Death Comes to Pemberley by P. D. James

Death Comes to Pemberley

by P. D. James

The year is 1803, and Darcy and Elizabeth have been married for six years. There are now two handsome and healthy sons in the nursery, Elizabeth's beloved sister Jane and her husband Bingley live nearby and the orderly world of Pemberley seems unassailable. But all this is threatened when, on the eve of the annual autumn ball, the guests are preparing to retire for the night when a chaise appears, rocking down the path from Pemberley's wild woodland. As it pulls up, Lydia Wickham - Elizabeth's younger, unreliable sister - stumbles out screaming that her husband has been murdered. Inspired by a lifelong passion for the work of Jane Austen, PD James masterfully recreates the world of Pride and Prejudice, and combines it with the excitement and suspense of a brilliantly-crafted crime story. Death Comes to Pemberley is a distinguished work of fiction, from one of the best-loved, most- read writers of our time.

Reviewed by clairelm on

4 of 5 stars

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I'm not a big fan of classics (and a big fan of crime), I thought I would enjoy this much more than Pride and Prejudice but I was wrong and I'm full of a new appreciation of Jane Austen's genius in writing the original book.

Having said that, I did enjoy P.D. James' book and thought it was very well written and a gripping story which I struggled to put down.

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  • Started reading
  • 12 July, 2013: Finished reading
  • 12 July, 2013: Reviewed