This book is as if Agatha Christie and Jane Austen collaborated on a book together. A reader who may not have read all of Jane Austen’s books (such as myself) will still be able to enjoy this murder mystery. Obviously, fans of Pride and Prejudice will especially enjoy this book as the despicable Mr. Wickham from that book does not do well in this one.
The story is told from the perspective of multiple characters and left me guessing until the great reveal at the end. It is evident that much research went into this novel to get all of the characters voices’ right and it gives much appreciation to the Jane Austen characters. I also appreciated the new characters that we created, specifically young Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney!
I would recommend this book for fans of Jane Austen as well as fans of murder mysteries. It was a fun journey through the details of the event as well as how one villain can affect so many characters. I also enjoyed that this book was written a couple of decades after Elizabeth and Darcy married. It gave light to long-lasting marriage and all of the highs and lows that come with it.
Trigger warning: there is a portion of a pair of the characters’ storylines that has religious conflict and judgement in regards to a male relative’s romantic relationship with another man that may trigger some readers.
Please note: an electronic Advanced Reader Copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
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