Scan barcode
A review by leandrathetbrzero
The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh by Claudia Gray
funny
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Hey, Claudia Gray, when is book 4 coming out?? Please say "soon."
Actual Rating: 4.75 stars
Pub Date: 18 June 2024
Reading Format: physical book (preordered)
A historical mystery series that has never failed to entertain me is the Mr Darcy & Miss Tilney mysteries by Claudia Gray. As the name of the series suggests, Gray has taken well-loved (and some well-hated) characters from Jane Austen’s canon and placed them into intricate murder mystery plots. These crimes occur after the events in Jane Austen’s books. In fact, our sleuths are the offspring of romantic leads from Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey.
I recently finished the third installment, The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, as a buddy read with Julie (YouTube: @KeepCalmWithBooksAndCoffee). Spoiler: we both ADORE this series. I continue to love Juliet and Jonathan as our sleuthing duo. Their friendship and loyalty to one another has slowly progressed to romantic affection. It's especially lovely to see as both characters are outsiders in one way or another to Regency society: Juliet, due to her views on marriage and women's agency; and Jonathan, due to his often misunderstood neurodivergence. This third book featured brilliant cameos from the protagonists' parents as well!
I really enjoyed not only the mystery involving multiple attempts on Lady Catherine’s life but also the stylistic choices made by the author in homage to the Austen title to which it acts as a companion. Each book in this series mirrors the setting and themes of one classic work in the canon: The Murder of Mr Wickham is set in Emma’s Donwell Abbey; The Late Mrs Willoughby returns us to Sense and Sensibility’s Barton Cottage in Devonshire; and The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh takes our sleuths to Rosings Park as featured in Pride and Prejudice. I cannot recommend this series enough, and I do want to encourage that any who are interested begin with the first book to avoid spoilers!
Thank you NetGalley and Vintage for an E-ARC copy in exchange for this honest review!
Actual Rating: 4.75 stars
Pub Date: 18 June 2024
Reading Format: physical book (preordered)
A historical mystery series that has never failed to entertain me is the Mr Darcy & Miss Tilney mysteries by Claudia Gray. As the name of the series suggests, Gray has taken well-loved (and some well-hated) characters from Jane Austen’s canon and placed them into intricate murder mystery plots. These crimes occur after the events in Jane Austen’s books. In fact, our sleuths are the offspring of romantic leads from Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey.
I recently finished the third installment, The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, as a buddy read with Julie (YouTube: @KeepCalmWithBooksAndCoffee). Spoiler: we both ADORE this series. I continue to love Juliet and Jonathan as our sleuthing duo. Their friendship and loyalty to one another has slowly progressed to romantic affection. It's especially lovely to see as both characters are outsiders in one way or another to Regency society: Juliet, due to her views on marriage and women's agency; and Jonathan, due to his often misunderstood neurodivergence. This third book featured brilliant cameos from the protagonists' parents as well!
I really enjoyed not only the mystery involving multiple attempts on Lady Catherine’s life but also the stylistic choices made by the author in homage to the Austen title to which it acts as a companion. Each book in this series mirrors the setting and themes of one classic work in the canon: The Murder of Mr Wickham is set in Emma’s Donwell Abbey; The Late Mrs Willoughby returns us to Sense and Sensibility’s Barton Cottage in Devonshire; and The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh takes our sleuths to Rosings Park as featured in Pride and Prejudice. I cannot recommend this series enough, and I do want to encourage that any who are interested begin with the first book to avoid spoilers!
Thank you NetGalley and Vintage for an E-ARC copy in exchange for this honest review!