The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh

Book excerpt: The delicious follow-up to The Murder of Mr. Wickham and The Late Mrs. Willoughby finds Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney facing their most daunting detecting challenge yet: preventing the murder of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Someone is trying to kill Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Esteemed aunt of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, generous patroness of Mr. William Collins, a woman of rank who rules over Rosings Park with an unimpeachable and very firm sense of propriety—who would dare? Lady Catherine summons her grand-nephew, Mr. Jonathan Darcy, and his investigative companion, Miss Juliet Tilney, to find out. After a year apart, Jonathan and Juliet are thrilled to be reunited, even if the circumstances—finding whoever has thus far sabotaged Lady Catherine's carriage, shot at her, and nearly pushed her down the stairs—are less than ideal. Also less than ideal: their respective fathers, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Mr. Henry Tilney, have accompanied the young detectives to Rosings, and the two men do not interact with the same felicity enjoyed by their children. Nor do either of them seem inclined to favour future connections between the young pair. With attempts against Lady Catherine escalating, and none of prime suspects seemingly capable of committing all of the attacks, the pressure on Jonathan and Juliet mounts, even as more gentle feelings between the two of them begin to bloom. The race is on to provoke a confession from the would-be murderer before it is too late—and also, perhaps, one of love....