The Deception at Lyme by Carrie Bebris (Review)

In Jane Austen’s Persuasion, the Cobb—Lyme’s famous seawall—proved dangerous to a careless young woman. Now it proves deadly.

Following their recent intrigue at Highbury, Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy visit the seaside village of Lyme on holiday. Family business also draws them there, to receive the personal effects of Mr. Darcy’s late cousin, a naval lieutenant who died in action.

Their retreat turns tragic when they come upon a body lying at the base of the Cobb. The victim is Mrs. Clay, a woman with a scandalous past that left her with child—a child whose existence threatened the inheritance of one of her paramours and the reputation of another. Did she lose her balance and fall from the slippery breakwater, or was she pushed?

Mrs. Clay’s death is not the only one that commands the Darcys’ attention. When Mr. Darcy discovers, among his cousin’s possessions, evidence that the young lieutenant’s death might have been murder, he allies with Captain Frederick Wentworth (hero of Jane Austen's Persuasion) to probe details of a battle that took place across the sea . . . but was influenced by a conspiracy much closer to home.

The Deception at Lyme (Or, The Peril of Persuasion) is the delightful sixth installment in the critically acclaimed and award-winning Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mystery series by Carrie Bebris.

I GIVE THIS BOOK:

MY THOUGHTS:

The Deception at Lyme is the sixth book in the Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery series. One would think that by the sixth book the story would become routine and maybe dull, but that is definitely not the case. I find myself enjoying each installment more than the last, and hope that there will be many more to come!

In The Deception at Lyme we see the Darcys on holiday in Lyme. No "Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery" would be complete without a mystery - and this is no exception! They discover a woman who had fallen from the Cobb. The woman is Mrs. Clay, who is unconscious and great with child.

Georgiana plays a more major role in this book than she has in the past ones and there are a couple of gentlemen who vie for her affections. It begins to seem as though there will be a happy event occurring for Georgiana and I was hopeful that there would be. I have always wanted this for her ever since the incident with Wickham.

The Deception at Lyme has aspects of Persuasion in it. I know this because of the synopsis, because I have never read Persuasion or even seen a movie version of it. Each chapter starts with a quote and many of the quotes are from Persuasion - they are marked as such otherwise I wouldn't have known that.

With the many twists and turns, this story kept me on my toes - never knowing who really was to blame. I LOVED reading The Deception at Lyme, and even though this book is part of a series, I believe that they can be read and enjoyed in any order. Of course to get the most out of them, and to not spoil any of the details you may want to read them in order. I highly recommend The Deception at Lyme!!!

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Prom & Prejudice by Elizabeh Eulberg

After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the prom. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on a scholarship, isn’t interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be — especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London.

Lizzie is happy about her friend’s burgeoning romance but less than impressed by Charles’s friend, Will Darcy, who’s snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn’t seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it’s because her family doesn’t have money. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk — so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway?

Will Lizzie’s pride and Will’s prejudice keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making? Whatever the result, Elizabeth Eulberg, author of The Lonely Hearts Club, has concocted a very funny, completely stylish delight for any season — prom or otherwise.

I Give This Book:

My Thoughts:
'Prom & Prejudice' was a sweet variation of a classic story. I thought that the whole idea of putting all the characters into high school was a neat idea. I liked how the book even had Colonel Fitzwilliam, Mary and Kitty in it - though they played a very minor role.

Lizzie Bennet is an only child of middle class parents. She has a music scholarship at Longbourn Academy. Longbourn is a girl bording school, where the elite send their daughters. Because Lizzie is a scholarship student, she is relentlessly bullied and has very few friends. Her only friends at school are Jane and Charlotte (the only other scholarship student in her class). Her music teacher, Mrs. Gardner, is the only other person, besides her friends, that she feels close to at school.

The highlight of the year is prom, usually the girls from Longbourn go with the boys from Pemberley (the school where the elite send their boys). Jane is hopeful that Charles Bingley will ask her to prom, but there are many setbacks, one being her sister Lydia. Lydia makes a fool of herself in front of everyone at a party and the video quickly goes online. Lydia is very vain, doesn't see what she did as embarassing and is in fact very pleased with all the attention she is getting.

Jane and Charles behave in almost the same way as they did in the original story, always thinking the best of everybody and only seeing the good in them. Lydia of course acts the same, if not even more reckless, than the character in Pride & Prejudice and Wick (George Wickham) seemed even more horrendous in this story.

The book also has the characters of Colin (Mr. Collins), Cat (Lady Catherine de Bourgh) and Georgiana Darcy. I thought that the spitefulness of Cat did a great job of channeling what Lady Catherine de Bourgh as a teenager would have been like. And Colin was such a bore, just as I would have pictured Mr. Collins as a teenager. Georgiana was as sweet in this story as she was in the original, but I thought that this book made her seem sickly at times - when I had always pictured her as just shy.

Of course no story based on Pride & Prejudice would be complete without Darcy, and in this book I thought that his character was the best written. Will Darcy has had his trust broken by Wick and because of it is very leary of new people. So when he meets Lizzy for the first time, he makes a horrible first impression and she thinks that he thinks that he is better than everybody else. But just like the original story, you will adore Darcy.

I really enjoyed reading 'Prom and Prejudice'! I hated to put this book down, but everytime I had to do so, as soon as I could, I picked it up to continue reading. If you, like me, can't get enough P&P fan fiction books, you should enjoy this book too. Or, if you are looking for a book that a teenager will love, I think this would be perfect. I totally recommend this book.

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Here are some of the places where you can purchase 'Prom & Prejudice': Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and The Book Depository.

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Point; 1 edition (January 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545240778
• ISBN-13: 978-0545240772
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
   

What Would Mr. Darcy Do? by Abigail Reynolds

There's only one gentleman to turn to when a lady is in desperate need of answers...

With scandal descending on the Bennet family (again!), Elizabeth absolutely refuses to drag Mr. Darcy's name into this shocking situation. But how on earth is she going to get her family out of trouble this time without his involvement? Hiding things from Mr. Darcy is getting more and more impossible, especially since he's started letting his feelings show...

I Give This Book

My Thoughts:

The story begins directly after Elizabeth receives the news that Lydia has run off with Mr. Wickham. Almost immediately there are subtle changes in the story and towards the end there are drastic changes.

Every time when Darcy and Elizabeth are left alone in this book, they end up in each other's arms. Here is an example of this:

Darcy & Elizabeth and Bingley & Jane are taking a walk. When Darcy & Elizabeth get too far ahead of them, to the point where the couples lose sight of each other, they go into the forest and begin to passionately kiss. They only stop when they are discovered by Bingley & Jane.

I don't like reading about Darcy & Elizabeth like that and personally didn't feel that this is how they would act prior to being married. Especially Darcy, because of his high sense of morality and he would know how scandalous that kind of behavior would be. I also would think Darcy would want to avoid any similarities to Wickham - not behave just like him.

Overall, 'What Would Mr. Darcy Do?' is enjoyable and kept me entertained almost throughout the whole book. Were it not for Darcy & Elizabeth's behavior throughout this book, I would have given it a five-star rating, but because of that, I don't think this is a book that I will read again. I would recommend this book for those who can't get enough Pride & Prejudice retelling/sequels/spin-offs - I am sure they will enjoy this book.

Darcy's Voyage: A Tale of Uncharted Love on the Open Seas - Kara Louise

In this enchanting and highly original retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet sets out for the new world aboard the grand ship Pemberley's Promise. She's prepared for an uneventful voyage until a chance encounter with the handsome, taciturn Mr. Darcy turns her world upside down.

When Elizabeth falls ill, Darcy throws convention overboard in a plan that will bind them to each other more deeply than he ever could have imagined.

But the perils of their ocean voyage pale in comparison to the harsh reality of society's rules that threaten their chance at happiness. When they return to the lavish halls of England, will their love survive?


I GIVE THIS BOOK 


MY THOUGHTS
'Darcy's Voyage' was such a delightful story, that I just couldn't put it down. To me, this is one of the best 'Pride & Prejudice' sequels/retellings that I have ever read. It is so different from the original and yet keeps the authenticity of the classic story that we know and love.

When Darcy and Elizabeth first meet, it is on a carriage where at first they are annoyed by one another, but soon they become quite comfortable with each other. When Darcy exits the carriage, to finish his trip in his personal carriage that is waiting for him, they both realize that they never got the other's name.

The story then jumps ahead two years to when Elizabeth, who is going to visit her Aunt & Uncle Gardiner in America, again meets Mr. Darcy aboard Pemberley's Promise where they literally bump into one another on two different occasions - though neither of them remember that they had met two years before. Darcy is traveling to America to escort his sister Georgiana home, whose companion has had a family emergency and can't leave America for a unknown amount of time.

Elizabeth cares for the women in steerage who have fallen ill, even giving up her bunk to one of them - she then sleeps on the floor! Darcy keeps noticing Elizabeth, that she cares for her fellow passengers welfare; that she, unlike the rest of the women aboard ship, seems to take little notice of him and that she enjoys taking early morning walks. While on one of these walks, Darcy joins Elizabeth and they begin to converse. After a few days of early morning walks together, they realize that they have a lot in common and that they really enjoy each other's company. With most of the original cast of characters not aboard ship (i.e. Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Wickham, Miss Bingley and Lady Catherine de Bourgh), Darcy and Elizabeth are able to fall in love without anyone or anything to hinder them - though neither lets the other know of their feelings. When Elizabeth falls ill, Darcy is so deeply concerned for her welfare that he makes a most unusual proposal.

I won't get into too much detail about the rest of the story or I might give too much away, but I thought that the characters were very well written and that the story makes you want to keep reading until you reach the end. The story flawlessly intertwines many parts of the original story, such as the conversation where Darcy says that his"good opinion once lost is lost forever".  I loved how even with such a twist in the story, it somehow stays true to Jane Austen's style of writing - you feel as though these are the real Elizabeth and Darcy, just in a different situation and not just someone's interpretation of them.

Darcy's Voyage has now become my favorite Jane Austen fan fiction book. I absolutely love this book and it is one that I could & will read again and again. I highly recommend that you read this book, especially if you love 'Pride & Prejudice' fan fiction books.  I hope that this is one that you will love as much as I do.

AUTHOR'S WEBSITES
http://karalouise.ahhhs.net/
http://www.austenauthors.com/

The Intrigue at Highbury: (Or, Emma's Match) by Carrie Bebris

The Intrigue at Highbury by Carrie Bebris

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(From inside cover)

       On a dark road outside the village of Highbury, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy's carriage is hailed by a damsel in distress. Ever the gentleman, Fitzwilliam Darcy stops to aid the young woman, little suspecting that gypsies roam these woods, or that both the Darcys' possessions and the woman are about to vanish into the night.


       The Darcys seek out the parish magistrate, who is having a difficult evening of his own. Mr. Knightley and his new wife, the former Miss Emma Woodhouse, are hosting a party to honor the marriage of their friends Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax. The celebration turns sinister, however, when Edgar Churchill, uncle and adoptive father of the groom, suddenly falls ill and dies. The cause of death: poison.


       The circumstances of another recent death in the Churchill family lead Mr. Knightley to suspect that Mr. Churchill's demise was no accident. When connections between the robbery and murder emerge, the Darcys and Knightleys join forces to investigate the crimes. Together they must work quickly to locate the source of the poison and the murderer'd motive---before the killer strikes again.


       The Darcys take center stage as the Regency era's answer to The Thin Man's Nick and Nora. searching for truth between teatimes, amidst the social whirl of Jane Austen's England.


This is the fifth book in "A Mr. & Mrs Darcy Mystery" Series.


I give this book .


My Thoughts
The Intrigue At Highbury captured my attention right away and kept it throughout the book. I didn't want to put this down and it kept me guessing until the end. A very enjoyable story and an excellent book!


Author's Website:
http://www.carriebebris.com/




"A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery" Series:

1. Pride & Prescience: (Or, A Truth Universally Acknowledged)
2. Suspense & Sensibility: (Or, First Impressions Revisited)
3. North & Northanger: (Or, The Shades Of Pemberley)
4. The Matters at Mansfield: (Or, The Crawford Affair)
5. The Intrigue At Highbury: (Or, Emma's Match)
6. The Deception At Lyme: (Or, The Peril Of Persuasion) (Will be available on 9/27/11)

Mrs. Darcy's Dilemma - Diana Birchall

Mrs. Darcy's Dilemma by Diana Birchall

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(From Back Cover)

It seemed a harmless invitation, after all...

When Mrs. Darcy invited her sister Lydia's daughters to come for a visit, she felt it was a small kindness she could do for her poor nieces. Little did she imagine the upheaval that would ensue. But with her elder son, the Darcys' heir, in danger of losing his heart, a theatrical scandal threatening to engulf them all, and daughter Jane on the verge of her come-out, the Mistress of Pemberley must make some difficult decisions...


I give this book .

My Thoughts:

While I enjoyed this book, I thought at times it was annoying and Mr. & Mrs. Darcy didn't behave as I would have expected them to behave. "Mrs. Darcy's Dilemma" was just OK.

The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview

The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview

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(From back cover)

Did you know Mr. Darcy had an American cousin?

When Caroline Bingley collapses to the floor and sobs at Mr. Darcy's wedding, imagine her humiliation to discover that a stranger has witnessed her emotional display. Miss Bingley, understandably, resents this unknown gentleman very much, even if he is Mr. Darcy's American cousin.

Mr. Robert Darcy is as charming as Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy is proud, and he is stunned to find a beautiful young woman weeping brokenheartedly at his cousin's wedding. Such depth of love, he thinks, is rare and precious. For him, it's love at first sight. Alas, regaining her good graces seems an impossible mission, and he is left to hope that someday their paths will cross again.


I give this book 




My Thoughts:
"The Other Mr. Darcy"  was a pleasure to read. I loved how the author adds another "Mr. Darcy" to the story. The character of Mr. Robert Darcy was excellently written and in this book you see a completely different side to Caroline Bingley. A great book to read and I very much recommend it.


Author's Website:
http://www.monicafairview.co.uk/


Author's Blog:
http://www.austenauthors.com/

Pemberley Ranch by Jack Caldwell

Pemberley Ranch by Jack Caldwell

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(From Back Cover)

Frankly, Mr. Darcy, I don't give a damn!

When the smoke has cleared from the battlefields and the civil war has finally ended, fervent Union supporter Beth Bennet reluctantly moves with her family from their home in Meryton, Ohio, to the windswept plains of Rosings, Texas. Handsome, haughty Will Darcy, a Confederate officer back from the war, owns half the land around Rosings, and his even haughtier cousin, Cate Burroughs, owns the other half.

In a town as small as Rosings, Beth and Will inevitably cross paths. But as Will becomes enchanted with the fiery Yankee, Beth won't allow herself to warm to the man who represents the one thing she hates most: the army that killed her only brother.

But when carpetbagger George Whitehead arrives in Rosings, all that Beth thought to be true is turned on its head, and the only man who can save her home is the one she swore she'd never trust...


I give this book


My Thoughts:


While "Pemberley Ranch" was enjoyable to read, I didn't like much about it. The way Jack Caldwell changed the characters, you wouldn't even recognize them if it were not for their names being similar to those from Pride and Prejudice. I disliked the way the character of Will Darcy behaved (to me he seemed nothing like Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice), in fact he was so different that he seemed almost like George Wickham from P&P. The only character that seemed about the same was Mr. Charles Bingley but even he was changed a lot. All in all, I would not recommend this book.

The Matters at Mansfield (Or, The Crawford Affair) by Carrie Bebris

The Matters at Mansfield: Or, The Crawford Affair by Carrie Bebris

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(From Inside Cover)

After their recent adventures with hidden treasure and secrets from the past, Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy are looking forward to enjoying a quiet spell at Pemberley with their new daughter, but their hoped-for peace is short-lived.

Darcy's aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, is eager to arrange a lucrative and socially acceptable match for here daughter, Anne. Of course, Lady Catherine has not taken into account such frivolous mattes as love or romance, let alone the wishes of her daughter. Needless to say, there is much turmoil when the young bride-to-be elopes.

In pursuit of the headstrong young couple, the Darcys speed to Mansfield Park - where the usually intricate game of marriage machinations becomes even more convoluted by lies and deception. The Darcys know that love and marriage can be a complex and dangerous business - one that can even lead to murder.

Anne's betrothal is further complicated by codes of honor, rival lovers, and mistaken identity. The Darcys must sort out the matters at hand in a manner that is quiet enough to avoid a scandal - yet swift enough to avert disaster.

The Darcys take center stage as the Regency era's answer to The Thin Man's Nick and Nora, searching for truth between teatimes, amidst the social whirl of Jane Austen's England.


This book is the fourth book in "A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery" series. 


I give this book ★ ★ ★ ★ ★


My Thoughts:


I love how this series keeps getting better and I can't wait to read the next book. This story is focused on Anne de Bourgh, daughter of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. "The Matters At Mansfield (Or, The Crawford Affair)" was an excellent book and I would highly recommend that anyone that has read the others in this series would make sure to read this one. It seems that with every new book I read in "A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery" series from Carrie Bebris the more I look forward to the next one. If you haven't read any of the books in this series, you should definetly start at the beginning.


 "A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery" series:

1. Pride And Prescience (Or, A Truth Universally Acknowledged) by Carrie Bebris
2. Suspense And Sensibility (Or, First Impressions Revisited) by Carrie Bebris
3. North By Northanger (Or, The Shades of Pemberley) by Carrie Bebris

North By Northanger (Or, The Shades of Pemberley) by Carrie Bebris

North By Northanger by Carrie Bebris

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(From Inside Cover)

After the intrigues and excitements of their time in the city, the Darcys are more than prepared for a bit of peace and quiet at Pemberley. This is time that they can spend together as Elizabeth settles into her pregnancy. However, such serene solitude is not meant to be.

First, a letter from Lady Anne Fitzwilliam Darcy, long deceased, is discovered. The contents are both mysterious and prescient for the new Mrs.  Darcy. Then, a summons to Northanger Abbey involves the young couple in intrigues that threaten not just the Darcy legacy and good name, but Darcy's freedom as well. And to make matters even worse and more uncomfortable for the expectant mother, Darcy's overbearing aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, arrives on the scene to further bedevil Elizabeth.

Add to this rumors of treasure and past scandals, and it becomes obvious that peacefulness is not at home in Pemberley but secrets and spirits of the past are, and their revelations can have a most chilling effect on both the Darcys and their family to come.


I give this book ★ ★ ★ ★ ★


My Thoughts:


Yet another great book by Carrie Bebris, I really have been enjoying reading the books in "A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery" series. I think "North By Northanger (Or, The Shades of Pemberley)" has been the best one yet. I loved that this had Lady Catherine de Bourgh in it and that quite a lot of the story took place at Pemberley. If you love sequels to Pride and Prejudice, these books by Carrie Bebris are best I have found. I cannot stress how much I LOVE these books. Read them, you won't be disappointed.


This book is the third book in "A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery" series. 

• Book 1 - Pride And Prescience (Or, A Truth Universally Acknowledged) by Carrie Bebris
• Book 2 - Suspense And Sensibility (Or, First Impressions Revisited) by Carrie Bebris