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Original Essays | June 12, 2013

Lian Dolan: IMG The Bard and Bridget Jones Meet in Elizabeth the First Wife

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I was lucky enough to have a fantastic Shakespeare professor in college. She brought the material to life with her vast knowledge and brought... Continue »
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    Elizabeth the First Wife

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Death Comes to Pemberley

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Death Comes to Pemberley Cover

ISBN13: 9780307959850
ISBN10: 0307959856
Condition: Standard
Dustjacket: Standard
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

A rare meeting of literary genius: P. D. James, long among the most admired mystery writers of our time, draws the characters of Jane Austen’s beloved novel Pride and Prejudice into a tale of murder and emotional mayhem.

It is 1803, six years since Elizabeth and Darcy embarked on their life together at Pemberley, Darcy’s magnificent estate. Their peaceful, orderly world seems almost unassailable. Elizabeth has found her footing as the chatelaine of the great house. They have two fine sons, Fitzwilliam and Charles. Elizabeth’s sister Jane and her husband, Bingley, live nearby; her father visits often; there is optimistic talk about the prospects of marriage for Darcy’s sister Georgiana. And preparations are under way for their much-anticipated annual autumn ball.

Then, on the eve of the ball, the patrician idyll is shattered. A coach careens up the drive carrying Lydia, Elizabeth’s disgraced sister, who with her husband, the very dubious Wickham, has been banned from Pemberley. She stumbles out of the carriage, hysterical, shrieking that Wickham has been murdered. With shocking suddenness, Pemberley is plunged into a frightening mystery.

Inspired by a lifelong passion for Austen, P. D. James masterfully re-creates the world of Pride and Prejudice, electrifying it with the excitement and suspense of a brilliantly crafted crime story, as only she can write it.

Review:

"Historical mystery buffs and Jane Austen fans alike will welcome this homage to the author of Pride and Prejudice from MWA Grand Master James, best known for her Adam Dalgliesh detective series (The Private Patient, etc.). In the autumn of 1803, six years after the events that closed Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Darcy, the happily married mistress of Pemberley House, is preparing for Lady Anne's annual ball, 'regarded by the county as the most important social event of the year.' Alas, the evening before the ball, Elizabeth's sister Lydia, who married the feckless Wickham, bursts into the house to announce that Captain Denny, a militia officer, has shot her husband dead in the woodland on the estate. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam, who purists may note behaves inconsistently with Austen's original, head out in a chaise to investigate. Attentive readers will eagerly seek out clues to the delightfully complex mystery, which involves many hidden motives and dark secrets, not least of them in the august Darcy family. In contrast to Pride and Prejudice, where emotion is typically conveyed through indirect speech, characters are much more open about their feelings, giving a contemporary ring to James's pleasing and agreeable sequel. 300,000 first printing. Agent: Carol Heaton, Greene & Heaton Ltd." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
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About the Author

P. D. James is the author of twenty previous books, most of which have been filmed for television and broadcast in the United States and other countries. She spent thirty years in various departments of the British Civil Service, including the Police and Criminal Policy departments of Great Britain’s Home Office, and has served as a magistrate and as a governor of the BBC. The recipient of many honors and prizes, she was created Baroness James of Holland Park in 1991 and was inducted into the International Crime Writing Hall of Fame in 2008. She divides her time between London and Oxford.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 11 comments:
Linda Myatt, January 1, 2013 (view all comments by Linda Myatt)
Several writers have attempted to use Jane Austen's characters as armatures for their own productions. P.D. James is the only author I have read who seems to have a decent understanding of the period in which Austen lived, and of which she wrote. James succeeds in setting a good mystery novel in Austen's world.
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Holly Scudero, September 29, 2012 (view all comments by Holly Scudero)
I feel like I have only recently discovered the surprising proliferation of what is essentially a higher-class fan fic: Jane Austin sequels, in which writers try to imitate Austin's classic style with fresh stories featuring favorite characters from her novels. Now renowned novelist P.D. James presents her own story set six years after the conclusion to Austin's "Pride and Prejudice." It is the night before Pemberley's annual autumn ball, and the festivities have already begun for Elizabeth and Darcy; but their dinner party is brought to an abrupt end by the unexpected arrival of Lydia Wickham, hysterically screaming about a murder in the woods. Lydia's husband is the prime suspect, and the lengthy trial that follows is a demanding drain on everyone involved. Despite their history together, Darcy cannot believe that Wickham is guilty of murder, but can evidence be found to prove his innocence?

"Death Comes to Pemberley" is a fantastic offering in this niche genre. James does an outstanding job staying true to Austin's original style, which tends to be hit-or-miss for many authors. The characters are well-written and realistic, and even the long, flowing descriptions of the grounds of Pemberley come across as authentic. On top of that, the story itself ��" an engaging murder mystery ��" is a pleasure to take in, and will keep readers guessing up until the dramatic conclusion.

Originally published for San Francisco/Sacramento Book Reviews.
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Tinu, June 19, 2012 (view all comments by Tinu)
As a sequel to Pride and Prejudice, Death Comes to Pemberley is a satisfying effort. As a mystery, it is not conventional and probably not what most of us expected when we first heard about the book. The way the story plays out is somewht close to the time and place depicted and to Austen's style.

As a connoisseur of Jane Austen books, I was happy to read it, revisiting the characters from Pride and Prejudice and seeing their later lives depicted in a way which conforms to the depth and complexity that Austen gave her characters...

A good read for Jane Austen fans!
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780307959850
Author:
James, P. D.
Publisher:
Knopf Publishing Group
Author:
James, P.D.
Subject:
Mystery & Detective - General
Subject:
Mystery-A to Z
Subject:
Mystery Historical
Copyright:
2011
Publication Date:
20111231
Binding:
HARDCOVER
Language:
English
Pages:
304
Dimensions:
9.53 x 6.6 x 1.12 in 1.22 lb
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Related Subjects


Featured Titles » Bestsellers
Featured Titles » Literature
Fiction and Poetry » Literature » Jane Austen
Fiction and Poetry » Mystery » A to Z
Fiction and Poetry » Mystery » Featured Titles
Fiction and Poetry » Mystery » Historical

Death Comes to Pemberley Used Hardcover
0 stars - 0 reviews
$9.95 In Stock
Product details 304 pages Knopf Publishing Group - English 9780307959850 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "Historical mystery buffs and Jane Austen fans alike will welcome this homage to the author of Pride and Prejudice from MWA Grand Master James, best known for her Adam Dalgliesh detective series (The Private Patient, etc.). In the autumn of 1803, six years after the events that closed Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Darcy, the happily married mistress of Pemberley House, is preparing for Lady Anne's annual ball, 'regarded by the county as the most important social event of the year.' Alas, the evening before the ball, Elizabeth's sister Lydia, who married the feckless Wickham, bursts into the house to announce that Captain Denny, a militia officer, has shot her husband dead in the woodland on the estate. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam, who purists may note behaves inconsistently with Austen's original, head out in a chaise to investigate. Attentive readers will eagerly seek out clues to the delightfully complex mystery, which involves many hidden motives and dark secrets, not least of them in the august Darcy family. In contrast to Pride and Prejudice, where emotion is typically conveyed through indirect speech, characters are much more open about their feelings, giving a contemporary ring to James's pleasing and agreeable sequel. 300,000 first printing. Agent: Carol Heaton, Greene & Heaton Ltd." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
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