Member Reviews
Dear reader, do you worry when an author takes the characters of your beloved novels and puts them in new books, two hundred years later? Me too, so I was a little nervous when I requested the ARC of The Late Mrs. Willoughby by Claudia Gray
Well rest assured, there was no need to fret, this mystery, the second in Gray’s series is delightful! Gray has created a dynamic mystery solving duo in the model of some of my favorites like Deanna Rayborn, Laurie R. King, Anna Lee Huber and Andrea Penrose
Our detectives, the daughter of Northanger Abbey and the son of Pemberely, are both in Barton, visiting Marianne Dashwood and Willoughby respectively, when at what is a super awkward dinner thrown by Sir John Middleton, Mrs. Willoughby is poisoned 🤢
A few months prior, Juliet Tilney and Jonathan Darcy, had successfully discovered who killed Mr. Wickham and now they decide they must find out who killed the former Sophia Grey if for no other reason than to clear the name of Marianne Brandon.
The mystery isn’t necessarily groundbreaking but it’s a fun romp, Gray presents the reader with a number of viable number of murderers. What I loved is the interaction between our detectives. If you read detective series, I suspect you do it for the same reason as me, you love visiting with these characters so the mystery is just an excuse to spend time with them (I mean my yearly visit to Three Pines is essential to my well being)
I didn’t read the first book in the series and I do wish I had, so if this one sounds interesting, I recommend reading that one first. I wasn’t totally lost but this book references that one a bit. I’m excited for the third installment in this series.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Claudia Gray for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Late Mrs. Willoughby coming out May 16, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Catherine and Henry Tilney of Northanger Abbey are not very pleased to be sending their eligible daughter Juliet out into society again: the last house party she attended involved a murder—which Juliet helped solve. However, Juliet intends to visit her new friend Marianne Brandon, who's returned home to Devonshire in scandal—made more potent by the news that her former suitor, the rakish Mr. Willoughby, intends to take up residence at his estate with his new wife.
Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley are thrilled that their eldest son, Jonathan has been invited to stay with his former schoolmate, John Willoughby. Jonathan is not the most social inept and is less taken with the idea of having to spend time with his old bully, but that changes when he finds himself reunited with his fellow amateur sleuth, the brilliant Miss Tilney. Shortly thereafter, Willoughby's new wife—whom he married for her fortune—dies violently at the ball meant to welcome her to town.
With rumors flying and Marianne—known to be both unstable and previously jilted by the dead woman's widower—under increased suspicion, Jonathan and Juliet must team up once more to uncover the killer. But as they collect clues and close in on suspects, strange incidents suggest that the killer may have another victim and that the pair are in far graver danger than they or their families could believe.
I read the first book and adored it! I desperately wanted the second book and I’m so glad I got it. I’m giving this 4 stars because I love the series and would love to see it continue. However, there were things I didn’t enjoy about this story. I think the main plot was put on the back burner a lot. Firstly, it didn’t seem like the police were really involved. Darcy and Juliet were really the only ones working on solving the case and then it seemed like the killer just fell into their laps. They didn’t really solve the case. It was handed to them. Darcy seemed to have a different personality than he did in the first book. Wiloughby certainly isn’t my favorite, so I didn’t love this one as much as the first book.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Jane Austen inspired stories!
The Late Mrs. Willoughby is the second book in a most delightful historical mystery series featuring Jane Austen's characters. If you have never read even one book by Jane Austen, have no fear. Reading both authors will only increase your enjoyment of this series.
When we last spent time with Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney they had teamed up to solve a murder most foul. When they later find themselves as the guests at a country estate there is a killer in their midst.
Mr. Willoughby has inherited the house and is ready to settle down with his new bride. At dinner the lady in question drops dead in a very gruesome manner....she has been poisoned. Now the problem becomes figuring out not just what was the poison, who did the poisoning but who was the intended target? Mr. Willoughby has quite the reputation so the case might be made for either of the Willoughbys being the target and that increases the list of suspects. Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney are soon on the case. Will they be able to repeat their success of their previous case?
The reader is presented with a well constructed puzzle to unravel and a cast of characters to meet and to judge - which is the killer? After having enjoyed these two books of the series, I hope there will be many more.
My thanks to the publisher Vintage and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
In this second book of the series, I felt that the author was finding more of her own voice while maintaining the period tone. I did have a bit of trouble with the premise of Jonathan Darcy traveling to stay with a school friend who was not really a friend, but it was a minor concern. Said friend is John Willoughby, fairly newly married and moving into the Devonshire estate he recently inherited. Amongst his neighbors is Marianne Brandon (nee Dashwood), who's heart Willoughby broke in Sense and Sensibility. Marianne is now married to Colonel Brandon, who is not sure that his wife is over her first love. Marianne has invited Miss Juliet Tilney to visit. In the first book, Juliet and Jonathan had worked together to determine who had killed Mr. Wickham, so when Mrs. Willoughby is poisoned in the middle of a gathering of the local families, the two young people feel they may be better suited to figure out who the poisoner was than the local constables. Narrowing down the suspect list is complicated by their not knowing for sure whether Mr. or Mrs. Willoughby was the intended target of the poisoner and many motives for killing either of them. Some twists were more unexpected than others, but being pretty sure I knew what was going on before the main characters figured it out never detracted from my enjoyment of the story. The plot is carefully crafted, but for me the characters are what really drive my enjoyment of the story and I was pleased at the teaser that Jonathan and Juliet will be brought together again soon.
Thanks to Vintage Anchor Publications and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for my honest review.
I have never read any of Jane Austen's novels, but thought I would give this blended Jane Austen/Agatha Christie styled book a look and I came away very pleased. Claudia Gray is primarily a YA author who has made a partial transition into historical mystery with the help of most all of the characters of Jane Austen's novels. This book uses most all the characters from Sense and Sensibility as we delve into a murder of a newly married woman at a welcoming dinner party. Horrors, aghast and social norms be damned. The poor woman both vomits and loses control of her bowels at the home of Lord Middleton. Despite having two constables available to investigate this murder we are lucky to have Mr. Jonathan Darcy and Miss Juliet Tinley in attendance. These two young people, both apparently under the age of 20, had worked together just a few months ago to help solve another murder, and now they are thrown into this case. Darcy is in town at the invitation of his boarding school nemesis John Willoughby, whose wife was murdered, and he was joined by two other boarding school acquaintances, Ralph Bamber and Laurence Follett, neither of who either liked John Willoughby. So there are suspects galore, action taking place in numerous locales and all in all you get a highly satisfactory read. This is the 2nd in the series and I hope more are on the way. Even though I know nothing about Jane Austen, her books or characters, this is an extremely readable book, one that Austen fans should enjoy, and folks like me will find interesting and filled with plenty of societal rules that make this one fun read.
I am a huge Jane Austen fan. I started reading her books when I was 11, and I fell even more in love with her work when I studied it in college. I loved the idea of bringing her characters together in The Murder of Mr. Wickham. The second book in the series, The Late Mrs. Willoughby, just doesn’t live up to Austen’s work.
The Murder of Mr. Wickham is fun because it brings together the protogonists of all of Austen’s work. Mr. Wickham is a prominent “bad guy” from Pride and Prejudice, so it makes sense for his death to be the focus of a story featuring all of the Austen heroines. The Late Mrs. Willoughby loses some of that spark. Mr. Willoughby is a similar kind of “villain” to Wickham in Sense and Sensibility, so it feels a little too similar in concept to the first book. Additionally, it’s not even Willoughby himself who is the victim, but his wife.
The portrayals of Austen’s characters in some cases didn’t feel quite right. I think of Elinor Dashwood of Sense and Sensibility as a strong and smart woman. In The Murder of Mrs. Willoughby, she is portrayed as kind of helpless and sidelined by pregnancy. Of course, I understand that Regency society dicated certain restrictions for pregnant women, but this Elinor had no fire. Similarly, Willoughby in this story wants Marianne back, and I didn’t get the sense that the Willoughby from Sense and Sensibility cared about Marianne at all.
There are also too many storylines woven through the book. Of course, it makes sense to have an A and B plotline, but it is overwhelming in The Murder of Mrs. Willoughby. There is the plot about Edward’s conflict with the rest of the Ferrars family, the story about Beth Williams, and others on top of the primary murder plot. It ends up feeling a little convaluted.
The romantic tension between Juliet and Jonathan is sweet, but it never pays off. In both the first book in the series and The Murder of Mrs. Willoughby, it is clear that they like one another, but neither does anything about it. I was hoping for an Austen-style declaration of love, but alas…
I do love that Juliet Tilney is a detective in these books. Her mother, Catherine, sees herself as a detective in Northanger Abbey, so it makes sense to see Juliet eager to solve the murders in this series. The reader gets a lot more backstory on Jonathan Darcy than Juliet, which is a shame.
As an Austen fan and a murder mystery fan, I wanted to love this series. The idea has such potential, but it falls short.
I have discovered not so long ago Jane Austen’s variation, and digging into a world reimagining the author’s stories with different views or setting is so entrancing.
Yet while I have read Pride&Prejudice and Sense&Sensibility as a teenager, I have not read the other pieces of the author. Still, outside the Tinleys, the characters featured in this story are mostly from Sense and Sensibility.
But I believe this series will make more sense to someone who has knowledge of the Austen’s world.
Still, a whole series mingling everyone in the same setting is fascinating. All the protagonists are well
-known to the Austen readers for Jonathan, the Darcys’ son and Juliet, the Tilneys’ daughter.
I feared I would be lost as this book is the second in a series with recurring characters but the author does an awesome job at spreading hints of the previous tale to not loose the newbies.
What surprised me was that this is a tale of many voices as close to all the main protagonists are given even if it is one time a voice to express their thoughts.
And while it offers Mr Jonathan Darcy and Miss Juliet Tinley a new opportunity to investigate together, it also brings out discontents, past betrayals, wrong behaviors and all the clouded judgements gossips so easily spread.
Loves are tested, as friendships and faith in the others.
Jonathan is his father’s son, so ill-at-ease among strangers, he is bordering the prism of neurodivergence while Fitzwilliam had his haughty view of himself to keep him upright, Jonathan has also his mother’s spirit, even if it is hidden by his awkwardness, he sees people for what is in their heart not their rank.
Juliet, I can not compare, but she is sweet, inquisitive and determined.
They are both trapped by the custom and usage of their time, yet they have bonded over a dramatic event, and a kind of friendship has come out of it. And while the reader will hope it will evolve to more, their uncertainties about their sentiments and their own expectations might hold them back.
Still they make a great team as they work the clues together to lead them on the right path, despite the obstacles they may encounter.
4.5 stars
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 none
I have been granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
A strong sophomore offering in this series, which is, in my opinion, one of the strongest in the ‘Jane’s Austen mystery’ genre. I’m very much looking forward to the next.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC for this review.
In the Late Mrs. Willoughby our heroes Johnathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney find themselves thrown together when both are visiting in Barton. Juliet is staying with her new friend Marianne Brandon and Johnathan is staying with his former schoolmate Willoughby. When Mrs. Willoughby dies dramatically during a party, Darcy and Tilney are once again on the case.
This series is definitely my favorite Austen "sequel". I love the characterization of existing characters such as Marianne and Willoughby as well as the new characters. The author has a very good understanding of Jane Austen and her times. I can only hope this series continues and that Darcy and Juliet meet again, perhaps in Bath or Rosings?
Mr. John Willoughby is another of Jane Austen's characters most of us would vote off the island if given the opportunity. But, alas, we don't get to rejoice as another villain bites the dust. This time his wife is the victim. Was the poison meant for her? Or did she get taken out by mistake and the killer missed their primary target? With lots of suspects and theories to work with we have the reteaming of Mr. Jonathan Darcy and Miss Juliet Tilney to solve the case and they make a wonderful duo indeed. These young people are engaging and smart. I love the way that Miss Tilney brings out the best in Mr. Darcy and I am very hopeful that they end up together someday. But, I was very disappointed in this book. It had an abundance of narrative that was just plain boring and although I loved the characters it just wasn't enough.
The last time the Tilney's let their daughter attend a house party, she ended up in the middle of a murder and the lady, Marianne Brandon, who has invited Juliet this time ended up being the murderer, it was self-defense, however. But gossip is a nasty thing and Marianne needs a friend right now as Marianne's former suitor has returned to the neighborhood to take up residence after his aunt has died. He has brought with him his new bride and all her money. The handsome Mr. John Willoughby tossed Marrianne aside for his new wife and her fortune.
Invited to Willoughby's new home to help him celebrate his good fortune with his inheritance and his marriage are three of his chums from Oxford, Mr. Jonathan Darcy, Mr. Ralph Bamner and Mr. Laurence Follett. Mr. Darcy was loath to accept the invitation as he quite hated Willoughby at school, but with the Brandon's in the area, he would at least have friends he could escape to when needed.
Jonathan is delighted that Juliet is in residence with the Brandon's, and she is happy to see him again too. She had harbored hope that they might renew their acquaintance and maybe grow closer together leading to . . . However, at a dinner party meant to welcome the newcomers to the neighborhood, Mrs. Willoughby drops dead. Jonathan and Juliet at once suspect foul play and undertake to uncover the murderer. Of course, everyone hopes that it is the despicable Willoughby, and it just may be. But others have motive to do the deed and they have to consider that Mrs. Willoughby may not have been the target.
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.
Another hit from Claudia Gray!!!
I'm looking forward to each release in this series. I think I enjoyed book one a bit more that this one, but I still enjoy every minute I could steal away to read.
If you are an avid mystery reader, this one is a tad easy to figure out, but still a delightful read.
Pour a cup of tea, grab this book and get ready to be swept away!
The second book in this cozy mystery series starring characters from Jane Austen novels will delight. Readers should start with the first book in the series since this one has plot points dependent on it. New friends Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney are reunited and try to solve the murder of the unhappy wife of Darcy’s school tormentor, John Willoughby of "Sense and Sensibility." Suspicion falls on the duo’s loved ones, including Marianne Brandon, née Dashwood. The author keeps Austen’s style of gentle humor while updating the characters to appeal to a modern audience entertained by amateur sleuthing.
This was a DNF at 52%
I tried. I slogged through the first book so I could tackle this and was not really looking forward to it. It started out a bit more promising, but I just found it SO dry. It also was repetitive. Someone compared it to Jane Austen fanfic and I would agree but even some spice would have been appreciated. Just not for me!
Book Description:
The Late Mrs. Willoughby by Claudia Gray gives Jane Austen fans a chance to revel in Austenland a bit more. In this historical mystery, Miss Juliet Tilney, daughter of none other than Catherine and Henry Tilney of Northanger Abbey, is visiting her dear friend, Marianne Brandon, in Devonshire. Time spent with close friends is always good, right? Unless said friend is also swirled in a bit of scandal of her own. Marianne was jilted by Mr. Willoughby, who's about to become her neighbor - with his new bride in tow. But it's all good because Marianne is in love with her husband, Col. Brandon. They're all going to make the best of this awkward situation by attending a party hosted in honor of The Willoughbys. Everyone is at this party, including Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's son, Jonathan. Jonathan is thrilled by the opportunity to spend time with Miss Tilney again. Everyone, well, almost everyone, is happy to see each other. That is, until it all comes to a halt when Mrs. Willoughby dies horribly at the party, and suddenly, everyone becomes a suspect .
My Thoughts:
I love the idea of what happens next for some of Austen's most beloved (and the disliked) characters. The plot is intricate and engaging, with plenty of twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the very end. I appreciated Gray's strong female characters and her inclusion of a neurodivergent main character.
Although The Late Mrs. Willoughby is the sequel to The Murder of Mr. Wickham, I didn't find it necessary to have read book one in order to understand and enjoy this story. While being a fan of Jane Austen certainly enhances the reader's experience, everyone who loves a good mystery will adore this well-crafted read.
Read this if you like:
• Jane Austen
• Strong female characters
• Neurodivergent main characters
• Historical mysteries
Unlike with The Murder of Mr. Wickham, which featured characters from all six of Jane Austen’s novels (from Sense and Sensibility through Persuasion; Lady Susan and unfinished works not included), The Late Mrs. Willoughby focuses on the characters from Sense and Sensibility. This novel features the Dashwoods and the Brandons, the Willoughbys and the Ferrars, as well as the Middletons, Mrs. Jennings, and Beth Williams. Other than Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney (the children from the starring couples in Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey, respectively), no other books are represented here. I expect we’ll see characters from those works in future installments of this series—at least, I hope so!
The Late Mrs. Willoughby opens with both Juliet Tilney and Jonathan Darcy ending up as guests in Devonshire. Juliet is staying with Marianne and Colonel Brandon, after having befriended both that summer; Jonathan is staying with his childhood “friend” (bully), John Willoughby, along with Mrs. Willoughby and two other former classmates. All is going well enough until both parties are invited to a dinner party hosted by the Middletons. Jonathan and Juliet are excited to be reunited, but things end badly when Mrs. Willoughby is poisoned. Who murdered her? And why? Once again, Jonathan and Juliet are on the case. This time, Jonathan’s tentative childhood friend Ralph Bamber (the only one who didn’t bully him) joins in their investigation.
As with the previous book, I love how Jonathan’s (undiagnosed) autism is portrayed. Many around don’t understand him, and it has led to the aforementioned bullying he enduring in school. His parents also have tried to gently nudge him towards more “proper” behavior. As such, he’s gotten skilled at masking certain parts of himself. It’s interesting to see Jonathan logically attempt to interpret social cues and carefully consider his words before speaking. Even so, Jonathan’s neurodivergence can help in some matters, allowing him to see things from a different perspective and make sense of the clues in a new way. And as before, I love that Juliet accepts him for who he is.
While the previous book was a locked room mystery, The Late Mrs. Willoughby exists within the town of Barton, opening it up and giving rise to one of my favorite aspects here: the town gossip! Several times throughout the book, we readers get to enjoy the development and dramatic escalation of rumors pertaining to the murder mystery. Some of the things these people believe! Such outlandish claims that don’t make sense, and yet just because that’s what they heard through the grapevine, now they believe it must be so. It’s so funny how the rumors change with each new event throughout the book.
This murder gets a bit more twisty than in the first installment. Indeed, is it possible Mrs. Willoughby wasn’t even the intended victim? And what of the new attacks that keep happening? There’s more at play here, keeping the reader guessing. Though I will proudly say, I correctly guessed two different reveals well in advance. Perhaps I should become a detective, too?
During Jonathan, Juliet, and Ralph’s investigation of the murder, romantic feelings are also starting to arise (perhaps somewhat thanks to the matchmaking-minded Mrs. Jennings). Is Juliet developing a particular attachment to Jonathan? Does Jonathan even want a relationship, given his slight aversion to physical touch? And when Ralph starts expressing his desire to court Juliet, is that what she wants? It’s a bit of a love triangle, and I’m eager to see how the romance develops in the next book!
The Late Mrs. Willoughby features several side stories, in addition to the mystery and romance at hand. These largely focus on Elinor and Edward Ferrars, but also on Beth Williams. Some side stories dovetail with the mystery more than others, and some can feel a bit distracting, somewhat slowing the novel’s pace. It is nice to see the characters’ lives and relationships fleshed out some more here. And maybe they’re setting up for the next book in the series? Indeed, there is a hint of another mystery happening only a few weeks after this one. Already, I’m looking forward to book #3.
The Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney Mystery series has been a delight so far, and if you enjoyed The Murder of Mr. Wickham, you’ll love The Late Mrs. Willoughby. Any fan of Jane Austen and cozy mysteries should absolutely read both novels, as well as any other books that follow in this series. I can hardly wait to see what Jonathan and Juliet get up to next!
Well written and diverse, absolutely nothing wrong with the book just was not for me. I do like historical fiction but this was not my cup of tea.
I received this eArc from Netgalley for a honest review.
The Late Mrs. Willoughby is a fun retelling of Jane Austen characters. It also has Agatha Christie murder mystery vibes.
I was overwhelmed by the volume and pace of characters at the beginning of the book. Once I got my rhythm I found the book to be more enjoyable. I then started devouring each chapter trying to figure out who the murder actually was!
There is a slow burn romance between Juliet and Jonathan and I love that Jonathan is the oldest of the Darcy children! I also adore how supportive Juliet is with all of Jonathan’s quirks. He’s eccentric for their time period. However - I think that pulls in the Jane Austen jabs at their society and what is “perceived” as normal or desired.
I was a little disappointed that the book seemed to end with everyone going their own way - I assume there is another book coming out in the future.
I will certainly read a third book when it comes out!
I am really enjoying this series so far. Miss Juliet Tilney and Mr. Jonathan Darcy are back together again and have been pulled into another murder mystery. Mrs. Willoughby is poisoned at a party to welcome her and Mr. Willoughby to Devonshire, and our pair are determined to find the culprit.
I love seeing these two solve the mysteries together and build a friendship that will hopefully blossom into more. Their interactions are perfectly delightful, and the mysteries intriguing.
I can't wait to read more.
Thank you, Netgalley, and the publisher for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am enjoying Claudia Gray’s Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney mystery series so much. This second outing in the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney mysteries feels heavier than the first. In The Murder of Mr. Wickham, the victim was one of Jane Austen’s least sympathetic characters. I certainly don’t advocate for murdering people, but Mr. Wickham’s violent demise did not cause distress. In The Late Mrs. Willoughby, we get no such comfort. Mrs. Willoughby may not be the nicest or most charming person, but she is not a villain. Her murder is distressing. On top of that, characters are still reckoning from the fallout both of Wickham’s death, and from Mr. Willoughby’s very bad behavior revealed in Sense and Sensibility. It feels odd to say I had fun reading a book dealing with trauma and murder, but I did.
Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney are a delight. They are so pleased to see each other again and while horrified by the murder they witness, very happy to work together as detectives. They are also quite aware of the impropriety of their investigation. The way they know it’s improper and do it anyway feels appropriate for the time.
Now that Juliet and Jonathan’s characters have been established, I was able to enjoy their friendship and their sleuthing. Together and individually, they are my favorite part of the series. As a long time romance reader, it’s clear to me that they are destined for one another, but they’ve got at least one more book before they know that.
Murder mysteries would not have been a genre that Jane Austen would have written, first, because the genre didn’t exist until after death, and second because she was a woman in English Georgian society. But if she did, I can imagine that she would use the crime of murder to examine morality, gender roles, class, and appearances as she did in her novels. Claudia Grey isn’t necessarily writing the murder mystery that Austen might have written, but she is examining the same kinds of issues. We may not live in Georgian England, but men who are able to maintain a certain class standing are still able to wreak havoc in the lives of others almost unchecked.
CW: on page poisoning death, memories and references to bullying in boys boarding school, threat of social ostracism, autopsy, attempted murder, misogyny.
I received this as an advance reader copy from Vintage Anchor and Netgalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.
In this sequel to the Death of Mr Wickham, Jane Austen's characters again come together. Juliet Tilney (daughter of Northanger Abbey characters) is visiting Marianne Brandon and Jonathan Darcy (son of Pride and Prejudice characters) is visiting his old college friend Willoughby nearby and the two are delighted to continue the friendship begun in the first novel. Austen fans will know that Willoughby was Marianne's first love until he abandoned her to marry an heiress and that heiress dies at a dinner party as Juliet and Jonathan watch, so the two find themselves once again investigating a murder and exploring their awakening interest in each other.
Many of the characters from Sense and Sensibility make an appearance in this novel and the mystery is of secondary importance. The pace is very slow and some of the red herrings are obvious. This is definitely a book for Jane Austen fans not avid mystery readers, but Austen fans will be delighted to spend time with their favorite and not so favorite characters.