The Late Mrs Willoughby

Another creative mystery in the Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney series! In this mystery, the villain focused on is John Willoughby, the rake who broke Marianne Dashwood’s heart in Sense and Sensibility. Instead of him winding up the murder victim, it’s his wife. This crafty, slow burn whodunit combines the wit of Jane Austen with the clever deductions of Agatha Christie as the second generation of Austen’s characters works to expose a murderer.

Mr. Johnathan Darcy’s been invited to the estate of his former nemesis and classmate, John Willoughby for a house party. He goes more so to please his parents than himself. It just so happens, Miss Juliet Tilney whom he became friends with in the previous book, is in the neighborhood visiting show more Marianne and Colonel Brandon.

Willoughby is not only a rake, but a bully. He and his friends treat Jonathan abominably by reminding him of all the pranks they played on him in school, and their cruel nickname for him,“Thumps.” The indifferent way Willoughby treats his wife isn’t much better. When Mrs. Willoughby dies by poison in a horrific way, Willoughby is the main suspect. But, when Willoughby himself becomes a target, blame is cast on Marianne and a host of other suspects. Juliet and Jonathan must work together once again to find the culprit.

I love Jonathan. He’s such a sympathetic character. He tries so hard to understand others’ motivations. He’s just incapable of reading others’ cues. His friendship with Juliet has the potential for more if only he understood her feelings better. They work well together and I can’t wait to see if their relationship blossoms into something more.

The mystery had plenty of twists and suspects. While I guessed the murderer, there were still so many things I didn’t predict. It kept me guessing until the end. I loved seeing all the characters from Sense and Sensibility again, especially Eleanor happy and expecting a baby. Marianne and Colonel Brandon’s relationship is put to the test now Willoughby is free, but Marianne has grown a lot since her marriage and it’s clear where her feelings and loyalties lie.

Highly recommend to fans of Jane Austen and historical mysteries. I can’t wait for the next book in the series. Though it’s the second book, it could be read as a standalone, however to understand the characters and motivations, it’s better if you’ve read the first book. Thanks to the author and AustenProse for the arc! All opinions are my own & voluntarily given. show less

Oh the joy for us Janeites out there, (we ardent lovers of Jane Austen novels), continues with this sequel to, "The Murder of Mr. Wickham". This book was such a delight, as a number of characters from at least three of Jane's novels, were found in Barton. The creatively imagined progeny of the Darcys and Tilneys are the wonderful protagonists of this series. Although intentionally not delivered in the voice of Jane Austen, (after all, there is only one Jane Austen), the dialogue was most apropos for the time and setting of the story.

Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney had met in the previous book, "The Murder of Mr. Wickham" where they were in secret collusion investigating the murder. They had hoped that they might meet again and sure show more enough, they do in this second book. Darcy is invited to Willoughby's recently inherited estate, Allenham, for a bit of vacation with Willoughby, Willoughby's wife and other schoolmates. Miss Tilney is spending time with her dearest friend, Marianne Brandon, (Willoughby's former love interest), and Marianne's husband. The Willoughbys and the Brandons reside in Barton. Interestingly, Sir John and Lady Middleton also reside in Barton and hold a soirée welcoming the Willoughbys to Barton. Everything is lovely until the toast and Mrs. Willoughby dies on the spot. Darcy and Miss Tilney are almost more eager to investigate than decorum allows. Yet, with no magistrate yet appointed, their efforts will just just have to suffice. Afterall, they have experience with such things.

Ms. Gray has done a fabulous job of renewing and continuing our affection for these Austen characters. She writes exquisitely and in perfect form for the period represented. The character development is steady throughout and we slowly learn of each character's thoughts, concerns and motivations. The tension increases gradually throughout the story drawing to a peak and then relaxes to a satisfying conclusion. The friendship between Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney is sweet and chaste and perhaps someday, a little bit more than that. This reader is ever hopeful that yet another sequel is forthcoming where their relationship can be even further developed. If a Jane Austen style mystery is your jam then this may well be the perfect book for you.

I am grateful to author Claudia Gray and her publisher, Vintage Books, for having provided a complimentary uncorrected proof of this book. Their generosity, however, did not influence this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publication Date: May 16, 2023
Pages: 400
Publisher: Vintage Books
ISBN: 978-0593313831 show less

Following the events at Donwell Abbey as recounted in The Murder of Mr. Wickham, Juliet Tilney has been invited to visit Colonel and Marianne Brandon at Delaford. Meanwhile, Jonathan Darcy and several of his former classmates have been invited to spend a month at Allenham Court with Mr. Willoughby and his new bride. Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney are surprised and pleased to see each other at a dinner party at Barton Park, but the evening ends in tragedy with the sudden death of Mrs. Willoughby, apparently from poison. Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney have successfully investigated a murder before. Can they do it again?

I like Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney as sleuthing partners. Jonathan has personality traits characteristic of autism or show more Asperger’s. Juliet accepts Jonathan’s differences, and she is very protective of him in social settings where others might not be as understanding. Even so, the book drags on too long. I listened to the audio version, and there is nearly an hour more of the recording left after the murder is solved. The author seems compelled to include all of the major characters from Sense and Sensibility, but one set of characters has a story line that is completely independent of the murder plot. Since it doesn’t advance the murder plot, it doesn’t belong in the book, and the author and her editor(s) should have resisted the temptation. show less

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance review copy of this book!

Seriously, SUCH fun. Once again, The Late Mrs. Willoughby takes us into the delightful world of Jane Austen....with a few twists and turns along the way. As someone who adores Austen, I think she will be very proud of how Claudia Gray pays homage to familiar characters and new family members.

In this book, I really appreciated Jonathan Darcy. In not so many words, Darcy is on the neurodivergent spectrum. And I love how it is depicted with an authenticity and vulnerability. Also, it is a way to show that "different" types of people can do big things and solve big crimes.

Juliet Tilney is an absolute delight. I will keep reading this series because of her. Her commitment to show more convention but also her spunkiness and challenging convention too. show less

Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney are back in a fun Austen-inspired Regency mystery, The Late Mrs. Willoughby by Claudia Gray. After a successful case in the first book in the series, The Murder of Mr. Wickham, the two are thrown together at a dinner party that goes terribly wrong. Willoughby is back in Barton with a new wife after his aunt’s passing. Still not liked very much, especially by his new bride, Willoughby makes life miserable for a number of characters. But it’s his wife that dies, not him. I guess a reader can’t always pick the victim. 😉 I have found this series delightful. I really like Austen knock-offs and the addition of a mystery makes it that much more fun. Numerous characters from Sense And Sensibility make show more an appearance — it is great to see how their lives could have progressed. Jonathan and Juliet are sweet characters. I especially like the quirkiness of Jonathan. He has many traits of autism, and I love his outlook on life, even if he struggles with the society of the day. There are plenty of twists in this book, and things aren’t always as they seem. The mystery is solved and the murderer is captured, but Jonathan and Juliet leave Barton with plenty of doubts about their relationship. Fortunately, Gray gives the reader some hints as to their future. Wonder who is next on Gray’s hit list?

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(Thanks to the publisher for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

When I saw this book was finally on sale, I was rubbing my hands together and muttering 'Goody, goody, goody!!
I almost kissed it when I opened the package from Amazon.
This is for Jane Austen nerds and murder mystery nerds and historical fiction nerds.
It's so damn perfect, I may frame it and hang it on the wall.
I wonder if the author is Jane reincarnated.
7 out of 5 stars.
And no you CANNOT borrow my copy. Buy your own.

I loved returning to the Austen-inspired world that Gray created. We mainly focus on characters from Sense and Sensibility, plus our to young investigators, Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney. Just a heads up, the ending definitely sets up for at least one more book, which I wasn’t expecting. If you liked the first in the series, you’ll like this one as well. Though you know what to expect so it doesn’t have quite the same novelty. Still a fun read!

“Even a small misunderstanding has the power to bend the course of a life.”