5/5/2022 THE MURDER OF MR. WICKHAM By Claudia Gray

 

·         Title: The Murder of Mr. Wickham

·         Author: Claudia Gray

·         Genre: Historical Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Austenesque

·         Publisher: ‎Vintage (May 3, 2022)

·         Length: (400) pages

·         Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook 

·         ISBN: 978-0593313817

·         Tour Dates: April 25-May 8, 2022

BOOK DESCRIPTION

A summer house party turns into a thrilling whodunit when Jane Austen's Mr. Wickham—one of literature’s most notorious villains—meets a sudden and suspicious end in this brilliantly imagined mystery featuring Austen’s leading literary characters.

The happily married Mr. Knightley and Emma are throwing a party at their country estate, bringing together distant relatives and new acquaintances—characters beloved by Jane Austen fans. Definitely not invited is Mr. Wickham, whose latest financial scheme has netted him an even broader array of enemies. As tempers flare and secrets are revealed, it’s clear that everyone would be happier if Mr. Wickham got his comeuppance. Yet they’re all shocked when Wickham turns up murdered—except, of course, for the killer hidden in their midst.

Nearly everyone at the house party is a suspect, so it falls to the party’s two youngest guests to solve the mystery: Juliet Tilney, the smart and resourceful daughter of Catherine and Henry, eager for adventure beyond Northanger Abbey; and Jonathan Darcy, the Darcys’ eldest son, whose adherence to propriety makes his father seem almost relaxed. In this tantalizing fusion of Austen and Christie, from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray, the unlikely pair must put aside their own poor first impressions and uncover the guilty party—before an innocent person is sentenced to hang. 

 

ADVANCE PRAISE

“Had Jane Austen sat down to write a country house murder mystery, this is exactly the book she would have written. Devotees of Austen’s timeless novels will get the greatest possible pleasure from this wonderful book. Immense fun and beautifully observed. Delicious!” —Alexander McCall Smith

“What a splendid conceit! . . . Gray provides plenty of backstory and enough depth to her characters that even those who mix up their Pride and Prejudice with their Sense and Sensibility will delight in the Agatha Christie–style mystery. . . . There’s so much fun to be had in this reimagined Austen world—and the mystery is so strong—that one can only hope, dear reader, that more books will follow.” —Ilene Cooper, Booklist (starred review)

“[An] enchanting mystery. . . . Gray perfectly captures the personalities of Austen’s beloved characters. This is a real treat for Austenites.” —Publishers Weekly

“Who would NOT want to read a book in which one of literature’s most notorious rakes meets his final demise? . . . A delightful Agatha Christie meets Jane Austen romp.” —Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose

 

REVIEW

THE MURDER OF MR. WICKHAM by Claudia Gray was certainly a delight to read, combining two of my favorite authors, Jane Austen and Agatha Christie, in one fantastic and amazing read. I was thinking to myself how brilliant this really was.

I loved the premise and was really intrigued to pick up this book. And yes, Mr Wickham was definitely an unliked character, and when he was found dead, the game was certainly afoot. Glad to know he got what was coming to him. I loved trying to find the clues and guess which of the Austen characters might have been the culprit. This was certainly a great whodunnit novel.

I also want to point out how amazing the cover is, and I was so excited to devour this amazing Regency period mystery. I love reading Austen and seeing the known to me characters as murder suspects in a closed room mystery, were all so exciting to read about.

Overall - great writing and brilliant concept. Do pick this book up.

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB

 

AUTHOR BIO

Claudia Gray is the pseudonym of Amy Vincent. She is the writer of multiple young adult novels, including the Evernight series, the Firebird trilogy, and the Constellation trilogy. In addition, she’s written several Star Wars novels, such as Lost Stars and Bloodline. She makes her home in New Orleans with her husband Paul and assorted small dogs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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