The Suspicion at Sanditon (Or, The Disappearance of Lady Denham)

Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mysteries #7

by Carrie Bebris

Suspicion at Sanditon, a new adventure in Carrie Bebris’s award-winning Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery series takes Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy to Sanditon, the setting and title of Jane Austen’s final work

In Sanditon, along with their friend Miss Charlotte Heywood, the Darcy's encounter an array of eccentric inhabitants that includes: Mr. Thomas Parker, an enthusiast determined to develop the quiet coastal village into a popular seabathing resort; Sir Edward Denham, an impoverished baronet with more sensibility than sense; and Lady Denham, a childless, twice-widowed dowager with a fortune to bequeath and a flight of distant relations circling for a place in her will.

When Lady Denham goes missing, most assume one of her would-be heirs has grown impatient. But when other ladies disappear one by one, it seems that some resident menace threatens not merely an individual widow, but the entire village. Does a serial kidnapper lurk in Sanditon, or is an even more sinister force at work? Mr. and Mrs. Darcy find themselves drawn into a frantic effort to discover what has happened to the missing women, before Miss Heywood—or Elizabeth herself—becomes the next target.

At the publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Regency, Fiction, Historical, Cozy Mystery

334 pages, Hardcover

First published July 14, 2015

About the author

Carrie began her career in publishing after previous roles as a newspaper reporter and college English teacher.

As an editor for fantasy publisher TSR, Inc., she developed supplements for the Dungeons & Dragons® roleplaying game before striking out on her own as a freelance writer and editor. She wrote two fantasy novels, Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor (2001) and Shadowborn (1998, with William W. Connors), before making her mystery debut in 2004 with Pride and Prescience.

In addition to fiction, Carrie pens remodeling articles for Better Homes and Gardens® Special Interest Publications and writes other nonfiction. She has also edited such books as Tea with Jane Austen (by Kim Wilson) and Walking with
William Shakespeare (by Anne-Marie Edwards). She is on the faculty of the
Antioch Writers' Workshop and speaks frequently about writing and publishing.

Carrie holds a master’s degree in English literature with an emphasis on 19th-century authors and studied Austen on the graduate level with one of today’s most respected Austen scholars. She is a life member of the Jane Austen Society of North America and travels to England to enhance her understanding of Austen’s life and work.

Originally from Wisconsin, Carrie now lives in Ohio. When not writing, she likes to travel, watch costume dramas that send her husband fleeing the house, and indulge in her love of all things British. She is currently working on her next novel, based on Persuasion.

Reviews

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love this series. I know some people hate it when other authors appropriate classic characters, but this author really knows her stuff. (I mean, when she researched for this book, she actually read the original manuscript of Miss Austen's unfinished work Sanditon.)

Part of my enjoyment of this series is, of course, rejoining two of my favorite characters, Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy. This book, like the previous ones, has a wonderful plot and mystery. Very convoluted and very satisfying.

[Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What If The Darcys Went to Sanditon?

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars


TYPE OF NOVEL: Mystery, Pride and Prejudice Sequel, Sanditon Continuation

TIME FRAME: Begins a couple days into Charlotte Heywood’s visit to Sanditon and around 4 years into the Darcys’ marriage.

SERIES: Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mystery #7 (does not need to be read in order)

SYNOPSIS:

Learning about Sanditon from Colonel Fitzwilliam and his kind neighbors, the Heywoods, the Darcys decide to enjoy a sojourn to the famed resort town to enjoy its pleasures and help assess its potential for investment (for the Fitzwilliams). Having met Charlotte Heywood and Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Parker prior to their journey, the Darcys are quick to encounter their extended friends and relations upon arrival in Sanditon and receive an invitation to dine with Lady Denham and other guests at Sanditon House. The dinner party goes awry when the hostess is discovered missing and a tempestuous storm makes all guests spend the night. Is it the work of ghosts? An actual kidnapping? Or does a houseful of possible beneficiaries have something to do with Lady Denham’s disappearance?

WHAT I LOVED:

- The Darcys: So we have: the Darcys happily in love with each other, traveling to all corners of England meeting new friends, and constantly getting embroiled in mysteries wherever they go…could this combination BE and more perfect!?! Love + Travel + Jane Austen Mash-Ups + Mystery = something fantastic! I love the life the Darcys are living…I want to join them wherever they go. It is wonderful that I can do so through the pages of these stories. 😉

- Very Much What They Ever Were: One of Carrie Bebris’s talents is portraying and fleshing out Jane Austen’s characters in a manner that is so reverent and thoughtful to their original creations. She matches their delightful eccentricities and idiosyncrasies, cleverly emulates their dialogue, and fabricates intrigue and mysteries around them in a manner that doesn’t feel wholly improbable. I was thrilled to see Ms. Bebris continue in a like manner (unlike a certain mini-series so far) with the Parkers’ hilarious self-doctoring, Diana Parker’s relentless energy, and Sir Denham’s mortifying attempts at being a romantic Lothario.

- Sanditon House: I love that all the intrigue and drama took place in Sanditon House. It was riveting to witness how all characters would get along in their confinement and observe their continued interactions with each other. And the tension certainly heightened when characters started to pair off and search the house because more than one guest had gone missing! It made me think of the movie Clue (which you must see if you haven’t), with all the characters having possible ulterior motives and breaking away from the others for unknown reasons.

- Kept Us Guessing: It is so fun to be kept in the dark and attempt to puzzle out the mystery before it is all revealed. I love all the red herrings Ms. Bebris incorporated in this tale. With so many characters interested and dependent on Lady Denham’s favor it made for a long list of suspects! I was happy to say that I accurately guessed one third of the mystery, but the other two thirds were surprises.

- The Ending: I loved the wonderfully satisfying conclusions Ms. Bebris created for these characters. There was plenty of detail, promising romantic developments, and a lot of gratifying outcomes for all players involved, big and small. I am so glad Ms. Bebris took such time to illustrate the fates for each character.

WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:

- Sometimes Slow: There was an occasional moment or two where I felt the story and action lag a little bit. Some readers may feel the exposition (which is around 80 pages) might be a little long, but I really enjoyed seeing the Darcys arrive in Sanditon, encounter all the key players for the first time, and tour the area.

CONCLUSION:

Readers who love to see beloved characters brought together in and who enjoy stories with murder, mayhem, and intrigue will find so much to appreciate and admire about the remarkable Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mysteries series. I am thrilled that Ms. Bebris included Sanditon in her collection and applaud all her praiseworthy characterizations and attention to detail. I am so hoping that this series will continue with more!!

Austenesque Reviews

[❂ Murder by Death · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once I sorted out the who's who and got past the story setup, the book became a lot of fun. We have a large important house, a terrible storm, a missing Lady, and a bit of a locked room mystery vibe from the whole thing, with just a touch of the gothic.

Full review: http://jenn.booklikes.com/post/131300...

[Carole (in Canada) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh what fun this book was! I felt as if I was playing the game 'Clue' or attending one of those murder/mystery dinners but there isn't a dead body...just missing women!

This is Ms. Bebris 7th book in the Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery series. I have read all the others and so enjoyed; but I really loved this one. The Darcy's were visiting the Colonel & Mrs. Fitzwilliam when they were all invited to Sandition to experience this new and upcoming seaside resort by Mr. & Mrs. Parker. Also, going was a single young women of good family, Charlotte Heywood, who would be the Parker's guest. At the last minute, due to a 'family matter', the Fitzwilliam's were unable to go. However, the Darcy's still went not only for a vacation at the seaside but for Mr. Darcy to assess whether it would be a good investment for the Colonel.

There is a lot going on in this story that takes place over a very short period of time. The characters are all beautifully drawn out and the scene is set for the chaos that ensues. As I love a good mystery, I tried to pick up on clues that are neatly woven into the story. Some characters are not what they seem and I was constantly going back and forth on who was the villain! I had my suspicions and was pleased with some of my deductions. I was completely engaged in this mystery romp!

Each of the chapters is headed with an excerpt from the incomplete 'Sandition' that Jane Austen wrote or 'Northanger Abbey'. There definitely was a Gothic touch to the story. And if you are a fan of 'Northanger Abbey', you should be able to pick up on a comment by Elizabeth that relates to something Catherine Morland found.

I highly recommend this book to those who love a good mystery that just happens to have our favourite couple as the sleuths!

[Abigail Bok · Rating 4 out of 5]

Years ago I read the first book in this series, Pride and Prescience, and enjoyed it but found it a bit rough. Happily, the author has upped her game and by this, the seventh in her series, she has created a world that feels very Austenesque in its language and sensibilities. I might cavil at the stray, jarring modern word and the occasionally historical-romance-style behavior (Sidney, I'm looking at you), but these irruptions were rare enough that I didn't break my stride as a reader.

The series features a happily married Mr. and Mrs. Darcy who travel about the country, felicitously finding themselves in villages familiar to readers of Austen's novels, where over and over they have the misfortune to stumble across criminal behavior crying out for investigation. In this book they travel to the seaside via a visit to Colonel Fitzwilliam and his wife.

Jane Austen began Sanditon, a story about hypochondriacs at a coastal resort, as her own health was failing. It is in some way a return to the burlesque satire of her youthful writings, though filtered through the refining mind of a mature artist. It centers on the Parker family, a very modern set of wealthy people without strong roots in the land. The heroine is a Miss Charlotte Heywood, a young woman they invite to visit, after brief acquaintance, at the seaside village they are trying to develop into a fashionable resort. Charlotte is mature beyond her years, and throughout the short fragment she acts more or less as a stand-in for Austen herself, observing the follies of the characters around her from a perch of sensible detachment. How she would have been drawn into the action we will never know.

In The Suspicion at Sanditon Bebris revives the vivid and often ridiculous characters of Sanditon and adds a couple to build her mystery. After a very brief setup everyone is invited to dinner at Sanditon House, the home of Lady Denham, but things very rapidly go awry as the hostess fails to appear. The action plays out over the course of a long night and morning, making this a classic house-party mystery. As is so often the case, the roots of the story grow far into the past, and the solution is satisfyingly complex and drawn out. I figured out some aspects and groped toward others, but enough wrinkles eluded me to keep me glued to the tale.

I want to highlight especially the dialogue, which was clever and very much in the style of Austen. If the characters lost a bit of their brio in translation, their essential natures were never insulted. I shall be curious to see where Bebris takes this series now that she has run through all the completed novels and Austen's final fragment. Dare I hope for a Watson-based installment?

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I had a hunch with part of the mystery but I wasn't able to solve all the parts beforehand. It was a really engaging story. I am a bad Austenite and haven't read Sanditon, so all the characters were new to me.

I can say enough how engaging it is!

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seemingly moments after reading the end of award winning author’s Carrie Bebris, The Deception at Lyme (Or, The Peril of Persuasion) in 2011, the sixth novel in her Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mystery series, I, along with other fans wondered what Bebris might write next. Much speculation surfaced whether she would attempt a mystery with Austen’s lesser known works: Sanditon, The Watsons, and Lady Susan or abandon the scheme altogether! Not four years later, and all anticipation, I had my hands on an advanced copy of Bebris’s seventh in the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mystery series, Suspicion at Sanditon (Or, the Disappearance of Lady Denham).

Only the most astute Austen fans will know Sanditon is the unfinished novel that Jane Austen began writing in January 1817 and forsook after the first eleven chapters on March 18—dying 4 months later on July 18, 1817. Others might be interested to understand this first draft centers on a Miss Charlotte Heywood, the daughter of a country gentleman, who travels to a developing seaside resort, Sanditon, and encounters a ridiculous baronet Sir Edward Denham, the Parker family who were always imagining themselves unwell, and the twice-widowed dowager Lady Denham with no heir apparent. “In those few chapters she sets her stage, populates it with memorable characters, and infuses the whole with humor reminiscent of her earlier writings.” (332) Author’s Note.

In Suspicion at Sanditon, Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy were about to set off with Darcy’s cousins Colonel Fitzwilliam and his wife, the former Anne de Bourgh, for this new place by the sea to discover if it worthy of their financial investment. However, true to form, Lady Catherine de Bourgh sent word she would descend upon her daughter and son-in-law for an unscheduled visit, so the Darcy’s continued on without them—assuring the Fitzwilliams they would visit the seaside village themselves and would send back word as to their recommendations. There in Sanditon, along with their friend Charlotte Heywood, the Darcy’s become acquainted with the same peculiar villagers and visitors of Austen’s original first draft.

The Darcy’s barely establish themselves in their lodgings when the dowager Lady Denham invited them to a dinner party along with all her grasping relations. The dinner guests awaited the arrival of their hostess–who inevitably failed to appear! On that dark and stormy night, Darcy organized an anxious search of the property and the house.

Attempting to control this group would be akin to herding cats. Yet standing back and watching any of the rest of them manage the inquiry would prove a still greater exercise in frustration. At least if he consented to lead the investigation, he would have the authority to ensure it was done well, and that no one with an interest in the matter would be able to exploit the proceedings for his or her benefit. (132)

But speculation abounds as one by one, the guests seemed to disappear. Though the Darcy’s are attentive to details, Bebris skillfully throws suspicion on all her characters as she takes us on a madcap who-dunnit.

For the first one hundred pages, Bebris scrupulously sketches the characters and the setting. And yet, I was desperate for something meaningful to finally happen! Once Volume the Second, In Which the Search for Lady Denham Commences began, the search for the missing dowager does just that. It was frustrating that after waiting so long for progress though, there was a lot of exploring the old manse with (or even without) a single candle, back tracking, tittle-tattle of the dinner guests wanting their dinner/dry clothes/their beds and assumptions of where their hostess might be and what might be done on a night such as this…and with little profit of clues. But I plodded on. Like in previous intrigues, the Darcy’s were not the focus. However, they seemed to be the only voices of reason in a sea of nonsensical decisions. I pitied the Darcys to be surrounded by such foolish company! Rather, my favorite scenes were the rare nuggets when the Darcy’s were in private.

“At least Lady Denham, for all the criticisms we have heard of her frugality, seems to have adopted a practical approach to managing the household. If the best apartment in the house was sitting unused, why should she not take it as her own?”

“I shall remember that you said that, should I someday find myself widowed and decide to move in to your apartment.”

He looked up from the letters to meet her gaze. A teasing smile played upon her lips. He returned it, grateful for her drawing him, at least for a moment, away from the world of Sanditon and into the their own. He wished he were home, instead of on a “holiday” that had turned out to be anything but. “You may have it now, if you want it. The bedchamber is seldom enough occupied.” Because he spent most nights in hers. “Whether before or after my demise, however, I would find a way to visit you after dark.” (170)

Until Volume the Third, In Which Villainy is Exposed, And Order Restored, throughout this tempestuous night, Lady Denham’s guests continue to disappear (and reappear) before all is revealed. Which was surprisingly wholly satisfying! After the first two volumes, hoping for some purposeful action to occur—it all came together in the end in classic Bebris brilliance!

Though this is not my favorite novel in Bebris’s most excellent series, I was gladdened by the exceptional story that ultimately enfolded in the final chapters. I particularly enjoyed the Author’s Notes where Bebris explained her research into Austen’s unfinished manuscript. And I am all curious if Carrie Bebris might venture another mystery with The Watsons.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything Jane Austen. I was thrilled that this book had finally become available. I was anxious to see where the book would lead Darcy and Elizabeth. The location was a seaside village called Sanditon. This was the name of the final unfinished manuscript by Jane Austen, before her death. This is a mystery series, yet let's you catch up with the characters in the Austen novels. This story combines kidnapping, a spooky dark mansion on a stormy night, hidden passages, and long held secrets. Who better to sort it out but the Darcys. A touch of romance, the proper wording, and devotion ,to the time period, and several mysteries made for a great read. I am anxious to see where the Darcys head next.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This much anticipated New mystery in the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy series is absolutely brilliant. The characters reflect the unfinished work of Jane Austen's Sanditon. The story is weaved into a fabulous page-Turner. I was captivated and could not put the book down. Utterly brilliant!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed all of the books in this series. I felt the characters here were very true to how Austen wrote them in the fragment that is Sanditon. I hope that Mrs Bebris turns her talents next to Lady Susan, that story just begs for a Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mystery.

[Chelsea Moeller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another successful edition to the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mysteries series! Carrie Bebris introduces and develops Jane Austen's characters with an even greater attention to detail and devotion than her wonderful books have done before.
The mysteries abound in "Suspicion at Sanditon", as we meet the Parkers, the Hollis', and the estimable Lady Denham. While a typical problem between families seems to be the primary motivator of events, readers soon come to find a household gone missing, and for drastically different reasons! Once the mysteries are unravelled by the dedicated Darcys, readers are sure to consider Jane Austen's "Sanditon" characters part of the memorable literary lineage of this great series!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a lot of fun reading this book. I read half of it riding Amtrak on Saturday and finished it on the ride home on Monday. I was completely surprised by the way things turned out, and enjoyed the suspense and the humor. I had read Sanditon a few years ago, and it was interesting to compare how two different authors took the same material left unfinished by Jane Austen and turned it into their own novels. The characters had the same traits, the settings were the same, and yet so much was different.

[Judine Brey · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I love about the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mysteries is that Bebris keeps the characters' spirits in tact. Everyone from Darcy and Elizabeth to Colonel Fitzwilliam to the lesser known Sanditon characters still come across the same as when reading the original work. While Bebris' tone echoes Austen's dry humor, she still puts her own twist on it, which makes it more engaging than a lot of other "recreated" Austen pieces. The conclusion of this novel was satisfying and the red herrings utilized were highly effective.

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this series.

[Harsha Priolkar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm assuming this is the final book in this series since there aren't any more Austen works left to adapt, unless Bebris decides to continue with entirely original work. This series has been a nostalgia-laced revisit to the Austen universe. It's been an enjoyable, light and mostly bright ride along side the Darcys as they solve all manner of mysteries. I loved the first two books and the 5th the best, probably because I know and love the original Austen works from which they are adapted the best.

Given that I haven't read Sanditon by Austen (unfinished due to her demise), at all, this was the first book that felt more Bebris to me and although I did enjoy it and it did have the usual Austen suspects and her trademark characterisations - parts of it were just not authentic to me and felt forced, especially a scene with Sydney Parker and Charlotte Heywood that I just couldn't imagine appearing in an authentic Austen! Maybe it's just me being a purist?!

This book is once again set in a large country house by the sea at Sanditon and has the requisite numbers of titled gentry mixed with the ordinary gentlefolk. The Parkers, Lady Denham, Baronet Denham and his sister, Mr. Granville, Mr. Josiah Hollis, Ivy Woodcock and of course the Darcys. There is mayhem as a bizarre series of kidnappings appear to have taken place in Sanditon house during the course of a dinner hosted by its owner Lady Denham. There are thirteen to dinner and the kidnapper appears to have a fondness for the female guests! As the Darcys try to get to the bottom of the bizarre happenings, they must deal with a crabby old relative of the host, ghosts of Hollis past, a sentimental and foolish Baronet and a host of other quirky characters.

While I did enjoy this book, I thought it could have been edited for length to form a much more tightly knit and compelling narrative. As it is I was a teensy teensy bit bored by the time I got to the end. Didn't help that I had figured out much of the plot before the end! I still enjoyed this book and don't regret reading this series, but I wish the ending had been a stronger one! However I cannot deny that this series has brought me much joy and if Bebris writes another - I will certainly read it!

[KM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me a couple false starts because the first couple chapters were slow. Chapter 3 sees the setup complete and the story really in motion, and there came a point where I absolutely could not put the book down. So many awesome twists and turns, and any theory I had only ever turned out to be partially right at best. THAT is exactly what I'm looking for in a mystery, and I walked away completely satisfied.

Darcy and Elizabeth were well-written, and as a whole I'm so glad I stuck with this series to the end. The first book was okay and the second was the weakest of the series. I stuck with it for 3 reasons: 1. I like the way Austen's characters were portrayed. 2. I liked getting to spend time with Darcy and Elizabeth as a couple, and their relationship arc satisfied me enough to get through the weak plots of books 1 and 2. Lastly- My favorite Austen novel is Persuasion, and the fact that it came 6th in the series and I didn't want to skip over developments in the Darcy's relationship meant I wasn't going to be satisfied jumping over books 3-5. So glad I stuck with the reading order. Book 3 was much improved over the first 2, Book 4 was a surprise favorite. Book 5 continued the upwards trajectory, and my beloved Persuasion was wonderfully represented in Book 6- my absolute favorite of the series. Book 7 though... it's not good enough to edge out The Deception at Lyme for top of the list, but it tied The Intrigue at Highbury for 2nd fave. It also renewed my sorrow that Jane Austen passed before Sanditon could be finished. I truly wish we could know how that story was meant to end.

Cheers to Carrie Bebris for an overall solid entry to the list of Jane Austen variations/pastiches. Despite the wobbly beginning, it's been an overall great time.

[Michelle Przekwas · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I did read a few of the reviews here before writing mine. My take away from their reviews is that they compare Ms. Bebris' storyline to the movie 'Clue'. I agree and it didn't matter to me one bit. I love the movie 'Clue' and I enjoyed this book featuring Jane Austen's characters.

This story contained the characters of 'Sanditon', a gathering in a manor home, the disappearance of a main character, a ferocious storm that kept inhabitants inside the manor(which always stirs up ghost stories which bring out a happy dance from me), the slow disappearance of characters as the story progresses, the wonderful addition of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy among the guests, and a well thought out conclusion. Ms. Bebris even gives us an epilogue on her characters. Thank you Ms. Bebris.

Although at times slow moving, I encourage you to read this one as well as all the others in this series. They are all satisfying cozy mysteries.
If you wonder why I only gave it 3/5 stars, this is why. I considered it so slow moving that it may make some readers give up. I liked it enough not to. But it was so slow that I did put it to the side to read other mysteries and then returned it. So, I liked it, but didn't consider it a riveting read.

[Meggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last (for now) of the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mysteries. This one felt like a riff on And Then There Were None, in that characters kept disappearing one by one from Lady Denham's dinner party until very few of the original 14 were left. Fortunately, though, they don't end up murdered like in Christie's novel! I thought the first explanation of the disappearances was hysterical and very in keeping with the character in question; the second explanation was a little more complex, and beyond the confines of Austen's Sanditon fragment. I enjoyed this one, although the Darcys did feel a little shoehorned in--but since that's been my consistent complaint about this series, I think I've come to accept the fact that Darcy and Elizabeth just keep stumbling into the aftermath of other Austen stories.

[Dana Crouch (Callaway) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a unique entry in this series for a few reasons. The initial mystery is a disappearance, not a murder. It is based on an uncomplete work by Austen rather than one of her novels. And it is the final book in this series.

There was a slight return to the light supernatural elements of the first 3 books, and reference to those events (though much less emphasis of those and Elizabeth's own "sixth sense" than in the early books).

I thought the mystery was well done. I think there was some good foreshadowing done to point you to the suspicious parties, but without giving too much away too early. It was a departure from the structure of the other mysteries, which had a more typical pacing for classic murder mysteries.

I am a bit sad that I've finished the series. I think Bebris is one of the best at evoking Jane Austen's style. She captures the humor and general spirit of those stories, while maintaining her own voice. There is a good chance that I will return to these books at some point.

[Ruby Grad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in this series I've read. I'll be reading more. In it, the author takes the fragment left by Jane Austen before her death that later became the unfinished "Sanditon." Having just watched the PBS series, I was curious what this take would be. In it, the author brings Elizabeth and Darcy to Sanditon, after having met Charlotte Heywood, whom they accompany to Sanditon. I wasn't aware this is a series in which Elizabeth and Darcy solve mysteries. This one is the disappearance of Lady Denham as she is hosting a dinner party at which the Darcys are present. The guests then spend the night trying to find Lady Denham and discover why she disappeared. It's a lot of fun and great to see characters I know from their books, the Darcys and the characters who populate Sanditon (with the exception of Ms. Lambe, who does not appear) in this context.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 7th book in the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy series. The Darcys plan on accompanying their friends to a seaside village where a Mr. Thomas Parker plans on making it into a resort town. They are traveling with and chaperoning Miss Charlotte Heywood. When the party is invited to dine at the home of Lady Denham, they meet a variety of guests while waiting for their hostess. Lady Denham fails to appear and it seems like she has vanished. Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam head up the search. As the night goes on and the weather deteriorates, they are forced to spend the night. Guests begin disappearing, one by one and the Darcys become desperate to solve the mystery before someone else goes missing. This was a clever mystery with a few red herrings along the way and also a dash of romance.

[Ann Boytim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr. & Mrs. Darcy are on a short vacation to a beach resort. They are accompanied by their young friend Charlotte Heywood and the meet Lady Denham who owns a large estate close to the village.
Lady Denham invites a group of people to her home for a dinner party and then as they all wait for her to appear for dinner they find out that she has disappeared. A search begins and more of the ladies in the party disappear. The Darcys team uo to try and figure out the mystery behind the disappearances.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read several others in this series and enjoyed them. This one had all the makings of an excellent Agatha Christie - a dinner party, a storm, and a missing hostess. The writing is tight and the characters interesting, I just feel as though there wasn't enough involvement with Mr. and Mrs. Darcy. Either develop their characters more fully and give us more insight into them, or utilize what we already know about them and use them to drive the action. Here, they felt like place holders. We saw more development and action with the other characters.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

To my mind, this is both the most Gothic and the most Byzantine of the "Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mysteries". The convoluted plot is full of people disappearing, rumors of ghosts, secret passages, and clandestine romances. However, all comes right in the end, and the Epilogue gives a very satisfactory explanation of what happens to the main characters in the future.

... I keep hoping that Ms. Bebris will attempt some kind of treatment on Austen's Lady Susan, but since that is an epistolary novel, that might be a difficult feat.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve read in this series and I loved it. Jane Austen characters from her unfinished book Sanditon and a mystery what more could you ask for!! Carrie Brebis I think really honored Austens characters but also added to them in a way that didn’t detract from them either and created a really interesting story. Made me think of Agatha Christie the way it played out and such. I love Darcy and Elizabeth’s as sleuths. I appreciated her keeping to the time periods culture and “rules” of engagement. Highly recommend this book!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is going slowly, for some reason. Not a lot is going on -- just a lot of characters (13 or 14 people at least) wandering around the house and grounds looking for Lady Denham. And then more women start disappearing....
I have not read Austen's last unfinished novel Sanditon, so am unfamiliar with the story and characters this book is based on. The story is rather drawn out, and the Darcys don't play a huge part in it, unlike the previous ones I've read. It was still very interesting, more so as I got towards the end and things started happening a little faster. Probably not not one I'll reread any time soon, though - I enjoyed the previous books in the series more than this one.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Darcys are drawn once again into a situation that requires Elizabeth's intuitive skills and Darcy's logic to puzzle out the disappearance of their hostess and other guests. The story reminded me of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None", with a variety of subterfuges to keep the reader guessing. I had a hard time putting this down until I reached the end. Characters were well developed and consistent with Austen's portrayal.

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wavered on what to rate this. The book started off a little slow, and I just wasn’t enjoying it near as much as the others. Then I realized that though I had taken time to read Sanditon before I began this, these characters were not the old friends of Austen’s completed novels which I am well acquainted with. Hence, I had to readjust my thinking. The book did pick up midway through and did come to a satisfying conclusion.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. I’m sad if this is the end. But I will keep rereading each volume even if there are no additional ones. I enjoyed reading Austen’s Sanditon to give me context for this story. I had never read it and really enjoyed yet another example of Austen’s cleverness. And this was a great reinterpretation of that story. I loved the mystery and the humor in it.

Mr. and Mrs.
Darcy make incredible
Detectives always.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a bit different than the other offerings in Carrie Bebris's Mr. & Mrs. Darcy series, in part because it was based on an unfinished Jane Austen novel. The mystery element here reads more like an Agatha Christie story, with a complex storyline of disappearances and red herrings. The large cast of characters is rapidly introduced, and I found it a bit confusing at first, but in the end, I enjoyed the book.