IN WANT OF A SUSPECT (A Lizzie & Darcy Mystery), by Tirzah Price, HarperCollins, Nov. 12, 2024, Hardcover, $19.99 (young adult)
Lizzie Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy join forces to solve a deadly mystery in In Want of a Suspect, by Tirzah Price.
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that London’s first female solicitor in possession of the details of a deadly crime, must be in want of a suspect.
The tenacious Lizzie Bennet has earned her place at Longbourn, her father’s law firm. Her work keeps her busy, but luckily it gives her plenty of reasons to consult (and steal occasional kisses) with Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, a stern but secretly softhearted solicitor at Pemberley.
Lizzie is hired to investigate a deadly warehouse fire and to find the mysterious woman who was spotted at the scene moments before the flames took hold. But when the case leads to the sitting room of a woman Darcy once proposed marriage to, the delicate balance between personal and professional in their relationship is threatened.
Questions of the future are cast aside when the prime suspect is murdered and Lizzie’s own life is threatened. As the body count rises and their suspicions about what was really going on in the warehouse grow, the pressure is on for Lizzie and Darcy to uncover the truth. —Synopsis provided by HarperCollins
Tirzah Price is the author of the Jane Austen Mysteries, a YA series of standalone mystery retellings of Jane Austen’s beloved classics, by way of Agatha Christie. They can be read in any order, although the chronological order of the series is Pride and Premeditation, Sense and Second-Degree Murder, Manslaughter Park.
The Lizzie and Darcy Mysteries are a YA spin-off series, making In Want of a Suspect a direct sequel to Pride and Premeditation. Price recommends reading Pride and Premeditation first.
I agree.
Price does a great job of pulling readers in, but if you haven’t read its predecessor, In Want of a Suspect will have you asking lots of questions like: How did Lizzie become a solicitor? and Why is she so familiar with Darcy, who is also a solicitor?
At some point you just have to give in and enjoy the ride. Lizzie is a bright spark. Much of her character is in keeping with Jane Austen’s characterization. Lizzie is smart, strong and independent, but she also dreams of love. Darcy is less of an open book, but their banter is spot on.
Price strikes a nice balance between mystery and romance, making this an engaging read.
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