The Phantom of Pemberley

What Jeffers has done here (quite artfully, I might add) is recast a continuation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice as a kind of gothic mystery. I would not go so far as to say the Darcys become a "husband-and-wife detective team," as this is not really as well-crafted as Carrie Bebris' Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery series, but it certainly has an air of Northanger Abbey about it - themes of insanity, murders made to look like suicides, hidden passageways, and watchful eyes.

While it begins with inklings of the paranormal - men in strange hats who seem to vanish into thin air - it is quickly established that Pemberley's Phantom is no ghost. Jeffers tells a good chunk of the book from the phantom's perspective and in doing so manages to show more deceive even the reader as to the culprit's identity.

Ms. Jeffers is no stranger to Austen continuations. She's the author of eight of them, including this one. And while her forte seems to be the lush and sexually charged romances (i.e. Darcy's Temptation, Darcy's Passions, and Vampire Darcy's Desire - which I can only hope is better than Amanda Grange's monster-osity) she's allowed the Darcy romance to simmer almost perfectly in this novel. Sure, they still defy the Regency norms and sleep in one bed and have lots and lots of sex every evening, and there's no such thing as a chamber pot etc. etc. but most of the details are thankfully left to the imagination.

Jeffers instead allows the other characters to become surprising rounded. Anne de Bourgh may have been sketched by Jane Austen, but Jeffers colors her in and brings her to life in a way I haven't really seen in similar novels. And as for the twist, and there is a twist, it's not something you expect. And that's always appreciated.

Lauren Cartelli
www.theliterarygothamite.com show less

A sequel to Pride and Prejudice (which is apparently the authors thing, fanfic writ large) Darcy and Elizabeth are enjoying their life when a snow storm brings a variety of expccted and unexected visitors to their house. then people start dying and it's all a bit of a mess that they have to solve.

I did spend some of the story yelling at the characters and while I found it quite readable I am in no rush to find the rest of the series.

I really disliked this book among all of the books I read from this author. The villain was predictable and the story was really irritating. Some parts were well done so I can't give it 1 star. I love Jane Austen and have a guilty pleasure for books connected to her work but I think this one missed the point of what the original novel was. The characters were not in character one minute then back in character the next.

At first I found the writing and mannerisms somewhat stilted, and the story seemed to be quite predictable. But I must admit that it took a pleasant turn after a few chapters.

An enjoyable read, and one I would recommend.