Review of Uncorrected Proof

Despite her disapproval of their detective activities, Lady Catherine requests the presence of Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney at Rosings. After several unsettling incidents, she believes that her life is in danger.

When Jonathan's mother protests [because of the danger to her son], it is decided that Jonathan’s father and Juliet’s father will accompany them to Rosings. Mr. Darcy is there to support his aunt; Mr. Tilney is there to chaperone his daughter.

Who would want to kill Lady Catherine? Will Jonathan and Juliet be able to find the culprit and save Lady Catherine?

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In this, the third book in the series, readers will find sufficient backstory for the book to work as a standalone.

The unfolding story, a delightful cozy mystery, keeps readers guessing. There are secrets galore; the mystery is compelling. The characters are well-developed, true to their original appearances in Jane Austen's novels.

Bringing together the various Jane Austen characters will surely delight readers. In addition, the regency romance plays well, keeping readers invested in the telling of the tale. Both Jane Austen fans and those who enjoy mysteries and/or historical stories will find much to appreciate here.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, Vintage and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#ThePerilsofLadyCatherinedeBourch #NetGalley ( )

This was a delightful Austenesque mystery and third in series featuring the young Jonathan Darcy and his charming sleuthing companion, Miss Juliet Tilney. As an investigative team, they've been summoned to the home of Jonathan's imperious grand-aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. There appears to have been several efforts to "do in" Aunt Catherine, hence the summoning. Can our plucky sleuthing team solve this mystery before the culprit succeeds in their nefarious plot? Only time will tell.

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: June 18, 2024
Pages: 352
Publisher: Vintage Books
ISBN: 978-0593686584 ( )

Another fun installment in the Miss Tilley-Mr Darcy series. While the author’s price is a little heavy handed at times, I appreciate her thorough knowledge of the Austen source material and thoughtfulness in imagining where the original characters would be in their lives so many years on. ( )