Welcome to this week’s Trope Tuesday, where we dive into the classic yet ever-compelling world of the Historical Whodunit! Today’s spotlight is on Kelli Gardiner, whose work masterfully blends the intrigue of a murder mystery with the rich texture of a bygone era. If you love unraveling secrets amid candlelit ballrooms, coded letters, or smoky Victorian alleys, you’re in for a treat.
Title: Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Investigator
By: Kelly Gardiner & Sharmini Kumar
Genre: Historical Mystery
Pages: 368
Release Date: April 2nd, 2025
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Summary from Goodreads:
A missing maid. A murder most foul. A highly imprudent adventure. Only her fine eyes can uncover the truth.
Two years after the events of Pride and Prejudice, Miss Caroline Bingley is staying at her brother's country estate within an easy ride of Mr and Mrs Darcy's home, Pemberley, and wondering if there's more to life than playing cribbage and paying calls on country neighbours. So when Georgiana Darcy's maid, Jayani, vanishes - and worse, Georgiana disappears in search of her - Caroline races to London to find them both, and quickly discovers a shocking, cold-blooded murder.
Soon Caroline and Georgiana are careering through the gritty, grimy underbelly of London assisted by Caroline's trusty manservant, Gordon, and demanding answers of shady characters, police magistrates and mysterious East India Company-men to discover the killer. Along the way they uncover the cost of Empire on India and its people ... and Miss Bingley's incomparable powers of investigation. As Caroline puts her superior new talents to work, she finds out exactly what an accomplished, independent woman with a sharp mind and a large fortune can achieve - even when pitted against secrets, scandal, and a murderer with no mercy.
Review:
This playful reimagining of Austen's world brings Caroline Bingley into the spotlight with a surprising new role, as a detective. The premise is clever and the writing often charming, with witty nods to the original Pride and Prejudice. However, the mystery itself felt underdeveloped and the pacing uneven. While it was fun to see Caroline take center stage and grow beyond her traditional character, the story sometimes leaned too heavily on its concept without delivering a fully satisfying mystery. A light, inventive read for Austen fans, but not quite as sharp or gripping as it could have been.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
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