The Mysterious Death of Mr Darcy is a JAFF novel. I first want to say that I love the cover. He’s a hunk. So if you not intimately familiar with P&P then you might not understand this novel. I’m a huge fan of Jane Austen fan fiction and love, love, love seeing more of it.
This is a mystery romance and I quite enjoyed it. Darcy and Lizzy have only been married 6 months so they’re practically still on there honeymoon. And it’s very obvious the way they are with each other. The romance was clean and sweet and I really liked seeing them try to solve this mystery.
I received this ARC for free and I’m voluntarily leaving my review.
Thanks Independently Publishing via NetGalley.

I enjoyed this book. This is a new author for me, I look forward to reading more from her in the future. This is a well written story that has characters that bring the story to life. This is a story that brings mystery to a new level. The characters made the story easy to read and entertaining. I had no problems connecting with the.m. This is an engaging story that kept me turning pages to the end. I enjoyed being pulled into the story by the author's attention to detail. I highly recomend this book.

dnf at 50%

trigger warning
<spoiler> frequent mention of miscarriage, trauma, assault, use of the slur "gypsie" </spoiler>

Mr. Darcy is dead. Thankfully, it's not <i>our</i> Mr. Darcy but one of his cousins, an esteemed archaeologist, and as the newly wed couple travels to the deceased's manor to clear up some stuff, they're further told that the corpse is missing.
Seeking a distraction from recent traum, Elizabeth goes all in in the search for the culprit.

This book suffers from many faults. The most obvious one, and the main reason why I dnf-ed this, is that about 50% of every written word is about how much both of them are in love. Okay, yeah, we get it. And sure it's remarkable that they're still in love, six months after their marriage, and it makes me happy for them that they have found the person they want to spend their lifes with, but this is too much.
I stopped as <spoiler> Elizabeth nearly drowns and still half of what they're saying and thinking is romantic mush </spoiler>.

Now we got that out of the way, it will come as no wonder to you that the pacing is tantalizing. The crime plot is something that happens to them while they're in love, and I prefer it to be other way round.
On top of that, this book is seriously overwritten. There are no passages in which we have a simple dialoge, every single syllable is accompanied by how their faces look, who shifts their weight, or, again, romantic mush. Listen, one of my favourite book of all time is Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake. I <i>love</i> descriptions. But everything has a time and a place. And, again, please don't murder your pacing.

Maybe this was wrongly marketed and it's a historical romance and not a historical fiction crime. Maybe you'll have more fun if you go in with different expectations.

As I picked up my e-reader this evening, I was very sure I'd be able to do this today, but I can't. I'm sorry, I tried my best, but it is what it is.

The arc was provided by the publisher.

Doesn't that title make you catch your breath? I was only able to breathe easier when I read the exciting blurb to see that the death in question was another Darcy. But, that blurb... it hooked me and I had to read this one. I didn't realize it until after I started reading, but I'd enjoyed a later mystery in this series and I was finally coming back for the book that started the series. However, this book is actually a sequel, too- a sequel to the great classic, Pride and Prejudice.

The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy opens with Fitzwilliam Darcy and his wife at home when he receives the news that a fond relation has past. He thinks to follow the lawyer's request that he come to help settle his cousin's estate, but leave early so he and Elizabeth might enjoy a prolonged journey and chance to see a bit of the Dorset resort area to make up for their short honeymoon. They are glowing from their journey when Samuel's housekeeper sets them straight. His cousin didn't die naturally. Through a series of mysterious events including a lack of real investigation and some disappearances, Darcy and Elizabeth investigate on their own.

I loved that there was a murder mystery set in the Pride and Prejudice world and that the author further explored the dark legends of the Dorset region, Regency era antiquities, criminal investigation and the legalities and social customs around death and family.

There was a lot packed into this one including a sensual ongoing romance and whirl of activity around the mystery. In truth, there was perhaps too much packed in and the romance got mushy and distracting at times so that the story bogged down. In a variation-sequel, you get the author's version of the characters. I found this portrayal of Darcy intelligent, exciting, but highly romantic. The romance overbalanced like getting needy if Elizabeth happened to be in another room and not right at his side or the pair seeming to constantly being in a state of arousal that I couldn't picture the original characters portraying. Don't get me wrong, I adore a good spicy romance and a gothic-type murder mystery especially in this setting, but my preference is for a bit less saccharine.

The author thoughtfully included a cast of characters at the beginning which was helpful once the book got rolling because there are a lot of people, side activities, further deaths and more that keep piling on to leave the reader twisted around and not sure who might be the killer or even why. In truth, even when I got the solution, I knew I would have never guessed.

As to Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth, they are adorable together and she's still as feisty and intolerant of stupidity as ever. I liked seeing them use their skills separately and together to figure out what was going on and, yes, I enjoyed seeing them as a newly married couple in love, but working out a new relationship.

All in all, I had a good time and can't wait to see what comes of those leading threads at the end of the story having to do with Darcy's sister, Georgiana, and her own mystery. Historical Mystery fans should definitely give this one a look see, but be prepared for a lot surrounding the mystery.

I was a bit disappointed because Regina Jeffers gathered in this novel many historical facts and characters, but I think she used too many characters, motives and corpses, dazing the reader. There is the reference to the historical character of Belle Gunness, witchcraft, gypsies, body snatching, secret passages and so many other themes but, above all, so many characters - some of them are dead, some just missing, others disappear to come back later - that the reader gets fuzzy.
And it's a pity, because Regina Jeffers is such an attentive author; only, this time, i think the storyline got out of her hand.

My Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1616656686

First I want to say that this is not a retelling, this is a continuance of Pride and Prejudice.

I love the continuation of Pride and Prejudice post-marriage (of Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth), the dialogue and spark between Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth was great; however I do wish that it focused more on the plot and less on their romance. I do understand why the romance is in it, because they are newly wed, but it took away from the story each time it went in a different direction.
There are many twists and turns to this story. It is quite thrilling and suspenseful, I rather enjoyed this book, the characters in it and I thought it was fantastic that Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam were investigating the murder!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

I did not enjoy this book, so I don't think I should be posting a review anywhere. I found it akin to a fanfiction, where the characters are the author's wish fulfillment. They sounded nothing like the characters that they were based on.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy! Pride and Prejudice is one of my all time favorite books and I think Regina Jeffers captures the spirit of Jane Austen's characters so well. The plot was interesting and I loved the incorporation of familiar secondary characters from P&P. I hope to see a sequel to this book!

this was a really unique read, I enjoyed the retelling of Pride and Prejudice and I really enjoyed reading this.

I'm an Austen fan and found this to be truly delightful in a way that I didn't think a new story of a classic could be told. It's not a remake but the telling of what happens 6 months after Pride and Prejudice which was not only surprising but very satisfying.
I didn't know I was waiting on this one until it landed in my lap and I thank Regina Jeffers, Netgalley, and Independently Published for the ARC.

It is a mystery detective story with Jane Austen's characters. When Darcy finds out that his uncle died, he wants to know more about what happened. But it is not so easy to find who killed his uncle and where is his body. So, Darcy and his beloved wife, Elizabeth, are determined to solve the case.
Thank you Netgalley for this nice book.

I like Jane Austen variations and I like to read them as a change from the normal genres I read which need a bit more concentration. Right now with coronovirus taking such turns in our country, I thought this was a good choice for me. Boy was I wrong. It was nothing like the other off shoots of a Jane Austen story.

Starting with Darcy and Elizabeth only we find them on a cousin's house trying to sort out his estate which responsibility fell to Darcy as a beneficiary. Samuel Darcy has been killed, buried and then his corpse has disappeared. Add to this very strange domestic servants, lots of signs of witchcraft, financial misdealings and then the discovery of not one but several bodies in a row add to the stories general mayhem.

When Elizabeth is almost killed by one antagonist, the game steps up and Darcy along with his cousin the Colonel is at their wits end to find out the reasons for the killings which have rocked this tiny village.

Completely different from other JA variations, this was a strange but good read.
Lots of strands to bring together and the author brings it all home very well.

A very complex nurder mystery with Mr. & Mrs, Fitzwilliam Darcy investigaring. When Darcy's cousin dies & he is names one of the heirs, the couple. still in their first year of marriage, go to help put the estate in order. What they find is mysterious deaths & disappearances, beginning with Darcy's cousin.

As the deayhs & dangers mount, the pair has to solve the mystery.

i liked the complex plot, but I found the author's at times stilted language and romantic intrusions boring, unnecessary to the plot and out-of-place. i kept feeling as ifJeffers couldn't decide if she wanted to write a mystery or a romance novel. She should have stuck with just doing the mystery, it was a good one.

I am a huge fan of the classic "Pride and Prejudice" and consider it one of my all-time favourite books, so when I spotted this book with its intriguing blurb, I immediately got it. This was the first classic spinoff that I've read that beautifully combines my favourite book and my favourite genre of mystery thrillers. It was quite fascinating to observe my favorite pair don the detective hat as they investigate the mystery plaguing an otherwise peaceful Woodvine. The book starts in a solid manner, albeit with a little too many mushy moments. The author manages to capture the essence of the original to an extent but it felt clunky and awkward at the beginning when the dialogues from the original were incessantly repeated to establish the bond of the leads. Elizabeth and Darcy remain faithful to Austen's vision and I loved how we could see more of the Colonel in this book. The author manages, to an extent. to retain the conservative air and ensures the style of dialogues match the classic.
Coming to the mystery, it is very interesting to read and engrosses the reader. But as the story progresses, too many subplots and narratives are introduced which ruins the effect produced thus far. As much as I like seeing bodies pile up,the reasons justifying it doesn't seem worthwhile to me. The fact that almost the entire household was complicit in one crime or the other seems too tall to be believable for me, and the perpetrators were a bit guessable .
Overall, this is a good book for the fans of the original classic. The mystery is a bit of a letdown at the end, but was a enjoyable ride nonetheless. The author fully fleshes out the arc of the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth- and the additional characters introduced weren't half-bad. The mystery could have been worked on a bit.
My ratings: 3.5/5 rounded to 4 stars. Will try to read the next installment in this series if any comes.
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a very well done P&P sequel. The mystery was extremely complicated! The suspense at the end was palpable. Loved it!

Ever been around a couple who can’t keep their hands off each other or stop saying how much they love each other? That’s what reading this book was like.

I think I must have read a different book than a lot of reviewers because I found The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy boring and repetitive. The characters of Darcy and Elizabeth did not at all resemble the characters in Pride and Prejudice. And the overstuffed sausage of a plot! Where <spoiler>Mr. Darcy gets stabbed, Elizabeth is attacked and almost drowned, Mr. Darcy gets shot, Elizabeth is drugged, and Mr. Darcy <i>is buried alive.</i> </spoiler> Oh, and don’t forget the anti-Roma sentiments, the copious dead bodies, and the witchy ritual around the stone circle.

“A thrilling story of murder and betrayal filled with the scandal, wit, and intrigue characteristic of Austen’s classic novels.” No, it’s not. The author did throw in every reference to P&P they could manage, in some cases quite awkwardly, but I saw no wit.

This is the worst book I have finished in years. I read an advance reader copy from Netgalley. I commit myself to finishing any e-galleys I request, which is the only reason I finished it.

The main highlight of the story is Darcy and Elizabeth. I loved their relationship and dialogues. Generally, in such books, I would feel the romance as a barrier towards progressing the mystery. However, in this case, I did not mind Darcy and Elizabeth’s interruptions to show their affection for each other. Their love is so sweet and adorable, and made the story stand out. Also, I loved Edward and his role in the storyline.

Similarly, the author also did a very nice job in maintaining the suspense. As the story progresses, the plot gets intense where Darcy and Elizabeth’s life is at stake. The author also adds quite a few twists and turns that you do not expect. For example, the story touches on gypsies, ancient practices, rituals and Egyptian mummifications that you do not expect in such a book. Moreover, many of the characters like Mrs. Ridgeway, Stowbridge, Gry etc. have an aura of mystery where you feel they are hiding something. Some of the memorable scenes are when the gypsy attacks Elizabeth and they go underwater, or when they investigate the shoe size. The climax is amazing and one that I would not forget.

However, the story is a bit detailed at times, which in my opinion, could be shortened. I was so engrossed with the plot that I wanted to see how it continues. But at times, the author provided regular recaps which slowed the pace. But, I loved that this could be enjoyed as a standalone, as I had not read the previous books. Also, the dialogues felt true to the era and the characters felt authentic.

Overall, this was a terrific historical mystery novel and I now want to read the previous novels.

Pride an prejudice and murder, a bit mushy for Jane Austen but still has the feel of one of her books.

No one can deny that classics shaped many of the romance tropes and storylines we know today. Pride and Prejudice, which paved the way for the popular "enemies to lovers" trope we all love, has been a fan-favorite for years. Therefore, when I came across The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy, a Pride and Prejudice vagary, I lost no time in requesting it. As someone who is fond of both romance stories and murder-mysteries, I had high hopes for this book. And I was not disappointed.

Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, after being married for a couple of months, have yet to take a trip together to celebrate their marriage. Unfortunately, certain matters that needed to be addressed, such as looking after Pemberley, delayed their plans. Now, Mr. Darcy is devastated to find out that his cousin, Samuel Darcy, is dead. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy travel to Woodvine to pay their respects, deciding to spend time exploring Woodvine together to make up for the vacation they never took. However, mysterious matters come to light, and secrets about Samuel Darcy's death prevent them from not only sorting out matters regarding the death, but also from maintaining peace of mind.

First, they find out that Samuel Darcy was murdered by an unknown person who struck him with an ax. Then, they find out that two men met at the place Samuel Darcy was buried, and one of them was killed in a mysterious explosion. After that, they discover that Samuel Darcy's body is missing from his grave. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are determined to solve this mystery. But that does not prove easy. In the quiet town of Woodvine, Samuel Darcy is not the only person who has been murdered. And the person who killed him isn't the only murderer. As they go through Samuel's belongings, trying to make sense of what happened, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy find that each clue only further tangles up the mystery. They try to single out people who seem suspicious, but that proves difficult, especially when there are way too many such people. As things begin to get traumatic, dangerous and, at times, deadly, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy struggle to stay alive, to solve the mystery, and to stay a couple.

Regina Jeffers has clearly read Pride and Prejudice thoroughly and constantly. Her writing style perfectly reflected that of the classic. It had the same sophisticated speech, the same carefully expressed emotions, and the same passionate yet conservative romance. I could not help but admire how strong she wrote Elizabeth Bennet to be. I loved how well she described her and Mr. Darcy's relationship after marriage, especially since we did not see that in the classic. Her characters were interesting, complex, and wonderfully written. Her plots were crafted to perfection. Overall, the book had everything you would want to see in a Pride and Prejudice vagary.

Due to the number of characters, it was, at times, difficult to keep track of who was who. Moreover, apart from Elizabeth's nature, the depiction of women was still on the weaker side. There were some "you're not like other girls" moments which I did not particularly like. There was some subtle classism, but I suppose that sort of thing is common in classics. Even so, some of the instances of classism were irking. Despite these slight shortcomings, I enjoyed this book as a whole. It was gripping and interesting, and had several surprising revelations which I immensely enjoyed reading.

An excellent story, perfect for fans of Pride&Prejudice. It's highly entertaining and well written.
The characters are well thought and interesting, the mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
I thoroughly enjoyed and it's highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.