Pride and Prescience

Bebris, Carrie. (2004). Pride and prescience, or, a truth universally acknowledged: A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery. New York, NY: Forge.

ISBN: 9780765318435

Pages: 287

Genre: mystery

Annotation: The newly-wed Darcys encounter accidents and murder.

Summary: After their wedding, the Darcys want nothing more than to go home to Pemberley. Instead, they become caught up in the whirlwind wedding of acquaintance Caroline Bingley. After that they really want to go home, but instead remain with Caroline, her husband and an American professor due to accidents and murder.  The Darcys have to figure out what is going on or they may never get to Pemberley.

Evaluation: very good read

Overall, as a Pride and Prejudice fan I enjoyed this book. Elizabeth and Darcy felt mostly true to their portrayal in Pride and Prejudice. I had some idea who the villain(s) could be, but had fun questioning my conclusions to the end. Each event, even the small ones, got me thinking about how it tied into the whole mystery. The qualm that keeps me from giving the book a higher rating is the use of a supernatural element. Austen’s Northanger Abbey parodied Gothic novels which involve the supernatural, so having the supernatural fit into an Austen book does not quite feel right to me.  A more Jane Austen like path, to me, would be to have an element that appeared supernatural but actually has a logical explanation. Also, Elizabeth’s openness to believe in a supernatural cause seemed too fast.  Besides the supernatural element I liked this story. It was filled with small details which made the story feel ‘real’ such as the Darcys going to see a particular play because they needed its humor. This book is a good read for its plot and immersion into 19^th century London and specifically rejoining the world of Pride and Prejudice.

What else to read:

Other books by Carrie Bebris.

Stephanie Barron’s Jane Austen Mysteries series for more on Austen and the time period.

Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and other writers who lived and wrote in 1800s England.

The writer's guide to everyday life in Regency and Victorian England by Kristine Hughes can provide more information about this era.

An elegant madness: high society in Regency England by Venetia Murray can also provide more information about this era.