There are few book series that I am eagerly awaiting a new book from six months away (or more) but this is one of those series. The Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney mystery series contains some of the most interesting and creative concepts in the extended Austen universe that I have seen in years, and luckily for our summer reading lists, Claudia Gray is back again with another instalment. And even more luckily for me, I get to be part of the book tour. Without further ado, let’s get into The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh!
Thank you to Austenprose for inviting me on the tour and providing an eARC.
The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Claudia Gray
Someone is trying to kill Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Esteemed aunt of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, generous patroness of Mr. William Collins, a woman of rank who rules over the estate of Rosings Park with an unimpeachable sense of propriety—who would dare? Lady Catherine summons her grand-nephew, Mr. Jonathan Darcy, and his investigative companion, Miss Juliet Tilney, to find out.
After a year apart, Jonathan and Juliet are thrilled to be reunited, even if the circumstances—finding whoever has thus far sabotaged Lady Catherine’s carriage, shot at her, and nearly pushed her down the stairs—are less than ideal. Also less than ideal: their respective fathers, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Mr. Henry Tilney, have accompanied the young detectives to Rosings, and the two men do not interact with the same felicity enjoyed by their children.
With attempts against Lady Catherine escalating, and no one among the list of prime suspects seemingly capable of committing all of the attacks, the pressure on Jonathan and Juliet mounts—even as more gentle feelings between the two of them begin to bloom. The race is now on to provoke two confessions: one from the attempted murderer before it is too late—and one, perhaps, of love.
Why You Should Read This…
This series is my example of how Austen adaptations can be done well. Gray’s creation of a “second generation” perfectly expands the universe and builds on what we know without interfering with what we know of the “first generation”. We are getting new stories that fit into the existing novels and characters, and I think that that is something that sets this series apart.
While I think that few of us harbour positive feelings for Lady Catherine de Bourgh, she was the perfect choice to be at the heart of this new mystery. We got to dig a bit more into her character and consider her in a way that we normally wouldn’t. And interestingly, Charlotte Lucas is one of the first generation characters that we get to spend a lot more time with. Charlotte is always written off as the one who settled for Mr. Collins and receives little further thought, but I loved getting to see what her life could look like.
Jonathan and Juliet are quite a lovely pairing together, as they always are. Although there is a romance slowly brewing, it in no way takes over the mystery. Both have parents present for this story, so I loved getting to see them interact not only with each other but also with their parents. (Families play an important role in Austen’s works, and I think that it only further helps to cement these stories within the wider universe.)
I will say, it really helps to have read the first two books in the series (The Murder of Mr. Wickham and The Late Mrs. Willoughby) but they are also brilliant!
Is The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh on your to-read list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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