News for Austen Enthusiasts: May 2026

I wonder what Jane Austen would have done to cope with a heatwave. Here in Jane Austen's England, things have been heating up! The half-term break was marked by scorching, soaring temperatures. Most of us would have rather been rereading our favourite Jane Austen novel by a pool than heading to work to bake at our desks, but that's sadly the way the cookie crumbles. Which Jane Austen novel is the best poolside read? My money is on Emma.

Here's all the Jane Austen news and updates you might have missed in May!

The Jane Austen Festival on the BBC!

To non-believers, our love and enthusiasm for Jane Austen is a little baffling. Very few authors, never mind authors long dead, inspire the level of devotion that Jane Austen does. The general public would like to know - why do we still love her so much? Georgia Delve, who runs the Jane Austen Festival, spoke to the BBC about this very topic.

Jane Austen's unlikely influence on detective novels

Jane Austen's novels, on the surface, could not be further from sleuthing capers. There's never a murder, and most of the drama is social, right? No blood and guts here. However, in this article, Lucy Andrews reframes the novels of Jane Austen as social mysteries wherein our hero must decode the mysteries of the marriage market and Regency societal mores. An interesting comparison!

Jane Austen inspires new track from Seattle musician

Despite having edited the Jane Austen blog for more than five years now, I am still surprised by the creativity and breadth of responses to Jane Austen's work. In her new track, 'Jane Austen', Juliet Daniel reflects on her own length through the lens of Jane Austen's classic romances. The track has a dreamy, teen movie soundtrack sound.

Which Jane Austen character should get the Other Bennet Sister treatment next?

It's no secret that The Other Bennet Sister has been the Austen-adjacent adaptation of the year so far, with rising star Ella Bruccoleri charming as the oft-overlooked Mary Bennet. Off the back of its success, producers and writers are eyeing up other neglected Austen characters for the same treatment. The Times' Sian Bradley looks at why Mary's story was so compelling, and who could be next.

Author Lily King admits that loving Austen took time

It is a tough pill to swallow, but some people take time to come around to Jane Austen. The most recent notable convert is Women's Prize Shortlisted author of Heart the Lover, Lily King. In her recent 'Books of my Life' feature, King admits that when she was first assigned Pride and Prejudice at school, she struggled to turn the page. Now, thank goodness, she concedes to being a committed fan of Jane Austen's work.

International fans can catch The Other Bennet Sister on Britbox

International fans of Jane Austen who have been hearing all about The Other Bennet Sister can now watch it on the streaming service Britbox. In the Hollywood Reporter, Angie Han frames Mary's story as a 'going-to-college' tale about finding oneself.

Regency Era house up for sale

Ever dreamed of living it up in Bridgerton-esque glory? Well, if you have £2.25 million burning a hole in your pocket, Fountain House in Frome is up for sale. The Regency-era home boasts a 4000 sqft floorplan, including a study, library and six bedrooms. It is believed to have been designed by architect John Pinch the Elder, who designed so many of the Georgian townhouses familiar to viewers of Bridgerton.

Mysterious mausoleum brought to public attention for the first time

When Regency architect and collector Thomas Hope built a mausoleum to house the body of his seven-year-old son, it seems unlikely that he considered that someday the entire thing would be buried, only to be unearthed decades later. The Hope Mausoleum, which once stood on the Deepdene estate in Dorking, was buried to save it from vandalism, but it resurfaced in the last decade. Now, it has been granted funding as part of a drive to restore key parts of the Deepdene site.

AS ALWAYS, WE WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IF WE HAVE MISSED ANYTHING, AS WELL AS ALL YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE NEWS!

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