Fans of Jane Austen are going to feel right at home with Miss Caroline Bingley for a lot of reasons - the style of this novel fits right into the period, the central characters are reimagined versions of those straight out of Pride and Prejudice, and the sense of place and time is strong. Granted Miss Bingley and her dear friend Georgiana are considerably more ... what's the word .. active, maybe freer than the original version. Granted also it's been a long time since I read Pride and Prejudice and I'm no Janeite (if that's the right word).

Set a couple of years after the events of Pride & Prejudice, Miss Bingley is visiting her brother's estate in Derbyshire, bored by the cold weather, and light amusements. Despite her loss in the battle for Mr Darcy's affections she has remained close to Georgiana, Mr Darcy's younger sister, and it is when her Indian maid, Jayani, disappears from Pemberley that Miss Bingley turns Private Detective and she and Miss Darcy head off to London in pursuit of the maid, accompanied by Bingley's loyal manservant Gordon.

Alas the tracing of Jayani (aka Jade) plunges them into the investigation of a brutal murder, and finds them face to face with a world that previously would not have existed for such privileged people, let alone women. Deep in the world of poverty, and brutal colonialism this novel takes the reader into the truth of the East India Company, the cruelty, exploitation and abuse that provided abject misery for many, and luxury and wealth for the few.

It's hard to avoid the feeling that the authors of this novel have purposely dragged a character who was more than a bit haughty and conceited into a world that suits her personality, and allows her to expand her expectations and interests. She comes across in this novel as witty, sharp, pointed and more than a bit opinionated, and that sits considerably more comfortably with the role of intrepid sleuth, someone whose disapproval is now able to be targeted more aptly.

Cosy in nature, mostly because of the style, and leaving aside the question of a brutal murder at its heart, MISS BINGLEY, PRIVATE DETECTIVE is obviously a novel that will work well for those of the Janeite persuasion. It would work for general fans of cosier novels as well. It's engaging and highly entertaining, sticking with its sense and sensibility all the way through.

Pride & Prejudice meets murder mystery whodunnit?! Yes please! This was an excellent mystery wonderfully co-authored by Kelly & Sulari that really made me feel like I was back in a Jane Austen novel meets Agatha Christie. I loved a number of the side character, the butler in particular and while I think Caroline has a long way to go in her personal growth, I loved to see her character come through and explored and look forward to more adventures to come!

I had the honour of attending the online book club hosted by @HarperCollinsNZ and got to chat through the novel with the authors and get more insight into the book.

Thank you Harper Collins for the gifted copy of this book! Out next week and I highly recommend you add this to your TBR if you are a fellow Austen lover or Murder Mystery enthusiast.

this was kind of a stock standard regency detective novel that should have been comp'd as a poor mans miss fisher's murder mysteries. there was really nothing about caroline bingley that made her feel like caroline bingley. i think i would have liked this a lot better if it was an original character, because the p&p callbacks lowkey started to feel like a cash/reader grab at the end. the writing style also felt a bit like a poor mans imitation of jane austen, instead of attempting to do its own thing and really stand out.

even though she didn't stand out though, i do like that the authors attempted to rehabilitate what has traditionally been a mean girl in the austen world. caroline did have clear intellect and social understanding beyond expectations in the original p&p, and it was nice to see that shine more here. i do wish her growth in moving past the barriers imposed by social classes was a bit slower through - she jumped right into helping jayani which didn't really mesh with her original dislike of elizabeth bennett, which was based almost entirely on superficiality and a rigorous adherence to the immovable nature of social classes. the growth that was there however was interesting, and by the end of the book i did very much believe caroline's desire to continue investigating, working, and using her brain, if only because of a selfish nature that craved the satisfaction of a job well done.

When Georgina Darcy disappears to London to find her maid Jayani, who has vanished, her friend Miss Caroline Bingley rushes to find them both. What follows is a mystery involving a missing maid and the murder of her brother which has Caroline and Georgiana moving through the underbelly of London's dirty streets and mixing with unsavory characters, in an effort to uncover the truth. Miss Bingley is a force to be reckoned with and with her trusty manservant Gordon, uses her considerable investigative talents and large fortune to good use to discover the killer.

A fabulous whodunnit based on characters created by the incredible talents of Jane Austen, this is a wonderfully enjoyable read. Lovers of historical mysteries will enjoy this novel which brings together a fun, imaginative and witty story filled with social commentary from that era. Definitely worth reading!

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for my opportunity to read and review this book.

This is a Jane Austen/cozy mystery hybrid. A lightweight, super quick read, easily finished in an hour. Set two years after Pride and Prejudice, featuring Caroline Bingley and Georgiana Darcy as the main characters. Murder, intrigue, and social commentary abounds.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

A diverting murder mystery set in Jane Austen's London, starring Georgiana Darcy and Miss Caroline Bingley.
I admit I thought the theme was shoehorned in, with the character of Caroline quite different to the one in Pride and Prejudice, and also quite different from most women of that time period - wandering around unchaperoned with no desire for a marriage.

The mystery itself kept me going, this was well paced and plenty of lines of enquiry to keep you interested. Although I guessed the culprit early and wasn't as amused by the big reveal at the end. I would definitely read another.

This is a delightful story about Miss Caroline Bingley as you have never imagined her to be. Set two years after the events of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Miss Bingley is staying at her brother’s estate and is, frankly, bored.

Enter Georgiana Darcy, whose maid, Jayani, has gone missing. Miss Bingley seizes the opportunity to whisk them both to London to follow Jayani’s trail and bring her back to Pemberley. Feeling more alive than she has in years, Miss Bingley realises her powers of curiosity and investigation, along with the benefits of her privileged life, allow her to pursue her enquiries. Soon she and Miss Darcy are exposed to murder and a view of society that shocks them both.

I loved this reinvention of Miss Bingley. She is an accomplished, independent woman (with a large fortune) and enjoys solving puzzles. I felt for Miss Darcy, though, as she was constantly astounded by her changed environment. As a young and pampered woman, she was totally unprepared for what she experienced. But that was half the fun of this rollicking story.

If you need an escapist adventure story set in Regency times, Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Detective may satisfy that need. Even if you don’t, read it anyway just because it’s fun.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Australia for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel.

Early impressions were it suggests an engaging narrative that remains true to the essence of Austen’s characters, particularly Caroline Bingley. The period details are well-crafted, immersing readers in the social and cultural nuances of the time. However, some noted minor discrepancies, such as repeated references to Charles Bingley’s financial ineptitude, which felt a little inconsistent with Austen’s original characterization. Nonetheless, this is viewed as a negligible critique within an otherwise delightful and inventive storyline.

For those who appreciate Austen-inspired works or historical mysteries, this title is highly recommended as an imaginative addition to the genre.

📚 Miss Caroline Bingley: Private Detective by Kelly Gardiner & Sharmini Kumar ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5 stars)
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Jane Austen and a whodunnit?! Yes, please. I absolutely love the premise and dived right in – this was near perfection for me. I sincerely hope this is just the beginning of a series because I need more.

Set two years after Pride and Prejudice, Caroline Bingley finds herself bored with country life – that is, until Georgiana Darcy’s maid mysteriously vanishes. When Georgiana goes missing in pursuit, Caroline embarks on an adventure neither polite society nor Lady Catherine would approve of. What follows is a brilliant tangle of murder, intrigue, and social commentary as Caroline navigates the grim underbelly of London, uncovering dark secrets of the Empire.

I absolutely adore how faithfully Gardiner and Kumar stay true to Caroline’s character – elegant, ambitious, and wonderfully sharp-tongued. They expand on her in a way that feels authentic to Austen’s world, while giving her room to shine as an investigator. The subtle (and not-so-subtle) barbs, her unwavering confidence, and her complicated relationship with the Darcys are all beautifully handled.

One small note – the repeated references to Charles Bingley’s poor financial management felt slightly inconsistent with Austen’s original portrayal. Bingley has always been more amiable than astute, but his wealth was never depicted as precarious. This is a minor quibble, though, in an otherwise delightful reimagining.

If you love witty historical mysteries with a dash of Austen flair, this book will not disappoint. The humour, the social commentary, and the immersive period detail made this a standout read. A fun, funny, and thoroughly imaginative addition to the Austen-inspired literary world.

I’ll be impatiently awaiting the next instalment – Miss Bingley has many more mysteries to solve!

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