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Death Comes to Pemberley

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Death Comes to Pemberley

By: P. D. James
Narrated by: Katie Scarfe
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About this listen

Two great literary minds - master of suspense P.D. James and literary icon Jane Austen - come together in Death Comes to Pemberley, a bestselling historical crime fiction tribute to Pride and Prejudice. Conjuring the world of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and combining the trappings of Regency society with a classic murder mystery, James creates a delightful new story that will intrigue any fan of Jane Austen.

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, George Wickham, has been murdered.

Inspired by a lifelong passion for the work of Jane Austen, P.D. James masterfully recreates the world of Pride and Prejudice. Combining Austen's characters with her own signature excitement and suspense, James has crafted a brilliant crime story. Death Comes to Pemberley is a distinguished work of fiction, from one of the best-loved writers of our time, and was adapted as a miniseries by the BBC in 2013, starring Matthew Rhys, Anna Maxwell Martin, and Matthew Goode.

©2011 P.D. James (P)2014 Faber Audio
Crime Detective Historical Mystery Traditional Detectives Fiction Marriage

Critic Reviews

"P.D. James has recreated the world of Jane Austen magnificently." ( Sunday Telegraph)
"Dazzling...a book that combines the grace of Jane Austen with the pace of a thriller...as good as anything P.D. James has written and that is very high praise indeed." ( Sunday Express)
"An elegantly gauged homage to Austen and an exhilarating tribute to the inexhaustible vitality of James's imagination." ( Sunday Times)
All stars
Most relevant  
I was often stoped by the simplicity of the writing but still glued to the book and entertained with the adaptation of the characters lives and circumstances the Sutton has crafted.
I was astounded to hear the author was 90 years old when taking on the assignment to begin merging his two loves crime fiction and Austins works.
well done.
this is a must read for a Austin fan.

an excellent squeal !

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killing off some minor characters, insight for others. a nod to austens other amazing worlds... persuasion geeks beware the timeline is slightly askew as it's story does not begin until the year six.

a capital experience

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PD James has done such a wonderful job of continuing the story of Elizabeth and Darcy., so much so that I did not want it to end.

Lost in Austen

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Vast swathes of this novel are dedicated to re-hashing the events contained in Pride and Prejudice. The story is slow moving and tiresome.

Repetative

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Credit to both PDJames and Jane Austen in this extension of Pride and Prejudice into a completely plausible and enjoyable sequel

Great story

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A lack lustre and somewhat tedious detective story. The writing focus' on replicating the Jane Austen / Pride and Prejudice style, (which is what was the author apparently intended), but in doing so, the story seems to have taken the back seat and lacks the suspense, twists and turns of a good detective novel. Good idea - but opportunity missed. Feels like the author was afraid to go full on to create a good yarn since it might over-stress the established characters and aristocratic aura at Pemberley - so what is dealt up is really quite dull. Might appeal more to the Jane Austen / Pride and Prejudice affecionados - but PD James fans should think twice before embarking on this one.

Disappointing for a PD James

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I saw the television production and really enjoyed it but thought this audiobook was pretty ghastly. Did not like the narration at all - I will avoid her in the future. I think that was what really put me off the whole thing. As a previous reviewer said, the characters seemed to bear no resemblance to those fabulous ones in Pride & Prejudice - insipid and dull. Really struggled to get through it, although it was a good sedative.

Good for sleeping to.

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