Customer Reviews

The Matters at Mansfield: Or, the Crawford Affair (Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mysteries)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Wow, wow, wow! This is Carrie Bebris' best yet! Truly. Her writing and stories just get better and better; top shelf mystery that had me turning pages into the wee hours of the morning. I felt torn between speed reading to find out whodunnit, but wanted to prolong my delight and suspense in this delicious read.

To avoid giving anything away (because that would be a failing indeed on my part as a reviewer!) I'll simply state that her plot development is strong and supportive of much of JA's canon characters. Her writing of Darcy and Elizabeth's private conversations are all that is light, witty and sparkling. I loved the interaction with the Mansfield Park characters, as well as the new personas sprinkled throughout. One such new character, Meg, provided me with several LOL moments, as she unwittingly trifled with Lady Catherine regarding her advancing age and diminishing wits... Too fun! And of course I loved all the regency details Bebris provided (some examples: the betting and strategy of quadrille; proper etiquette for a gentleman's duel; marriage law, divorce court and Gretna Green, etc., etc., etc.) to give flavor and color. A suspenseful mystery with the Darcy's -- what could be more enchanting?! Terrific read. A must buy!

"More accurately, Lady Catherine conversed. Anne listened silently, her attention straying to other parts of the busy room as her mother soliloquied unchecked. Wandering concentration, however, was endemic to participants in Lady Catherine's conversations. It was how one survived them." Chapter 2

Austenesque author Carrie Bebris ventures into her fourth excursion in the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mysteries series with the recently released, THE MATTERS AT MANSFIELD: OR THE CRAWFORD AFFAIR continuing the story of Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy after their marriage in Jane Austen's novel PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Once again we join the famous couple as they investigate crime and murder among the gentry of Regency England involving many familiar characters from Jane Austen's novels.

It has been two summers since the Darcy's marriage in 1803 and the story opens at Riverton Hall in Buckinghamshire, the ancestral home of Mr. Darcy's mother Anne Fitzwilliam. The present Earl is giving a ball in honor of his new fiancé and the Darcy's are house guests along with other family members; sister Georgiana Darcy, cousins Colonel Fitzwilliam and Anne de Bourgh, and her mother the officious and overbearing Lady Catherine de Bourgh still giving unsolicited advice and talking a blue streak.

Lady Catherine's hen pecked and sickly daughter Anne is now 28 years old and being micro-managed by her mother to within an inch of her life. Lady Catherine is determined to secure a prominent match for her daughter since the mate chosen for her since birth, Fitzwilliam Darcy, defied her wishes and married that `gentleman's daughter', Elizabeth Bennet. Unbeknownst to Anne, her mother brokers a marriage to the son of a family friend and neighbor Lord Sennex, of Hawthorn Manor. This is purely a match of convenience as the future husband is a hot tempered Caliban, about as suitable a love match for fragile and retiring Anne as the odious Rev. Mr. Collins was for Elizabeth Bennet in the original novel.

Certain that her mother will chain her to an abysmal marriage, Anne makes an uncharacteristically bold move and elopes with a man unknown to her family or friends, Henry Crawford of Everingham in Norfolk. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam pursue the couple to Gretna Green, Scotland only to discover that they are too late. The irregular marriage has already taken place and duly consummated. At Lady Catherine's biding, they escort the couple back to Riverton Hall for an audience with her Ladyship. Along the road they are detained in a country village quite familiar to Henry Crawford, Mansfield Park, the last village in England where we would like to be stranded. Unavoidably he must deal with the village locals and many of the characters in Jane Austen's novel Mansfield Park such as Sir Thomas Bertram, Mrs. Norris and his former paramour, the spiteful Maria Rushworth. While there, a murder is discovered. Who, I will not reveal, but suffice it to say, if you ever felt the desire to kill off one of Jane Austen's most undeserving cads, you will not be disappointed.

Ms Berbris is truly fond of a good Austen quote skillfully applying them as a epigraph to open each of the chapters. In that spirit, I shall paraphrase a quote by Lady Catherine de Bourgh from Pride and Prejudice and exclaim that with THE MATTERS AT MANSFIELD Bebris "has given us a treasure." I was continually charmed by her imaginings of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy as the Nick and Nora Charles of the Regency set, exhibiting all the sensibilities that any Janeite would appreciate in an Austen pastiche; respect for the original author's style, observance of period detail, reverence to the characters, and interjection of circuitous humour and lighthearted banter, all combined in a well thought out and absorbing whodunit that keeps us guessing and engaged to the last. My only disappointment was that it ended all too quickly, and I hope that the next novel currently being penned about Austen's novel Emma will suspend our pleasure for a bit longer.

Laurel Ann, Austenprose

The Matters at Mansfield: Carrie Bebris
Whomever would have thought that the esteemed (and so controlled )Mr and Mrs Darcy would take up a path to ensure true love for their good friend Anne de Bourgh?Carrie Bebris did.

The resulting "Matters At Mansfield" is an excellent novel that is just what you would expect, and what you would not at the same time., "Pride and Prejudice" dealt with the difficult path of true love in a society well guarded by social graces and etiquette, and Anne (Lady De Bourghs daughter) finds herself in a similar position when the meddling Lady Catherine de Bourgh begins to play match maker. It's off to Mansfield in pursuit of Anne and her new husband Mr Crawford following their elopement. A murder complicates the matter, and as society dictates, and the murder solved before the potential scandal erupts.

What is fascinating about this series is the continuation of the story began in "Pride and Prejudice." The supporting cast of Lady Catherine De Bourgh, Georgiana, Elizabeth Darcy, Fitzwilliam Darcy, Mr and Mrs Collins, and Roger Fitzwilliam recreate the mystique and romance of the era. Pemberly, and the great house at Mansfield are home once again to proper `society' and incidents that reflect a public fascination with Victorian society. Packed with humor, romance, light intrigue, and situations readers of Jane Austin revel in, the Darcy Mysteries are a sparkling addition to the growing Victorian/historical mystery sections.


If I were to describe this book in a single sentence, it would be "a charming romp through Victorian romance and the complex machinations of arranged marriages and social correctness." Be prepared for episode four, the Darcy Mysteries. It's a great ride!

www.tor-forge.com

Tim Lasiuta

"The Matters at Mansfield" is definitely the best Mr. & Mrs. Darcy mystery yet. Unlike previous novels, there is nothing supernatural about the mystery, & most readers will probably appreciate this fact. The mystery centers on Lady Catherine & Anne de Borough, as well as Henry Crawford from Austen's "Mansfield Park." The mystery is fast paced & does not let up. There is also some humor thrown in.

Again, I am surprised at how well Bebris is able to capture the original characters from "Pride & Prejudice." Reading her books, I feel that I am actually reading Austen. The tone & characters are true to form.

When I purchased this book I knew that Elizabeth and Darcy would be involved in some way in solving a mystery. I didn't expect to see characters from other Austen books: Mr. Crawford! Maria Rushworth! Lady Catherine de Bourgh! Ann de Bourgh...and Fitzwilliam Darcy. All in one book? Yes. It is a fun, light hearted book, with more than one twist and turn. Very entertaining.

Poor Anne de Bourgh, at the age of twenty-eight she still remains single, friendless, and under her mother's management. For twenty-eight years she has been subjected to her mother's dictatorial and domineering personality and has been forced to play the part of an invalid. Furthermore, because her mother went around proclaiming to everyone that she was the next Mrs. Darcy, Anne feels all the humiliation of her cousin's recent marriage to Elizabeth Bennet. If that's not enough, the future doesn't look very promising for Anne either, as her mother is arranging her marriage to the ill-tempered and abusive Neville Sennex. What is Anne to do? After some kind words of encouragement from Elizabeth, Anne decides to take matters into her own hands. Little did Elizabeth know that her advice would result in Anne de Bourgh sneaking off to Greta Green in the middle of a ball and eloping with none other than Henry Crawford!

When Anne's flight and destination are realized, Colonel Fitzwilliam and Darcy travel in pursuit of the couple and are instructed to bring them to Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who is most seriously displeased by this whole affair! But matters become more complicated when a carriage accident that injures Anne detains them in a village called Mansfield, the last village Mr. Crawford would ever want to set foot in again! As soon as word gets out that Mr. Crawford is in town with a Mrs. Crawford, he encounters unpleasant and hostile reunions with all whom he has wronged: an indignant Mr. Rushworth and his mother are first to come pay their respects, followed by a furious Maria Rushworth and Mrs. Norris, and an unforgiving Edmund Bertram. In addition, Lady Catherine comes barreling into Mansfield with Elizabeth Darcy to add to the merry group and have her turn at berating Henry Crawford...

Unfortunately, Lady Catherine's berating will have to wait as more mysterious happenings commence in Mansfield: the arrival of a mysterious woman, the discovery of a dead body, and the disappearance of Mr. Crawford! While it is true that many may want Mr. Crawford dead, would any of these wronged people commit murder? Or perhaps, Mr. Crawford wanted to avoid facing the consequences of his own actions? Or was there a duel of honor with the very dishonorable Mr. Crawford? The evidence is very equivocal and it appears it will take some shrewd deduction and surreptitious investigation by Mr. and Mrs. Darcy to solve this mystery.

I am very much enjoying this series by Carrie Bebris and I love her diligence and dexterity in incorporating characters from other novels seamlessly and satisfyingly. I loved how this novel took us back to Mansfield to visit with some of our old friends, and I enjoyed seeing Mr. and Mrs. Darcy encounter the likes of Mrs. Norris! However, I was a little disappointed that Fanny did not make an appearance in this novel.

While I was very pleased with the author's treatment of Anne de Bourgh in giving her a delightful spirit and story, I was a little dissatisfied with her portrayal of Henry Crawford. Is he a scoundrel? Is he reformed? Is he in love? It was as if he had many personalities or characters and I felt as if I never got to the true Henry Crawford. Aside from that, "Matters at Mansfield" was truly an enjoyable read and I highly recommend this series to fans of Jane Austen and the mystery genre.

Austenesque Reviews

Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy are euphoric over the birth of their first child. However, both are bit stunned when they attend a party, as their mousy cousin Anne de Bourgh shows shocking courage and even stunningly a backbone by standing up to her martinet mother Lady Catherine for the first time at least in public. Catherine plans for her daughter to wed odious Neville Sennex, heir to senile Lord Sennex; instead Anne elopes with Mr. Crawford.

Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam give chase, but arrive at Gretna Green too late to stop the marriage. Instead they escort the couple home only Annie hurts her foot so they stop at Mansfield. However, soon afterward, a horde descends on the village. Annie's mom with her lawyer wants the marriage annulled. Crawford's mistress and his second wife claim he cannot marry someone else. As everyone argues over whom is married to who, Crawford's battered corpse is found; the magistrate proclaims suicide but Elizabeth and Fitz think otherwise and begin investigating.

Although some Jane Austen die-hards might take exception to liberties with characters like Anne (critically needed to put the plot in gear), Carrie Bebris provides a fun lighthearted Regency amateur sleuth tale. The story line is a fast-paced Regency and of course includes Austen tidbits. For the most part fans of Ms. Austen will appreciate Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam starring in their fourth entertaining whodunit (see PRIDE AND PRESCIENCE, NORTH BY NORTHANGER and SUSPENSE AND SENSIBILITY).

Harriet Klausner

This is another wonderful book from Carrie Bebris. This is a series that anyone who loves Jane Austen will like! As one of my favorite authors, she never disappoints me.

This was my second Carrie Bebris novel and I loved every word of it. The story is short (compared to others) but doesn't lack in any detail. I love the way that Bebris brings all of Jane Austen's characters to life in a mystery novel. She builds upon those characters, adds some new twists, gives you new reasons to love a character and to hate a character. All the time she is doing this she is weaving a truly marvelous murder mystery.

I personally enjoyed the development of Colonel Fitzwilliam. He has a larger part in this novel than some of the others that we have seen. He is helping Darcy in the desperate need to rescue his cousin Anne from Mr. Crawford. While doing so we are introduced to his attitudes of loyalty and chivalry. He also has a huge heart for protecting Anne (when did that develop). As such he sees it as his need to defend her honor. I love the development of the Colonel and would hope to read some sequels regarding him.

I have to agree with other reviewers also, the dialogue between Darcy and Elisabeth is wonderful. There is so much that goes on between them both serious and lighthearted. It continues right where Jane Austen leaves off with them. As such, I think that Jane Austen would find this book one of her favorites.

Finally, we have a few new characters that get tossed into the mix. They are well developed, well played out, and they are full of surprises. Bebris does a good job of leaving you with enough information to think that several people are committing the murders. Thus you have to read carefully to try and pick up the small clues that are dropped throughout the story that finally leads to the culprit.

I won't give any spoilers. This book has been out a while, but I just read it and loved it and highly recommend it to any Jane Austen fan fiction readers.

Enjoy!

Bebris hit a home run with North by Northanger and she continues her winning streak with this offering.

Lady Catherine is back to bedevil Elizabeth and as in the last book, her depiction of Lady C is spot on. The woman's machinations in this novel are entirely in character. Her portrayals of Henry Crawford and Colonel Fitzwilliam are equally finely executed. I particularly enjoy Fitzwilliam's role in this tale.

Bebris cleverly inserts the events in this novel between the time of Fanny Price and Edmund Bertram's marriage and the time Mrs. Norris and Maria Rushworth get shipped off to the continent.

I definitely will be reading this one again. In the meantime, I am watching my mailbox like a hawk for Intrigue at Highbury.

I look forward to a sixth book based on Persuasion but I do hope she continues to write more after that. Perhaps more adventures with the friends she's made in previous books.