It’s not often that reviewers recommend older books on these lists, but in the case of The Murder of Mr. Wickham (2022) by New York Times Bestselling Author Claudia Gray, it’s a must. I stumbled across this book while at the bookstore and then discovered that it was the first in a trio. The book, which unites beloved characters from Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Mansfield Park, and Northanger Abbey for a house party hosted by the happily married Mr. Knightley and Emma, introduces two wonderful new characters. It makes the appropriate introductions and sets the stage for the subsequent books in the Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney mysteries: The Late Mrs. Willoughby (2023) and The Perils of Lady Catherine De Bourgh (2024).
When Mr. Wickham party crashes, details of his latest financial scheme, which has netted the rogue a broader circle of enemies, are exposed. As a storm rages outside, tempers in the stately home flair and secrets are revealed. Although they could all happily kill him, they’re shocked when he turns up murdered—everyone except the killer among them.
With so many Austen favorites cast as suspects, the responsibility of solving the mystery falls on the two youngest guests: Juliet Tilney, the smart and resourceful daughter of Catherine and Henry, who’s eager for adventure beyond Northanger Abbey; and Jonathan Darcy, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth’s eldest son, whose adherence to propriety and concern for Pemberley makes his father seem downright relaxed. The unlikely pair must navigate social propriety, put aside their own poor first impressions, and uncover the guilty party—before an innocent person is sentenced to hang.
The unlikely pair must navigate social propriety, put aside their own poor first impressions, and uncover the guilty party—before an innocent person is sentenced to hang.
In The Late Mrs. Willoughby, Juliet Tilney is invited by her new friend Marianne Brandon for a visit. By happy coincidence, Jonathan Darcy is among those invited by his old schoolmate, Mr. Willoughby, to join the Willoughby’s at their newly inherited family home near the Brandon’s. Soon, old wounds and ghosts of the past pull them all together, and the result is murder. Juliet and Jonathan put their detective skills to work once again to solve the murder and prevent a terrible injustice.
In the new release and third installment, The Perils of Lady Catherine De Bourgh, Juliet and Jonathan are called upon to prevent a murder rather than solve one. Lady Catherine, Jonathan’s great aunt, having heard of the pair’s particular skill, has summoned them to discover who wants her dead. With three attempts on her life, the sleuths must discover whom among the house regulars means her harm: her daughter Anne, her son-in-law Colonel Fitzwilliam, the local vicar Mr. Collins, and his wife, Charlotte, their two children, or one of the long-time servants. The pressure is on when they discover the would-be assassin may not be finished.
The Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney series is written by prolific series author Claudia Gray. I absolutely loved these books. Jane Austen fans who’ve imagined what happens with their beloved characters after the last page of the classics will be delighted.
For more information about Claudia Gray and her novels, go to www.claudiagray.com
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