Review: Death Comes to Pemberley

Death Comes to Pemberley

by P.D. James

Quote: " I may have said much too little and you, my love, a little too much, but together, as usual, I think we got it right. and now we must brace ourselves for the majesty of the law in the person of Sir Selwyn Hardcastle." - Darcy pg. 129

Started: Jan. 5, 2013

Finished: Jan. 12, 2013

hardcover/ 291 pages

From the cover:

It is 1803, six years since Elizabeth and Darcy embarked on their life together at Pemberley, Darcy's magnificent estate. Their peaceful, orderly world seems almost unassailable. Elizabeth has found her footing as the chatelaine of the great house. They have two fine sons, Fitzwilliam and Charles. Elizabeth's sister Jane and her husband, Bingley, live nearby; her father visits often; there is optimistic talk about the prospects of marriage for Darcy's sister, Georgiana. And preparations are under way for their much-anticipated annual autumn ball.

 Then, on the eve of the ball, the patrician idyll is shattered. A coach careens up the drive carrying Lydia, Elizabeth's disgraced sister, who with her husband, the very dubious Wickham, has been banned from Pemberley. She stumbles out of the carriage, hysterical, shrieking that Wickham has been murdered. With shocking suddenness, Pemberley is plunged into a frightening mystery.

My Review:

 Ummm, well. I have no idea where to begin. I truly wanted to love this book. I didn't. honestly, I didn't even like this book. Yes, I admit I trudged myself on to finish it fully. I just kept thinking it had to get better soon. I was fooling myself. I knew before half way through it was doomed with no hope of recovering!

Sadly, this P.D. James, which I admit I had never even heard of before this book, has lost my interest completely with just one book. I try not to judge authors too harshly based on one book, but SERIOUSLY, this is Jane Austen you were dealing with. To even attempt this feat and feel enough confidence in yourself as an author amazes me!

Where was Elizabeth in this book???? This "woman-in-her-place", "shadow of a person" was by NO means the Elizabeth that Miss Austen created. 

I never felt connected to any of these characters. They never became real to me or alive. 

There was no believable scenes or chapters. Everything just dragged on and on without ever really becoming a story.

I don't see anymore P.D. James books in my future.