Book Review: "The Murder of Mr. Wickham" - A Fantasy Come to Life About Everyone's Least Favorite Austen Character

The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray

Rating: 3.75/5

Genre(s): Mystery, Historical Fiction, Retelling, Romance

Synopsis: Mr. Knightly and Emma decide to throw a house party and invite distant relatives and new acquaintances: Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet and their son Jonathan, Edmund Bertram and Fanny, Colonel Brandon and Marianne, and Juliet Tilney. On the first night of the month-long party though, an unexpected and unwanted visitor arrives, Mr. Wickham, who has business and secrets with several attendees of the party. When Mr. Wickham winds up murdered, Jonathan and Juliet take it upon themselves to secretly investigate to discover which of the guests is the killer.

Review: On the cover of this book, there is another review that says, "Hand Jane Austen sat down to write a country house murder mystery, this is exactly the book she would have written." And I agree. Gray expertly weaves together a drama that is a fitting homage to Austen and her six well-known and beloved novels. Though many main characters are followed and several side characters of the novels make their appearances, the story really follows Jonathan Darcy (son of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice) and Juliet Tilney (daughter of Catherine Morland and Henry Tilney - Northanger Abbey) as they secretly engage in a murder investigation after Mr. Wickham is killed.

With five couples plus Jonathan and Juliet, Gray does an excellent job of balancing storylines and still have everything weave together in an overarching plot. Likewise, she keeps you guessing until the very end. Though some parts of the novel are slow in pace, they were necessary for character development and for some of the side plots to progress and round out.

Overall, a great read for any Jane Austen fan... especially for those who loathe Mr. Wickham and have fantasized of his downfall!!

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This Book Review was originally posted on Instagram on July 28, 2022.