Wild that this actually felt like Jane Austen. I mean, a little more modernized but still. Color me impressed. I absolutely adored that all the characters were brought together, and the author did a great job of keeping them in character without making them more unlikeable by who they have “grown” into over time. Sometimes sequels or fan fiction can ruin the character by making them horrible parents or romantically grow so far apart that they are no longer enjoyable to read. But Gray did not do that in the slightest. They were each still just as enjoyable as ever.
Also I appreciate that she explained the historical, cultural and social dynamics of the time and the why behind them that Austen never had to explain because they were understood by her readers at the time.
Mystery wise, she did a great job of setting it up where everyone had a motive and maybe even some opportunity, so that it was truly difficult to pinpoint who the murderer was. While ek had my suspicions, I definitely just let myself go for the ride and find out with the pages. It was quite enjoyable that way. Especially because I didn’t really want it to be certain beloved characters. It was setup very well.
I enjoyed this book immensely and plan on reading more from this author.

As the title suggests, something finally happened to that bad guy Mr. Wickham. I loved all of my favorite Jane Austen characters getting together and solving a murder mystery.

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

A house party any Austen reader would love to attend! Gray has brought together all of the main characters from the Austen world at a house party. Gray has creatively given more back story to each of the readers favorite couples and thrown in a few surprises. As an unexpected and unwelcome visitor arrives at the party, readers find Mr. Wickham is more than just Elizabeth Darcey's sad familiar relation; he has become an enemy to all. With every couple keeping a secret and the curious minds of the youngest visitors to the parry, the mystery slowly unfolds.

Claudia Gray has done a superb job of bringing many of Jane Austens' beloved characters together and intersecting them in a way that allows the characters to interact outside of their original novels. The Murder of Mr. Wickham has the Knightlys throwing a party and Mr. Wickham shows up uninvited and later dies. The closed room murder mystery gives Agatha Christie vibes and allows the readers to sort of play along. Overall an enjoyable read even if I had to give myself a little Cliff Notes recap of who the original cast of characters were before starting the novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday for the chance to read this novel.

Embarking on Claudia Gray's "The Murder of Mr. Wickham" was like stepping into a world where Jane Austen's characters gather for a thrilling whodunit. As a devoted Austen fan, this book felt like a literary treat, combining the charm of Austen's creations with the suspense of a Christie-style mansion murder mystery.

The setting, hosted by Mr. Knightley and Emma, exuded the familiar warmth of Austen's world, and the presence of Mr. Wickham added an extra layer of tension. With enemies aplenty, Wickham's sudden demise during the summer house party unveils a myriad of suspects, each with motives that kept me eagerly turning the pages.

What delighted me the most was the unpredictability of the ending. As a seasoned mystery reader, I often find myself predicting the culprit early on, but Gray skillfully weaved a narrative that kept me guessing until the final reveal. The motives, opportunities, and the complexity of each character made it a genuine challenge to uncover the murderer.

I couldn't help but hope for a collective resolution akin to "Murder on the Orient Express," adding an extra layer of suspense. The anticipation of discovering the killer's identity kept me thoroughly engaged, and the climactic revelation left me pleasantly surprised.

While the pace mirrors the unhurried elegance of Austen's works, it perfectly aligns with the atmosphere, making it a cozy and immersive read. Picture yourself in a plush armchair by a crackling fireplace on a cold, rainy day—the ideal backdrop for diving into this captivating mystery.

For fans of Jane Austen and murder mysteries, "The Murder of Mr. Wickham" is an absolute delight—an enjoyable and worthwhile read that seamlessly merges two beloved literary worlds.

This was such a fun "retelling" of Jane Austen's books in a murder mystery key, I am very glad that 1) I have finally read it 2) this is going to be a series, because I had a great time following the shenanigans of these characters.
I particularly enjoyed that the book paid homage both to Jane Austen characters and the classic murder mystery genre, taking from both and mixing them with a dash of fun young investigators.
While The Murder of Mr. Wickham might not have been the most original mystery ever, it is still worth a read if you enjoy the mystery genre. I think you may like this book if you liked the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries trilogy by Tirzah Price. While they take from the same source material, though, they are not the same and I think both are equally enjoyable.
I can't wait to read the next instalment in the series, and I really hope to like each book more than the previous one.

Do you like Jane Austin? Do you like a good mystery? Then you really must read this book! I'm sure you'll enjoy reading every page of this book! Thank you for writing such a great book?

Jane Austen fans, of which I am one, are the ideal audience for this book but I think that it definitely has wider appeal to murder mystery readers in general. It is well written, engaging and ultimately satisfying. I look forward to reading more!

This book's characters all come from Austen novels, and many scenes are nods to the content in those books, so if you haven't read them all, you feel lost. I myself am only familiar with Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, so I kept getting the other cast members confused until I googled their stories to sort them out, but I still missed all the references to the books they were in. I'm not sure I really liked the characterizations of the characters I was familiar with, either. All the couples in the book bicker like they desperately need therapy. It was kind of disappointing to read them in that state.

The main plot is discovering who killed Mr. Wickham from Pride and Prejudice. He wasn't a likable character in the original book, but this book makes him out to be almost too evil. He's a financial con artist who has swindled all the other characters, and they disclose his history to discuss how he's ruined many women and has multiple illegitimate children. It seemed a bit over-the-top, and it also didn't make sense, given that his reputation is so far in the gutter yet all the characters still fell for his money schemes as if he were trustworthy. Everyone, essentially, wants him dead, so anyone might be guilty of the murder. But the identity of the killer and the reason for the killing were just a complete let-down to me. It would be a spoiler to disclose more, but I'll just say that the murder mystery ended up being secondary to pushing together the Darcy heir and a girl whose relations I really couldn't figure out, since I haven't read all of Austen's books.

I kind of liked the budding romance between the two teens. I really enjoyed following them along on their murder-solving shenanigans. The one thing that bothered me, especially about the girl, was that before thinking a thought or saying a word or making a move, everyone had to decide if it would be a proper thing to think, say, or do. I think the book would be halved in length if all that nonsense had been cut out. Of course it's understandable, in delicate situations, for characters of that era to consider their actions before speaking out of turn; but trust me when I say it is CONSTANT and quickly becomes GRATING. Sometimes you just wanted someone to say "please pass the salt" without them considering whether it would be too rude to speak to someone across the table instead of beside them. It was really just ridiculous. We understand the time period and didn't need a reminder with every breath a character took.

On the whole, I enjoyed this book. But I probably wouldn't have attempted it if I had known that an unfamiliarity with every single Austen character would leave me feeling so lost at times. I might continue the series to see what Darcy and Miss Tilney get up to the future, though, but maybe not until I've read Emma and Persuasion.

"The Murder of Mr. Wickham" brings together two of my favorite things: Jane Austen and historical mysteries. Gray shines as she enters into this world and gifts her readers with a fabulously written Regency-era whodunit. I can express just how much fun this book was to read.

I started and stopped this several times in the beginning. It was far too many POVs to keep track of. But once you get into it, it gets soooo good. I can’t wait to read the next book and the romance that’s starting.

What a fun tale! I loved the way Gray included characters from various Jane Austin stories and confined them to one house party, at Emma and Knightley's estate. But even better was the way in which the scoundrel Mr. Wickham met his demise.
This is both a mystery and a reacquaintance with some beloved characters.

The Murder of Mr. Wickham has all the promise of a delightful vintage read. The characters are familiar, the setting is well described and the plot is in line with what Austen herself might enjoy. The author shows her wit with some well turned sentences, however I found the pacing to be inconsistent. I also had trouble keeping track of who the characters were, but that's likely on me. I've read Austen but am no scholar. I also found that each time I put this book down, I had to refresh my memory when I restarted it. It would have been better for me to read straight through but that wasn't in the cards.
I think the book will be well received by all, but most especially by Jane-ites.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday publishing for this ARC of The Murder of Mr Wickham.

A fun idea for a book that was ultimately dragged down by some unfortunate pacing issues. However, I did enjoy getting to see all of our beloved Austen characters in a familiar setting, especially with the oh-so wicked Wickham as the victim of a crime.

I enjoyed the relationship between the two young characters in this book. The author did a good job of including a neurodivergent character even if it was overexplained at times.

It felt like visiting old friends, in the form of all your favorite Austenian couples. We had the Darcy’s, Knightley’s, Wentworth’s and more having a country house party that gets crashed by George Wickham. Obviously, based on the title, that does not work in his favor. A couple of new characters are added, including Jonathan who is the son of Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy. I truly enjoyed his character and watching him navigate the investigation that ensued upon Wickham’s death. I will say, I was a little disappointed that most of the characters were deeply unhappy, as I like to imagine them all having as much of a HEA as the 1800’s would allow them. The reasons behind unaliving Wickham were very Austen, and this whodunnit was an easy read. If you loved the original books, I think you will enjoy this one.

"The Murder of Mr. Wickham" is a gripping mystery novel that has its fair share of strengths and weaknesses.
The author demonstrates a keen ability to create an atmosphere of suspense throughout the book. The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns, keeping readers engaged as they try to solve the murder alongside the characters. This element of suspense is a definite pro, making it a page-turner.
The character development is another strength. The main characters are well-rounded and relatable, with their own quirks and motives. This adds depth to the story and enhances the reader's connection with the narrative.
But the novel's pacing can be inconsistent. At times, it moves briskly, but in certain sections, it tends to drag, causing some readers to lose interest temporarily. Additionally, the resolution of the mystery may leave some feeling a bit unsatisfied, as it may raise more questions than it answers.
In short, "The Murder of Mr. Wickham" is a compelling mystery with a strong atmosphere and well-crafted characters. Yet, the pacing issues and a somewhat enigmatic ending could potentially deter some readers. If you enjoy a complex mystery that keeps you guessing, this book is worth a read, but be prepared for a few bumps along the way.

I'm a Jane Austen and murder mystery fan so thought this would be a great read for my particular taste, but unfortunately I found it a bit too meandering to stay engrossed in the storyline. I had hoped for more chemistry between the young characters attempting to solve the murder, but it just fell flat for me. I DNFed at about 50%.

Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. I largely know which Austen characters are from which book, but in this book there were simply too many characters and pov changes for it to be enjoyable for me. The first part was a complete info dump, which immediately threw me off. I had to dnf this at 20%.