Jane Austen Meets Murder Mystery: a review of Death Comes to Pemberley

If you are feeling the need to read Austen, but have already read and re-read all her novels, P.D. James’ novel is a great place to land. 

If you are anything like me, you love Jane Austen. But if you are not, don't worry! The book I am about to review may use the characters from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, but even if you have never read Pride and Prejudice, you will not be lost within the plot.

P.D. James makes sure that anyone who finds her novel can enjoy it, even those who are not as crazy about Jane Austen as I am.

Death Comes to Pemberley was a quick read. While I tend to find murder mysteries quick reads in general, James keeps this one moving very well. This is a good thing, because the structure of her novel does not run like a traditional modern murder mystery. Much of the process of solving the murder does not involve the primary characters getting unnecessarily (or oftentimes, illegally) involved in the investigation. Rather, you will follow the speculation and consternation of Lizzie and Darcy while they are updated at intervals on how the investigation is progressing.

If I have made this sound like a very dull story, don't worry! Suspicious subplots abound, people are seen burning letters when they think they are alone, others clearly aren't letting on about what they know. But P.D. James rightfully does not put Lizzie and Darcy in the position of investigating themselves. For those who have read Pride and Prejudice, I would agree that this fits for these characters, and certainly fits for older versions of these characters.

For the secondary characters in the story, most of them are characters also to be found in Pride and Prejudice, with one addition. This new character fits in perfectly to the world Jane Austen originally created, and adds dimension to the story that might have been more difficult should every character have been a reworking of already existing characters.

That being said, those side characters who also exist in Pride and Prejudice are treated with extreme care. But P.D. James does not shy away from rewriting certain characters with a new arc. This, too, makes sense, as the events of the story are supposed to take place many years after Pride and Prejudice. Much can change in the course of a few years. People can (and do) change dramatically.

In summary, what can you expect from Death Comes to Pemberley?

1. For the Jane Austen fan, you will find a "sequel" of sorts to the events of Pride and Prejudice.

2. More generally, you will find a murder mystery set in the early 1800's.

3. Finally, whether you have read Pride and Prejudice or not, you will enjoy this historically accurate, short, murder mystery.

Adult content? Almost none. The description of the murder victim's body is a bit gruesome, but minimal and not gratuitous. There is no sex, and minimal language.

One final note: for those looking for more Jane Austen themed books, be on the lookout for my reviews of Claudia Gray's mystery novels: The Murder of Mr. Wickham and The Late Mrs. Willoughby!