I don't read these books for the mystery. I read them for Juliet Tilney and Jonathan Darcy. Reasons for keeping them separated is very convoluted. Also I don't like that it's because of Mr Darcy! Mr Darcy who had such character growth in Pride and Prejudice and married for love. There's no reason a man who ended up with Lydia as a sister in law and Mrs Bennet as a mother in law would disapprove of Juliet Tilney. She not a golddigger. Her family is respectable and while not Pemberly rich, they are not poor. Juliet is smart, likeable but most importantly she truly cares for Jonathan. Because of this I cannot rate this book higher than 3 stars. Will I continue to read this series? Absolutely I'm waiting for the happy ever after.

I received ARC in return for honest review.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free kindle book. I have been anxiously awaiting the next book in this series and was so excited to get a free copy of this. My opinions are my own and are freely given.

Pride and Prejudice is my favorite novel by Jane Austen, and I love cozy mysteries, so I knew I had to read this series. The first book was amazing, and it has gotten better with each novel. I think it's so true to life that Mr. Darcy, who married Elizabeth even though she was below his station, is now telling his son he can't marry Miss Tilney for the exact same reasons. Well, that and he thinks a lady would never be interested in murder investigations, so she is a totally unsuitable match. So he is now basically playing the part of Lady Catherine.

Loved this book so much and need another one right now.

I really enjoyed this installment of the A Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney Mystery series, The Rushworth Family Plot. The elder Darcys have decided young Mr. Darcy mush go to London with them, and when their visit is cut short, that he must stay as continue to socialize (reminder, the elder Mr. Darcy was not in favor of his son’s attachment to Miss Tilney). Miss Tilney’s grandfather, having hear that Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy has turned up his nose at his granddaughter, has decided that Juliet, accompanied by her mother, must go to London and sparkle. Neither is happy about an enforced stay in London, but when they meet up at a ball, with no murder in sight, they are delighted. Jonathan Darcy is determined that he will court Miss Tilney and bring his father around to the match. Alas, this is a murder mystery series with a romance B plot, so murders must occur and the romance must be thwarted. Again.

I admit that I went into this installment with a let’s get a move on attitude. I had forgotten how much I enjoy Claudia Gray’s writing and the careful way she is working towards an eventual match between Jonathan and Juliet. By the end of the book, I have an idea where Gray is going with the Jonathan and Juliet romance, and I feel like it’s going to end a lot better than Romeo and Juliet’s romance.

The Rushworth Family Plot reintroduces us to Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park characters. You may or may not recall that in The Murder of Mr. Wickham, Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney protected Mrs. Fanny Bertram during their investigation into Mr. Wickham’s murder. The Darcys ask the Bertrams to host Mr. Darcy in London, which nicely facilitates the continued connection between Jonathan and Juliet, and puts them in a position to investigate all the Bertram family related murders.

Throughout the series, Gray has examined the double standard between men’s and women’s behavior and reputation. Miss Tilney has always been criticized by others for investigating murders while Mr. Darcy’s reputation has benefited greatly from the same behavior. In Rushworth Family Plot, Gray revisits some of Jane Austen’s love triangles. Most prominently, we see Maria Rushworth, her ex-husband Mr. Rushworth, and her erstwhile lover, Mr. Henry Crawford. Gray also brings in Caroline Bingley, now Mrs. Allerdyce, and her determination that if she can’t be the mistress of Pemberly, her younger daughter will be. If the crassness of investigating murders doesn’t put Miss Tilney out of contention for Mr. Darcy’s hand, she’ll find something that does. Fortunately for us, young Mr. Darcy has been reading Ivanhoe, and has taken the correct lesson, rather than the lesson Sir Walter Scott was teaching.

Gray also expands on Fanny Bertram’s moral opposition to profiting off the enslavement of people. Fanny and Edmund are secondary characters, but their quiet conversations about Maria Rushworth, abolition, and their struggles with fertility are lovely and give depth to the story.

I received this as an advance reader copy from Vintage Publishing and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.

The 4th novel in the Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney mysteries, this time featuring characters from Mansfield Park. And just when you think Jonathan and Juliet are going to be able to be together, more meddlesome circumstances and characters thwart their obvious affection for each other. Amongst all this, they must solve 2 murders!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Vintage for this digital e-arc.*

As always, it was an absolute pleasure going back into the world of Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney as they solve various crimes! I adore how Claudia Gray has meshed the world of Jane Austen together, creating a web of the best characters from each novel! My only complaint....is that I feel like Mr. Darcy Senior has regressed in his character growth from P&P in not wanting his son to have anything to do with Miss Tilney? I mean come on! I understand the drawing it out a bit to be able to finish a series plan, but my goodness. I hope Jonathan has a moment in the sun standing up to his papa in the next book!

I love the plots and the concept of this series, what I don't like is the narrative style of the writing. Yeah, I get that this is a series set in 1800 England and yeah, that is how Jane Austen wrote her stories, which this series is a riff off of. But I, as a 2025 reader, just don't have the patience to interpret every sentence. It's tiring and makes me lose my train of thought in the story. When I have to work twice as hard to follow a plot, it's no fun.

Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney have a real meeting of the minds, especially when murder is involved. They were leaning toward more in the last book when both sets of parents took an instant dislike to the possibility of Jonathan and Juliet making a match. So, they cooled it for a year and now both find themselves in London for the Season. Each family has the expectation of a splendid match but not to the person their kids prefer. Jonathan finds himself in London as the guest of the Bertram family and soon is embroiled in a murder. With Juliet again as his partner in solving this crime, they grow closer and their feelings for each other grow deeper, despite facing parental disapproval and also an outside influence, Caroline Bingley, that has an agenda of her own.

Jonanthan is caught up in the scandal of the Bertram sister, Maria Rushworth, who abandoned the marriage for her lover and now the murder of Mr. Rushworth. Lots of suspects and number one is the lover, Henry Crawford. Juliet is helping Jonathan by interviewing several suspects. Weave into all this Maria's child, another murder and a scandalous painting that results in devastating consequences for Jonathan and Juliet.

My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

The Rushworth Family Plot is the fourth book in Claudia Gray’s Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney Mystery series, which follows Jane Austen’s famous characters from multiple novels. The first three books, The Murder of Mr. Wickham and The Late Mrs. Willoughby and The Perils of Lady Catherine De Bourgh are lots of fun, and so is Gray’s latest offering.

Author Claudia Gray has crafted a timeline in which all of Austen’s characters fit: Darcy and Elizabeth have a grown son, and Catherine Morland and Henry Tilney have a grown daughter. Edmund and Fanny are married with no children. Tom Bertram is in search of a wife. And don’t forget Mrs. Norris, who is still stuck caring for Maria.

This series is an ode to all things Austen, and while you could start at the beginning, you won’t get as much out of it if you don’t a familiarity with Austen’s novels.

Gray’s world that is an extension of Austen’s. Her writing style is warm and comfortable but in keeping with the source material and progression of time. It’s not the fastest read but moves at a comfortable pace.

In The Rushworth Family Plot, Jonathan and Juliet are very much drawn to each other and have high hopes for a future together. Solving Mr. Rushworth’s murder gives them an opportunity to build on their relationship and allows Juliet’s mother a chance to observe them.

While not specifically a young adult novel, The Rushworth Family Plot is an enjoyable mystery perfect for Jane Austen fans of any age.

The fourth book in the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney series, The Rushworth Family Plot brings Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney back together to experience the London season - and investigate another murder! Jonathan is being hosted by the Bertram household, when their notorious sister Maria Rushworth re-enters their lives, now with a child and the hopes that her estranged husband will once again be foolish enough to marry her. However, when Mr. Rushworth turns up dead, Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney are called upon to find the person responsible.

Gray continues to do a lovely job bringing back Austen's characters in ways that expand their stories while also keeping true to their origins. Readers are reintroduced to Caroline Bingley, now Allerdyce, as well as the majority of the characters from Mansfield Park. Jonathan and Juliet's relationship continues to develop, though the objections raised by his father in the last book continue to be unresolved and further complications ensue. Even though the majority of the focus is on the murder investigation, Gray somehow manages to make the murder a background event to the character development happening for the Mansfield crew and the romance between Jonathan and Juliet. That being said, the resolution makes sense and "plays fair," even while it comes rather suddenly at the end. One can only hope (and rely on the hints by the author in the last chapter) that Juliet and Jonathan will be reunited again and that the objections from Mr. Darcy, Sr. can be finally resolved!

Thank you to Vintage and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Rushworth Family Plot early in exchange for a review.

Every time I pick up a new book in this series, I’m impressed with how Claudia Gray keeps things exciting while staying within the world and tone of Jane Austen’s work. I picked up the first of this series on a whim in a book store, freshly finished with my final Austen work. I was enamored with the fresh take on the characters and the shared hatred for Mr. Wickham bringing everyone together.

I will say, for those familiar with the previous novels, this book had higher stakes (reputation ruining stakes) for the two sleuths than its predecessors. I know many people, myself included, are of the opinion that these books could easily be enjoyed as standalone novels, but assuming you are coming at it having finished the first three, I felt like this could be good context.

I am all for a cozy mystery, but what has kept me engrossed in the book was the relationship between Juliet and Jonathan. There’s so much longing and restraint, all of the things that make historical romance superior to every other genre. I am also keeping up with the Shady Hollow mystery series, and I think I'm learning that there's something really appealing to me about a long-running slow burn romance between the people solving the crimes. If that is a series that appeals to you, then maybe you would like this series as well!

This author writes with a lot of affection for the world she’s playing in. This whole series makes me feel like I'm in 18th century women's literature class again, and I love it. I wish I had the easy familiarity with Austen's work that she so clearly has. If you like Jane Austen, cozy mysteries, or historical novels, you will LOVE what she writes.

All in all, another perfect book. Keep 'em coming, please.

I have been following along with the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney mystery series since book one, The Murder of Mr. Wickham. The Rushworth Family Plot is the fourth book in the series. All of these books could be read as stand-alones.

This mystery series imagines the characters in Jane Austen's novels all interconnected together in friendship or otherwise. These novels are such an interesting and fun way to bring Austen's work to further life.

Our amateur sleuthers in these novels are the son of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, Jonathan Darcy, and a Miss Juliet Tilney. In this book, the young investigative duo offer their services to help solve the mystery of who killed Mr. Rushworth.

This book is filled with scandal, deceit, scheming, and ultimately tragedy. Juliet finds herself in a potentially ruinous situation, and Jonathan finds his life in peril. There was so much tension in this book. There wasn't just a mystery to solve. There were so many other elements in this book that added to its intrigue and to the tension.

Juliet and Jonathan have developed such an attraction to each other, but their parents might not be on board, well mostly grumpy Mr. Darcy. I am really hoping these two will finally form an "attachment." It seems that circumstances continually conspire against them, though.

These books are just such excellent reads. They are fun, mysterious, and have some romance. I think The Rushworth Family Plot has to be my favourite so far. I'll tell you one thing, though: I don't think I'd want to be living in 1800s, England, so many rules for behaviour, so many ways a woman's prospects could be ruined.

I would definitely recommend this one for those who enjoy cozy mysteries and Jane Austen novels.

I love Jonathan and Juliet - I’ve adored their budding relationship and how they strive to understand and support each other since book 1! I will continue to read this series in the hopes of a happy ever after.

I enjoy reading the creative takes on Austen characters and supposing how they’d all interact!

That being said - I struggled with the end of the book. The hit to Juliet’s reputation didn’t sit well nor did its resolution.

So thankful to be able to read this ARC!

I adore this series! Claudia Gray manages to keep the core personalities of the Jane Austen characters while putting them in these new situations. This mystery was simpler than the ones in the earlier books in the series but it also was less of the focus. Instead more of the book focused on the relationship between Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney, which I loved. This is the slowest of slow burn series and it definitely stayed slow but less hidden in this book. I love this series and can’t wait to see what these characters get up to next (and which of Jane Austen’s more annoying characters end up murdered).

Thank you to NetGalley and Vintage for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is such a fun series! Young Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney meet again, to solve a murder and enjoy each other’s company. The mystery is not the strongest part of the book; rather, it’s imagining Austen’s characters past the end of their respective novels.

"The Rushworth Family Plot" by Claudia Gray is an impressive Austen-inspired mystery! It is the fourth book in the “Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney” series but can easily be read as a standalone. Ms. Gray, the author, gives a good recap of what the reader needs to know from previous books, which is helpful because there are some continuing storylines. This book has become one of my favorite cozy mysteries! This book and series are so fun because the son of Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy (“Pride and Prejudice”) and the daughter of Catherine and Henry Tilney (“Northanger Abbey”) team up to solve mysteries! I loved seeing all of Jane Austen’s characters from her different novels interact in this book. Ms. Gray writes the characters so they act true to the way Jane Austen portrays them in her novels. Of course the daughter of imaginative Catherine (Morland) Tilney would help investigate murders! I love that our male main character, Jonathan Darcy, is neurodiverse. He is excellent at discovering clues (he may also get that from his smart mother, Elizabeth (Bennet) Darcy). Jonathan is written very realistically, and I appreciated the scene where he got overstimulated (as someone who is also neurodiverse). The story and the mystery are so well done, and I love the slow-burn romance between Jonathan and Juliet. Ms. Gray had me wondering who the murderer was until the very end when the secrets were revealed. I cannot wait to go back and read the rest of this series while I eagerly anticipate the next release! Jane Austen fans and cozy mystery lovers will absolutely love this book with its clever, witty writing and engaging story!

Content: I give this a PG-13 rating. Some examples of the content: a married woman had an affair in the past; the word “hell” is used; the Lord’s name is taken in vain; a child is born out of wedlock; characters curse, but the words aren’t actually written; mention of alcohol; mention of bestiality in a work of art; mention of prostitution.
TW: a character struggles with infertility; miscarriage; a character was su*cidal in the past; depression; panic attack.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I thank NetGalley and Vintage for an advance reader copy of “The Rushworth Family Plot.” All opinions and comments are my own.

Affairs of the heart are as important as the rest of the (murderous) story in “The Rushworth Family Plot,” because as readers know from earlier books in the Mr. Darcey and Miss Tilney series, “the course of true love” is not running very smoothly. And alas, it’s pretty much two steps forward and three steps back again. At least in this one a disgraced member of the Bertram family -- Mrs. Maria Rushworth -- manages to cause enough trouble to ensure that our Mr. Darcey and our Miss Tilney find themselves immersed in a twisty tale of dead bodies, disgruntled lovers and that helpful old standby, social disgrace. What’s a pair of intelligent young people to do? Well, investigate, of course!

Readers will remember that Jonathan Darcey “suffers” from something not understood by those in his Regency time period (which author Collen Gray treats with respect and sensitivity). He is able to control it to a point. Miss Juliet Tilney understands and sympathizes. For this, he has grown quite close to the young lady, although their families would prefer otherwise. Together, however, they make a formidable “detective duo,” and, despite all that everyone (including some persistent individuals -- Jonathan is a very eligible bachelor) do to keep them apart, their collective intellect, wit, and deductive skills will not be denied.

There is a subplot involving plantations in Barbados, and we see the bringing of a family together over a child. But remember that “course of true love” thing? Scandal strikes the Tilney family, alas. Our author has no intention of making things easy for Jonathan and Juliet. Ms. Gray knows how to recreate the plotting, dialog, and especially the emotions of a Jane Austen novel, and “The Rushworth Family Plot” is no exception. Looking forward to the next installment.

This series doesn't disappoint! Other than the fact that we are now in Book #4 and Juliet and Jonathan have yet to kiss. I love a slow-burn romance as much as the next girl, but I mean come oooooonnnnnn. Get to it already!

This set of books offers something unique in it's blend of Austen characters, regency setting, and cozy mystery! Using beloved characters while introducing new facets of their lives and expanding on their personalities can't be easy, but I think Gray does this well and stays true to who the character was from Austen's own pen. I find her particular style of writing the regency to be both idyllic & humorous - she writes the unique social setting with respect, but also with a comedic air that strikes a perfect balance. Part of the balanced comedy for me is the arguably ridiculous murders that take place in each book, solved by equally unlikely amateur sleuths. Although the situations and resolutions are highly unusual for the time & setting, when taken for the fictional story they are, can be enjoyed by lovers of regency and cozy mystery fans.

Something I highly respect is that they are kept clean of illicit activity or language. The romance, or any allusions to married life, is kept appropriate and respectful, while any uses of language amounts to the English-curse 'Blast!'. Thouhg religion and faith are not a large part of the story, any mention is done in a tone that is respectful and not derogatory, which I also respect.

Overall, a series that I can confidently recommend to a wide variety of readers!

Thank you to Viking Publishers and NetGalley for a complimentary ebook in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

For fans of: Jane Austen, Charlotte Holmes series
Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
Genre: Historical Mystery
Violence: 🪓🪓🪓 [mostly off-page]
Spice: 🚫
TW: family estrangement, gaslighting

I’ve loved this series since its 1st novel, The Murder of Mr. Wickham. What could be more enjoyable than throwing all Austen’s characters into the same universe & surrounding them with mystery & murder? Perhaps a sleuthing duo featuring the neurodiverse son of Elizabeth & Darcy and the daughter Northanger Abbey’s protagonists? But book 4—The Rushworth Family Plot—achieves near-perfection, both a brilliant facsimile of Austen’s style & a clever mystery in its own right. It finds Jonathan & Juliet unexpectedly reunited in London for the Season & investigating a murder on behalf of the Betram family, from Mansfield Park. I haven’t the space to enumerate all the books strengths, so I’ll highlight my favs. Gray’s characterization remains spot-on, accomplishing deep studies despite limited space. I appreciate that Gray explores one of Mansfield Park’s theme—slavery—& the moral quandary of a world in which the slave trade is outlawed but owning slaves still legal. And this book features one of the most cleverly placed out-of-order clues I have read, of which the author gives copious—if opaque—reminders. I picture Gray cackling as she slips it in, sitting back to see if anyone catches on. For a lover of Jane Austen, the opportunity to immerse one’s self in her fictional world & throw some of her most unlikable characters in peril must be priceless. Wish I had thought of it myself!

Thank you to Vintage & NetGalley for a gifted book in exchange for an honest review.

My favorite one of these, I think! The mystery was incredibly compelling and it was fun to see it set in London (even if I did have to put up with my least favorite Austen heroine, the most obnoxiously boring woman alive, Mrs. Fanny Bertram neé Price.) The conclusion ended up being perfect and I love the moment of recognition had by our two little intrepid detectives.

And speaking of them… is Jonathan and Juliet’s romance the greatest love story ever told? I was absolutely LOSING it towards the end of this book, they are so sweet and I just want them to get MARRIED! Claudia, please stop edging me!!

Wracking my brain to think of who else we need dead at this point… the next book better come out STAT.

In the fourth book of the Mr Darcy & Miss Tilney series, it has been over a year since the pair have seen each other. Because of a series of misunderstandings, misplaced pride, and—indeed—prejudice, has led their parents to deem the pair unsuited to wed, they have been kept apart. So 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. When Mr. Rushworth, the former husband of Edmund's sister Maria, is discovered dead in his home, Jonathan and Juliet find themselves together again, drawn into solving yet another murder. Jonathan and Juliet must unmask a killer before the drama surrounding the Rushworth family fortune claims another victim.

I love this seres. I adore the Jane Austen mash-ups, although I ashamedly admit I have never cracked a spne on a Jane Austen novel in my life. Those, I don't know what it is, but they make my eyes glaze over.... don't hate me! These books still have the "old fashioned" languange, but there is always a murder to be solved, and I just adore Miss Tilney & Mr Darcy.. I can really relate to Mr Darcy because he is on the spectrum and a bit of a loner and Miss Tilney is one of the only people outside of his mother who actually understands him. I have my fingers perpetually crossed that they are going to get their way and wind up together. The mystery kept me guessing untl all was revealed by the duo. I admit to beng a little confused with who belonged to whom in this one until I pulled up the Wikipedia page....Mansfield Park was not a mere love triangle but something much more complicated, but I kept referencing the page until I could keep everyone straight. I highly recommend this one!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Claudia Gray for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Rushworth Family Plot coming out June 17, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’m obsessed with Jane Austen. I love the introduction into Mansfield Park and its characters. The Rushworths was an interesting plot point. I’ve really enjoyed this series and I’m for sure going to keep reading it. I wish there was a little more romance. I think some things have been dragged out a little too long. I want more movement from the characters. Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney need more. I miss the characters from the earlier books.