The Late Mrs. Willoughby

ONE OF THE WALL STREET JOURNAL‘S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR

“Claudia Gray joined the ranks of the best Jane Austen pastiche artists with 2022’s The Murder of Mr. Wickham. . . . [The] winning streak continues in The Late Mrs. Willoughby. . . . Graceful writing and the sleuths’ budding romance boost this book above the merely imitative.”
—Tom Nolan, The Wall Street Journal

“[A] virtuoso performance. . . . Genius. . . . Witty observations abound, as do suspects.”
—The Christian Science Monitor

“An absolute page-turner full of well-plotted mystery and hints of simmering romance, The Late Mrs. Willoughby expands on Gray’s wonderfully original amateur sleuths, Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney, while bringing in more of the Jane Austen characters we love (as well as those we love to hate). This is fast becoming one of my favorite series and I’m already eager for the next installment!”
—Mia P. Manansala, author of Homicide and Halo-Halo and Arsenic and Adobo

“Delightful. Claudia Gray is systematically taking out all of the unpleasant characters in Jane Austen’s novels, and I am here for it.”
—Juneau Black, author of Shady Hollow

“A delectable treat of a read, blending the world of Austen with a gripping and gorgeous detective story—the word romp was practically made for this book!”
—Sophie Irwin, author of A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting

“Claudia Gray brilliantly blends history, mystery, and Austen’s creations with wholly original and deeply drawn characters. The Late Mrs. Willoughby is a jewel of a sequel; both a historical and romantic romp and a smartly conceived mystery, all the while building on the relationships of the first. An utter delight.”
—Lev A.C. Rosen, author of Lavender House

“I adore Claudia Gray’s pitch-perfect Austen-verse mysteries! The Late Mrs. Willoughby flawlessly intermingles Austen’s characters with Gray’s to create a Regency murder mystery that will be satisfying for Janeites and newcomers alike. Particularly endearing are the sleuths, Mr. Jonathan Darcy and Miss Juliet Tilney, who are clever enough to please my inner mystery lover, and tantalizing enough to make my inner romance reader make grabby hands for the next book. Crossover historical mystery romance readers have a new series to add to the TBR list.”
—Manda Collins, author of A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem

“Absolutely delightful! Fans of Jane Austen and historical mysteries will fall in love with this series. Gray remains true to Austen’s style and intent for her beloved characters while still adding her own spin on them and their progeny—one that is both refreshing and absorbing. I’m already looking forward to the next installment.” 
—Anna Lee Huber, USA Today bestselling author

“What a terrific concept—to take a cadre of beloved literary characters, wrap them up in a murder, and extract a wonderful investigative duo from the bunch! Claudia Gray’s The Late Mrs. Willoughby is a clever, delightful treat for Jane Austen lovers. Ms. Austen would be thrilled!”
—Colleen Cambridge, author of Mastering the Art of French Murder

“[A] superior blend of humor and detection. . . . Gray makes her endearing leads’ sleuthing both plausible and entertaining while evoking the wit and feel of Austen’s classic novels.” 
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Wonderfully reimagines the lives of Austen’s characters yet stays faithful to the spirit of the classic works. . . . It’s fun to anticipate the other Austen characters the young sleuths might encounter in future novels.”
—Library Journal