I adore unique fiction, and this is such an interesting premise. I recommend because of the story itself, writing style, and its ability to transport you into a different world.

This novel is an imagining of a Jane Austen Crossover/sequel surrounded the murder of Mr. Wickham.

It’s written pretty well however when requesting book I somehow missed the part of the description that this story centers around Jane Austen characters. I haven’t ever read a Jane Austen novel so the entire time I read I felt like I was missing something. That’s completely on me and I can’t fault the book for that but I definitely wouldn’t have chosen this book if I had realized. Since I didn’t recognize the characters names, I simply thought it was more Jane Austen inspired that a continuation/reimagining of the story.

Jane Austen fans, rejoice! Because all your favorites and public enemy number ones are either dying or under suspicion of being murderer. It looked like the author was done with these families having boring parties, being fake nice to each other, and following all the societal rules. So she brought the scandal himself to their door: Mr. Wickham and greater scandal of murder that was possibly committed by one of them.

Let the societal hunger games begin! Darcys' beloved youngest son and Tinleys' should have been introduced to society already daughter got together to play detectives, when real ones were not looking into anyone as close as they should. With their collective acumen and help of few other folks from the household, they were able to find out very useful information that would change the course of the investigation.

With multiple "ah"s and "oh"s, this was a good whodunnit story in Austen context, that reminded me that I need to revisit my Austens. The only reason that I wasn't so in love with the book was the ending. I mean it's great that thing worked out, but sometimes not everyone should live happily ever after.

The idea for this story is very unique. I love pride and prejudice so was excited to mix that story with a clue-like whodunnit, This fell flat for me as it was very confusing to keep all the character straight (switching between first names and married names). I’m sure I would have liked this more if I had more the rest of Jane Austen’s books. The plot really dragged in the middle and I was ready to have it wrapped up. Not the most interesting outcome but a fun idea overall.

A murder mystery where everyone is a suspect. A charming quick read that will have you guessing right up until the end. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Claudia Gray, I need you to write a sequel. This book was fantastic! Gray masterfully wove a house party of Jane Austen characters together, as well as new characters Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney, into a murder mystery. Though no real tears were lost at Wickham's death, it's shocking to think that anyone in their party could be capable of murder, so Jonathan and Juliet must work together to find the murderer and prevent an innocent individual from the gallows. Their biggest hindrance to their investigation: propriety. A must read for Austenites and Clue fans. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to the ARC!

This book is quite an undertaking. Not only does the author depict the murder of the most hated villain in Austen’s novels, but also assembles characters from many of her most popular books into one. There was obviously a lot of planning that went into this, as well as explanations of the assumed timeline.
I think everything was very cleverly thought out and designed, but I didn’t have difficult following along with the flow of the writing. There chapters went back and forth between all of the character that it was difficult to follow and focus. The liberties that were taken in developing beloved main character’s futures (including fortunes and children) were sometimes difficult to handle but overall well done.
The murder mystery leaned towards being more like Clue or a comedy, but did leave me guessing. Overall it was an interesting read and I loved to imagine a future for all of Austen’s favorite couples. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

I received this free ARC from NetGalley, the review reflected below is my opinion.

The Murder of Mr. Wickham just wasn’t for me. However If you are a Jane Austen fan you might enjoy revisiting these characters in this book.

Claudia Gray does a good job at capturing the essence of these beloved characters and at introducing original characters that fit in well with the story. I admit the idea of how a person on the autistic spectrum would navigate Regency England fascinates me and I'd read a whole novel based on that alone. The narrative slowed down in the middle but picked up momentum again toward the end. Overall, it was a good read that I'd recommend to anyone who's ever wondered how all of these characters would interact together.

Words! I need words! I have no words!!

Is it okay if I just squeal?!?!

Why am I squealing? The Murder of Mr. Wickham is being pitched as Jane Austen meets Agatha Christie!!! Do you know what that means??? It means that Claudia Gray has written a book especially for me!!!! I’m so happy!! Thanks, girl. Don’t worry, I’ll share with others. They can read it, too. I grudgingly suppose.

The Plot:
Sixteen years after the marriage of Emma and Mr. Knightley (from Emma), the pair throw a house party. And…and…and…characters from all the other Austen books and their children are invited!!!!!

I cannot breathe!!!!

Anyway, Mr. Wickham (from Pride and Prejudice) crashes the party, and as we learn from the title, gets a little murdered!! So, of course, everyone is a suspect!! Juliet Tilney (daughter of the leads from Northanger Abbey) and Jonathan Darcy (son of the leads from Pride and Prejudice) become junior detectives and investigate.

I still can’t breathe! Can y’all breathe??

Every single solitary thing about this book was marvelous! We get to catch up with all our beloved Austen characters and see what they’ve been up to for the last few years. Honestly, I kept putting it down to squeal! The storylines are well-crafted so that tensions are excellently explored and properly paint the picture that Wickham is despised by characters both inside and outside of his own Austen book. Whodunnit? Really, it could be anyone. Plus, the writing is phenomenal. Gray nails the perfect blend of classic and modern that will leave her readers flipping pages and refusing to move until the book is done.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is exactly what I never knew I needed. I read it in one sitting, and I think I’m going to continue to read it again and again everyday for the rest of my life! I loved it so very much!

As a reader who has fantasized million ways of dancing on George Wickham’s grave who might be the wickedest character of entire Austen novels, I’m sold from the beginning when I read the murder mystery blurb! And you know what before I started reading, I hoped the killer could get away with it! ( evil laugh of voracious reader)

The idea of bringing together the famous Austen characters in chronological order of their stories, turning them into murder suspects is brilliant! Only problem about the book is slowness! Some chapters were a little flat and eventless. I wished the execution could be more riveting and capturing! But at least the ending was not rushed and satisfying enough, including bonus parts explaining directions of some characters’ stories!

The story takes place in the very famous Regency Period! Knightleys ( true proof of opposite attract may result with HEA) throws a house party: some matchmaking, high quality of drinks, food, socializing which may last at least one month! But when an invited guest makes thundering appearance announced, poor Knightleys grit their teeth, welcoming him with unopened hands ( probably they had a big urge to salute him with middle fingers) You can guess who came to dinner, can’t you?

And then the very famous wicked man is found death! Of course each of the guests has motives to get rid of that scumbag! Only two people who provide rock solid alibis are Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney, teaming up to solve this mystery. But this investigation has its own challenges: two people from opposite sexes to be in the same room alone might be the scandalous action in the Regency area. So this partnership will be more challenging than they expected!

Overall: I found the pacing a little bumpy but bringing those memorable characters and put them into a claustrophobic whodunnit mystery is uniquely brilliant idea which made me round up 3.5 stars to 4 murder mystery, go to hell Mr. Wickham- nobody will miss you stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Imagine the classic melodrama villain, the one the audience boos whenever they appear on stage. He is so evil you can’t find anything to like about him, and even if you can’t see him that clearly you just know he’s twirling his mustache as he thinks about who his next victim will be and how he’s going to achieve his ulterior motive. That is the image Claudia Gray conjures up in The Murder of George Wickham, a victim who is so unlikeable the reader can hardly wait for him to meet his demise and winds up hoping the murderer gets away with it because, after all, he really did deserve it.

In this Regency Period mystery, Gray has included some of the best known characters ever created by Jane Austen and put them all in one place at one time; a house party at the estate of the well known Knightleys, at least well known to any Austen fans. True Austen fans will also know of all the houseparty guests who have appeared in various Austen novels.Because they are not known to each other, some awkward beginnings are expected when the houseparty begins. Awkward isn’t the word when said villain, Mr. Wickham shows up in the middle of a thunderstorm and conventional polite behavior compels the Knightley’s to offer him a room for the night. The storm continues for the next several days, as does Mr. Wickham’s stay; at least until his body is discovered in the gallery. Now the somewhat uncomfortable house party has turned into one from which no one can escape even though no one wants to be there.

All the guests, along with the Knightley’s, have reason to rejoice over Mr. Wickham’s death. The only problem? It is quickly demonstrated that the death cannot be attributed to a passing stranger, and therefore must be one of the guests themselves. This has everyone looking at each other with suspicion. It seems everyone has something to hide. The only two people who are relatively free from suspicion are two young people, Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney; one because of a rock-solid alibi the other since this is the first time they’ve ever met Mr. Wickham.

The young people’s logical decision? It is up to them to investigate since the local magistrate is likely to decide an innocent servant is the guilty party. The conventions of the era make it difficult for them to work together as it is against all social propriety for unmarried members of the opposite sex to be seen in the same room without a chaperone. Likewise, correspondence is not possible unless they are “courting”, and young women are considered far too delicate to involve themselves in murder at any level.

As Jonathan and Juliet find ways to meet with one another and compare notes and gather information on their fellow guests, the reader gets an excellent glimpse into the society of the Regency period. The investigation moves at a leisurely pace, as does all of Regency England and the book provides an excellent sense of time and place while providing a satisfying mystery, one that the reader isn’t sure they want to solve since all the characters are likable and the victim was so despicable.

There are individual secrets, griefs and conflicts which also hamper the lives of the characters. Some of these create motives for them to want Mr. Wickham dead and others explain growing strife between couples. As the book progresses, these are revealed and in many cases resolved, adding to the satisfying ending of the book.There is also an end chapter that gives a glimpse of the future for the various couples who have been in attendance which some may find an added bonus.

My thanks to Knopf Doubleday Publishing and Netgalley for providing access to a preview copy of the book for review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

At first, I was annoyed at the changes to some of my favorite literary characters. It took me awhile to get in the story because of this. I did appreciate the murder mystery, but the resolution was not as satisfying as I thought it would be. However, in the end, I thought the author did a good job at coming up with possibilities of where Austen's characters would be after their novels ended.

A old abbey turned into a home becomes the setting for a house party with a decidedly deathly outcome. "House parties" in Regency period England often lasted more than a month, with the host and hostess responsible for the food, lodging and entertainment of their guests. It was a time to escape the dirt, heat and crime of London as well as an opportunity for the young ladies and gentlemen to make proper new acquaintances while under the supervision of the hosting family. Unfortunately, for the Kingsleys, a decidedly unwelcome guest crashes their event. Mr. Wickham, although related to some of the guests is despised by everyone in attendance as he has swindled most of them out of their wealth and property and has taken liberties with both other men's wives and single young women. When Mr. Wickham meets an unfortunate end in the gallery one night, every house guest is now a suspect. Author Gray lays out motives for every one of her guests as well as alibis, leaving the reader in suspense until the end when the real murderer and motive is revealed.
A bit tedious in its reading, "The Murder of Mr. Wickham" is written true to the style of the period, which may or may not appeal to every reader.

Gray has maneuvered many of the Jane Austen characters from different books into one story. They are at a house party at Emma's house when Mr. Wickham shows up, He continues to be the cad he was in Pride and Prejudice. When he is killed there are an abundance of suspects. The lives of the characters after the end of the books are not always so happy ever after. The author has attempted to write in the manner of Austen and it is somewhat successful. I'm a huge Jane Austen fan so enjoy books that are written in homage to her.

Delightful cozy mystery featuring characters from Jane Austen’s works.

The Knightleys (Emma), who have been married 16 years, throw a houseparty at Donwell Abbey. The guests included the Darcys (Pride and Prejudice) and their 20-year-old son Jonathan, Captain and Anne Wentworth (Persuasion), Edmund and Fanny Bertram (Mansfield Park), and the newlywed Colonel and Marianne Brandon (Sense and Sensibility). Also invited is Juliet Tilney, the 17-year-old daughter of Catherine and Henry Tilney (Northanger Abbey), without her parents.

Not invited is Mr. Wickham, the cad who ran off with Elizabeth Darcy’s sister Lydia, but he shows up unexpectedly. He has continued his mercenary schemes and caused harm to many people, including some of the houseguests. When he is found murdered in the middle of the night, the local magistrate, Frank Churchill (Emma), is called in to investigate. But Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney, concerned that a servant will be falsely accused, decide to do some snooping amongst their fellow guests.

Jonathan and Juliet are well-matched as a sleuthing duo and, naturally, as potential romantic partners, though they are both wary of the notion. Jonathan appears to be on the spectrum, and he attempts to follow society’s strictures even when he finds them puzzling. Juliet has an independent spirit and is open to interesting experiences. After some initial misunderstandings, she accepts Jonathan as he is.

I am merely a casual Austen fan, but I felt her original characters were authentically represented. I do think a Cast of Characters would be helpful to remind readers of the relationships and source material. (There was not one in the ARC I read.) I’m glad that there wasn’t a cop out at the end in terms of whodunnit.

Thoroughly enjoyable both as a cozy, closed circle mystery and an Austen homage.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

This was the Jane Austen mystery story I never knew I wanted. It was wonderful! A delight for those who love all Austen books. A great country manor house mystery for those who love cozy mysteries. And to make it even better, I loved how Ms. Gray developed the Austen couples. While we see the characters in their youth before marriage in Austen's novels, Ms. Gray does a wonderful job of keeping their original character traits but maturing them, making them complicated. Years of marriage and children will do that!

This is a fun take on the beloved main characters of Jane Austen's world. The villainous George Wickham arrives to to Emma and Mr. Knightley's house party at Donwell Abbey as the ultimate uninvited guest, only to be discovered, quite dead, in the gallery on a dark and stormy night. The Knightley's houseguests include Mr and Mrs Darcy and their grown son, Jonathan as well as Captain and Mrs Wentworth, Colonel and Mrs Brandon, The Reverend and Mrs Bertram, and 17 year old Juliet Tilney. Motive and opportunity abound in this twisty murder mystery, as all concerned (except young Mr Darcy and Miss Tilney) have good reason to want Wickham dead!

The Murder of Mr. Wickham is for any Jane Austen fan who wants to revisit their favorite characters, and see the vile Mr. Wickham finally get what he deserved.

The story takes place at a party weekend at Emma and George Knightly's estate. Of course, Wickham shows up invited and wow, hasn't he made an enemy of practically everyone at the party.
Years after their HEA, we see Austen's most famous couples and how they've faired after the years. Some liberties were taken but Gray does an overall wonderful job of tone and texture filling the story with the spirit of the original characters, including two new additions which will keep any Austen fan interested. (Jonathan and Juliet).

I really particularly enjoyed the dynamic between Col. Brandon and Maryanne, who are newlyweds and still feeling their ways around each other. His quiet devotion and her passion are both incredibly romantic and very authentic to their characters and the writer does an excellent job of showing how these two overlap but also leave gaps of uncertainty in their new union. But we also have Emma, my favorite actually, who even though time has passed, still seems a little bit like her much younger self. While I do think Emma might hold on to some of her less favorable qualities, I thought she was a little too much like her older self. Capt. Wentworth also seemed a little bit too angry and droll for my taste (although given their current circumstance who could blame them.) And so all of the characters, while having grown and matured, still held onto the spirit of their character. I admit though, most of them were unhappy or worried about one thing or another, which seemed kinda like too much angst.
I will say that Wickham is as foul and terrible as ever, each couple having had a problem with him (to no one's surprise) and Gray does a superb job of writing a villain who stole the scene every time he was on the page.

That said, the murder is, let's say, satisfying. Can I say that? Is that too weird?

Wickham is found dead and of course everyone at the party is a suspect. Austen plus Clue is my kind of book and it does a wonderful job of creating tension and intrigue with each of the characters. That said, and I mean this in the best possible way, I think if you haven't read Austen's books, then the most charming parts of the book would be lost on you. I enjoyed going back to my favorite characters, even if they were grumpy or depressed versions of themselves. And I liked the setting. But I felt like the murder didn't hold up on its own and because there were so many characters, the book went back and forth so many times, it didn't have a continued flow of story.

Any Austen fan should read this book. They'll enjoy revisiting their favorite characters and see what happened after Austen left them at I Do.

I was already a Claudia Gray fan from reading her Star Wars books, but I was so excited when I learned about this book because I'm also a Jane Austen fan. Claudia Gray & Jane Austen seemed like a winning combination to me, and I was not disappointed. Throughout the whole book I was so worried about which of my beloved characters would turn out to be a murderer and how Claudia was going to make it be in a way that I could accept it. Again, I was absolutely not disappointed. I really hope this turns out to be either a series, or have at least one more book because I'd like to read further adventures of Juliet and Jonathan! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for access to the ARC.