The Phantom of Pemberley by Regina Jeffers is a sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice with a murder mystery twist. And although I’ve read Jeffers before (all of her other books, as a matter of fact) I was skeptical. Extremely skeptical. I was skeptical to the point of being afraid of reading the book because I had very high expectations.
Well, dear reader, I am happy to report that not only does Jeffers deliver for the Austen fan; she delivers for the “cozy” crowd as well.
Jeffers begins the book by dropping us into Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam’s lives a little over a year after they’ve been married. Things are going well, even an impending visit from Lydia Wickham can’t ruin their idyllic setting until a winter squall strikes and several travelers are forced to stay at Pemberley for a duration to ride the storm out.
Characters both from the original book by Austen and new characters created by Jeffers are presented and fleshed out for us to enjoy. Happily (or unhappily for the Darcy’s) Lady Catherine and Anne de Bourgh are part of the refugees when the storm strikes so the tension is set at a fever pitch.
In a very deliberate fashion, each of the guests has some relation to each other, although all are thought to be strangers other than those of direct relation to the Darcys. It is a wonderful set up and the tension builds as you turn the pages.
Almost immediately the mystery begins when a shadow figure appears to be stalking the grounds. Then the bodies start piling up. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the murders which leads the guest to believe there may be more than one killer on the loose.
Trapped because of the storm and impassable roads, the guests are forced to remain at Pemberley. Because help can’t reach Pemberley, Darcy and Elizabeth are forced to discover who the murderer is before another victim is taken.
Interwoven with the mystery and intrigue are genuine love stories, courtship and even some play acting presented by the guests. Jeffers had me convinced I was in an Austen novel, even if it was in another universe.
Darcy and Elizabeth are fairly passionate in the book, therefore I would NOT recommend this to a purist.
4 out of 5 stars!
Read my interview with Regina Jeffers.
Read more about Regina Jeffers here.
------
Follow me on TWITTER or join the fun on FACEBOOK!
Comments
Since I'm not a Jane Austen purist, I'm adding "The Phantom of Pemberly" to my shopping cart! Thanks, Kelly!
I agree with Debra. Gimme Darcy in any form and I'm happy!
Fantastic review. This sounds like a must read!
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!