Suspense and Sensibility or, First Impressions Revisited: A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery [Paperback]

The second installment in the (in my opinion, anyway) entertaining Mr. & Mrs. Darcy mystery novels, featuring two beloved characters created by Jane Austen (Elizabeth Bennett & Fitzwilliam Darcy), "Suspense and Sensibility" proved to be a very absorbing and enjoyable read. The trick to enjoying this series (and this book in particular), is to leave all your notions of what a Mr. & Mrs. Darcy book should be like, as well as some of your expectations that you will be reading an Austen-like novel. Carrie Bebris uses many of the characters that Jane Austen created and made immortal, but that it all. The stories, the premise and how the characters sound and act, are wholly her own. And the result? In this instance, one rather delightful read.

After the unsettling events chronicled in "Pride and Prescience," Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy had happily left London in order to return to the peace and tranquility of Pemberley. But a letter from her mother reminds Elizabeth of her obligation to see her younger sister, Kitty, credibly established. And so, Elizabeth and Darcy, with Kitty and Georgina (Darcy's younger sister) make for London in order to partake in all the festivities that constitute the London Season. Georgina, an heiress, has no troubles attracting suitors; but for Kitty, young girl with no fortune or impressive connections, the situation is quite different. So that when young Harry Dashwood of Norland, shows every sign preferring Kitty above all else, everyone is quite pleased. A young man of good fortune and an impressive estate, Harry Dashwood is quite the catch. So what if his mother is an unpleasant shrew who isn't pleased at all with her son's involvement with Kitty! But then soon after their engagement, Harry's behaviour and character seems to change almost overnight; and it's beginning to look as if Harry intends to emulate the scandalous behaviour of his great-grand uncle, Sir Francis Dashwood, one of the founding members of the Hellfire Club. The changes in Harry trouble Darcy and Elizabeth greatly, but they're not sure what to do about it. Their primary object is to protect Kitty from an imprudent match; but can they also save Harry from himself?

Written with slight gothic overtones, "Suspense and Sensibility" was a rather like and sparkling read. Carrie Bebris incorporates characters from Austen's "Sense and Sensibility" into this installment, and the result was wholly pleasing. The story may take a while to unfold since almost half the book dwells on Harry's courtship of Kitty, before things go so very wrong. But the strength of this novel lies in how the authour fleshed out her characters, so that she makes us care for them. Kitty, in this book, has grown up a little, and has gained some dignity and maturity. And Harry, for the first half of the book is an engaging and likable character as well. And it was nice to "meet" Elinor Ferrars again; it was even enjoyable to see how Lucy Ferrars (once Lucy Steele) had fared, as well as Harry's unlikeable mother, Mrs. John Daswood. Best of all however, was reading of how Elizabeth and Darcy interact as a married couple, united in their concerns and each bolstering and supporting the other. A trifle sedate in pace, but written with a light touch, "Suspense and Sensibility" proved to be a very enjoyable and worthwhile read.

I was initially impressed with the author's style; her writing is a lot better than most of the Austen sequels and prequels and continuations. But depend upon it, I must extend my fullest disapprobation to Bebris for involving Jane Austen characters in a story, ripped straight from the pages of Oscar Wilde, that is full of mysticism and the supernatural. Austen is rational; Bebris is not.

Who wants to read about protective amulets, ghosts, and supernatural explanations that are virtually science fiction when looking for a mystery? While I see lovers of Jane Austen gravitating toward the mystery genre, I don't see fans of Elizabeth Bennet thinking it makes sense for her to be sporting protective amulets and venturing into the world of sci fi.

Miss Bebris has got talent and could turn this into a decidedly decent series if she found real plots and plausable explanations. Otherwise, market the book as science fiction.

I liked this book a lot. It was better than the first one in terms of the characterization. I enjoyed the growing relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy and I loved that she brought the characters from Sense and Sensibility together with the Darcys. I thought the whodunnit? was a bit predictable and not as satisfying a mystery as it could have been but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to Austen fans. I have pre-ordered her next book in the series and look forward to it!

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