Nostalgic for Austen’s much-loved Pride and Prejudice, I eagerly picked up this novel to see how Gardiner and Kumar have imagined the lives of the characters unfolding. What also caught my attention was the uniting of this classic with one of my favourite genres, murder mystery.

Caroline Bingley, the snobbish and duplicitous sister of Charles Bingley, is certainly an interesting choice of protagonist. Two years after the events of the original novel, Caroline is visiting her brother and his wife Jane at their new estate in Derbyshire, near to Darcy and Elizabeth at Pemberley.

Not only has she now embraced her life as a single woman of independent means, but she has also become close to Darcy’s sister, Georgiana, and it is this connection that sparks the events of the novel. Caroline is shocked by a letter she receives from Georgiana, who asks her to conceal her departure for London on a matter of immense importance. Unwilling to allow her young friend to risk her safety and reputation, Caroline swiftly follows and tracks her down.

What follows is a murder mystery involving Georgiana’s Indian maid, Jayani, who is on the verge of reuniting with her brother, Sameer, only to discover him brutally murdered. Caroline is determined to uncover the culprit, finding herself probing the unsavoury streets and docks of London in search of the truth behind Sameer’s death.

While I enjoyed the unfolding mystery within this novel, I found myself questioning the authenticity of Caroline Bingley’s character. While Caroline’s fierce independence and intellect were certainly believable, her concern for others and willingness to risk her own safety and reputation did not ring true.

Nevertheless, the authors present a darker picture of England in the early 19th century where poverty, crime, and ruthless commercial ambitions contrast sharply with Austen’s genteel world.