Book review of The Late Mrs. Willoughby by Claudia Gray

Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney, novice sleuths and the kids of two of Jane Austen’s most beloved {couples}, return to resolve one other thriller collectively in The Late Mrs. Willoughby by Claudia Gray. 

Jonathan Darcy is making an attempt to slot in at a home celebration thrown by his former schoolmate and bully, Mr. Willoughby. Jonathan’s idiosyncrasies and issue with social conditions made him a simple goal at college, so he’s not precisely thrilled to see Willoughby once more. However, he’s determined to show to his mother and father, Pride and Prejudice’s iconic Lizzy and Darcy, that he could make and keep friendships. 

Willoughby is newly wed, though the wedding is already strained. His spouse, Sofia, has realized her husband solely married her for her fortune, and he or she is affected by the simultaneous insults of his illegitimate baby with a close-by village lady and his still-burning infatuation together with his neighbor, Marianne Brandon.

Juliet, the daughter of Catherine and Henry Tilney from Northanger Abbey, is visiting Marianne, having befriended her throughout the first installment within the sequence, The Murder of Mr. Wickham. Marianne continues to be traumatized by the occasions of that e book, however she’s doing her finest to reenter society, even when which means attending a cocktail party together with her a lot loathed former beau and his new spouse. Unfortunately, it’s at this very dinner that Mrs. Willoughby dies of poisoning, proper in entrance of Juliet and Jonathan. 

Jonathan and Juliet as soon as once more got down to discover the killer. Jonathan’s analytical thoughts and Juliet’s facility for observing and understanding others make them a robust crime-busting pair, regardless of being confined by the social strictures of their time. They rapidly notice that Mrs. Willoughby might not have been the supposed sufferer, provided that her husband has no scarcity of enemies.

Gray firmly establishes that Jonathan is autistic in The Late Mrs. Willoughby, having hinted at such in The Murder of Mr. Wickham. While Juliet doesn’t at all times perceive his quirks, her simple acceptance of them is heartwarming. This additionally permits romance to start slowly blossoming between the pair, which is able to thrill followers who picked up on Jonathan and Juliet’s chemistry within the first e book.

The acquainted conventions of Austen’s world, cameos from beloved characters and a possible new romance will make The Late Mrs. Willoughby a certain hit for historic thriller followers.