The Late Mrs. Willoughby by Claudia Gray
The Late Mrs. Willoughby is a gently written cozy mystery/historical fiction with Austen-inspired characters.
Genre/Categories/Setting: Historical Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Austenesque, Neurodiverse, English Countryside
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My Summary of The Late Mrs. Willoughby:
Welcome to my stop on The Late Mrs. Willoughby virtual book tour. Thanks #NetGalley @VintageAnchorBooks #AustenProsePR @AustenProse for a complimentary e ARC of #TheLateMrsWilloughby upon my request. All opinions are my own.
The Late Mrs. Willoughby is the second installment in the loosely connected Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney series and can be read as a stand-alone. (first installment here)
Juliet Tilney and Jonathan Darcy are reunited at the estate of John Willoughby, Jonathan’s boarding school nemesis. Although Jonathan isn’t thrilled about attending Willoughby’s house party, he is keen to see Miss Tilney again after they paired up as amateur sleuths (in the previous book) to solve a recent murder. The occasion is a party to welcome John Willoughby’s new bride. Unfortunately, she dies at the party, the victim of an apparent poisoning. Juliet and Jonathan combine their investigative skills to solve the murder which has twists and turns and puts their lives in danger.
My Thoughts:
Two Likable Characters
Juliet and Jonathan are two smart and compassionate young adults with strong investigative abilities. Jonathan is neurodivergent and was bullied at boarding school by Willoughby and his group. Juliet understands Jonathan’s neurodivergence and appreciates him.
Gently Written
If you enjoy gently written historical fiction in an Austenesque style, you might enjoy this cozy mystery. Although difficult content is addressed, most of it happens off the page. The death of Mrs. Willoughby is described and a bit of bullying occurs in the present. There is no profanity and no open-door romance.
Hint of Romance
Juliet and Jonathan solidify their friendship and work well together as amateur investigators. As they become better acquainted, a hint of sweet romance is in the air. A definite cliffhanger for the next installment.
Recommending The Late Mrs. Willoughby
For readers who appreciate the Austenesque style of cozy histfic mystery, I enthusiastically recommend The Late Mrs. Willoughby. If you are looking for a gently-written series, you might enjoy this one!
My Rating: 4 Stars
Meet the Author of The Late Mrs. Willoughby, Claudia Gray
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, and Jane Austen-inspired series, A Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney Mysteries. She makes her home in New Orleans with her husband Paul and assorted small dogs.
QOTD:
Is this histfic/cozy mystery on your TBR or have you read the first installment?
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A gentle historical novel with a detective element sounds interesting.
I wasn’t sure at first about an Austenesque inspired cozy mystery, but I ended up enjoying it!
Another great review, Carol. I have been enjoying more historical cozy mysteries lately and a neurodivergent main character definitely piques my interest.
You will love the main characters!