The Rushworth Family Plot

A Novel

By: Claudia Gray

Narrated by: Billie Fulford-Brown

The fourth book in New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray's Jane Austen sequel series, which finds amateur sleuths Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney caught up in the whirlwind of the London Season—and in a murderous scheme involving the family of Edmund and Fanny Bertram

Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney understand each other perfectly; it's a pity their families do not. A series of misunderstandings, misplaced pride, and—indeed—prejudice, has led their parents to deem the pair unsuited to wed. Now, with the Season approaching, Juliet's grandfather, General Tilney, has sent her to London with a new wardrobe and orders to prove herself worthy of someone better than the snobby Darcys. Meanwhile, Jonathan has been forced to accept an invitation to stay in town with old friends Edmund and Fanny Bertram at the house of Edmund's brother, Sir Thomas. Oblivious to and undesiring of female attention outside of Juliet's, Jonathan is at risk of being ensnared by Caroline Bingley's previously rebuffed plans to make herself—or her daughter—mistress of Pemberley.

But when Mr. Rushworth, the former husband of Edmund's sister Maria, is discovered dead in his home, Jonathan and Juliet find themselves with problems far weightier than the marriage market. In one of the greatest scandals of its day, Maria abandoned her new husband in favor of the notorious rake Henry Crawford, and when he wouldn't marry her, was forced to flee to the continent in disgrace. Now Maria is back, accompanied by a daughter she claims Mr. Rushworth fathered after their divorce—and who he wrote into his will just before his death. To spare Edmund and Fanny further social shame, Jonathan and Juliet must unmask a killer before the drama surrounding the Rushworth family fortune claims another victim.

Critic reviews

“The best installment by far . . . a cozy mystery with high emotional stakes. . . . [Jonathan and Juliet’s] affection for each other has reached a breathless pitch that Austen herself would applaud. This book is alive with yearning. . . . an excellent addition to an already delightful series.”
—Elyse Discher, BookPage

“Gray’s clever fourth Jane Austen homage . . . keeps her winning streak alive. . . . Gray continues to effortlessly capture the language and tone of Austen’s novels, this time heating up the series’ sparkling romance plot while delivering her most intricate puzzle to date. It’s a delight.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Part Bridgerton and part Monk, Gray’s latest has something for everyone.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“An ode to all things Austen. . . . [Gray’s] writing style is warm and comfortable. . . . an enjoyable mystery perfect for Jane Austen fans of any age.”
—Jessica Harrison, Cracking the Cover

Another Delightful Adventure

Once again, Ms. Gray has produced a wonderful story. I know from the moment I open the cover of one of her books that I will be mesmerize from start to finish. And this novel is no exception. For anyone who has enjoyed reading Jane Austin, this series is a must read.

Great listen!

I'm really enjoying this series and look forward to the next one. Claudia is doing an excellent job of imagining the next generation of Austen's characters.

4 out of 5 Duels

Please tell me that wasn’t the last of this series!

Day one of its release and I finished it already. I couldn’t stop listening and now I’m worried there won’t be any more Miss Tilney and Mister Darcy (the younger) for me to appreciate. Claudia Gray wove an impressive plot for our young hero and heroine to navigate. Excellent plotting and characters to love and hate are the bedrock of her mysteries. Now I must go back and read the second and third books in this series to refresh the background before listening to the Rushworth saga again. Billie Fulford-Brown, a new narrator to me, has done a fine job with all the characters and depiction of London and the Regency Season. Don’t miss this one. The audiobook cover does tell it all!

Fantastic entry in the series!

Fantastic entry in the series! I was very worried for my enjoyment of this series after book 3 was such a wishy-washy flop for me, but this was great! The pace was great, the plot was fun and whatever one can say about Mansfield Park, it sure is a juicy drama-filled stage for a murder mystery.
I'm back on the hype train for this series and am eagerly looking forward to the next installment.

The narrator, Billie Fulford-Brown, was, as usual, quite nice to listen to.

Another delight!

This is another great installment in the series. The writing is excellent - very clever and fun - and the narration excellent. I hope there will be another book soon!