Reading with Emily: The Late Mrs. Willoughby

QUICK FACTS

· Title: The Late Mrs. Willoughby

· Series: A Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney Mystery (Book 2)

· Author: Claudia Gray

· Genre: Historical Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Austenesque

· Publisher: Vintage Books (May 16, 2023)

· Length: (400) pages

· Format: Trade Paperback, eBook, & Audiobook

· ISBN: ‎978-0593313831

· Tour Dates: May 15 – 29, 2023

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The suspenseful sequel to The Murder of Mr. Wickham, which sees Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney reunited, and with another mystery to solve: the dreadful poisoning of the scoundrel Willoughby's new wife.

Catherine and Henry Tilney of Northanger Abbey are not entirely pleased to be sending their eligible young daughter Juliet out into the world again: the last house party she attended, at the home of the Knightleys, involved a murder—which Juliet helped solve. Particularly concerning is that she intends to visit her new friend Marianne Brandon, who's returned home to Devonshire shrouded in fresh scandal—made more potent by the news that her former suitor, the rakish Mr. Willoughby, intends to take up residence at his local estate with his new bride.

Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley are thrilled that their eldest son, Jonathan—who, like his father, has not always been the most socially adept—has been invited to stay with his former schoolmate, John Willoughby. Jonathan himself is decidedly less taken with the notion of having to spend extended time under the roof of his old bully, but that all changes when he finds himself reunited with his fellow amateur sleuth, the radiant Miss Tilney. And when shortly thereafter, Willoughby's new wife—whom he married for her fortune—dies horribly at the party meant to welcome her to town.

With rumors flying and Marianne—known to be both unstable and previously jilted by the dead woman's newly made widower—under increased suspicion, Jonathan and Juliet must team up once more to uncover the murderer. But as they collect clues and close in on suspects, eerie incidents suggest that the killer may strike again, and that the pair are in far graver danger than they or their families could imagine.

MY REVIEW

This is the second book featuring Juliet Tilney and Jonathan Darcy. These are fantastic characters partly because they are well-written and partly because of the license allowed when adding offspring to Jane Austen characters, It gives the reader a new lens with which to view the entire world.

Heavily featured in this story is the town of Barton, complete with the residents of Barton Cottege, Allenham, Delaford, and of course Barton Park. Included are new characters purported to be friends to Mr. Willoughby.

The story and mystery are delightful. It is slow to lay out the clues, but the important thing is for our two investigators to learn and interact as they go. Their previous adventure with Mr. Wickham is mentioned multiple times and the time period between both books is not long.

It is delightful to see these characters inner thoughts. With Jonathan there is an impression that he struggles with what we might call Asperger's due to his well-written quirks. He struggles in his interactions with others because he is not confident in his ability to understand a situation, but he is also very observant.

One theme I noticed was that of the danger of gossip. The entire town had decided the murderer of Mrs. Willoughby without a thought to truth. In fact the story, as layered as it is, bounces between suspects until ultimately all is revealed. Afterall, It wouldn't be a whodunit without uncovering the truth.

This is a delightful world that has been created with existing characters and new. It was a well thought out story and was fun to read. There is definitely a need for a third adventure with these two. The miscommunications caused by the very nature of Regency society leave so much room for more.

I received an early copy through NetGalley and this is my honest review.

PRAISE FOR THE LATE MRS. WILLOUGHBY

· “An absolute page-turner full of well-plotted mystery and hints of simmering romance.... More of the Jane Austen characters we love (as well as those we love to hate).” —Mia P. Manansala, author of Arsenic and Adobo

· ”Gray makes her endearing leads’ sleuthing both plausible and entertaining while evoking the wit and feel of Austen’s classic novels. Admirers of P.D. James’s Death Comes to Pemberley will be delighted.” —Publisher’s Weekly (starred review)

· ”Absolutely delightful! Fans of Jane Austen and historical mysteries will fall in love with this series. Gray remains true to Austen’s style and intent for her beloved characters while still adding her own spin on them and their progeny—one that is both refreshing and absorbing. I’m already looking forward to the next installment.” —Anna Lee Huber, USA Today bestselling author of the Lady Darby series

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOKSHOP | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

AUTHOR BIO

Claudia Gray is the pseudonym of Amy Vincent. She is the writer of multiple young adult novels, including the Evernight series, the Firebird trilogy, and the Constellation trilogy. In addition, she’s written several Star Wars novels, such as Lost Stars and Bloodline, and Jane Austen-inspired series, A Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney Mysteries. She makes her home in New Orleans with her husband Paul and assorted small dogs.