THE PERILS OF LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH (MR. DARCY & MISS TILNEY MYSTERY), by Claudia Gray, Vintage, June 18, 2024, Paperback, $18 (young adult/ new adult/ adult fiction)
The young Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney join forces to solve a crime once again in The Perils of Lady Catherine De Bourgh, by 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. —Synopsis provided by Vintage
The Perils of Lady Catherine De Bourgh is the third book in Claudia Gray’s Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney Mystery series, which follows Jane Austen’s famous characters from multiple novels. The first two books, The Murder of Mr. Wickham and The Late Mrs. Willoughby, are great fun. And so is The Perils of Lady Catherine De Bourgh.
Author Claudia Gray has crafted a timeline in which all of Austen’s characters fit: Darcy and Elizabeth have a grown son, and Catherine Morland and Henry Tilney have a grown daughter. Charlotte and Mr. Collins have two children and Lady Catherine’s daughter, Anne has married Colonel Fitzwilliam.
Gray has expertly created a world that is an extension of Austen’s. Her writing style is warm and comfortable but in keeping with the source material and progression of time.
In this latest offering, Jonathan and Juliet are beginning to realize just how much they admire each other and perhaps their hopes for the future. That’s an undercurrent that flows seamlessly with their shared goal of saving Lady Catherine.
Though this book isn’t a “page-turner” it does — like many of Austen’s novels — progress at a comfortable pace with lots of ups and downs to keep interest. And Gray had me guessing to the end who the real culprit was.
You could, in theory, read The Perils of Lady Catherine De Bourgh without reading its predecessors. But with a series this delightful, it’s worth reading them all — in order.
While not specifically a young adult novel, The Perils of Lady Catherin De Bourgh is an enjoyable mystery perfect for Jane Austen fans of any age.
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