Death Comes to Pemberley
by P.O. James
At 91, the great P.O. James has just established herself as "heir apparent to Jane Austen's creative legacy:' said Carol Memmott in USA Today. Many have tried before to emulate the 19th century legend's tone and plotting finesse, but the "doyenne of British crime fiction" has outdone them with this "perfect" crime thriller. Six years after the marriages that end Pride and Prejudice, "Mr. Darcy" and his bride, Elizabeth, are living in wedded bliss at Pemberley when Elizabeth's sister, Lydia, arrives at the estate one night to inform them of the murder of a friend.
"Austen fans need no reminder of the trouble Lydia brought to her family" in the original novel. Nothing, apparently, has changed, James' "faultless replication" of Austen's writing style lifts her above "the ever-growing pack" of Austen imitators, said Fran Wood in the New Jersey Star-Ledger. But Death Comes to Pemberley is not just a tribute; it's a first-rate murder mystery.
The eventual trial will offer twists you won't see coming.
Book review originally appeared in This Week, 23 December 2011, p.24
1 comment:
James has often commented that if Austen were alive today, she'd be writing mystery fiction. I think we "Jane-ites" are thrilled that a P&P sequel has finally been given serious consideration by an important British Author. I think James' disciplined, classical style is the perfect vehicle to expand Austen's characters. I've had it on my Amazon pre-order for months.
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