The Rushworth Family Plot didn't quite reach the highest highs of the previous books in the series for me. Perhaps because of my own feelings about Mansfield Park (decidedly mid) and the book's focus on the meek, mild cousin-loving Bertrams.

The mystery at hand is interesting and I was delighted to be wrong about the killer. Jonathan and Juliet, my favorite pining pair in all of fiction, are still kept apart by circumstance but the romance plot moves an inch farther with some quiet moments of swoon.

I pray that the Knightleys will appear in Book 5 if for no other reason than Emma is the only person I trust to convince the senior Mr. Darcy to let his son get married. In the meantime, I guess I will read Ivanhoe since Jonathan Darcy speaks so highly of it.

With a plethora of other Austen mysteries, this is the series that I return to time and time again. The ultimate comfort reads. I look forward to the audio release.

I really enjoyed this latest installment! I like both Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney, though I do find my patience wearing slightly thin with the extension of their courtship. If you already found yourself frustrated with Mr. Darcy the elder, you will continue to do so in this volume.

The development of both characters does credit to the passage of time between books and the maturity a reader would expect for such young people. As usual, we have a bunch of characters from Austen's oeuvre brought in, mostly Mansfield Park and Pride and Prejudice, as well as from previous books in this series.

I liked the motive for murder for both instances, it makes sense and I totally buy the actions of both villains. I also enjoyed the secondary villain in the former Caroline Bingley, who I found I liked as a character far more than I would expect. For any Austen fan, there are surprises in the way characters come through on the page. I find myself deeply frustrated and angry with Fitzwilliam Darcy (not just because the reader knows Juliet to be good for Jonathan) who should know better than anyone that trying to forbid a match will just as likely encourage it.

I teeter on the realistic angle chosen here, because I like a lot of aspects of it. However, it is a little annoying to continue to hear about how unlikely and terrible it is that the same people might be close to a murder. The characters do not know they're in a murder mystery, but I do, and it's breaking my immersion! Even with this slight annoyance, I loved this book and I need the next one!

This series makes me so happy. Putting all primary Jane Austen characters into one timeline is an inspired idea. And it’s been so nice to see so many widely unlikable characters get their comeuppance. It’s been a year since the events of the previous book, and both Jonathan and Juliet have matured nicely. And absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder! Thanks to Vintage for the ARC.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, and as predicted, it was excellent! I’m grateful to have received a free eARC, because I have been so eager to read it and June feels far away.

The style, plot, and characters are all top-notch. I love being surprised in books, and one part of the story unrelated to the murder made my jaw drop. And that ending was *chef’s kiss* - even if it didn’t go the way I had hoped and expected. So my only complaint (which isn’t really a complaint) is that this is the slowest-burn romance series I have ever read, so now I have to wait for book 5!

On another note, I so appreciate how compassionately and delicately Claudia Gray handles sensitive discussions of slavery, infertility, and faith. Through such conversations, she has given depth to Edmund and Fanny Bertram and made me like them more than I did in Mansfield Park.

In short, I love this series as much as Jonathan Darcy loves Gibbon’s History of the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for the free eARC. I post this review with my honest opinions. This review is cross-posted on Goodreads and will be posted on Amazon and Instagram within a week of the book’s publication.

Content notes: murder (obviously), pregnancy loss and infertility struggles, discussions of slavery

As always, characters from multiple Austen books are present in this fourth Jonathan Darcy/Juliette Tilney mystery, with most of them from Mansfield Park. Mansfield Park is my least favorite of Austen's books, so I was surprised at how much I liked this. I confess to caring more about the growing romance between Jonathan and Juliette than the solution to the murder. Everything seemed to be going their way, which only made me more anxious, as Caroline Allerdyce, née Bingley, was scheming in the background. My guess at how she might sabotage the pair was incorrect, which I was glad about, but it seems she may still try to cause conflict in future books.
Gray really does a fantastic job imagining not only how the beloved characters' lives after their respective books might have continued, but how they could conceivably overlap with characters from other books, as well as how history might repeat itself in unexpected ways. Some suspension of disbelief is necessary, as Juliette and Jonathan are now accepted by all, including the London police, as appropriate investigators into the murder. It didn't prevent my enjoyment of the novel in the least, but it may bother some readers.
I was on the edge of my seat with this one, and I'm already wishing I had the next in my hands.

I am such a fan of these books.
Can't wait for Ivanhoe and his Rebecca to be together.
These clever stories have been my hand sell for that mystery reader who loves Jane Austin. Think book for Mom

Another great installment of the Mr Darcy-Miss Tilley series. I was happy to see that their romance progressed slightly further, although I suspect it won’t be fully realized until we’ve gotten through a ,under to correlate to each of Austin’s original books. I loved the exciting turn of events at the end of this one.

If you've been reading the Juliet Tilney/Jonathan Darcy mysteries, The Rushworth Family Plot is one not to miss! In this fourth installment of the series, the stakes are higher than ever with respect to both the murder at hand and the connection between the two young investigators. Plot twists abound - it is difficult to say more without crossing into spoiler territory, so let me leave it at the fact that I've rarely been so surprised at the twists and turns in a cozy murder investigation as I am this time. I cannot wait to see what happens next in book five!

I love this book so much! This series and these characters are so wonderful. I love catching up with them in each book. Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney are absolutely delightful!

Jonathan Darcy and Miss Tilney are thrown together yet again to hunt down a murderer or two. Claudia Gray has struck such a perfect balance of wit, charm and romance with these cozy mysteries set in the Austen universe. There's intrigue, beloved characters, and a will-they, won't-they romance that I can't get enough of. I especially applaud how Gray writes about her neurodivergent hero. I do hope we continue getting fresh installments.

The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray is the newest in the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney series.
In this new adventure, the son and daughter of Jane Austen characters, Jonathan (Darcy) and Juliet (Tilney) are back together for the London season, and soon after, another body drops dead! Mr. Rushmore, ex-husband of Maria Bertram from Mansfield Park, is discovered dead in his home and Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney are on the case. Here begins the fun and the antics to discover who the murderer could be.
The author weaves old familiar characters into this cozy mystery and it makes for the perfect book. I couldn't guess who did it with all the twists and turns and the writing is incredible. I will absolutely recommend this series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Vintage Publishing for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review...and especially that I was able to return to one of my favorite worlds, the Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney Mystery!

I hope with all my heart that there is no shortage of murders in Jane Austen's England because I never want this series to end.

It just brings me joy like nothing else does! The seamless weaving in of old familiar characters and cozy mystery just makes for the perfect book. I would read one thousand more. These aren't the kind of cozy mystery where you immediately know who did it. The twists and turns are fun, the writing is incredible, and I will recommend these to anyone who will listen for all of my days. My mom made me fall in love with Pride & Prejudice when I was a teenager, and it's so much fun to read these books with her now!

Please never stop writing these! <3

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of the London season. When the unexpected murder of Mr. Rushmore, ex-husband of Maria Bertram from Mansfield Park, shakes the very foundation of society, our detective duo springs into action. As they navigate the complexities of crime, their budding romance blossoms amidst charming walks and shy glances.

I received a complimentary ecopy of this book and read it with pleasure! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Vintage Publishers and NetGalley. Releases June 17, 2025

I love this series. I will gladly read as many books as Claudia Gray wants to write about Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney. I also can't wait for the happy ending (these poor kids keep getting interrupted by murder and mayhem, which makes it hard to conclude a courtship). In The Rushworth Family Plot the two are once again thrown together, this time in London. Juliet is there with her mother (and it's so nice to finally get to spend some time with adult Catherine) to experience the Season (funded by her usually uptight grandfather). Jonathan is there for similar reasons, and is staying with the Bertram family. Thomas Bertram is courting a wealthy young lady (who happens to be the daughter of the former Miss Bingley). Edmund and Fanny are there to support Thomas, and also to guide Fanny's sister Susan through the Season, though Fanny's mood remains significantly effected by her inability to have a child. Meanwhile, the scandal ridden Maria Rushworth (formerly Bertram) has arrived in town, determined to somehow regain her former status, lost after the events of Mansfield Park. All of these threads would be more then enough for a full novel, but of course on top of it all we have the sudden murder of Mr. Rushworth, Maria's former husband, and the reappearance of the Crawford siblings. Needless to say, Jonathan and Juliet have their work cut out for them.

Jonathan and Juliet remain a delightful (potential) couple, whose feelings for each other are now pretty clear although still facing disapproval from various family and society members (for example, Caroline Allerdyce-formerly Bingley-is not at all pleased with their relationship as she wishes for him to marry her younger daughter). The murder plot kept me guessing, but the real strength here is Gray's understanding of the various characters and her thoughtful look at how they might turn out beyond their own books. Claudia Gray has allowed all of the known characters to continue to grow beyond their roots and shows them dealing with new issues in mature and understandable ways. Even Caroline is not quite the shrill and shallow person that we remember from Pride and Prejudice, and all of the main characters are shown as complete people who are flawed in realistic ways.

Again, I love this series and once I finished reading this one my only regret was that I have to wait that much longer to see what happens next.

As usual, Claudia Gray has written an excellent Northanger Abbey-style Jane Austen mystery. I'm not sure I would recommend this book for true, hardcore mystery lovers, but this book doesn't pretend to be that. Instead, it's cute, it's sweet, it's funny. It's a mix of character study and romance.

While the ending is unexpected, it's not totally out of left field. Really, the highlight of the book is the push and pull between the main characters and between their respective parents. A lot of this book deals with the "what-happens-after" loose ends from Austen's books. What happens after Maria Rushworth is banished to the country? What happens after Edmund and Fanny get married, given that Edmund's bright flame of love was for Mary Crawford? It's all addressed rather realistically, while also being light and funny - it all comes together in the EXACT Austen style.

Overall, great read, loved it, one of my favorite cozy mystery series ever with this installation only adding to it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for providing this digital ARC. The book will release on June 17.

This is the fourth installment in the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney series by Claudia Gray that follows the son and daughter of Jane Austen characters. In this installment, Jonathan (Darcy) and Juliet (Tilney) meet again in London during the “season” and end up investigating yet another murder!

I quite enjoy this series and this might very well be the best installment thus far! With the change from country homes to a boisterous city, there is a much larger variety of characters to come in and out of the story and a wider variety of settings and events. The story was far more scandalous (by early nineteenth century standards) than the previous books, there were many more subplots, the central romance between the lead characters progressed, and I didn’t predict how the murder plot would resolve until it was being revealed. I cannot wait for the next installment!

As a fan of the previous books in the series, I was delighted to get the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. I quickly realized that I needed to refresh my memory about the characters from Mansfield Park, and I decided to re-read it and make a family tree to keep track of the many characters and their relationships. It was very helpful to me. I enjoyed the continuation of the stories about the lives of these people, and I think the author did a wonderful job maintaining the personalities of Austen's characters. There were plenty of twists and turns in solving the murders in the book, and it was fun to read about the various romances and schemes for matchmaking. It was fascinating to see the importance of one's reputation during this Regency time period, and this book also addressed the anti-slavery sentiment at the time. I'm thoroughly enjoying this series, and I can't wait to read the next installment. Highly recommended!

Thank you NetGalley and Viking for letting me return to one of my favorite worlds, the Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney Mystery series!

In this new adventure, Mr. Darcy and Miss Tinley are back together for the London season, and they don't set eyes on each other long before another body drops dead! This newly assassinated? Mr. Rushmore, ex-husband of Maria Bertram from Mansfield Park. The London police decide they need a helping hand due a strike and the young duo is therefore on the case! While investigating, very seriously of course, they are sure to enjoy little walks to discuss their ideas, as well as blush and awkwardly stare at one another while the other is not looking. All adorable.

I love this series but I have to admit it is a slow, slow burn. Dare I say there is not even a fire? Maybe there is like an ember burning somewhere? I know the author is somewhat restrained by the setting, however there could be a better discussion of their 'understanding' or a little sharing of feelings? It ended quite dramatically and I waited for a little loving confessions, and I was sorely disappointed. I can only hope the next book will bring them together in a more sure way but I anticipate we won't reach Pemberly for another two.

The tension and the drama are KILLING me, but I can say no more because SPOILERS. Still, an excellent extension of the Austen universe—in tone, prose, and topic—so I will be tuning in for the next installment to see what hijinks Mr. Darcy and Ms. Tilney undertake next!

I love the early intrigue of this mystery, when the stage is being set and the players are taking their marks. There's a terrific sense of momentum, a factor reminiscent of the first novel in the series but missing (or, so I felt) from the previous installment. It's a fun ride, well-paced, subtle yet also sudden. I had a few ideas as to the culprit, but I was only somewhat correct, which makes for a satisfying reading experience.

Claudia Gray continues to seamlessly evoke Jane Austen's particular strain of social commentary—foibles, ironies, and triumphs alike—and refashion it for a modern audience. The subjects of slavery and abolition could not be avoided in a continuation story of Mansfield Park, and I think Gray does very well in balancing this among many other spinning plates.

One of the most enjoyably creative aspects of this series is seeing primary, secondary, and even tertiary characters from all six Austen novels interact with one another. With the entire Bertram family at center stage, there is ample opportunity for new connections to be made, including for me. For example, Edmund and Fanny are two characters I struggle to find at all engaging. They are, of course, given more opportunity to flourish here than they were when we last saw them in book one and even though I was fully prepared to rant about them at various times, I ended up feeling rather moved by their struggles.

Unghhh! And precious beans Juliet and Jonathan. Their reunion meet-cute is SO SWEET! But please dear God put us out of this slowburn misery soon! Of course, with the way things stand, I assume we're headed to the Abbey next...