Book Scene -- 'Death Comes to Pemberley'

Turning to the author's note, readers will find P.D. James' humble admission that she could not imagine her writing doing justice to the style of Jane Austen. Surely, it would be a daunting comparison for any author, but humility aside, James has written a splendid book using the characters of "Pride and Prejudice," created by Austen in the early 1800s.

"Death Comes to Pemberley" takes us back to the familiar characters of Elizabeth and Darcy, Jane and Bingley, and their beloved family and friends a few years after "Pride and Prejudice" left off.

The book begins by taking the reader on an abbreviated journey back through the original story, bringing us to the current position. Marriages have been held, children were born and everyone has settled into a satisfactory lifestyle of regularity at Pemberley, Darcy's estate.

On the eve of the annual ball at Pemberley, everyone in the manor is busy preparing for the gathering of guests the following day. Suddenly, a carriage comes into view through the window, tearing down the drive at breakneck speed. Upon stopping, its passenger stumbles out, screaming that a murder has occurred in the woods of Pemberley. The characters are thrown into a state of chaos and confusion as they fumble to understand the truth of what happened.

As the offense occurred on his land, Darcy is naturally thrust into the spotlight of the crime and takes the lead in this story. His classically dry personality is thoroughly balanced by the rest of the cast from start to finish. In the midst of writing a murder mystery, James is careful to retain elements of the love story that exists between Darcy and Elizabeth. This certainly should please fans of the original tale, and any reader will appreciate the depth of the characters that James has built together with Austen.

In sum, this book is a fantastic continuation of "Pride and Prejudice," as it makes a thrilling new story out of the existing characters without making changes to their foundation. The murder mystery that unfolds continually mounts in its complexity and excitement, which keeps the reader aptly engaged with little effort. James has a pleasurable writing style that emotes a hint of romance, which distinctly separates this novel from other murder mysteries.

As an aside, I found it bittersweet turning to the final page of this book. The whodunit question may have been answered, but it was time to once more say farewell to a dearly loved cast of characters. I look forward to picking this book up again soon, to take another walk through Pemberley.

* "Death Comes to Pemberley" by P.D. James was published by Knopf in December. It retails for $25.95.

* Katie Griffee works at Inklings Bookshop. She and other Inklings staffers review books in this space each week.