Cover Reveal for “Murder at Northanger Abbey” by Shannon Winslow

TA DA! Here it is: Murder at Northanger Abbey. Isn’t the cover luscious? And what fun I had writing this book!

I’d never written a murder mystery before, but that seemed the only choice for a sequel to Northanger Abbey. So I went for it, taking an unconventional approach. You see, unlike most writers of the genre, I didn’t decide “who done it” until I was halfway through the book. Not my fault, really; there were just so many good suspects to choose from! Think Gosford Park: lots of people in the house and everybody has a motive. Anyway, you’ll have to read for yourself to see who the the real culprit (and the victim) turn out to be!

The official publication date is June 23rd (paperback and Kindle), but you can get your Kindle copy a day early if you pre-order it now! Here’s the official book blurb:

Newly married to her beloved Henry, Catherine’s eyes are now open to the grownup pleasures of wedded life. Yet she still hasn’t quite given up her girlhood fascination with all things Gothic. When she first visited Northanger Abbey, she only imagined dreadful events had occurred there. This time the horror is all too real. There’s been a murder, and Henry has fallen under suspicion. Catherine is determined to clear her husband’s name, but at the same time, she’s afraid for her own safety, since there’s a very good chance the real murderer is still in the house.

Shannon Winslow’s delightful sequel reprises the mischievous spirit of Austen’s original spoof on the Gothic novel, while giving Catherine a genuine murder mystery to unravel.

 

northanger+abbey+kissPS – If you haven’t read Northanger Abbey lately or perhaps ever, I’d like to invite you to read/reread it now, so that you’ll be ready to make a seamless transition into the sequel when comes out! Think you won’t care for Northanger Abbey? Take another look with an open mind.  Jane Austen’s parody of the Gothic novel (which she wrote in her early 20s) brims with youthful fun and early examples of her patented ironic wit – some laugh-out-loud funny! And although in a different style from Mr. Darcy or Mr. Knightley, Henry Tilney is a worthy hero and a passionate guy.

Read additional EXCERPTS and INFO about Murder at Northanger Abbey here, and see the FULL COVER here. Then watch for the LAUNCH post June 23rd!

 

Shannon Winslow

Shannon Winslow claims she was minding her own business – raising two sons and pursuing a very sensible career – when an ordinary trip to Costco about fifteen years ago changed her life. That was the day a copy of the ’95 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice fairly leapt off the shelf and into her oversized shopping cart. After watching the mini-series, Shannon was hopelessly hooked on the story, Colin Firth’s Darcy, and all things Jane Austen. One may guess what followed – compulsive reading, late-night trips to the library and video store, secret rendezvous with Mr. Darcy and Mr. Knightley. Finally, only one thing remained. Her dedication (or obsession, as it could more rightly be described) ultimately inspired her to begin writing her own stories a la Austen.

Here's what Shannon says about her unique approach to writing JAFF: "Since I’m just sappy enough to believe there’s only one true story for the characters I’ve grown to love (and Jane Austen wrote it), I amuse myself with adding onto rather than varying from canon - expanding on what Jane Austen gave us and filling in the blanks in the record with prequel, sequel, and supplemental views. What was Mr. Darcy doing all the time he’s absent from the page? What happened to Colonel Brandon in India? And how did our favorite couples fare after the wedding? Inquiring minds want to know, and I’m happy to deliver the answers!"

18 comments

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    • Vesper on June 2, 2020 at 9:32 am
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    A murder mystery and Northanger Abbey, excellent

    1. Glad you think so! It was a fun, new challenge for me. 🙂

    • Carole in Canada on June 2, 2020 at 9:52 am
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    Very Gothic look to the cover…ominous! I don’t know how I missed you were writing a murder/mystery. I totally agree that of all her books this one lends itself well to one. I am a huge fan of period murder/mysteries, so look forward to reading this one! Congratulations!!!

    1. Thanks, Carole! That’s the feeling I wanted the cover to convey – Gothic and ominous. Although not taking ourselves too seriously. 😉

    • Shae on June 2, 2020 at 10:33 am
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    Love a good mystery, Shannon! Looks good.

    1. Yay! Glad you’re on board for this, Shae! Thanks. 🙂

    • Marie H. on June 2, 2020 at 12:34 pm
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    Love the colours! Beautiful cover!

    1. Thank you! So glad you like it, Marie. 😀

  5. GORGEOUS!!!!!

    So excited for you, Shannon!!! Yay!!!!

    Warmly,
    Susanne 🙂

    1. Thanks, Susanne! Love your enthusiastic support!

  6. Congrats on the new release, Shannon! I absolutely love the gorgeous cover. I am looking forward to reading your darling child. Best, LA

    1. I appreciate your support and encouragement, Laurel, as always!

    • Sheila L. Majczan on June 2, 2020 at 8:48 pm
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    I am looking forward to reading this. I do like mysteries. Good luck with the release.

    1. Thanks, Sheila! I’m pretty excited about it. 😀

    • J. W. Garrett on June 3, 2020 at 9:22 pm
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    Beautiful cover indeed. I can’t wait to see what you have done with this. How more Gothic can you get with a murder at an old Abbey? Catherine will have her hands full trying to clear Henry’s name. Bless his heart. Thanks for the cover reveal and I wish you all the best with this launch.

    1. So glad you like the cover! It was such a fun book to write, and I tried to continue the same tone as JA used in the original. Hope you enjoy the book!

    • Jen D on June 7, 2020 at 11:00 am
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    Congratulations on the (upcoming) release! I just finished reading NA last month, and this appears to be a book with the excitement I would crave in the style of Catherine.

    1. I hope so, Jen. How great that you’ve just read NA too! One of my advance readers said MNA felt like a continuation of the same book, as to characters and writing style. That certainly was my goal. Thanks for your comment, and happy reading!

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