The Murder of Mr. Wickham (Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney, #1) in B.A.B.s

Jun 28, 2023 Darcy rated it liked it

Before I gush about how much I loved this book and how fun it is, I will talk about a few frustrating things. I was unhappy with how long it took to get to Wickham’s murder. Not only does the story drag on at the beginning, but I also hate Wickham so much that I want him dead as soon as possible. If I remember correctly, Juliet finds Wickham’s body between pages 70-80. When reading murder mysteries, there’s an understanding that the murder or dead body happens in the first few chapters/pages (de Before I gush about how much I loved this book and how fun it is, I will talk about a few frustrating things. I was unhappy with how long it took to get to Wickham’s murder. Not only does the story drag on at the beginning, but I also hate Wickham so much that I want him dead as soon as possible. If I remember correctly, Juliet finds Wickham’s body between pages 70-80. When reading murder mysteries, there’s an understanding that the murder or dead body happens in the first few chapters/pages (depending on how long your chapters are). With this kind of mystery (based on a classic novel of already established characters), there needs to be some information on how they all come together and what’s happened since the closing of their books. I found that part enjoyable to see the characters interact with each other and what’s happened since, but there could’ve been some edits at the beginning.

While the conclusion was interesting, it felt like it could be more satisfying. I was a bit disappointed by who had done it and the why, not that it wasn’t believable, it definitely was, but I wanted something a bit meatier if that makes sense.

Now, on to how much fun this book was. I loved it! It was fun and exciting to see all the characters interact with each other and see how they are as married couples. I especially love seeing Elizabeth and Darcy’s marriage and how their tension during the novel plays out. Losing a child is one of the worst traumas someone could go through, and it’s going to cause issues.

Speaking of the Darcys, I have to bring up Jonathan! Oh, my sweet summer child, I love my little bean, who’s so adorable. A few days before I started reading the book, a book club I’m in talked about how Darcy is an autistic coded character, so it was hilarious when I started reading and finding out that Jonathan is autistic. He’s my favorite, along with Juliet Tilney! I love how Juliet acts like a typical Regency woman but departs from that role by standing up for herself and having her own mind. She was a thoroughly fascinating character. I also absolutely love the interactions between Juliet and Jonathan. They are both adorable little beans and have my entire heart. It’s nice to see Juliet judge Jonathan at first but later realize he has quirks but is still worth being friends with (or something more). She doesn’t degrade or look down on him for his autism, even though that wouldn’t have been a diagnosis back then.

The other characters were all great, and Gray did a fantastic job honoring the source material by Jane Austen and making them her own. Gray’s extension of their stories was fun to see how they navigate the ups and downs of marriage with their respective spouses. Another compelling aspect of the novel is the side story of Fanny Bertram and her brother William’s secret, which is that he’s a homosexual. When Fanny tells her husband, Edward, his response is the typical, expected response for this period. But I was so happy to see Fanny stand up for her values and brother. Seeing Edward struggle to understand his wife’s reactions and reasons was also enjoyable. Fanny’s letter at the end was beautiful, too. The line where she says she doesn’t understand and still loves him is absolutely perfect. It’s the whole point of the LGBTQ+ movement; people don’t need to understand or like it, but give us our space. But that’s asking too much.

I’m definitely interested in reading the next novel in the series and seeing how Juliet and Jonathan’s friendship (or relationship) grows! ...more

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Oct 23, 2022 Tali rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2022, babs, 2024

Over the past couple of years, the local book club I'm in has read all of Jane Austen's books and this was a pretty great way to "finish" them off.

The Knightlys are having a house party and invite all the couples from the books, along with two of the nearly grown children. No one really knows each other well, but they're all sort of tied together by one man: Mr. Wickham, Jane Austen's most hated villain. He shows up the first night in the middle of a massive thunderstorm and propriety says they ...more

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Jun 24, 2024 Adrienne Fike rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Fabulous read!!

I loved exploring the relationships (especially the marriages) of all the characters and how they interacted. I think the Bertrams were my favorite couple, but it was wonderful for each of them to be fleshed out further. I also enjoyed the details about -and puzzlement over- the Regency era social norms, especially by the younger set, and how they chose to navigate those when making their decisions.

Can’t wait to read more about Jonathan and Juliet!

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