it is Christmas time), rumors start swirling and the local newspaper even speculates about their relationship. As a result, Jane’s parents and sister, Cassandra, are concerned about Jane’s reputation. Keep in mind that Jane is about thirty years old, single, and a writer. In this time period, it is rare for a woman in her thirties to marry because thirty, according to society in the Regency period, is too old, although there are rare exceptions. Jane continues to help Lord Harold on investigating the murder, but it is difficult to do so with her family watching her every move closely. It reflects how difficult it is for single women to have some independence during this time period.
A unique aspect of this novel is the theme of art. The phrase “wandering eye” refers to an image imprinted on a necklace. There also is a prominent artist in the novel who paints portraits of the elite, which causes a scandal because of the way one woman is depicted who is connected to the murder. I also think the phrase “wandering eye” refers to the lax morals of the upper class in terms of romantic relationships. Some married couples feel free to cheat on their spouses and everybody in the elite seems to know about it.
I highly recommend the novel and look forward to the fourth installment, Jane and the Genius of the Place, which will be reviewed next month.