Death Comes to Pemberley
Death Comes to Pemberley is a thriller written by Phyllis Dorothy James. It is also a non-official sequel to Pride and Prejudice, which treats themes such as justice in the 19th century and misogyny on a rather interesting way.
Six years after Fitwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet and Jane Bennet and Charles Bingley married, Elizabeth enjoys her bliss, organizes the ball her mother-in-law created so long ago and makes sure everything will be perfect when Lydia, her younger sister, arrives panicked at Pemberley, and spoils everything.
Well, it isn't really her fault, but she heard a gunshot in the woods where her husband and his friend were wandering and she is understandably worried. A rescue expedition organized by Mr. Darcy reassures everyone on the state of her husband. He was simply found drunk, cradling his friend's corpse...
In the meantime, Georgianna enjoys a Betty and Veronica Love Triangle, Fitzwilliam Darcy works on his Guilt Complex and Elizabeth chronicles how so many characters Took a Level in Jerkass between the events of the two books, making them all suspects.
Of course, it could still get worse. Lady Catherine de Bourgh could decide to meddle in this, or Mr. Collins to write a letter... Then, the Godzilla Threshold would certainly be hit.
- Alternate Character Interpretation : Averted with the characters in the book, who only get Hidden Depths. Played hilariously straight in-universe, with Meryton inhabitants considering Mrs. Benett as a Diabolical Mastermind, Mr Darcy as a complete Jerkass, and both Lizzie and Jane as one big Gold Digger, the first gaining a reputation of Bitch in Sheep's Clothing. A tenant from an inn in Meryton sees Lydia as a Plucky Girl who is an adept of Brutal Honesty.
- Betty and Veronica : Georgiana had one of these triangles with Colonel Fitzwilliam (older, known since long ago, and conservative) and Thomas Alveston (young, known since a short time ago, much more progressive).
- Crisis Crossover : George Wickham worked for Sir Walter Eliott, and while he flirted with his wife, he flirted with Sir Walter's daughter Elizabeth. Anne Eliott is described as "having made a prosperous and happy marriage", and Sir Walter's financial situation has improved so much that he threw his poor occupants out and returned to the Eliotts' family home. Harriet Martin and Emma Woodhouse both wrote to colonel Fitzwilliam, and finally succeeded in convincing him to let Harriet take George Wickham's son at home.
- The Cutie : Georgiana and Thomas are both this for Elizabeth.
- Hidden Depths : In the book, George Wickham had Mommy Issues and was a loving brother to his illegitimate half-sister, though he remained unfaithful and jerkish as ever. Mr Darcy had a generous but proud mother, Lydia became a loving wife (just as in Pride and Prejudice from Jane Austen) but was jealous of her sister Elizabeth for attracting Wickham's interest at first. Colonel Fitzwilliam / Vicount Hartlep had a lot of consideration for class, which caused him to despise people he found beneath him once he became a Viscount.
- Honor Before Reason : Denny, Wickham's friend.
- Hysterical Woman : Lydia, understandably.
- Jerkass : George Wickham, Lydia and, mildly, Colonel Fitzwilliam are presented as this.
- Shipper on Deck : Elizabeth is this for Georgiana/Thomas.
- Skewed Priorities : It is a part of the Deliberate Values Dissonance which gets even more stressed on for the villainous and mean characters.
- It is hard to say whether sir Selwyn Hardcastle has this or is ironical.
- Lydia seems to want to go the ball despite her husband and her friend being lost in the woods, where someone shot something.