The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray – BOOK TOUR and REVIEW

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BOOK FACTS:

• Title: The Murder of Mr. Wickham
• Author: Claudia Gray
• Genre: Historical Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Austenesque
• Publisher: ‎Vintage (May 3, 2022)
• Length: (400) pages
• Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & Audiobook
• ISBN: 978-0593313817
• Tour Dates: April 25-May 8, 2022

BOOK DESCRIPTION

A summer house party turns into a thrilling whodunit when Jane Austen’s Mr. Wickham—one of literature’s most notorious villains—meets a sudden and suspicious end in this brilliantly imagined mystery featuring Austen’s leading literary characters.

The happily married Mr. Knightley and Emma are throwing a party at their country estate, bringing together distant relatives and new acquaintances—characters beloved by Jane Austen fans. Definitely not invited is Mr. Wickham, whose latest financial scheme has netted him an even broader array of enemies. As tempers flare and secrets are revealed, it’s clear that everyone would be happier if Mr. Wickham got his comeuppance. Yet they’re all shocked when Wickham turns up murdered—except, of course, for the killer hidden in their midst.

Nearly everyone at the house party is a suspect, so it falls to the party’s two youngest guests to solve the mystery: Juliet Tilney, the smart and resourceful daughter of Catherine and Henry, eager for adventure beyond Northanger Abbey; and Jonathan Darcy, the Darcys’ eldest son, whose adherence to propriety makes his father seem almost relaxed. In this tantalizing fusion of Austen and Christie, from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray, the unlikely pair must put aside their own poor first impressions and uncover the guilty party—before an innocent person is sentenced to hang.

My Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 – 4.5 stars

When George Wickham interrupts the Knightley’s house party, the hosts as well as the guests are stunned. The guests are none other than the principal characters from Jane Austen’s beloved novels. Wickham has managed to lure many of them into his schemes with his cunning, charismatic charm, causing financial ruin to some, along with the accompanying shame and embarrassment that such a circumstance could bring about.

Aahhh… that beguiling Mr. Wickham. Few can deny him.

Wickham is determined to collect from his debtors, even if it means settling in for several nights at the Knightley’s estate, where inclement weather has forced the hosts to reluctantly accommodate him as an unwelcome guest. Even under these peculiar circumstances Wickham’s mischievous, wicked ways are still manifest. He thinks he’s outdone himself again with his exploits, but what he least expects is to be done in instead.

The Murder of Mr. Wickham is a mellow, historical murder mystery devoid of extreme violence or profanity. I truly appreciated that. I enjoyed revisiting many of Jane Austen’s main characters from her novels along with some of their progeny and seeing how their lives were faring. I liked the introduction of the Darcy’s teenage son, Jonathan, who along with a young woman associated with Northanger Abbey, Miss Juliet Tilney, becomes keenly interested in investigating Wickham’s murder. They possess similar strategies in their investigative techniques and Jonathan is decidedly more comfortable with Juliet than he is with his other peers. From the beginning we are made aware that Jonathan Darcy is different. He is prone to sensory overload, is socially awkward and would rather keep company with the servants than those of his own rank. But even though he paces and rocks back and forth when agitated, Juliet doesn’t seem overly bothered by his behavior. I loved their camaraderie.

The other members of the house party have ties to Wickham in some way or other, but not all are forthcoming regarding their involvement. The mystery evolves as more details come to light. I liked seeing the rawness of the characters with all of their flaws, insecurities and vulnerabilities.

The Murder of Mr. Wickham moved along at a comfortable, leisurely pace and kept me interested as Juliet and Jonathan uncovered more clues and the characters became more suspicious. When the murderer was revealed I was surprised and thoroughly satisfied.

If you are a fan of cozy, historical mysteries or Jane Austen variations you will likely enjoy The Murder of Mr. Wickham. Definitely recommended.

Thank you, Laurel Ann Nattress of Austenprose PR, Vintage Anchor Books and Claudia Gray for a complimentary copy of The Murder of Mr. Wickham. All opinions expressed are my own.

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AUTHOR BIO

Claudia Gray is the pseudonym of Amy Vincent. She is the writer of multiple young adult novels, including the Evernight series, the Firebird trilogy, and the Constellation trilogy. In addition, she’s written several Star Wars novels, such as Lost Stars and Bloodline. She makes her home in New Orleans with her husband Paul and assorted small dogs.

ADVANCE PRAISE

“Had Jane Austen sat down to write a country house murder mystery, this is exactly the book she would have written. Devotees of Austen’s timeless novels will get the greatest possible pleasure from this wonderful book. Immense fun and beautifully observed. Delicious!” —Alexander McCall Smith

“What a splendid conceit! . . . Gray provides plenty of backstory and enough depth to her characters that even those who mix up their Pride and Prejudice with their Sense and Sensibility will delight in the Agatha Christie–style mystery. . . . There’s so much fun to be had in this reimagined Austen world—and the mystery is so strong—that one can only hope, dear reader, that more books will follow.” —Ilene Cooper, Booklist (starred review)

“[An] enchanting mystery. . . . Gray perfectly captures the personalities of Austen’s beloved characters. This is a real treat for Austenites.” —Publishers Weekly

“Who would NOT want to read a book in which one of literature’s most notorious rakes meets his final demise? . . . A delightful Agatha Christie meets Jane Austen romp.” —Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

PURCHASE LINKS

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Jane Austen’s First Love by Syrie James

MY REVIEW:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ What a delightful surprise this book was!! A lovely, charming and beautifully written account of Jane Austen’s first love interest, Edward Taylor, inspired by true events. Jane Austen is 15 years old when the book opens and excited when she learns that she is to accompany her mother, sister, and younger brother to visit her elder brother Edward, who resides with Thomas and Catherine Knight of Godmersham Park, Kent. Edward is recently engaged to Ms. Elizabeth Bridges of Goodnestone Park, and the family is invited there to celebrate a month-long multitude of festivities, to Jane’s overwhelming delight. As they got underway to Goodnestone their carriage met with peril and was nearly upset, leaving them virtually stranded on the road. When circumstances begin to look grim, Edward Taylor appears and rescues them. This is where Jane and Edward make their acquaintance, and she is at once smitten by his smart appearance. Jane eventually learns that Edward is highly accomplished; at 17 he’s traveled the world and been educated by many Masters, speaks several languages, been in the company of numerous influential people including princes, ambassadors and lords. She’s enamored by his opinions and thought processes regarding various subjects, and appreciates how his insights encourage her to think differently about some of her own deeply entrenched ideas. He is also somewhat of an enigmatic fellow and likes to take risks, challenges commonly accepted practices, and prefers not to inherit and manage his father’s estate. The daredevil in him is somewhat displeasing to Jane on more than one occasion. Nevertheless, Jane feels certain that she truly loves Edward. Or does she?
I was enraptured and caught away by the mention of balls, picnics, garden parties, long walks and similar activities that the family engaged in. The visual detail of the aforementioned was splendid and I felt transported back in time where I could be a spectator of Jane’s young life. Character development was excellent and I could easily envision many of the key family members, friends and acquaintances that were met with while I read along. It was nice to see the close bond that was evident between Jane and her older sister Cassandra, and also her younger brother Charles. I also liked how the book reminded me of Jane Austen’s book Emma, and her disastrous match-making attempts. Mostly I loved watching how Jane and Edward’s attachment unfolded.
This was the first book I’ve read by Syrie James and I was truly impressed!! So much so that I immediately looked into her other books and purchased one in audiobook format. If you enjoy Jane Austen inspired works, I trust you will be thrilled when you read Jane Austen’s First Love. MAGNIFICENT, and highly recommended!
Thank you Laurel Ann Nattress of Austenprose, and Syrie James, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, which I have given.

 

Longbourn by Jo Baker

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5 stars. Longbourn is a cleverly written, Pride and Prejudice variation told from the standpoint of the servants below stairs. I’ve owned this book for many months but was reluctant to read it because of the varied reviews. In spite of some of the negative reviews I decided I wanted to read it and I am sure glad I did. I loved the author’s writing style which captivated me rather quickly. And while some of the words were unfamiliar to me, I saw this as an opportunity to expand my vocabulary rather than a nuisance. I really liked how some of the the more memorable events of Pride and Prejudice were weaved into the Longbourn narrative; instances such as when Mr. Bingley arrives at Netherfield, when Lydia runs away with Wickham, and when Darcy and Elizabeth fall for each other and marry. I was afraid that Jo Baker might mar my idealistic notions of the Bennet girls, particularly Jane and Elizabeth. There were instances where Elizabeth was portrayed in a less favorable light than Jane, but not so much as to ruin my memories of the beloved classic I so fondly remember. Sarah, one of the housemaids, was an interesting character, and most of the book revolved around her. She was a spirited, curious, mischievous, responsible and sometimes rebellious young girl who was eager to experience the life she could only dream of having; a life that didn’t involve serving others. I loved her character.

In conclusion I felt that this was a very nicely written story that I would recommend to those who enjoy Pride and Prejudice retellings. This book is a part of my personal library.

Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved this book!! This is my fourth Jane Austen novel and it’s one of my favorites. I loved the characters, plot and ending. There were twists and turns that I didn’t anticipate, as well as laugh out loud moments throughout the book. This is Regency period drama at its best. But then again it’s Jane Austen so how could I expect any less? If you loved Pride and Prejudice you will probably love this book too.

View all my reviews