In Want of a Suspect
A Lizzie and Darcy Mystery
*This novel and attached quote sheet was obtained through subscription of Once Upon a Book Club- Young Adult.
In Tirzah Price’s novel In Want of a Suspect, she takes the main characters from Pride and Prejudice—Elizabeth and Darcy—and makes them both solicitors solving a murder. A local business goes up in flames and Lizzie is asked to investigate, who asks Darcy to work with her. The case becomes complicated because it becomes connected to a Frenchwoman Darcy once courted. On top of that, this woman’s sister is murdered making it more urgent for Lizzie and Darcy to find the culprit. Throughout their investigation, it appears that this whole case may relate to the ongoing tensions between England and France via Napoleon.
Overall, this was an engaging mystery. However, the idea of Lizzie as a solicitor is difficult to accept. There were barely (if any) women solicitors during the Regency period. I felt having Lizzie as a solicitor was a forced and desperate attempt to make her a feminist. I never understood that Lizzie was a feminist from Pride and Prejudice. Despite this issue, the author does do a good job capturing Lizzie’s family dynamics. For instance, her mother’s obsession with marrying off her daughters is hilarious and very much in line with the original Pride and Prejudice. And the romance between Lizzie and Darcy was sweet.
Rating: 4/5
*This is the first novel in a duology. Book 2 is coming out November 11, 2025—A Matter of Murder.