In Want of a Suspect

A Lizzie and Darcy Mystery #1

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 she often has help from (and steals occasional kisses with) Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, a stern but secretly soft-hearted 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 her 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.

Lizzie and Darcy are back for more suspense, danger, and romance in this first in a duology spinoff of the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries!

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Romance, Retellings, Historical, Mystery Thriller

352 pages, Hardcover

First published November 12, 2024

About the author

Tirzah Price is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries and the spin-off Lizzie and Darcy Mystery series. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and has worked with books for over a decade. When she’s not writing, reading, or talking about YA books, she splits her time between experimenting in the kitchen and knitting. She lives in Michigan.

Tirzah is pronounced TEER-zuh. Pronouns are she/her.

Reviews

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounded up for the doggo 🐶 only! Really, really disappointed in this YA "Pride and Prejudice" retelling. Would have DNF'd it except that I did find the "mystery" mildly interesting. My main issue was how the two leads (Darcy & Lizzie) were portrayed: Lizzie is a lawyer at her Dad's London firm, Longbourn, and Darcy at his Dad's, which is Pemberly, of course. Her character is written to be very, very dislikable. Darcy, however, is turned into a meek and shy "Daddy's boy" who is bullied at work and can't stand up for himself - not just to his bully but even to Lizzie, who rides rough-shod all over him, dragging him to danger. Sorry, but that is NOT "Mr. Darcy" the dashing hero of anyone's fantasies, just sad. Some of the rest of the characters were ok - I liked the Dashwood's inserted here okay. But as a big Austen fan, I just can not recommend this or any of the other's in the series to any other serious fan - just no.

[MillennialMomReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Opening In Want of a Suspect by Tirzah Price feels like stepping back into the cozy chaos of the Bennett home. She writes the women of Austen like I think Jane herself would have written them had she had the benefit of a 21st century culture and mindset-reminding you that Lizzie really could do anything if literary freedoms of the time allowed. Like her other Jane Austen Murder Mystery Series novels, In Want of a Suspect is fast paced and seamlessly blends together the conflict and romance you want from Darcy and Lizzie with an intriguing mystery that delves into complicated subjects like immigration, war, feminism and how to live under the burden of familial expectations. It’s also finally rewarding the internal Darcy/Lizzie dialogue of every reader who has screamed for more since being introduced to Pride and Prejudice in our youth. This is one of my favorite 2024 reads and I can’t wait to see what Tirzah does next (I hope I’m not wrong that there were a few hints throughout about what may be coming…). Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC copy for review (now, rereading all three prior novels ASAP!).

[Rachael Fryman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was absolutely thrilled to learn we would be getting more Darcy and Lizzie books in a spin off series from Pride and Premeditation! And this did not disappoint. In Price's P&P retellings, Darcy and Lizzie are both solicitors that find themselves often collaborating on legal cases. In this one, Lizzie and Darcy team up to investigate the arson/murder case of a local storefront at the request of the surviving brother, but things aren't adding up and a key witness is killed in broad daylight. With growing speculation of the those closest to the case, and growing speculation of the amount of unchaperoned time Lizzie and Darcy spend together even at the expense of Darcy's position, the pair may be in over their heads in more ways than one.

I'm very picky with my P&P retellings and while I often found myself wondering "Yeah, but would OG Darcy and Lizzie REALLY do this/that?" My answer: I don't care. I was swept up in the story, the mystery, the suspicion and of course the romance. Absolute blast reading this one and now I begin the impatient wait for the second book in this series. One of if not my favorite book of the year!


CW: Death, Violence, Arson, Poverty/Classism, Anti-Immigrant (due to war),

[Melissa (Missy) Rademaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

love this book 📖 ❤️

very well written

want to read more by this author now

😊

[Natasha Leighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that Tirzah Price is the queen of Jane Austen-based, YA mysteries. And like many others, I’m soo glad she’s returned once again to her Jane Austen Mystery protagonists, Lizzie and Darcy, for a delightfully chaotic and action packed spin-off that will steal you heart and keep you on the edge of your seat.

Now, this does have some spoilers for Price’s Jane Austen Mysteries series (which makes sense as it is a spinoff.) So if you haven’t had the chance to read that series yet, I highly recommend doing so before picking this up. But if you’ve been eager to see more of Lizzie and Darcy since heir appearance in Manslaughter Park, then you’re in for a treat!

Weaving cameos from the Dashwood sisters (and even a brief appearance of Miss Woodhouse) with themes of war, immigration, institutional misogyny and the pressures of family expectation—Price has managed to craft a compellingly modern take on the source material that I feel even Austen herself would approve of.

The cast of characters were all so quite interesting and multifaceted, but I think I adored Lizzie; whose stellar observational skills and ability to win over anyone (including children, dogs, Darcy) the most! Her tenacious drive to succeed will almost certainly endear old and new readers alike.

Plus, her temerity in the face of adversity, as a woman working in a male dominated field (and positively thriving) had me cheering her on every step of the way!

Darcy, no longer at loggerheads with Lizzie, was a wonderfully supportive character to explore as well. I enjoyed seeing just how far he’s come on his journey to being less prideful and stubborn, and found his efforts (in learning from his past mistakes, owning up to them and trying to make amends) pretty satisfying.

Together, he and Lizzie are a crime solving force to be reckoned with, and the snippets of romance and affection we encounter between them was soo enjoyable. I can’t wait to see what the pair with uncover next!

Overall, a really fun read that mystery, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen or Tirzah Price fans definitely don’t want to miss.

Also, a huge thank you to Harper360YA for the stunning proof.

[Colleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Judging this as, essentially, fanfiction. It didn’t work for me. There were too many odd changes to the plot, and Darcy’s character especially didn’t seem true to the original character. So much of P&P, and Darcy’s character, ride on the facts of Darcy being the head of household, and being upper class. Like the whole thing is a commentary on class politics of the time. Changing these fundamental elements yet keeping it in time period didn’t make sense to me. Other things like changing Darcy’s bungled proposal to SOMEONE ELSE rather than Lizzie takes away so much from their development as a couple. Killing Wickham and leaving Lydia without any character arc… and therefore ROBBING DARCY OF HIS ULTIMATE REDEMPTION ARC????? Overall I felt like Darcy was “softened” and made into kind of a generic Nice Guy. I do think “Lizzie and Darcy as modern lawyers” could’ve worked, or even “Lizzie becoming a lawyer after the plot of P&P maybe”. But as it is, it’s like the author was using the Big Names to sell a random romance/period mystery. The mystery was interesting, and it flowed quickly. I would have DNF’d pretty quickly if it hadn’t been an OUABC book though, it was really obvious from the start that the authors had the characters wrong. (Interestingly? The cameos from the Dashwoods felt the most true-to-character.)

[Chloe Thielen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ this book was super cute, reminded me of Enola Holmes!!! I wish I read the first one before this though bc it did spoil that book. But it was super good still!!

[Jeannine · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was so fun to revisit this alternate “universe” where Jane Austen’s women have jobs and the men are friends or colleagues. Lizzy and Darcy were lawyers in Tirzah Price’s first book in this world and her subsequent books moved to the S&S and Mansfield Park casts. Now, we’re back to Lizzy and Darcy as they try to solve the mystery around a warehouse fire.

Such a fun series. I hope it continues!

[tristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

begging for a re-write of emma, especially after her little cameo

[thepenultimategirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

People who don’t read Jane Austen murder mysteries are missing out on gems like “Darcy decked him”.

All that said it does make me a little sad that the failed proposal went to Josette and not Lizzie.

[TheYALibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating 5 Stars

To write a comprehensive review about this one is really hard. It's just so good, to the point that I just overlooked some of the flaws and did not let it bother me that this is another take on the famous Lizzie Bennett and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy when there have been many.

I just can't expect anything but greatness from Tirzah Price since I thoroughly devoured the trilogy that this was a spinoff to featuring other character's from Austen's beloved works and a brief cameo of the famous Emma Woodhouse in this one, which I hope indicates that there will be more of her since I would like to see how she is portrayed, even though she is one of my least favorite characters.. Price just knows how to write these characters well that doesn't stray too far from how we would expect them to react in more dangerous and dire situations.

I need more of this version of the famous couple before they became Mr. and Mrs. Darcy and how they will navigate their relationship more in this twist version of them both being solicitors.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I began reading in earnest, I couldn't stop! It was delightful. The characterizations were spot on! I loved seeing who showed up. I had lots of feelings. The mystery was a great journey. I can't wait for the next book!

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lizzie and Darcy my beloved 💕

I was so excited to hear that we were getting more of this duo and this book didn’t disappoint! I loved being back in this universe - watching the flirting, the banter, and especially the crime solving!

The story itself was a bit slow paced for me at times but I loved the cameos of the Dashwood sisters and thr Emma sighting!! (Hopefully this means we’ll see more of her in this series!!! 🤞🏻🤞🏻) I especially liked Guy! A cute doggie is always a wise addition.

Can’t wait for more of this series!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this earc in exchange for my honest review.

[Ashley Book.markedbyash · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

I feel that fans of Jane Austen will appreciate this retelling of some of her most beloved characters. I do think that this one showed a lot more of the relationship between Lizzie and Darcy. I loved all the tension and banter throughout the whole entire book, as well as the fact that they are solving a murder, but you can definitely tell that they have more of the romantic connection in this one. I had a good time reading this book. I would definitely read more from this author.

[Michaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this if you like...
💕 Jane Austen retellings
🔎 plucky heroines
🌹 regency drama

Lizzie Bennet, London's first female solicitor, finds herself constantly pulled into mysteries with fellow lawyer Fitzwilliam Darcy at her side. The pair typically investigates unusual circumstances, but they've been retained for their deadliest case yet. When Lizzie is hired to investigate a mysterious warehouse fire and locate the suspected arsonist, it leads the pair right into the sitting room of Darcy's ex-fiancée. Feelings abound as Lizzie and Darcy try to solve this fiery case before either of them get snuffed out.

I thoroughly enjoyed Tirzah Price's previous novel Pride & Premeditation, but found myself slogging through this one. I credit that not to the author's ability, but to my changing taste. When I first read Pride & Premeditation, I mostly read YA; now, I've added more adult fiction to my repertoire since learned about the closed door fiction community. While I enjoyed the Austen-packed world of In Want of a Suspect with tongue-in-cheek references and the reinvention of classic Austen characters, the mystery itself was not complicated enough to hold my attention.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[tai (pedro's version)]

I CANT WAIT FOR LIZZY AND DARCY MYSTERY 🤭

[Mychaela Bardakjy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sooooo…..

Ok for the most part, I have enjoyed these books. They are very YA, and there are certainly better Jane Austen murder mystery books out there, but the first two books in this series were fun and lighthearted and I enjoyed them. I did not like, nor will I recommend, Manslaughter Park.

But I was excited to get back to Lizzie and Darcy again, because truthfully, they are the best characters. And for the most part I enjoyed this story and a lot of the banter and the dog (the dog!) and that the Dashwoods were brought back as well.

However, I’m disappointed in a number of things:

1. Way too predictable. Like, I had a lot figured out early on, and even made some guesses before any information was mentioned that I was correct on, and while I don’t mind trying to solve a murder mystery alongside the MC and even get excited when I can figure things out, I want it to be challenging and feel like an accomplishment. This wasn’t that and so the ending had me bored

2. Maybe I’m just misremembering Pride and Premeditation because it’s been a few years, but my gosh, I did not like how Lizzie and Darcy were written in this one. Yes, in a story where Lizzie is a working woman in a man’s business, there’s going to be quite a bit of her striving for women’s justice and the like. But this felt over the top. Lizzie was almost insufferable in her higher than thou attitude and WAY too feminist for the time period (it’s still the early 1800’s people!). Darcy was weak and allowed people to walk all over him which is NOT at all who Darcy is. It didn’t work for me because they were both just too different from their original character.

3. There’s a transgender storyline. And not only that, but with a CHILD. And I’m sorry, but that’s a no from me. Spoiler alert here, but a little boy who is helping Lizzie turns out to actually be a girl who says she feels like a boy and so she’s a boy. And Darcy is the only one who finds out and is basically like, oh okay that’s fine, I won’t tell anyone, you keep being a boy. Again, it’s the 1800’s, let’s try to keep the historical fiction historically accurate and again, Darcy would not respond this way to something like this. Also, I’m just not okay with this stuff being geared towards children (it’s a book meant for 12-18 year olds, and this kid in the book is probably no more than 10). I just can’t be okay with that.

Overall not a terrible continuation of this series, I’ll still probably read the next one, but if that one is a dud, I’ll be done because so far only the first two have really been enjoyable.

[loviisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

GENRE
• A Lizzie & Darcy Mystery, book 1
• YA
• Mystery retelling

SUMMARY
This book picks up after the events of Pride & Premeditation from the author’s Jane Austen Murder Mystery series. When a warehouse fire proves deadly, Lizzie is hired by a childhood friend to investigate the fire’s origins. She engages Darcy’s help, and the two of them seek out the mysterious woman placed at the scene of the crime. The case leads them to a second murder, a threat on Lizzie’s life, and a confrontation with Darcy’s old flame.

REVIEW
The relationship is sweet, the mystery is engaging, and the tone & pacing make this book compulsively readable! The plot points themselves may be difficult to believe at times (as is the case with almost any amateur detective series), but the characters feel authentic and grounded, so I never felt pulled out of the story. If you like Jane Austen or cozy mysteries, give Tirzah Price a try—I promise you won’t regret it.
4/5

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish that I would have realized this was a spin-off series (even though it is right there in the blurb, that's what I get for not reading the whole thing) before starting this book. 😕 There are, unfortunately, spoilers from the other three books, being very necessary for plot development. This definitely can be read as a stand-alone, but if you don't want spoilers, start with Pride and Premediation.

Loved this book so much. The cozy mystery is so well done, and I especially love the romance part. Lizzie is a solicitor working for her father and doesn't really know if she wants to marry Darcy. Not that she thinks he would ever make her stop working or anything, just knowing he legally could. I can't imagine that.

10 out of 10 would recommend. ❤️ 💙 💜

[Shelby Brynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very happy to learn Price was expanding on her P & P mystery retelling as it was nice to get more of Darcy and Lizzie. I also enjoyed the cameo of Emma along with a nice incorporation of Darcys aweful ability of preposing (I lol'd).

I saw some reviews complain about Darcy's demeanor being too shy or not as dashing as they want him to be but I've never really found Darcy dashing and I do believe he's shy... Or at least poor socially. I think Price hits Darcy on the head, he's generally a rule follower and he doesn't take chances. What makes Darcy 'swoon-worthy' is his loyalty and his ability to take criticism from a woman he admires and actually put in the work to be a better person.

Anyways, I will definitely be continuing this series.

[Danielle Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've done so many variations of Pride and Prejudice that it took me a chapter to remember that this was in the grander Pride and Premeditation series. So nice to see some old familiar Jane Austen characters teaming up again.

Her not wanting to get married is getting old, though. There's only so much independent woman getting a career that I can handle when the core of P&P is that they fall in love. Darcy offers to marry her so she won't have her reputation ruined (thankfully not to her face) and apparently used his "marry you against society's judgement" line on some other girl, not Lizzie. So we also don't get that uncomfortable, iconic moment.

Read by Morag Sims and Sam Deveraux. #booksin25

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: Absolutely Loved It, 5 stars

This was such a cozy return to Lizzie and Darcy! I loved them so much in Pride and Premeditation and had a fantastic time returning to them. While they didn't always act in such a way that I might imagine the original characters acting or reacting, it was still delightful and I didn't care. I got caught up in the mystery and just absolutely loved my time. I especially loved that the Dashwood sisters came back in this one. I hope that Fanny makes an appearance in the next one!

[Tiffany E-P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great new series with a fresh spin on Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy. Not sure how it’s #1 in the series given that there was an earlier book that preceded this one and set the stage for their investigations. But maybe that one wasn’t billed as a mystery. Liked the big reveal of Lizzie’s nemesis at the end and the fact that it’s Lady Catherine de Bourgh made me chuckle. I’ll definitely look for the next book in this series.

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book! The nods to the nuance of each of the Bennet family members… chef’s kiss. I loved the weaving in of the Dashwood sisters and Emma through the plot as well. So, so good!! I could not put this one down. Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the advanced copy.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I really liked the mystery and the way Lizzie and Darcy are written. Although, it took way too long for Darcy to stand up to his boss… I also look forward to reading more with Henry and Guy.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[George W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved being in the Austen 'multiverse' and seeing Lizzy Bennet interact with the Miss Dashwoods and (briefly) Miss Woodhouse

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

[K Whatsherface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma!! We also saw the Dashwoods but we've seen them before in this world but Emma is new

[Julia Pika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty fun continuation, though I didn't really understand the guy bullying Darcy in his own business...why on earth would ANYONE have the balls to bully your boss' son??