Like many an adult who used to be a teenage girl, I have a soft spot in my heart for Jane Austen and her ever-relatable stories. I’ve spent many a rainy afternoon cozied up with Eliza and Elinor and Anne and a warm mug of tea. As a mystery lover, you can imagine my delight when I learned of The Murder of Mr. Wickham last year, an ambitious attempt by Claudia Grey to create an Austenverse (and a mystery). The story features the next generation of our Austen heroes, Juliet Tilney and Jonathan Darcy, as they investigate the murder of Mr. Wickham. I devoured the book in a single sitting and hoped that we’d get another outing with these characters…

…and luckily, my wish has been granted. I’m so excited to share a sneak peek of the sequel, The Late Mrs. Willoughby. (Thanks to NetGalley and Vintage for the gift copy!) This time around, Jonathan and Juliet run across each other in Devonshire. Jonathan is (reluctantly) visiting school friend, John Willoughby; Juliet is paying a call on the Brandons. And when Willoughby’s wife is gruesomely and publicly poisoned, our two amateur detectives take it upon themselves to solve the mystery. (After all, it’s more interesting than socializing, especially in mourning…)

The potential appeal here is threefold: further exploration of the Austen world, a fun mystery, and the budding romance between Jonathan and Juliet. It’s a lot to try and cover in just one novel – so how does The Late Mrs. Willoughby stack up?

A more focused fan update…

Let’s start with the Austen, which is the most differentiating factor of this series. The Late Mrs. Willoughby takes our heroes to Devonshire, specifically to Delaford. And if the names Delaford, Elinor, Edward, Marianne, Willoughby, and Colonel Brandon mean nothing to you, you may not want to read this book. Unlike its predecessor, The Late Mrs. Willoughby focuses heavily on expanding the universe of just one novel – Sense and Sensibility. The story takes place in that neighborhood, and all the character are either original or drawn from just that novel.

It’s not just that the novel features specific characters in a specific setting – it’s that the emotional beats rely on knowing their history. This is the promise and peril of fanfiction: you can tell deeper stories, but risk leaving newer readers behind. I imagine it would be difficult for a reader unfamiliar with Sense and Sensibility to fully understand the implications of John Willoughby moving back near Marianne and Colonel Brandon. While a new reader might understand why different characters are suspected, they may not feel the same dramatic tension. I’d even suggest Austen fans brush up on Sense and Sensibility before picking this one up… That said, as a Sense and Sensibility fan, I quite enjoyed this deep dive! It was nice to explore the everyday lives of characters I already love.

…with a less tense mystery

Of course, there’s a second factor at play here: the mystery. The Late Mrs. Willoughby features the investigation of, well, the death of Lucy Willoughby (John’s London wife). We get a brief introduction to Lucy before she’s unceremoniously poisoned at a local dinner party. Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilley decide to investigate, both to help their friend Marianne and because they’re a bit bored.

This is very much a closed-circle mystery, with the the principal cast of Sense and Sensibility as the main suspects. Focusing on just one novel’s worth of characters is a bit of a double-edged sword here. While it makes for great fanfiction, it also narrows the “playing field” of suspects. One of the cleverest elements of The Murder of Mr. Wickham was that it featured only beloved Austen characters, heightening the drama. No matter whodunnit, it was likely to be a character you loved. Here, there’s less of that tension, as there are plenty of secondary characters to take the blame.

In fact, when the solution was revealed, it came a bit out of left field. It made sense structurally – but lacked the character impact of the first novel. In my experience, the best fair-play mysteries rely either on intricate character work or meticulous setup of physical evidence. The Murder of Mr. Wickham worked in the first context; but The Late Mrs. Willoughby reads more like an adventure than a mystery, without the same level of setup and payoff. That’s fine if you’re looking for an adventure, more than a mystery (as is many a modern mystery reader).

Jonathan and Juliet’s infinite mystery list

A brief note on Jonathan and Juliet: as a fanfiction reader, I’ve always enjoyed next-gen fic, and this is no exception. It’s great to see how our favorite characters act as parents, and to imagine how they might influence their children. Gray clearly put a lot of care into writing Jonathan in particular – he seems to be somewhere on the spectrum, and I’d be curious how those in the community react to this character. Juliet is fine – she’s a teenage girl, learning how the world works, a proto-feminist ahead of her time. But it’s great to see the two of the interact – and interesting to thin about how Jonathan’s traits make him a better match for Juliet’s independence.

If you, like me, are hoping for romance between the two, you will find it here! But it’s a very slow burn, with lots of misunderstandings and mishaps along the way. This time the duo are joined by one of Darcy’s old schoolmates, creating a love triangle-esque setup. (Is it a love triangle if one of the points doesn’t realize he’s in love?) It’s a fun, sweet romance, and I’m excited to see more unfold in future entries.

Reader’s notes & rating (⭐⭐⭐✨)

Look, you already know if you are going to like this book. If you like Jane Austen and mysteries and young adult romance, this is a great book for you. Read it! You will enjoy it.

If any of those things is not your cup of tea, give this one a pass – particularly if you’re not a fan of Sense and Sensibility. While I’m sure the story technically makes sense for a non-Austenite, it certainly won’t evoke the intended reactions. It’s a fun and engaging update to the Austen lore with a bite of mystery thrown in – a good read for a very specific audience. 3.5 stars.

The Late Mrs. Willoughby will be published May 16, 2023.