I love this series so much and I'm so glad that Gray has kept it going. This series is fun, mysterious, and lighthearted and this newest installment in the tales of Catherine and Jonathan is no exception. Perfectly blending the language and writing style of Austen with a modern voice and mysterious escapades- Gray has created something truly delightful for Austenites. I've been anxiously awaiting the arrival of more Mansfield Park characters in this universe and the Rushworth Family Plot is a pitch perfect new addition.

Book Review of The Rushworth Family Plot (Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney #4) by Claudia Gray

Cover Story: Pistols at Dawn
BFF Charm: Mixed Bag
Talky Talk: Sermonizer
Bonus Factors: Loyal Pets, Character Development, Fandom
Anti-Bonus Factors: Awful Grownups, Period-Typical Sexism, Slavery
Relationship Status: Series Fatigue

Cover Story: Pistols at Dawn
I was a bit confused by this cover at first, but rest assured, a duel actually does take place in this story. Not in an art gallery, though.

The Deal:
This time, the Austen novel from which Gray mainly draws inspiration is Mansfield Park. Of all the Austen novels, I’d say this one has the most material for a murder mystery, seeing how messed up the Bertram-Price-Norris family is.

When rich divorcee Mr. Rushworth is murdered in his London townhouse, suspicion falls on his ex-wife, Maria née Bertram, as well as her former lover, Henry Crawford. But why risk everything over an affair that ended years ago – or did it? Meanwhile, Jonathan and Juliet have both been invited to London by family friends to enjoy the Season (a.k.a. find a more “suitable” match than each other). But Jonathan’s hosts, Edmund and Fanny Bertram, also happen to be the prime suspect’s brother and sister-in-law. As for Juliet, she’s staying with her mother, Catherine Tilney, who – as we know from Northanger Abbey – has always loved a good mystery. Can Jonathan and Juliet’s investigative teamwork prove them a suitable match in the eyes of their families after all?

BFF Charm: Mixed Bag
Jonathan and Juliet may be amateurs, but their work ethic has become very professional. They take every opportunity they can to ask questions, even if it means Juliet has to dance with an overly flirty suspect (Crawford), or Jonathan has to deal with matchmaking mothers. They have list-making and brainstorming down to a routine. As for the original Austen characters, I liked seeing Catherine Tilney as a mature, but still sweet and unpretentious woman who is clearly proud of her daughter. Even the awful characters (see “Awful Grownups” below) were sort of fun to read about, but only in small doses. Too much of Mrs. Norris made me slam my e-reader shut and take several long YouTube breaks.

Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Jonathan and Juliet are the only literary couple I can think of right now who could reenact a strangling (without any actual strangling, of course) and make it romantic.

“He wondered whether it would be improper for her hands to touch him if this were done strictly as an inquiry into the murder. Probably not. Yet he could hope.”

Talky Talk: Sermonizer
It might be just me or it might be the Mansfield Park influence, but the narrator’s style feels a little more moralistic than usual: “Those of low habits often console their battered consciences with the belief that such behavior is universal.”

Bonus Factor: Loyal Pets
The unsung hero of this story, believe it or not, is Lady Bertram’s pug. Spoiled or not, this little dog can still sense when humans are heartbroken and curl up on their laps to comfort them.

Bonus Factor: Character Development
If Edmund ever took Fanny for granted, he doesn’t anymore. When someone makes a remark about how grateful Fanny must be that he married her, he lets them know in no uncertain terms that the gratitude is all on his side. As for Fanny, she may be the most underrated heroine of the Austenverse, but even she has her own dark side to deal with. She’s going to need all of Edmund’s support.

Bonus Factor: Fandom
Jonathan is a fanboy before the term was invented. I’ve never read Ivanhoe, but I do know Much Ado About Nothing, and I can appreciate the way he thinks in shorthand drawn from these stories because I do the same thing. When he said “I am no Claudio” and the people nearby thought he was delirious, I knew exactly what he meant. That’s right, young man, you’d better not be.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Awful Grownups
Two words: Mrs. Norris. If you’ve ever read Mansfield Park, you know exactly how awful she is, and Gray’s interpretation hasn’t improved her one bit. Mrs. Allerdyce – née Caroline Bingley – isn’t much better; she’s still scheming to become part of the Darcy family at all costs, just on her daughter’s behalf instead of her own. And for anyone who’s still on Team Crawford, you might think twice after seeing the way he treats Maria’s little daughter.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Period-Typical Sexism
Maria’s ruined reputation, and the threat it poses to every young woman who even talks to her, brings out a lot of this. Even Austen heroes aren’t immune, sadly. I cringed when Mr. Darcy revealed the double standard by which he judges Jonathan and Juliet’s detective work. “What has nourished you has stained her,” he writes to his son. I hope Elizabeth gave him a piece of her mind about that.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Slavery
Edmund and Fanny are struggling to come to terms with the fact that their entire society, including themselves, profits from the work of enslaved people. Fanny having questions about the Bertrams’ sugar plantation in Antigua is canon, but Austen never went into detail about what those questions were. In this book, they arrive at the decision that, while “we cannot unmake England”, they can still do all the good they can by supporting the abolition movement.

Relationship Status: Series Fatigue
Maybe the internet has ruined my attention span, but an amateur detective series can only go on for so long without straining my suspension of disbelief. How many more murders can they stumble into, seriously? And if Mr. Darcy doesn’t give Jonathan and Juliet his blessing by the next volume, I will riot. Not literally, of course, but I’ll be very disappointed.

This was good. I love the two main characters but had a hard time connecting to the others. Felt long and slow at times. But I enjoyed it overall.

Mansfield Park is my least favorite of the Austen novels so while I wasn't super excited to be back with the Bertrams, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The thing about Claudia Gray is she's really good at writing Jane Austen's characters to make them sound like Jane Austen's characters. I even liked Edmund by the end. And despite MP being my least favorite book, I have never disliked Fanny and I think Gray did her character justice. I cannot wait for more.

4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

Okay, so I'm officially obsessed with this series. Getting to dive back into the Jane Austen universe with a good mystery? The vibes are immaculate.

The Rushworth Family Plot puts us right in the middle of London's social season with our favorite duo, Jonathon Darcy and Juliet Tilney. As the kids of Jane Austen's main characters, their inherited personalities are interesting and fun. Jonathon Darcy is nothing like his parents, except maybe when it comes to his peculiarities. But Juliet is the epitome of her parents with how she accepts Jonathon's quirks and her love of sleuthing, her mother was obsessed with Gothic novels.

This investigation throws us right into the center of the Bertram family's drama from Mansfield Park. And this series is a slow-burn. We are in book four and there is still a secret longing. The suspense is killing me.

Honestly, it's the perfect mix of historical gossip and a modern whodunnit. The plot is twisty and engaging, and I seriously couldn't put it down. If you're a fan of Jane Austen or just love a good mystery with some serious wit, you need to check this out. It's a vibe.

I can't wait for the next book to be announced.

I knew I wanted to save The Rushworth Family Plot to read during Austen August. Claudia Gray’s new novel is the fourth in her Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney series that sees the offspring of two of Jane Austen’s couples solving mysteries in Regency England. The mystery kept me guessing and it was lovely to reconnect with characters I’ve been reading about for a few years.

Here’s the book’s description:

Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney understand each other perfectly; it's a pity their families do not. A series of misunderstandings, misplaced pride, and—indeed—prejudice, has led their parents to deem the pair unsuited to wed. Now, with the Season approaching, Juliet's grandfather, General Tilney, has sent her to London with a new wardrobe and orders to prove herself worthy of someone better than the snobby Darcys. Meanwhile, Jonathan has been forced to accept an invitation to stay in town with old friends Edmund and Fanny Bertram at the house of Edmund's brother, Sir Thomas. Oblivious to and undesiring of female attention outside of Juliet's, Jonathan is at risk of being ensnared by Caroline Bingley's previously rebuffed plans to make herself—or her daughter—mistress of Pemberley.

But when Mr. Rushworth, the former husband of Edmund's sister Maria, is discovered dead in his home, Jonathan and Juliet find themselves with problems far weightier than the marriage market. In one of the greatest scandals of its day, Maria abandoned her new husband in favor of the notorious rake Henry Crawford, and when he wouldn't marry her, was forced to flee to the continent in disgrace. Now Maria is back, accompanied by a daughter she claims Mr. Rushworth fathered after their divorce—and who he wrote into his will just before his death. To spare Edmund and Fanny further social shame, Jonathan and Juliet must unmask a killer before the drama surrounding the Rushworth family fortune claims another victim.

I think what really helped me enjoy this one more than I expected was last month’s reread of Mansfield Park. Each of Gray’s novels focuses on one of Austen’s and The Rushworth Family Plot features, as you may have guessed, the characters you meet in Mansfield Park. Gray’s book takes place not too long after Austen’s ended, which was fun. (I seem to recall she wrote an author’s note in the first book explaining how she figured out how old Austen’s characters would be. She used publication dates but also when Austen actually wrote the books.) Gray really leaned into the morality issues that are present in Mansfield Park and explored them through our modern lens. For example, the Bertram family made their money thanks to plantations in the Caribbean and being enslavers. It’s pretty glossed over in Austen’s novel but there’s still a bit of an undercurrent of Fanny not necessarily liking that. So, in The Rushworth Family Plot, Gray leans into it and Fanny is very against it and is pleased that Edmund’s older brother is finally selling the plantation.

I admit that I went into this one with very low expectations. The first book in this series, The Murder of Mr. Wickham, was delightful (review). The second, The Late Mrs. Willoughby, was alright (review) and the third, The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, was not great (review). I think it helped that I didn’t have my hopes up because I ended up enjoying the new book more than I think I otherwise would have. That’s not a glowing review, I know. And it’s really hard to say exactly why this series just isn’t hitting as it once was. I think there’s just something in the way it was written. Sometimes it feels like Gray’s trying to be tongue in cheek, like we, modern reader, don’t speak and act like they did in the 1800s so she goes to extremes. It’s almost like when someone does an exaggerated accent. Something about it just doesn’t work for me. And while I love a good love story and do really want to see Jonathan and Juliet married at the end of this, I also don’t know if the love story works for the mystery series. It feels forced and at this point, because I love love stories, I’m only still reading the series to see their Happily Ever After.

While there were two murders to solve in this latest installment, the story is still on the cozy side, which I really love. I wasn’t entirely sure who the murderer was (or were there two killers on the loose?) and it was fun to guess alongside Jonathan and Juliet. I don’t mind when I can pick up on clues before the detectives (or amateur sleuths) but I also find it fun when I’m completely stumped. As long as the rest of the story is well-written and interesting! This one hit the right balance of me having a theory but not necessarily knowing exactly how things were going to wrap up.

If you’re a cozy mystery reader, especially one who’s also a Jane Austen fan, The Rushworth Family Plot, and the rest of Claudia Gray’s series, might be one for you. They’re not the best books in the world but they’re entertaining and mysterious enough for an enjoyable weekend read.

*An egalley of this novel was provided via NetGalley by the publisher, Vintage, thanks to a previous cover reveal tour with Austenprose PR. All opinions are honest and my own.*

In the fourth Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney mystery novel, readers return to London just in time for the Season and Jonathan and Juliet’s reunion as they plan on marriage despite their families’ inability to understand their relationship. Sent to London by her grandfather General Tilney, Juliet is forced to meet with other potential suitors better than the Darcys, while Jonathan has to stay with old friends Edmund and Fanny Bertram at Edmund’s brother Sir Thomas’s house and avoid Caroline Bingley’s plans for her daughter to marry into the Darcy family. When Mr. Rushworth, Edmund’s former brother-in-law, winds up dead, Jonathan and Juliet must team up again to solve this mystery and brave the Rushworths’ scandalous history. Entertaining, emotional, and complex, readers will love this new historical mystery from Claudia Gray and the incredible cast of Austen characters the book focuses on. Jonathan and Juliet are a fantastic team, and their dynamic continues to impress and pull readers into the story. The mystery itself is fun, scandalous, and complicated, especially with the other dramatic factors introduced into the story by new characters and the London Season. Dramatic, mysterious, and entertaining, readers will love the latest instalment in this brilliant historical mystery series.

This is an artfully written continuation of the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney series. Jonathan and Juliet are both in London for the season, although Jonathan is not very happy about it. He is much more content at home with his books, and he has no desire to search for a wife, because he has already decided to court Juliet Tilney, although his parents feel she is not of the right rank in society to marry the heir of Pemberley. Then, as it has on other occasions, a murder occurs, and Jonathan and Juliet begin investigating once again.

This is a great addition to the series. The writing is perfect for a Jane Austen retelling and the mystery has plenty of twists and turns. The real draw, however, is the beautiful relationship between Jonathan and julia. Highly recommend.

There is slow burn and then there is sloooooooooooowwwwww burn. This is the latter, and its becoming incredibly annoying. I still don’t understand the elder Mr. Darcy. I thought that he learned his lesson with Elizabeth and his pride with his prejudice, but author Gray seems to be making him revert to his prior attitude.

I took point off because of the slow burn but also because it seems that Juliet is the one taking the “beating” from society. There appears to be a potential love triangle, and I have made no qualms about how I feel, or lack thereof, about love triangles. The mystery, at times, seemed to be eclipsed by the romance between Jonathan and Juliet. If there had been an ending, or even a point to it, then I would have liked that, but there wasn’t, other than to set up a new obstacle. Again, that part was just annoying. In the end, the mystery made sense if you have read Mansfield Park prior to this. If not, go do so as well as the other Jane Austen novels.

Overall, I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

For readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with a Jane Austen theme, this latest book in the series should prove to be a delight. The lovely Miss Tilley arrives in London for the season, only to find that her friend Mr. Darcy is also in attendance. Soon they are called upon to once again employ their remarkable sleuthing skills in solving two murders! At the same time, each of them harbors hopes to further develop their relationship.

While part of a series of, this novel can be read as a standalone. Previous knowledge of Jane Austen novels is not necessary. I’m looking forward to the next book after the surprise ending in this one.

This book was an absolute treat! Miss Tilney and Mr. Darcy are adorable characters that each have their own unique quirks that compliment each other perfectly! Mr. Darcy does not like crowds or loud events, preferring the solitude of a reading room over the extravagant season events. Miss Tilney is a comfortable socialite, but understands Mr. Darcy in a way that no one else does. Plus they have one big thing in common, they excel at investigating murders together!

It's officially 'The Season' in London and Mr. Darcy has been asked by his parents to be a guest at the Bertram home for the season and attempt to socialize and maybe find a wife. But his heart already belongs to Miss Tilney, whom his family does not approve of. She's a little below their families position and they want someone more for him.

Miss Tilney is surprisingly going to be in London for the season with her mother and is absolutely delighted when she finds Mr. Darcy is also here.

The most important aspect is that these two characters have had many previous interactions together in the past working together as self-appointed murder investigators. They do a really good job at it too!

So when a murder happens, of course these two amateur sleuths are ready for the challenge. They navigate their own growing attractions to one another as well as investigating the most likely perpetrators. It's a fun and engaging murder mystery with romance sprinkled in throughout.

A delightful weekend read that's perfect for anyone that enjoys historical romance, cozy mystery vibes, and of course the intricacies of London society.

This is the 4th installment in the Mr. Darcy and Ms. Tilney mystery series. Jonathan Darcy is headed to London for a season while his family stays home. His parents are hoping he can get over his feelings for Miss Tilney and meet more people. He is staying with the Bertram family. Miss Juliet Tilney goes to London with her mother Catherine as her grandfather General Tilney wants to provide a season for her after what appears to be a snub by the Darcy family. Much to everyone’s surprise Jonathan and Juliet meet up again and once again there is a murder in which they are attempting to solve. Maria Rushworth who is the sister of Edmund Bertram is also in town but is shrouded in scandal as she is a divorced woman and to her family’s surprise now has a daughter. Also in the mix is the former Caroline Bingley whose eldest daughter is being courted by Sir Thomas Bertram and she now has hopes to match her younger daughter with Jonathan. Must to her despair, once he sees Juliet in town, he only has eyes for her. Maria’s former husband is murdered and soon Jonathan and Juliet are investigating. Maria is then found murdered also and the two are really troubled they cannot solve the crimes. Caroline stirs up some trouble for Juliet and Jonathan steps in to save her reputation. The ending was somewhat disturbing as how haughty Mr. Darcy was to take Jonathan away from London. It is clear these two are meant to be together if only their families can agree. This was an engaging and enjoyable read. The mystery was solid and I am really hoping their will be another in this series where we can see these two get together.

The Rushworth Family Plot is an irresistible, cleverly plotted, perfectly executed murder mystery by the brilliant Claudia Gray, who expertly channels Jane Austen’s voice from the first page to the thrilling climax. What fun to see Austen’s baddies meet their due! Miss Juliet Tilney and Mr. Jonathan Darcy make a fine pair of detectives, and their romance is enchanting!

THE RUSHWORTH FAMILY PLOT continues the Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney mystery series in typical fashion. Tilney and Darcy both find themselves in London and are delighted when their paths cross, as it increases their enjoyment of the season. Darcy wants to court in earnest and works securing his parents’ blessing.

It doesn’t take long for a murder to occur, and the investigative services of our illustrious team are employed. While they feel the pressure to get to the bottom of things, they are thwarted at multiple turns.

While it took time for my interest to be whetted, the plot did eventually grab me; this is another solid addition to the series for fans of the established format.

(Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.)

Thanks to NetGalley and AA Knopf for this free copy of "The Rushmore Family Plot."

Another wonderful mystery in the series featuring Mr. Jonathan Darcy & Miss Juliet Tilney (Elizabeth & Darcy's son and Catherine & Henry's daughter). I plan to read as many of these creative, inventive stories as author Gray writes!

Fortunately, not much time elapses between each book in the series, so they're not aging too quickly. Now if only their parents would quit being so stubborn and thinking that everyone is fortune hunting!

Anyway I'm always impressed by author Gray's skillful weaving of even miniscule Austen characters into this book series. Granted you'll probably enjoy this one much more if you're familiar with "Mansfield Park" which is regrettably the one Austen book I haven't read yet.

But I'm eagerly waiting for the next in the series and anxious to see under what circumstances (another murder?) our young detectives meet again.

The fourth book in this series was such a good time. I really enjoy the way Claudia Gray builds these books. They really feel like a Jane Austen story - just with more murder. The mystery, in this particular installment was out of balance with the personal elements and it got pushed into the background a bit which was disappointing. However, I am very invested in Julia and Jonathan’s story as well! I understand why it was needed at this point, but I hope we see a stronger mystery in the next book. Overall, this series has been such a delight to follow the classic Austen characters while also seeing their children solve crimes. If you enjoy Austen, there are so many fun easter eggs to pick up in here as well. This series is cozy and wonderful. I trust the author to take me, and our characters, through some strife but I know the ending will work out. I appreciate I can trust her with that journey.

This is the 4th book in Claudia Gray's "Mr Darcy and Miss Tilney" series featuring characters from all of Jane Austen's novels interacting with each other. While the books can be read standalone, I think the characters are best grasped if the series is read in order (and that's my preference for series anyway!). I *really* love these books and this new one was no exception.

If you're not an avid Austenite like myself, these might not be quite as impactful for you, but really, I think anyone who is a fan of regency mystery books with a twinge of romance would find a lot to love in these books due to the excellent characters, wonderful writing, and page-turning mystery aspects.

The Rushworth Family Plot finds all of our characters in London instead of at other estates in the previous few books and that made for a fun change of scenery. This book heavily features characters from Mansfield Park, which is not my favourite of Austen's works, but I greatly enjoyed the re-imagining of Fanny Price and Edmund and their family members. Claudia Gray has really written all of Austen's characters as extensions of them in her books, so Mr. Darcy (senior) shows some prejudiced thinking that he's working through, Fanny Price is still a bit meek but also perceives things that others do not, Caroline Bingley is much like she was in Pride and Prejudice, and the next generation of characters are all off-shoots of their parents in fun ways.

I listened to part of this on audio and read most of it just because I really love the narration. I can't say enough good things about this series and this book in particular *really* left the reader wanting more ASAP at the end!!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for me for this book ❤️

When I say that I savoured every single page of this book, that is not an understatement. I was constantly left guessing what would happen next with several surprises, and I didn’t want to stop reading. (However, I didn’t want it to end, so I was left in quite a literary quandary.)

This series tackles the “should we continue on Austen’s stories?” issue very well. Gray does not try to mimic Austen’s writing structure, tone, or general plot lines, and that is good- I find that that often invites the most criticism. She has taken this wider, extended universe but made it her own. Because we have shifted into murder mysteries, it’s already a different feeling than Austen’s works, but that is a good thing- we are getting a whole new flavour.

I won’t call them twists per se, but there are many major plot points that I did not see come and added to the layers of the story. They are all accurate within the period, so while they were surprising, they were not jarring. (And that tends to be a criticism of Austen-ish books- “X, Y, or Z wouldn’t have happened in the Regency period” isn’t a relevant critique here.) Gray strikes the balance well and keeps us entertained without pulling us out of the story.

My only major wish for the next book in the series is that we could head to Bath. Given that Juliet Tilney’s parents met in Bath and two of Austen’s novels are set in Bath, it seems more than fair to give us a Bath novel!

Another fun installment! I love this series. It's so fun to watch an all star cast from Austen continue on with their lives and get involved in murders. I also really like Tilney & Darcy as characters and find their slow burn romance endearing.

It's no secret that Mansfield Park is my least favorite of the Austen novels. Least favorite might even be too nice. I straight up don't like it and find the characters boring. The good thing about Gray's series is that she takes these characters, turns them on their heads, and makes them likable or at the very least interesting to read about. This installment focuses more on the Bertram and Crawford families and it held my attention the entire time. I also found it realistic to believe this is how the characters' lives went after Mansfield Park ended.

I will definitely keep on reading these.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

The fourth installment in the Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney series, The Rushworth Family Plot follows our two amateur sleuths taking on the London season, and getting swept up in yet another twisty murder mystery starring the cast of Austen's Mansfield Park.

At this point, a Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney book will never disappoint me (unless the series ends without my two sweet lovebirds getting to be together). It's always a joy to revisit Jonathan and Juliet, and to watch them uncover the secrets behind whatever mystery they seek to solve. The mystery at the core of this book thematically and literally involves Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, which I've never read. Despite my own lack of knowledge, I felt like Claudia Gray did a solid job of catching me up on the interpersonal relationships between the Mansfield Park characters, as well as the overarching plot of their pasts. The mystery itself was compelling enough, but I might have been more intrigued if I'd had an earlier connection to Mansfield Park. This book does involve us much more in the growing affection between Jonathan and Juliet, which leaves less room for investigation of the mystery, but it's a change in balance that I am all here for. Though I do have beef with good ol' Fitzwilliam Darcy (what is your PROBLEM my guy??) I'm really hoping the continued efforts to keep our two lovebirds apart will result in some solid payoff in a future installment.

The mystery itself here felt pretty predictable, but not in a way that detracted from the investigation for me. Everything was just twisty enough to keep me second-guessing myself, but ultimately my first instinct proved correct.

As usual, a solid installment in this series, and I'm already beyond excited for more!