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Thursday, June 3, 2021

Pride and Prescience (Or a Truth Universally Acknowledge) by Carrie Bebris

Pride and Prescience is the first novel in the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mystery series.  I read this book when it first came out in 2004, but just read it again as one of the May selections for the JASNA Northwoods Book Club.  I was glad to read it over again as with the passing of time, I had forgotten much of the story!

Pride and Prescience starts immediately after Pride and Prejudice.  Miss Elizabeth Bennet has just wed Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and is displeased that Miss Caroline Bingley has used their wedding breakfast to announce her own engagement to the mysterious Mr. Frederick Parrish.  Miss Bingley and Mr. Parrish’s relationship has proceeded quickly, and they are soon married with an elaborate celebration.  Soon after strange occurrences threaten Miss Bingley, as well as Elizabeth’s beloved sister Jane and brother-in-law Charles Bingley.  Will Darcy and Elizabeth be able to find out who is causing their loved ones harm?

Author Carrie Bebris captures the personality of Austen’s characters and their actions very well. This felt like a true continuation of their story.  The mystery was very interesting, and I was hooked into this story quickly.

I read this book for the May JASNA Northwoods Book Club meeting.  The club enjoyed this book, although they didn’t like that it delved into the supernatural at the end.  That being said, they still would like to read the second book in the future.  I had read a few of these in the past, but I haven’t finished the series yet!  I love supernatural elements myself.

Favorite Quotes:

“Darcy, sometimes your manner lends the air of a personal attack to an observation on the weather.  You can be very intimidating, you know, especially to strangers.”

“It was Darcy’s experience that while many men might bluster out dire warnings, especially in the heat of an argument, most of them possessed enough conscience to stay on the decent side of the line between threat and action.”

Overall, Pride and Prescience is a fun mystery involving one of literature’s favorite couples as the sleuths.

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com

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