Review Detail

A Matter of Murder is the conclusion to the duology first started in In Want of A Suspect. I enjoyed this story, it wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but it wasn’t a disappointment either. On the one hand, Lizzie’s family, Mr. Darcy, and friend Charlotte wouldn’t go to the country estate of her newly married sister if not to escape Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s threats. Some events in the story were Catherine’s doing, and the last 100+ pages were directly related back to her plot, yet the other 300 pages were an independent murder mystery. So, this feels more of an episode in the series and less of a duology or a conclusion. This book is a fun return to these characters, and the charming ending leaves fertile ground for future stories. If the author decides she is not done with these characters, a lot of fans would return for more, myself included.
Lizzie is maturing enough to be ready to face her feelings for Darcy. He is a green flag character who continues to love and support her and is waiting for her indication that she wants a marriage proposal before he asks. The anger she feels that Darcy and her father forced her to the country for her safety, and the historical era kept their romance clean with clasped hands and thoughts of a kiss as the extent of their outward expressions.
The author nailed these characters and the established world she has created. It is mostly historical fiction with some modern sensibilities that are attractive to current readers. The tone was charming and a nice reading escape. Overall, I enjoyed the Jane Austen-Esque world that Price has imagined and hope to return for future mysteries with Darcy and Lizzie.