A Murder at Rosings

by Annette Purdey Pugh

When Mr Collins is found stabbed to death in Lady Catherine de Bourgh's garden, simmering tensions are revealed beneath the elegant Regency surface of the Rosings estate.

The prime suspect is Mr Bennet, who was overheard arguing with Mr Collins over the entail of Longbourn in the days before the murder was committed, and who stands to benefit more than anyone from the Rector’s death.

His daughter Mary uncovers a scandalous secret that holds the key to the murder. Can she prove her father’s innocence in time to save him from the gallows?

Genres: Mystery

238 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2021

About the author

Annette Purdey Pugh grew up in Flintshire, North Wales, and graduated in English from Lancaster University. Following a postgraduate qualification from the College of Librarianship Wales, she worked as a hospital librarian for some years before deciding, with her husband, to develop a retail milk business from their farm in West Wales. Together, they bottled and delivered milk to customers for over twenty years. After this, Annette worked as an optical assistant.

A writer from childhood, she has won prizes for short stories and poetry at the National Eisteddfod of Wales, but was inspired to write more regularly following a course in Creative Writing at the Open University. 'A Murder at Rosings' is her first novel. Originally begun as a gift for her daughter, a fellow Jane Austen fan, she submitted it for publication following encouragement from friends and family.

Reviews

[Tahera · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. I haven't read any of the numerous Pride and Prejudice adaptations so when I saw this book available as a Read Now option on NetGalley, I picked it up eagerly. The cover looked great and the premise sounded promising with it being a murder mystery set in Rosings Park, the estate of Lady Catherine de Bourgh...the victim none other than Mr. Collins! It was shocking to see Mr. Collins killed off at the beginning itself but that turned out to be the only shocking aspect about this mystery. The rest of the book was pretty dry. The investigation dragged and the end reveal too didn't create much excitement. The only characters we get to see here from the original are Lady Catherine, Lady Anne and their entire household/staff, Mary Bennet and Mr. Bennet, Charlotte and her father. New characters include the local magistrate and constable incharge with solving the murder and different members of the Rosings Park staff. Mary and Anne strike up a close friendship and it was good to see both of them finding a kindred spirit in each other.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Honno Press and the author for the e-Arc of the book.

[Sam H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5* Not what I expected, but better.

Collins is murdered and Bennet is the prime suspect.

Mary and Anne become friendly, despite Lady C's irritation with the Bennets.

There are various new characters, a couple of small side stories to fill it out.

The main characters seem to be the investigators.

As far as the audiobook goes, it was well done. Not a narrator I would like to listen to again, but was perfect for this story.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5 ⭐️

A beautifully written novel by Annette Purdey Pugh. The story follows on from events in Pride and Prejudice, with prose faithfully and skilfully mirroring that of Jane Austen. Filled with gloriously descriptive period detail, the author captures the atmosphere of the Regency era perfectly.

Featuring a cast of authentic, well developed characters and enough twists and turns to keep you on your toes.

An entertaining fusion of a good old-fashioned murder mystery, married together with a historical period drama makes A Murder at Rosings a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Many thanks to Honno Press and Annette Purdey Pugh for the gifted copy, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solving the Jigsaw Puzzle of Mr. Collins’s Murder

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Source: Review Copy from Publisher

TYPE OF NOVEL: Pride and Prejudice Sequel Mystery Featuring Secondary Characters

THE PREMISE: Several years after the close of P&P Lady Catherine finds something unexpectedly decomposing in her gardens – Mr. Collins! She quickly enlists the local magistrate and constable to find the perpetrator of this heinous crime and bring them to justice. But what if the most likely suspect is Mr. Collin’s cousin…

MY THOUGHTS: Right off the bat this book has some great things going for it – a murder mystery set at Rosings, a plot that features secondary and original characters, and killing off Mr. Collins on page one – that’s a win-win-win in my book! 🙌🏼

I enjoyed the perspective and angle from which this story is told. The reader witnesses many events and conversations from the perspective of Robert Archer, Hunsord’s wheelwright-turn-part-time-constable. From the rowdy Irish stable boys to the impatient housekeepers who find this investigation to be a disruptive nuisance, from the handsome footmen to the young maid-of-all-work – the reader follows Mr. Archer throughout many interrogations and encounters with the various household members and serving staff of Rosings and the Parsonage. There were plenty of new characters to meet, and it was interesting to hear both the goings-on of the serving class and their opinions of the households they serve. Who would’ve thought that Lady C had the esteem and admiration of all her servants!

Another aspect I enjoyed about this story was that there were some interesting subplots taking place at the same time. There was an unexpected blossoming friendship for Mary Bennet and a sweet and shy romance emerging between our constable and the draper’s niece – both of which were interesting developments that would have benefited from just a little more page time. And then there was the additional tension of what would Mr. Bennet do if convicted, and what would become of Charlotte and her daughters after Mr. Collins is interred. I was as invested in all these storylines as I was the criminal investigation.

However, I did often feel that even with the investigation and additional subplots that this story was a little slow and less eventful than I hoped it would be. There were so many interrogations with various characters and the sharing of or ruminating on these interrogations that it sometimes felt a little repetitious for the reader. And while the murder mystery itself included some interesting reveals and surprising twists, it wasn’t one that held me riveted. Especially when it took an unsavory turn and more about the victim’s secrets and past actions were uncovered. While these revelations were fitting developments for this character – and sadly, very plausible for the time period – it just felt awful to read about them. While some retribution is paid by those involved, it left a dissatisfied feeling that more still wasn’t done. But again, that is realistic for this time period.

Despite not feeling fully immersed and satisfied with the intrigue of this murder mystery, I did appreciate the entertaining sojourn to Rosings and the realistic portrayals of the serving class during Jane Austen’s time this book provided. A Murder at Rosings is an excellent choice for readers who enjoy cozy mysteries and/or readers who desire to see Mr. Collins killed off!

Austenesque Reviews

[Gill M · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting regency murder mystery, which uses the Hunsford based characters from Pride and Prejudice.
The odious Mr Collins, Rector of Hunsford is found stabbed to death in Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s garden,
The prime suspect is Mr Bennet, who was overheard arguing with Mr Collins over the entail of Longbourn in the days before the murder was committed – and who stands to benefit more than anyone from the Rector’s death.
However, scandalous goings on at Rosing, mean that there are many avenues to investigate.

An entertaining read
.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All views expressed are my own.

[Nadishka Aloysius · Rating 4 out of 5]

I selected this because I like Pride and Prejudice and I like to read the various offshoots and adaptations.
Elizabeth, Jane, Lydia and Mrs. Bennet do not appear in this novel. Instead we see more of Mary and Mr. B. Mary is almost voiceless in the original so it was nice to see her character developed and I thought the author stayed true to her character. However, the Mr. Bennet here had lost most of his humour and felt quite bland and serious.
The story is situated in Rosings so we also see more of Ann de Bourgh. I liked her character and felt some sympathy for her situation as portrayed here. Mr. Collins, who is murdered, has also a radical change in character which I cannot comment on without revealing spoilers, but I was rather surprised to say the least. I can see where it was necessary, but does it fit in with the original? I'm not sure...
The murder mystery itself was interesting. The story developed well and it was an easy, engrossing read.

[Livy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was everything I thought that it would be, it was a great mystery that just completely re-immersed me into the wonderful world of Pride and Prejudice (which you should all know I love with my whole heart by now).

The characters, some of whom we already know and love from Austen's work, were wonderfully written and the new additions made by the author slotted into the world of Rosings and Hunsford seamlessly. I really enjoyed how we got to see all the different servants that made up the household of Rosings and how they all added to the mystery with the information they had at their disposal. I really enjoyed seeing Marry Bennet as, just as is said in the novel, she is often overlooked and while I love Lizzie and Jane I think that I relate to Mary on some level too. Plus, the friendship she developed with Anne De Bough was so sweet to watch unfold and provide some light to this murder mystery.

The mystery itself was well constructed and I really enjoyed how it all slowly came together as we received small pieces of information from the investigation and then it all came together in the end to form a very satisfying conclusion. I loved how the plot called back to the original material by mentioning events form the book as well ash entailing of the Longbourne estate, smothering which is a source of conflict in the regional book too. I particularly liked how they were several layers to the story and that the killer wasn't someone you'd initially expect, I do love a good twist!

The writing was very enjoyable and I really felt transported back into the regency era set amongst the backdrop of Pride and Prejudice. Annette Purdey Pugh clearly knows her stuff and is able to create a wonderful narrative out of it!

I was kindly provided with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour.

[Mickie Rollins · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who reads a lot of Jane Austen spin-offs, I saw this recommended in Regency World magazine this month, and as I work in a bookshop, I decided to buy myself a copy. I think the reviews on this book are too harsh - there are some really badly written spin-offs out there, and this isn't one at all. I enjoyed it immensely, and it was the perfect mix of using Austen's characters and cozy crime. The only negative was there was an introduction of a lot of new characters which made the plot sometimes confusing, but it was an easy and good winter read, which I will be recommending to other Austen fans.

[Millie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Murder at Rosings is an imaginative mystery set after the events of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, filled with intrigue, misdirects, and characters that you love to hate. The writing style fits perfectly with the style of the period, close to that of Austen's original book, adding to the authenticity of the story, without seeming as if it is an imitation.
The characters themselves do not stray unbelievably from the pre-established personalities. Character development is somewhat lacking, although this is not the main focus of the book so does not distract too much from it.
There are moments in the book that appear to foreshadow towards something later on, but have no further relevancy to the plot, and seem almost unnecessary to the plot, they do not serve to add anything to character either.
As well as this, the description given of the book is misleading, Mary does little in terms of investigation, this is done primarily by the main character Robert Archer, and has less time as the focal character in the novel than Archer, despite the description focusing largely in her with no mention of Archer. Archer himself is well established and a likeable, three-dimensional character who provides an interesting perspective on the events of the book.
A content warning for sexual assault could be added.
Overall, the mystery is compelling with enough twists to not be completely predictable, and well written with believable characters and motives.

[Mickie Rollins · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who reads a lot of Jane Austen spin-offs, I saw this recommended in Regency World magazine this month, and as I work in a bookshop, I decided to buy myself a copy. I think the reviews on this book are too harsh - there are some really badly written spin-offs out there, and this isn't one at all. I enjoyed it immensely, and it was the perfect mix of using Austen's characters and cozy crime. The only negative was there was an introduction of a lot of new characters which made the plot sometimes confusing, but it was an easy and good winter read, which I will be recommending to other Austen fans.

[Kashelia B. Jackson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Total waste of money!!!

I hate that I wasted money on this book. It is horrible. The relationship between Anne and Mary was strange and Mary deserved a happily ever after with a husband. This book was absolute garbage. I would have given it zero stars if I could. I want a refund!!!

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do love a pride and prejudice based book,probably more than the original.
This nicely fleshed out a few of the characters,and added a murder mystery too.
I thought it was a fun read,and it was good to see Mr Bennet get a bit more attention.
All in all,I enjoyed it.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful novel. It tells the stories of some of the characters from Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” in a lively and well paced style, as they struggle to come to terms with the fact of a murder in the gardens of the redoubtable Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Mary Bennet is visiting Charlotte Collins who has recently been laid low by the birth of her third daughter, while Mr. Bennet has been engaged in loud discussions with Mr. Collins. When the body is identified as being that of Mr. Collins, there are those who link motive to murder remarkably quickly. Fortunately, there is a magistrate on the case, Sir John Bright, who refuses to jump to conclusions, and he appoints a worthy assistant in the shape of the local constable, Robert Archer, wheelwright. While many books of rural crime deplore the local forces of justice, Sir John is determined that no mistakes will be made, that the real killer will be identified, and in this novel he and Archer are assiduous in their “Investigation and questioning”. Not that the narrative is slowed in any way; this is an extremely well written novel which combines so much in a comparatively short space.
This book has many elements of the best Austen continuation novels, such as the consistency of the characters from the original novel. Mary is a young woman with a genuine love of learning that none of her sisters shared, who had a passing interest in Mr. Collins when he was rejected by Lizzie. Lizzie’s disobedience in marrying Darcy against Lady Catherine’s wishes also covers the dislike that Lady Catherine still harbours for the Bennet family in this novel. So many small details of character and plot continue into this novel that it will please the most ardent Austen fan, but it is also very much a book in its own right. The research is impeccable in that when the staff of the big house are questioned, the identification of each house and outside servant is excellent, with even the youngest maid’s role being carefully established. There are so many enjoyable parts of this book that I read it relatively quickly, and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to review it.
The discovery of Mr. Collins in the garden is not only the beginning of the mystery; it neatly illustrates the firm character of Lady Catherine and the grumpiness of a gardener whose plants are damaged. Robert Archer is a fully realized character whose romantic interests are stirred by a certain Sarah, but who struggles with the light chat expected for courtship. In 1806 the investigative methods in the case of a most suspicious death are primitive, but Sir John is not one who will condemn an innocent man for want of careful questioning even if “the family” of the big house would normally expect to avoid such a distressing experience. There is an early clue that the murderer has links with the household in the choice of the weapon, but this does not make Sir John and Archer’s tasks any easier.
The murder mystery in this novel is not just an add on to an Austen continuation, but the writer obviously enjoys herself in terms of expanding the roles of relatively minor characters in the original novel. The setting is beautifully described, and the plot is well developed from the first. I would recommend this book on so many levels, to those who enjoy Austen’s characters, those who enjoy a neat murder plot and anyone searching for really entertaining read.

[S.J. Higbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoever wrote the blurb clearly hadn’t read the book. Because while Mary makes more of an appearance in this book than in Pride and Prejudice, she isn’t part of the investigation. It’s a shame the blurb is so misleading, because I kept waiting for her to become swept up in the murder mystery – and was a bit taken aback when it didn’t happen.

So my advice is to ignore the blurb and just relax into the story. I think Purdey Pugh has nailed the setting and the atmosphere at Rosings. We see another side of Lady Caroline de Bourgh, rather than the overly entitled harridan portrayed by Austen. Lady Caroline is depicted as a stickler for the rules, but also someone who is genuinely concerned about her servants and is grieved at the violent death of Mr Collins, to the extent that she is willing for the local magistrate, Sir John Bright, and the village constable, Robert Archer, to freely question both the servants and the high-born occupants of Rosings, given that it soon becomes clear that whoever murdered Collins had to have close ties with the household. She also deeply loves her daughter, which becomes increasingly clear throughout the book. So while I started this one expecting to thoroughly dislike her, my initial prejudice towards her softened into genuine respect for her.

I also liked the depiction of Mr Bennet, who although isn’t as witty as he appears in Pride and Prejudice, nonetheless does make the occasional light-hearted comment. But then, this event takes place several years after the events of P & P. Mr and Mrs Collins are now blessed with three children and the three married Bennet daughters are all in an interesting condition. So Bennet has a particular and pressing reason to visit his cousin, Mr Collins, who is the heir to Longbourn on Mr Bennet’s death. I also appreciated seeing more of Mary, who is more of a retiring, desperately shy scholar who dreads social occasions in this version. She and Anne de Bourgh, Lady Catherine’s timid daughter, immediately form a close relationship as they attempt to study Greek together without the aid of a tutor. While Lady Caroline loathes the Bennets, after Lizzy treacherously stole Mr Darcy from the arms of her daughter, she is prepared to make Mary Bennet welcome for the sake of Anne’s happiness.

There is also a darker sub-plot running through the story. There are young and vulnerable female servants among Rosings’ large staff – and the dangers they are subjected to makes for a thought-provoking read. Especially as the investigators and most of the main characters are clearly striving to do the best they can for the people in their charge. Thus demonstrating that it only takes one or two of the other sort to cause real harm. So there’s a trigger warning for sexual assault.

I think the murder mystery is handled very well. Although I soon guessed who the perpetrator was – until I was proved utterly wrong. Meanwhile, there are plenty of twists and turns along the way, before the unexpected and rather shocking solution came to light. Overall, I found this to be an engrossing read that took me convincingly into Austen’s world, treating it with respect while giving us a different view of some of her characters. Highly recommended. While I obtained an arc of A Murder at Rosings from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
10/10

[Harriett Hendry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I enjoyed the premise of this novel, I found that there were a few issues I had reading it.

I love reading novels based off the classics, and pride and prejudice is a firm favourite of mine. However, I do feel that sometimes trying to use a classic as the basis for a modern novel can come with challenges and it can be hard to live up to the standards set, in this case, by Austen.

I was looking forward to reading this, it is my second novel of the year that I’ve picked up centring around Anne de Bourgh. But on the whole I was a little disappointed.

Though most of the characters were continued to be written as they were by Austen, I felt that some were not. In pride and prejudice, both Mary and Charlotte were written as strong independent women, but Mary spends most of the book crying and Charlotte is bedridden. I think I would have believed the character of Mary more had she put her intellect towards solving the crime on her own. After all, the plot does lead to the critical witness being someone who lived in the same house as Mary at that time.

I felt that Lady Catherine was reimagined exactly as Austen intended her to be, still stern, still overly proud. I also thought that the way that Mr Collins was written was thoroughly believable, and it was almost as if Austen set her narrative up to support this eventual plot twist. He was always written as being slimy, and I think the author did a brilliant job of continuing that theme. However, there was a lot of build up about the “man of the cloth” being sinful and I thought it would have come to light that there were more skeletons in his closet, so to speak.

I think this novel had great potential, it could have included great themes of modern day feminism, which I think would have done Austen some credit. However, the female characters were mostly written as emotional, useless, gossips or promiscuous. All the stereotypes feature in this novel, and it felt like a shame since we are given much more of an insight into Mary, Anne and even Lady Catherine. And in the end, a man abusing his power and essentially attempting to rape a woman before his murder, is allowed to rest in peace with his reputation upheld.

In addition, for a book sold as a murder mystery, the content of this novel doesn’t focus all too much on murder. There are many lines of subplot and it does start to get a bit confusing trying to remember who is who. This isn’t helped with the narrative style that switches from person to person with no real focus. I think it would have benefitted from changing chapter for each new characters voice, and perhaps titling each one as such. Instead the narrative can switch multiple times in a chapter and it can be hard to follow.

I will say the mystery element was definitely there. It isn’t until the final few pages that the murderer is revealed, and I didn’t see it coming until a few pages earlier than that. There is some foreshadowing and elements that are put into the plot that won’t make sense until the end, and it is all done rather cleverly.

All in all, I would give this book 3 stars. I think it could have been better, but I enjoyed reading it.

[Terri (BooklyMatters) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prepare to greet “Jane Austen meets Agatha Christie” in the delightful novel #AMurderatRosings by @APurdeyPugh, which was published by @Honno on 17 June 2021.

Taking off where Pride and Prejudice left off, it doesn’t take long for us to be drawn right back into the world of some of that novel’s most memorable characters - Mr. Bennet and his daughter Mary, (perhaps the least known of the Bennet sisters), are visiting with Mr. Collins, the rector, in the vicinity of Lady Catherine’s estate at Rosings, when a terrible murder takes place.

The characters are perfectly crafted - Mr. Collins is as pompous and fawning as ever in his servitude of the formidable Lady Catherine.

Set in 1806, this clever book introduces us to a local magistrate, Sir John Bright, and his trusty side-kick, full time wheelwright and part-time constable Robert Archer, who are determined to make use of the “modern” investigative crime solving process just beginning to materialize in England with the advent of an initial policing unit.

Bright and Archer now have their work cut out for them. Not only is the murder “jigsaw puzzle a particularly untidy one” to solve, but the new and strange investigative process itself forces them to cross impenetrable class boundaries when meeting “upstairs” with the privileged members of the estate, (who are used to their own absolute authority) as well as “downstairs” with the inhabitants of the servant classes (who fear and mistrust outside authority). Bright and Archer struggle to find a toe-hold into a case which is heavily constrained by deep cultural boundaries on what is acceptable to question or discuss and where above all, ��appearance of order and respectability will be paramount”.

Reading this book has the joy of meeting with old and well-known friends, (including the less-than-admirable ones), blended with the cozy comfort of a British murder mystery. The plotting is twisty and interesting, weaving us into the everyday hopes, and dreams, obligations and pettiness, of the working classes and their “nobles”. It’s a great read, right up to the satisfying and creative conclusion (which I did not guess).

So quickly did I devour this one that I was disappointed to reach the end. I hope there will be more coming of these wonderful characters from this very skilled author.

A great big thank you to @RandomThingstoursfor inviting me to join this #blogtour, and to the author, for an advance review copy of this wonderful and original book. All thoughts presented are my own.

[Emma's Things to Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Jane Austen have probably contemplated the demise of Mr Collins once or twice before! And this book turns his death into a fantastic murder mystery.
Staying true to the characters personalities, the writer crafts a classic whodunnit. The prime suspect is Mr Bennet.
With Mr Collins, wife Charlotte and their growing family settled into the vicarage there is no need for them to move to Longbourn following the death of Mr Bennet. Concerned about the fate of Mrs Bennet and his as yet unmarried daughters,  Mr Bennet and Mary come to stay with the Collins family hoping to reach an agreement. Instead Mr Collins and Mr Bennet argue so loudly the whole household can hear.
And when Mr Collins is found dead, stabbed with letter opener from Rosings, Mr Bennet had the most to gain.
What emerges is a twisted story, pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle as the staff and household of Rosings are interviewed.
Despite Lady Catherine De Bourgh’s strict rules and high standards, there is a lot of unsavoury business going on at Rosings, and lots of people have secrets to hide.
What struck me about this book is the power that the more senior staff had. They were literally able to prevent a murder from being investigated by claiming that servants were too busy.
The friendship between Anne de Bourgh and Mary Bennet is really lively and they are natural allies, despite the fact that Lady Catherine is still furious that D’Arcy chose Elizabeth. Both girls have a chance to shine independently of their overbearing families and are far more appealing characters than in the original.
This is a mystery that will keep you guessing with a cast if characters who are both familiar and completely original. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Siddhant Agarwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Victorian times, the plot of the book is gripping with the suspense maintained till the end. Annette takes up a seemingly ordinary murder and creates an interesting investigation out of it, one that has more layers than an onion. The idea to use a Victorian setting, with limited resources gives the reader a chance to take a look at the facts and delve into the plot as it moves along. The plot has the right number of hills and valleys to keep the reader engaged. As soon as it feels that the mystery is cracked, a plot twist is introduced, one that drastically alters the narrative. The language of the story might be a bit difficult for a layman to comprehend as it uses old English, but once you are into the plot, the words start making sense by association. The climax of the story is surprising yet well executed, one that ties the story with a neat bow.

"A Murder At Rosings" is inherently a character-driven story and the flesh of it is made up of the people who are a part of it. The characters are well created and play their part well to propel the story forward. Each of the character that appears has a critical part in the story and I was amazed by the tiniest of things that the author has made sure to incorporate that attests to this fact, a great example being the breaking of the crockery towards the end. The detailed character arc makes it possible for the story to connect with the reader, so much so that one might just empathize with them at the climax.

Overall, a definite recommendation if you like to read a well-crafted murder mystery.

[beckys_book_blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love murder mysteries and I'm also a fan of Pride and Prejudice so I was very excited to be accepted for this book tour. The perfect combination for a book!

I wasn't disappointed! The story starts when the local rector of Hunsford Mr Collins is found stabbed to death outside Lady Catherines house (Rosings.) Mary Bennett is staying at the vicarage with her father and he quickly becomes the prime suspect.

Mr Bennett was last seen arguing with Mr Collins (his cousin) and had the most to gain from his death. The local magistrate and constable are called in to investigate.

They slowly question everybody working at Rosings: servants, footmen and maids until they manage to unravel the series of events that happened on the night. Mary has a secret however. Could it be enough to clear her father of the crime?

I loved the style of writing in this book and the atmosphere of rural England in the 19th century. I really enjoyed finding out more about some of the characters from the original novel. Mary Bennett and Anne de Bourgh don't feature much in Pride and Prejudice so it was interesting to get to know them better.

I also love all the nitty gritty parts about the servants including their daily tasks and where they slept in the house!

The murder mystery was fab and the slow reveal kept me turning the pages. There were several twists in the story which I didn't guess either.

Overall a very enjoyable read that I would definitely recommend to fans of murder mysteries and Pride and Prejudice.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute marvel this joyous murder mystery is! I was hooked from the very first page. With the allure of revisiting some Austen characters I was desperate to get my hands on a copy of this. I devoured it in one sitting, of course, and it certainly did not disappoint.


There has been foul play at Rosings Park and Lady Catherine is not best pleased! The ground of Rosings have been polluted by the murder of Mr Collins. The local constable and magistrate are on the case and set about investigating this terrible crime but soon discover their prime suspect is a near relation of the deceased, none other than Mr Bennet himself. It seems that everything is lost until Mary discovers a vital secret which may be able to save her father.

You can expect an intriguing plot which keeps you thinking and attempting to discover the culprit. You will find a wonderful set of characters who blossom into being before your eyes and a tale which will take over your heart and soul. I especially adored the friendship between Anne and Mary who bonded over their love of learning Greek. It is sensational and I urge you to grab yourself a copy- you will not regret it!


I was kindly #gifted this copy in return of an honest review. THANK YOU SO MUCH to @apurdeypugh @gwasghonnopress @RandomTTours #AMurderAtRosings

[Victoria Julian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book as who wouldn't want to read about Mr Collins being murdered?! However, found it a little slow moving and some of the characters did not quite match how I pictured them in Pride and Prejudice. The blurb is misleading as Mary plays little part in the investigation and although Mr Bennet is hinted at being the main suspect several times, he is never directly in danger and requiring Mary to 'save' him. I didn't like how the Robert and Sarah story line played out and was entirely disappointed with Sarah's ending (not spoilers), it felt set up and forced. The way the murder was investigated was frustrating! Despite it being mentioned that they are using a 'new' form of investigation (aka the one we still use today) by interviewing people and collecting evidence, the way that Mr Archer and Sir John conducted them was unenthused to say the least. I did enjoy trying to work out how all the small pieces of information fit together but was very disappointed in what was actually revealed to have occurred. It felt very out of character for Mr Collins to have behaved in the manner that he did and, although he has never been a character that I have liked, I strongly believed that he was a better person than he was painted to be in this book.

[Jane Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using the setting, some notable characters and style of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, this is a classical mystery story investigating the death of Mr Collins.

The lyrical writing style is engaging, and the characters vividly portrayed. The main protagonists' are constable Archer and magistrate Sir John Bright, the investigation team, but Jane Austen's characters have delightful cameos which add depth to the well thought out plot. The vulnerability of the servants and their indebtedness to their employers is explored in an insightful way reminiscent of Austens' acute observations on gender, social class and society.

The mystery is cleverly plotted with comprehensive interviews of the numerous suspects, full of historical details that give an excellent sense of place and time. This is an enjoyable Jane Austen style murder mystery.

I received a copy of this book from the author and Honno Press in return for an honest review.

[Pam Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not hesitate to accept the invitation to be on the blog tour for A Murder at Rosings. I always enjoy a cosy crime novel and the fact that it was based around characters from Pride and Prejudice made it irresistible. Giving nothing away that is not in the blurb, I was momentarily disappointed to see the fate that had befallen Mr Collins, my favourite character but Lady Catherine de Bourgh made up for it. I enjoyed all the snippets of gossip about what was going on in the lives of the Bennets and to meet two of that number again.

As a cosy crime, it delivered. There were enough twists and turns and red herrings to intrigue and the Regency setting enhanced the secrecy and class distinction which enabled some to hide to plain sight. You actually did feel as though you were piecing together a jigsaw puzzle as the investigators imagined. This is an accomplished debut novel.

In short: Murder mystery meets the Regency period
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book

[Mel Mars · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

As sequel of sorts to Pride and Prejudice, A Murder at Rosings focuses on a murder investigation. The victim? Mr Collins (not surprised at the choice there). The weapon? A paper knife. The culprit? To be confirmed...

Currently re-reading P&P, I really enjoyed having another story focusing on the side characters. However, it also highlighted the different writing style. While I really liked reading this story, I would often compare the different speech patterns. Similarly, I thought that the author made (overall) Lady Catherine de Bourgh, shall I say "nicer", than she was in the original book.

If you love anything P&P, and murder mysteries, you will really enjoy A Murder at Rosings, and who knows, you might guess whodunnit.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Pride and Prejudice sequel where Lady Catherine de Bourgh one early morning discovers the body of Mr Collins in her garden. It is up to the magistrate, Sir John Bright, and Robert Archer, the village constable to investigate. With Mr Bennet at Hunsford on business with Mr Collins, accompanied by Mary, circumstances make him the prime suspect.
An enjoyable variation but I didn't care for the ending, and I did hope that it would be Mary that did some of the investigation
Another story where Mary wrongly wears glasses

[Nimalee Ravi · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a huge fan of Pride and Prejudice, I couldn't wait to read this book. Did not disappoint me at all. Loved the characters as we already knew some from Pride and Prejudice. It was enjoyable getting to know the new ones too.

The writing style is simply flawless and prefect for the time period. Easy to follow. The murder mystery is written so brilliantly. Found it a little slow at the beginning but soon picks up pace. Enjoyed the twists and I really did not expect nor anticipated it.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this and would definitely recommend to murder mystery fans.

[Clare booksandmoomins · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐀 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
I enjoyed this spin off from Pride and Prejudice.
Mr Collins meets an unfortunate ending in Lady Catherine de Bough’s flower beds. But no one seems to have seen or heard anything… or have they?
I enjoyed joining Mary as she tried to discover what had happened along with the local police. She rises to the occasion to defend her father and prove him innocent.
I enjoyed all the characters here, my only criticism is that Lady Catherine was far too nice!!
I did guess who-dunnit but that didn’t stop me enjoying the story at all.
A decent murder mystery 🌟🌟🌟🌟

[siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgallery for allowing me to have this advanced copy!

I was rather excited when I saw the description of this book. The author, Annette Purdey Pugh, has written an beautiful novel worthy of the connection to Ms Austen!

The character that gets killed is my least favourite so no sadness there! It was interesting to see Lady Catherine again in a different light, we got to know her much better and Anne too.

This novel gets 4 out of 5 from me!

[Michaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic period drama.

Excellently written. Very sympathetic to the working and speech of the era it is supposed to be written about.

I loved all the characters and the intrigue behind the story. So many twists and turns I genuinely didn’t know where it was going to end.

Read this book if you want a none stop thrilling read!

5 star from me.

[Claire (c.isfor.claire_reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

🌟3.5🌟

If you like reading Pride and Prejudice or are a fan of Jane Austen books, I think you'd enjoy this book, as it's written in the same period style. It's an enjoyable read with just the right amount of intrigue, coupled with many of the characters who are already familiar, and you've an enjoyable murder mystery in a 19th century setting.