Courtesy of Beaverdale Books

Review by Barb Palar

By P.D. James

Knopf Publishing Group

12/06/2011

$25.95

304 pp

Going into “Death Comes to Pemberley,” there was a bit of trepidation and admittedly some sense of “how dare you?” try to recreate some of the favorite Jane Austen characters in a murder mystery? In P.D. James’ newest book, readers are reintroduced to a very familiar Elizabeth Bennet and her beloved Darcy, happily married and living with Darcy’s sister Georgiana and their two young sons at Pemberley, not far from Jane and Bingley.

James brilliantly marries her passion for Austen with her penchant for murder in this delightfully charming work. She is able to capture Austen’s wit while at the same time capitalizing on her own work with Britain’s Criminal Policy Department.

On the eve of the Pemberley ball, we are met with another familiar “Pride and Prejudice” character, Lydia Bennet Wickham, who comes screeching up to Pemberley pronouncing that a murder has taken place. In the initial confusion, we are led to believe that it is Lydia’s husband who has been murdered but as the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that Wickham is instead the accused. Darcy, being Darcy, comes to the aid of his unpleasant in-law. In the ensuing investigation and trial, readers are also treated to a bit of law and order, British style.

Austen fans should open their hearts to “Death comes to Pemberley.” This imaginative glimpse into life beyond “Pride and Prejudice” may not be exactly what Austen imagined for the Bennets, but it’s an interesting conjecture. CV