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The Late Mrs. Willoughby

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I appreciate the oppurtunity to read this. But I realized this writing style or story plot isn't my type. I tried few chapters and that is it.

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First off thank you for allowing me to read an arc of the book, however I got about 30% in and I had to stop, the writing style and the flow of the story just wasn’t doing it for me. I’m not saying that this isn’t a good book it just wasn’t for me.

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The second in a series of mysteries set in the world of Jane Austen books. Claudia Grey is adept at writing in the style, characters, and settings begun by Austen. The connections between the characters is clever and the novel is well researched! Perfect mystery for fans of Jane Austen

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When Jonathan Darcy is invited to a house party by his old school “friend” Willoughby, he cringes at the idea of spending days on end with the man who bullied him all through his school years. The happy fortune of Juliet Tilney being in the same vicinity, visiting her friends the Brandons, makes it almost worth the daily humiliation that Willoughby, Follet, and Bamber thrust upon him. Jonathan discovers that Willoughby’s marriage is not a happy one. His rich wife Sophia is continually unhappy with him, and Willoughby is doing all in his power to ingratiate himself with the woman he deserted, Marianne Brandon.

When Mrs. Willoughby drinks a glass of port while at a dinner party and falls down dead of poisoning, the entire countryside begins whispering in shocked wonder. Marianne Brandon, so fresh for her justified self-defense against Mr. Wickham, is the logical suspect. It is up to Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney to join forces to clear their friend in the court of public opinion and to catch the real killer before he (or she?) strikes again.

Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney reprise their delightful roles from the first book in the series as amateur investigators. Juliet–kind, understanding, and quick-witted–puts up with Jonathan’s quirks and mannerisms like no one else can, seeing the great-hearted man behind the odd fellow whom his schoolfellows nicknamed “Thumps.” Jonathan uses his logical mind and social oddities to painstakingly wend his way to the truth . . . and to a realization that Juliet Tilney is the one person in life he could imagine taking into his arms to hold and have forever. Although the book leaves us in suspense of that resolution (it is a series, after all!), it was delightful seeing Jonathan come to terms with the reality of love and what it could mean to be close to another person.

As with the first book, a few of the representations of Austen’s characters were right on target, and a few felt like a miss. The Brandons, learning how to deepen their relationship, felt true to Austen’s story. Elinor and Edward Ferrars, however, were a little on the dull side and missing the Austen sparkle. The side plot involving Edward’s relationship to his mother was not my favorite. Sir John Middleton and Mrs. Jennings were amusing, however, and Willoughby was as much of a self-absorbed monster as one would expect. My favorite characters are still the ones that Claudia Gray has crafted for herself (Jonathan and Juliet), and I would be curious to read a Regency by her that is NOT an Austen spinoff and entirely her own creation. At the same time, one wonders which Austen family Jonathan and Juliet will visit next in the next installment of the series . . . I’m certain that I’ll be going along for the ride.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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The Late Mrs. Willoughby is a decent follow up to The Murder of Mr. Wickham. It continues the Agatha Christie style mystery series featuring characters from all of Jane Austen's novels. I do think this book might suffer slightly from being the middle book in a series, but I can't wait for more.

*I received a review copy from the publisher through Netgalley

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I am just starting my Jane Austen journey. With what little I know I found this story enjoyable. If you are well versed in Jane Austen and stories you will love this book.

The author brings the characters we love into this story. She brings in elements from Austen's novels to tie in motives, character background and relationships. I liked reading how the elements came together throughout the story.

This is the follow up to The Murder of Mr. Wickham. You do not need to read the first before reading this story.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

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Like the first book, The Late Mrs. Willoughby was an excellent story using the characters of Jane Austen. I love Jonathan and Juliet as characters. They're wonderful and clever. Jonathan is written as autistic; the author does a great job with this and with exploring how he experiences the world and his own emotions. Juliet is just as clever as her mother, and I love her friendships with Marianne and the other women in the group. Regency crime-solving duo is a great premise for a book, too! I especially like that the incidents are focused on unlikeable characters from Austen's books.

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The Late Mrs. Willoughby is the second Regency romance/mystery featuring Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney written by Claudia Gray. Released 16th May 2023 by Knopf Doubleday on their Vintage Anchor imprint, it's 400 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. Large print library bound edition due out in 4th quarter 2023. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.

This is an homage series, featuring some of the iconic characters from Austen's classic works, (this one revisiting Sense & Sensibility). This outing sees an apparently neurodivergent Darcy solving a poisoning murder along with his partner / potential romantic lead Juliet Tilney. Much of the plot stretches the boundaries of belief and readers need to bring a healthy suspension of disbelief to the read.

The story is self contained in this volume, so it works very well as a standalone mystery. If read out of order, readers should be aware that there are references to the plot and incidents from the first book, which could give spoilers if read out of order.

The writing is occasionally overwrought and tries too hard for Austen homage and comes across as well edited fanfic. Three and a half stars. It's well written, very well edited and polished, but ultimately recommended mostly for die-hard Regency romance/mystery fans, and not so much for fans of historical Jane Austen who won't be fooled for a second.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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I am officially a follower of Claudia Gray's series with Juliet Tilney and Jonathan Darcy. I have so enjoyed these two characters, their relationship and the adventures they get up to. I hope there will be many more! In this case, both Juliet and Jonathan are visiting the same area, albeit different friends, and a murderer strikes again. Juliet and Jonathan team up to solve the crime again and we are graced with appearances from others in Jane Austen's world. Definitely did not see the murder coming in this one and finished the book wishing for more!

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I did not notice going in that this is the second book in a series. The two lead protagonists have already met in a previous installment and solved a murder together.
The year is 1820, and society being the way it was, a woman accused of killing another and escaping 'without punishment' continues to face ridicule in the town she calls home.
Jonathan Darcy is a wealthy only son of titled parents. He is also neurodivergent at a time when it makes him a subject of ridicule. He has managed to function in society thus far, although he does not enjoy doing the things that make him seem normal. The other lead character, Miss Juliet Tilney, is a little too ambitious for a woman of her time, and she has been invited to stay with a friend to help her through an awkward time.
I liked the interactions of the central characters, and the overall writing style was simple but engaging. I did not even feel like I was coming into the series midway because the background was well explained.
There were two main drawbacks that held up the ratings for me. The first was the pacing. The story seemed to drag. It may have been the extra ambience-inducing pages that did it, but I wished the entire thing would move faster - it made the book seem longer than it was. The second and more crucial part was that I guessed the reveal (without meaning to), and that meant that I saw every point when the ball was dropped by the amateur investigators.
I hoped for a better ending for the duo than they got, and it felt a little abrupt. I might still read the next book in the series solely to see where the two go from here!
I recommend it to fans of the historical mystery genre because the book does that part well and would appeal to the more seasoned readers of the genre.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

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Thank you to Vintage and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel though I am late in sending feedback. I wanted to read the first in this series before I started this and I feel that was necessary to ensure you have the background for these characters and what they previously encountered. I am not a Jane Austen aficionado to remember all of the novels and their plot details but this is a lovely continuation for the characters and I do enjoy seeing Juliet and Jonathan get closer to each other in solving another mystery. I did not know who the culprit was and enjoyed how the story progressed and then the reasonings behind the murder. I am guessing there will be more in the series and I am happy to continue this series when it comes. 4 stars.

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The problem with this series and I is that we have different priorities. It wants to focus on plot, and I want more time and depth in the characters. It will be good for readers who enjoy cozy mysteries.

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A very fun read. Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries. If you like Jane Austen and are expecting this to be a retelling then this is not for you. This is almost like a play on words and simply using some of the familiar and loveable parts of the Austenverse. I do think the author relied a bit heavily on the socially inept detective trope here and could have leaned less into that.

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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.
This was such a fun read and an outstanding sequel. While it could be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the first book in the series for some important background and character information. Hopefully it will not be a long wait for another adventure of Juliet and Jonathan. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

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.

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The Late Mrs. Willoughby is the follow up to The Murder of Mr. Wickham— a mashup of Jane Austen’s characters getting together for a party when a murder occurs. In this installment, it’s Willoughby’s poor wife who drops dead in front of the group.
**Must read in order.**

Austen fans will love seeing their favorite characters together again (although this one is missing Elizabeth and the elder Mr. Darcy), and the super fun investigation of the murder. Highly recommend!

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This is the second installment in a series that combines characters from Jane Austen's novels, the offspring they may have had, and puts them in house party situations where a murder is committed. It combines the language and manners of Austen's novels with the locked room mystery idea from an Agatha Christie novel. Being a lover of both Austen's literature and mystery novels, this series is a natural for me.

Once again we see the young detectives, Mr. Jonathan Darcy and Miss Juliet Tinley, reunited at a house party where a murder takes place. Although Mr. Willoughby would seem to be the natural victim, so entirely is he disliked, it is his wife who is murdered. There are plenty of suspects for the twosome to consider. And will the pair finally speak of their affection for each other?

I found plenty to like and enjoy in this second in the series, and look forward to more!

Thank you to author Claudia Gray, her publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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A brilliant sequel to the equally thrilling “Murder of Mr. Wickham”, we’re transported back to the age of Austen with another murder to solve. Familiar faces and new characters alike help to tell a new story set after the close of Austen’s seminal work, “Sense and Sensibility.” When Mr.. Willoughby’s intriguing new wife dies in the midst of a dinner party, Juliet Tilney and Jonathan Darcy are thrown back together in the hopes of finding an elusive murderer.

I absolutely loved every second of this novel. Not only has Claudia Gray recaptured the essence of Austen’s storytelling, she puts a fantastic spin on the murder mystery plot, again. Readers are kept guessing who might have done it as the list of suspect merely grows as the plot thickens. Everyone has a motive, but Miss Tilney and Mr. Darcy are eventually able to whittle it down to uncover the perpetrator.

My one complaint is that the eventual resolution happens too quickly for my tastes. The end seemed rushed with everything coming to a head in a single chapter. I wished there was more time for the eventual confrontation to marinate instead of the solve leading immediately into a conclusion. Otherwise, I highly recommend reading this one! Fun, richly detailed, and brilliantly plotted. Another solid addition to the historical fiction/mystery crossover.

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Reviewed this for Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club and will be recommending this for our Austen in August tradition, along with hosting author Claudia Gray.

The perfect book for late summer. it goes down easy, but there is a surprising amount to discuss with a book club in this title.

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I love everything Claudia Gray writes and this was no exception!! Such a fun cozy mystery, and now i have to go back and read all of Jane Austen's novels!

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This series is a perfect blend of Jane Austen and murder mysteries! You do not need to know the original stories before reading this series, but it helps with character backstories. I liked the first one a bit more because there were more characters featured and Willoughby is not my favorite to read about, but this one was good too! There were points that I kind of guessed the ending, but it was still a fun journey getting there. I really enjoy our two main characters: Juliet and Jonathan and hope to see them again in another story :)

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