The Phantom of Pemberley: A Pride and Prejudice Murder Mystery Book

Since this was a freebie from B&N for the Nook, I guess I cannot complain too much....but I am going to provide my somewhat detailed opinion so someone else in my situation may choose something else form the freebie shelf.....

Let's start with, I enjoy Jane Austen, although I am not really a fanatic. I have even enjoyed some of the quirky Austen-themed novels of present-day girls transported to Austen England, etc. Therefore, when I found myself with nothing to read and spotted The Phantom of Pemberley on my shelf, I opened it up.

On the positive side, it is a mindless, fast read. That's all the positive I can say.

I understand from the author notes that Ms. Jeffers is a teacher and Austen enthusiast. Given that background, I would think she could have done a better job of maintaining some accuracy to the time and to the well-established characters. After about 100 pages, I was very bothered by something, which I had trouble placing. I soon realized it was the lifting of entire blocks of language from Austen - specifically Pride and Prejudice - and how out of place it sounded inserted into Ms. Jeffers' text. Her writing contained too much 21st century bias to make the story believable or even readable without argument from my subconscious. I soon understood it not to be just the prose that was "off," but the characters' behavior as well: significant and continual PDA (as in public display of affection)- I just don't think it would have happened in regency England - no matter how in love the married couple was - I certainly don't think that type of impropriety would have been exhibited by Elizabeth and Darcy.

Then, she seemed to have gotten all the characters wrong: Darcy as a love-besotted wimp, Elizabeth allowing the disgraced Lydia (of all her sisters) to visit, Lady Catherine as an impotent dowager clinging to the last of her resources. It just didn't sit well with me.

And there was the plot-line. Wickham issues aside, the idea that no one of consequence would know that there were secret passages inside the home is bordering on ridiculous, and the explanation even worse. Darcy and Wickham were off-siders as children, but one has extensive knowledge and experience with the passageways and the other is....oblivious? I believe that even the author recognized this deficiency, so she added that one servant who was aware, but then this one knowledgeable person doesn't say anything about it - not even after after 3 murders have been committed, hmmmm......

I see why the book is free - and I am slightly less stunned about the American educational crisis knowing that this author is a teacher.

Bottom line, there are a number of entertaining Austen-inspired works out there. For a real Austen enthusiast, I recommend taking the time to find those and giving this a pass.