Accusing Elizabeth: A Pride & Prejudice Variation by Jennifer Joy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Oh, this was a fun read! I started reading it at work yesterday, read all evening, and finished it this morning. What made this P&P variation so compelling was the mystery to be solved that threatened our dear couple.
Elizabeth is visiting at Hunsford, per canon, and has refused Darcy's proposal, also per canon. However, Colonel Fitzwilliam begs Darcy to stay at Rosings a couple more days as he has some unfinished business. Darcy reluctantly agrees, hoping time spend with Elizabeth will be minimal, as he wishes to avoid that embarrassment. However, something occurs that causes them to indefinitely postpone their departure; a very valuable set of diamond earrings has been stolen from Miss Anne de Bourgh.
This very interesting premise of a "who dunnit" prevented me from putting down my Kindle. So many suspects! Maria Lucas had convinced Elizabeth to make use of Lady Catherine's offer to practice the pianoforte in Mrs. Jenkinson's room. So, they had opportunity, being in the vicinity. Colonel Fitzwilliam has been hiding a very serious financial problem which provides him a strong motive, and he is definitely keeping a secret from Darcy. What about Mrs. Jenkinson or Anne herself? Could either of them have a motive. Darcy wonders even about Lady Catherine. Has she taken the earrings in an attempt, once again, to bring Darcy together with Anne?
Darcy is above suspicion, so is given the task to find the answer to the question of who stole the earrings, if, in fact, they have actually been stolen. He has an ulterior motive, however, as he wishes to clear Elizabeth from suspicion while attempting to prove himself to be a better man than the one who proposed to her so horribly only days before.
Our two questions then stand; can Darcy improve Elizabeth's opinion and can he discover the true story of the missing diamond earrings? Well, we all know Darcy is capable of both, but the solution came as a surprise to me. Of course, this is JAFF, so we are pretty confident there will be a HEA for our dear couple. But, the mystery of the earrings, and the secrets all of our characters are keeping, makes for a very satisfying, and original read.
I think this will be up there as one of my favorite P&P variations. All characters are true to their canon personas. No sex, no violence, but just good clean fun, and a surprising solution. Very satisfying and highly recommended to P&P JAFF lovers.
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It must have really been good to keep you reading so that you finished it quickly like that. I still need to read her stuff. This one sounds like a good place to start the way you describe it, Barb.
ReplyDeleteI read and enjoyed this book, also.
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