As a bit of a Jane Austen fan (okay, maybe more than a bit…), I am picky about my Austenalia. I’ve read some really bad spin-offs or rewrites and am easily disappointed by writers who try to emulate Austen. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this reimagining of the classic Pride and Prejudice. Tirzah Price did a marvelous job of blending the heart of the original story with her own twists, bringing Lizzie and Darcy back to life, and making me dislike Mr. Collins even more!

I loved the fresh setting of a Regency era law firm (even though, as the author admits in her note, liberalities were taken with the historicity — but it is fiction, after all). And she didn’t change the characters so much that I didn’t recognize them, as some writers have a tendency to do. Overall, one of my favorite retellings of Pride and Prejudice ever.

Also, this was my first time listening to a NetGalley voice galley (audiobook ARC), and I’m so glad I started with Pride and Premeditation. Even though it wasn’t the final product, the story was so engaging that I enjoyed even this synthetically voiced audiobook. I’m definitely excited to hear the final production!

Pride and Premeditation is set to release on April 6th, so pre-order your copy now. I highly recommend it and give it a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars. 🙂

Many thanks to HarperTeen/Harper Audio and NetGalley for the audio ARC of this story. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my very own! 🙂

I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book courtesy of HarperTeen via NetGalley.

Expected Publication Date: April 6th, 2021

Publisher: HarperTeen (an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)

Genre: YA, Mystery, Retellings

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Storyline (from the publisher):

“When a scandalous murder shocks London high society, seventeen-year-old aspiring lawyer Lizzie Bennet seizes the opportunity to prove herself, despite the interference of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prestigious firm Pemberley Associates.

Convinced the authorities have imprisoned the wrong person, Lizzie vows to solve the murder on her own. But as the case—and her feelings for Darcy—become more complicated, Lizzie discovers that her dream job could make her happy, but it might also get her killed.”

The Good:

I’ll confess to only knowing the bare bones plot of the original classic, Pride and Prejudice, but I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling. I won’t be able to compare at all between the two books, so I will only be writing about this unique plot. In this story, Lizzie is a moxie-filled young woman attempting to solve a crime to earn a spot at her fathers law office. I found her spirit compelling and her sleuthing skills wonderful. I was drawn to this retelling because it’s in my favorite genre, and features a female sleuth. And on these points it did not disappoint. I’d like to imagine that I would be like Lizzie if I was born in this era, and I liked the liberties taken with some of the historical data to give Lizzie her crime-solving abilities.

I read this in just a few sittings over two days, something I cannot say for the original classic that I have started multiple times over the years. Part of it for me is the language and genre-focus of the classic, but this book did have me considering a revisit to the classic. However, I could see how someone true to the classic might not enjoy the changes, but as someone new to the book, I found it delightful.

The Bad:

The only reason this lost 0.5 stars from me was simply the era of the setting. This has nothing to do with the author’s writing or storytelling. I’m usually just not a fan of historical pieces in this era. However, Price’s writing and story crafting skills made this possibly the most fun I’ve had reading something set in this era.

The Bottom Line:

A delightful, action-packed historical mystery with a determined female-sleuth at the forefront.

This is a "voice galley," intended only for reviewers and read by a synthetic voice, not whoever will be the narrator. This is not the version that will be for sale.

This an alternative version of Pride and Prejudice, in which Mr. Bennet is a barrister, and the family live in the Cheapside section of London. His firm is Longbourne & Sons, but of course there are no sons, and the dreadful Mr. Collins, a cousin from Hertfordshire, has been employed as a solicitor for the firm, and named as the heir.

Next we come to Elizabeth Bennet and her friend, Charlotte Lucas. Charlotte in this retelling has a very respectable father, Sir Henry Lucas, but Sir Henry married a West Indian woman, and Charlotte is too dark-skinned to pass as "really English." Charlotte works as a secretary in the Longbourne firm. Elizabeth longs to be a barrister, and volunteers at the firm, doing work the junior solicitors don't have time for, and in Mr. Collins's case, isn't really very good at.

Let's be clear that that entire paragraph is impossible in Regency England. Women did not work in law firms, certainly not as secretaries, which is how up and coming young men got their start. A woman becoming a barrister or a solicitor was not just unlikely and disapproved of; it was impossible. The mixed-race Charlotte, without a rich dowry, would have no chance, rather than very little chance, of achieving what from her upbringing and education she would consider a respectable marriage. A position as a governess or a companion would have been her best prospects.

The author, however, knows this, and made the changes intentionally, to give the intelligent and headstrong Elizabeth Bennet more scope. It's really handled very well, just plausible enough that I was willing to run with it.

The other major change, of course, is that this is a murder mystery.

The murder victim is William Hurst, husband of Charles Bingley's sister, Louisa. Charles, of course, is the obvious suspect. William is a drunk and an unsuccessful gambler, a constant drain on the resources of Bingley and his company, Netherfield Shipping. He took Hurst home, dead drunk, at night, and in the morning returned to the Hurst home to find him, quite simply, dead. Stabbed nearly a dozen times--and when Elizabeth asks him specific questions about the condition of the body, it's clear that when found, he certainly wasn't killed by Charles, the night before. The body is not yet cool, nor is the blood completely dry.

What follows is a puzzling mystery, as Charles, with his frustrations over William Hurst's drain on the family resources and neglect of Louisa, is the one with the most obvious motive. The Bingley solicitor, Fitzwilliam Darcy, of Pemberley & Associates, intends to have a barrister defend Bingley on the basis of his excellent character and great respectability, but Elizabeth doubts this will be effective. The conflict between the two of them is as delightful as ever, and they almost despite themselves uncover the nefarious plot behind the murder.

This is just a lot of fun, and I forgive the historical inaccuracies because they are both intentional and entertaining.

Recommended.

I received a free "voice galley" of this audiobook from the publisher via NetGalley, and am reviewing it voluntarily.

It didn't quite end up being what I expected but I overall enjoyed it. The mystery added a fresh new element and the characters were enjoyable. It didn't wow me but it was a fun read.

A sizzling and dark retelling of a beloved classic, still absolutely appropriate for teens? With an amazing and original mystery element? What more could you want! I do wish character development went a bit further in this book, but other than that I really did enjoy all of the elements and it's shot up to my list of favorite retellings :)

As a fan of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and a lover of mysteries, this book was a treat to read!

Author Tirzah Price has done a great job of reinventing the setting and circumstances of the classic P&P, bringing it new life and intrigue! No longer a country setting, this story takes place in London and our famous houses of Longbourn and Pemberley are now the familial law practices that are run and employed by our traditional cast of characters!

Lizzy Bennet is an aspiring barrister at her father’s small practice of Longbourn. In order to prove herself and achieve her rightful place in her father’s practice, she must outside her cousin, Mr. Collins and make her own case.

When Mr. Bingley is accused of murdering his brother in law and employee at Netherfield shipping, Lizzie jumps at the chance to represent his case… too bad his close friend and barrier from the Pemberley practice, Mr. Darcy is already on the job.

Lizzy and Mr. Darcy butt heads as they both try to help Mr. Bingley the best way they can and along the way we run into surprising ally Mr. Wickham, Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Charlotte Lucas.

I absolutely adored the casting and reimagine of this classic. Lizzy as the investigative, crime solving, hopeful barrister was a lot of fun. The mystery had me guessing until the end! The interacting between Lizzy and Mr. Darcy had a chemistry reminiscent to the original.

This was fun read that captured my imagination. I highly recommend it to fans of Pride and Prejudice and cozy historical mystery fans!

The voice galley I was provided did not represent the actual audiobook that will be produced. The narration of this book was created by computer generation. I had had my doubts on the listenability of such a copy, but soon found that through it was missing the inflection of a proper narration, it did not detract from the story.

Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price is scheduled to release April 6th, 2021.

I received a complimentary copy of this voice galley from Harper Audio, via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#PrideandPremeditation #TirzahPrice #NetGalley #pinkcowlandreads

I really enjoyed this book. It was provided early from NetGalley. This book is fast paced and captured my attention from the start. It is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice but with a murder mystery twist. The events keep you guessing on who the true murderer is while falling in love all over again with Mr. Darcy and Lizzie’s relationship. I appreciated the way Tirzah Price highlighted Lizzie’s spunky and headstrong attitude. These characteristics made Lizzie a great sleuth and contributor to her father’s firm. I did not rate 5 stars only because I wish there was more romance with Lizzie and Mr. Darcy but hopefully there will be more in book two. I highly recommend this book. These opinions are my own.

Price's reimagining of a classic is an intriguing premise. Placing Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcey as opposing lawyers fighting for the right to the law firms each of their fathers owns is interesting. It is reminiscent of Alan Bradley's Flavia De Luce series - the heroine must fight against societies view that women are unable to deal with the coarser aspects of human nature, such as death and murder.

Price's version of Elizabeth Bennett seems to be more outgoing, more outrageous and more willing to flaunt societal rules. Because of this, it seems at times that the characters are borrowed and grown for this story; made to be both more likeable and more dynamic. That said, I am also unsure of how true to the original story this version is. Although the basics remain the same, that is about it. Lizzie is far more observant and critical of what is happening around her, having a Sherlock-esque style of investigation.

This is a novel I would recommend as a read aloud in class, or perhaps as an audiobook. Anyone who enjoys cosy mysteries - such as Allan Bradley, Joanne Fluke or similar authors would enjoy this novel. Fans of Pride and Prejudice may find themselves disappointed if they are hoping for a story that is true to the original. That said, it is an interesting imagination, and I would read other novels by this author. It is a novel that I would have in my classroom library for my high schoolers.

A fun and innovative retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Laugh out loud exploits combined with a whodunit mystery. The characters might feel a little underdeveloped to anyone not familiar with the original story. It was a well paced, quick and enjoyable audio. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you heard the title of Pride and Premeditation and thought it sounded like fan fiction, you're at least partly right. The characters from Jane Austen's classic are removed from their original settings and placed in downtown London where Lizzy is obliged to prove that she can be just as good of a lawyer as any man. It doesn't take long for the plot to get going and we find the impertinent nature that we know and love pulling Elizabeth through all sorts of harrowing situations. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet seem to be obstacles, but turn out to be true allies in the end.
One of the key features of this story is that it doesn't have to take much time for character development since fans of Austen's work will immediately recognize characters and settings and be ready to jump into the high intrigue. Even minor members of the cast make appearances to help round out the story and ensure continual excitement. The downfall to this scheme is that anyone who isn't intimately acquainted with Austen's work might find the vast array of characters rather confusing. It's been a few years since I read Pride and Prejudice, and I found myself a bit lost at times. I'd recommend reading Pride and Prejudice before embarking on this alternate reality version.
My other concern is universal through Austen's work as well in that the romance is almost cringe-worthy in its stilted feeling. Elizabeth and Darcy naturally have some sort of romantic tension in Price's book. As an aromantic person, I didn't find this terribly appealing, partly because it was too subtle at times and partly because it was too brazen at others.
Other than these two troubles, I was quite satisfied with this read. Stylistically it's just a bit more approachable than Austen's work, but it keeps up with the local and historical dialects without trouble. The feminist power considerations are also thought-provoking.
Although they won't be at the top of my list, I'd be interested to read more works by Tirzah Price.

Pride and Premeditation is the first in a new series of retelling Jane Austen’s books as mysteries.
This book reimagines Austen’s classic novel as a whodunit as Lizzie (Elizabeth Bennet) rushes against the clock to find out who is framing Mr. Bingley for the death of his brother in law and prevent him from going to jail for something he didn’t do. Lizzie wants to prove to her father that she has just as much skill and is just as good as anyone else her father could hire for his law firm, and sees this as her stepping stone to proving to him he should take her on at his office.
Along the way Lizzie meets a whole host of characters, both friend and foe. Particularly that Mr. Darcy who she has a hard time deciding which category he belongs in.
***
Pride and Premeditation is a fun story. I laughed a couple times, I cringed in sympathy for Lizzie’s frustrations and struggles, and I definitely grumbled at one point in between reading the story that she and Darcy needed to kiss already and put me out of my misery.
Lizzie is strong and proud, and makes many mistakes but always gets back up and tries again. I really enjoyed this story and hope to see more of Tirzah Price popping up in my feed, I’ll definitely be looking forward to more of this series.
***
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I was able to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received an audiobook ARC of Pride and Premeditation thanks to the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review.

Review:
I am a big Pride and Prejudice fan. The banter between Lizzy and Darcy is what hooked me into “adult” books. Prior to that I read chapter books like The Magic Tree House and had just gotten really into Harry Potter. But Pride and Prejudice was difficult to read because of the language. But Lizzy was an inspiration to me and she remains just as spirited in this retelling.

Pride and Premeditation is Pride and Prejudice with higher stakes, murder and proving innocence in a time where law was unjust. Lizzy fights to belong in her family’s law firm and get the credit she deserves for solving crimes. But when she confronts her father about a formal position, she is told to solve a case using logic and not emotion. Eager to take on the offer, she jumps on the first case she finds: Mr. Bingley’s case where he has been arrested for murder. But he already has legal counsel, Mr. Darcy. Not that that is going to stop her from fighting for what she wants and, more importantly, justice.

This book was perfectly told and has wonderfully historic phrasing that doesn’t bog down the reader with unfamiliar words (I don’t know how long it took for me to figure out what a fortnight was when I was reading Jane Austen!). The pacing was really well done as well and the mystery was never a clear answer and shifted throughout the story until BOOM, she’s worked it out.

I highly recommend for Austen fans or those who enjoy a good murder mystery with loads of banter and sass!

Pride & Prejudice is one of my favorite books so I was really excited to hear about a murder mystery with the same characters.
Elizabeth Bennett is a headstrong woman trying to become a solicitor. Darcy is a headstrong man trying to help out a friend, When their paths cross they immediately butt heads. Lizzie just wants to prove that she is just as good as any other solicitor, but Darcy had already offered his services to long-time friend Mr. Bingley.

I thought that the story was really fun and exciting. Because I had already read Pride & Prejudice I was able to guess, which characters would be the villains from pretty early on, but I do not think that knowing what would eventually happen detracted from my enjoyment of the story itself. In fact, I think that in some way my knowledge of the source material helped me enjoy the story more.

*Spoilers*

The only part of the story that I was not entirely fond of was that Elizabeth seemed to be more like her mother. There were a few times, where she seemed to affected by nerves, which is something I personally felt like Elizabeth would not do. however, those instances were few and far between. I still loved Lizzie's character because she was so ambitious and ready to take on a seemingly difficult case just to prove her worth. Darcy's characterization was also really good. I loved how well-developed his character was, especially the part where he was claustrophobic.
As soon as I heard the premise of this story, I was 1000% sure that Collins, the irritating and creepy cousin, would be the murderer. My thoughts were pretty solidified once I heard about the button in the window. Still, I enjoyed
seeing all of the pieces of the case come together to make this story. I even loved how Lizzie tricked Collins and how he had to be gagged for the trial because he kept speaking out of turn.
I truly enjoyed reading my favorite characters again and how thrilling and fun this book was.

This book was absolutely fantastic! What a great version of "Pride and Prejudice". I hope it inspires all girls to reach for their dreams no matter who or what is trying to hold them back. I will highly recommend this book!

3.5 stars. A murder twist to the story we all know so well. As a retelling of Pride and Prejudice it did a good job of portraying the characters and translating the events to a darker turn – though not dark or gory by any means. It’s a nice light-hearted read to distract yourself from the boredom of every day life.

I was a bit impatient at first as I already knew most character twists and relationships, but the mystery and my liking to Lizzie kept me going. Plus there’s also the fact that Darcy takes a while to have a significant presence in the story – at least the first 40% of the book is focused on Lizzie and the murder mystery. But I guess that’s what Jane Austen would have wanted.

When Darcy does appear though it’s worth it. I think this version of their romance isn’t as hate to love as the original is. At least Lizzie seems to find him handsome and doesn’t loathe him as much as p&p Elizabeth does. They of course spend most of the time bickering and glowering at each other, and Lizzie is suspicious of him, but she doesnt seem to abhor truly negative feelings towards him. This was a nice touch as this plot changes a bit their dynamic and Lizzie and Darcy become a rivals to lovers couple, since they’re from competitor firms wanting the same job.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for letting me read this ARC!

I don’t enjoy reading Jane Austen novels, but I LOVE reading Austen retellings.

One thing I loved about Pride and Premeditation is that Price kept the names of the original characters. Most retellings change the character names and the family dynamics,, but Price made the story more feminist and gave the characters new roles.

This book was a classic retelling with a murder mystery twist. Elizabeth Bennet doesn’t want to just get married and be someone’s wife and mother, which is what was expected of women in her time. Instead, her dream is to become a barrister at her father’s firm, Longbourn & Sons. In order to prove to her father that she has the capability of working for his firm, Lizzie has to solve a case and she chose to solve a murder in order to prove her worth to him. Unfortunately, she has to compete with Fitzwilliam Darcy, the lead lawyer of the Pemberly firm, in order to solve it.

I found myself enraptured by this story. I couldn’t wait to make it to the end to find out who did it, and why (of course I figured out who it was pretty early in the book thanks to my lifetime of SVU binges).

My only complaint about this book is I didn’t feel that we got enough of Lizzie and Mr. Darcy, but I’m really excited for the 2nd installment of this series.

Prime and Premeditation (Jane Austen Murder Mystery #1) is a re-telling of Pride and Prejudice. It’s considered a young adult novel, but I enjoyed it and believe all fans of Jane Austen will as well. I loved the setting. Her choice of villains will make P&P fans smile. Lizzie’s independent spirit is expanded and yet kept within the social strictures of the time period. The romantic storyline is retained, and the addition of a mystery gives the story an additional tension that reads like a bit of an adventure. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for Lride and Premeditation!

If Jane Austen wrote mystery YA... this would be the book. Tirzah Price delightfully brings together the beloved characters of Pride and Prejudice in a completely new context. Instead of meetings at various balls and dinner parties, relationships are built while attempting to prove Mr. Bingley’s innocence in the murder of his brother-in-law. While some of the characters read the exact same way (including the same lines on occasion!), Price was able to change enough where it still felt like an entirely new story.

The only thing Price is missing is Austen’s smooth satire that subtlety pokes at societal issues. Instead, this book was quite explicit in discussing women and class inequalities in Regency England. The heavy handed-ness of those themes made the overall book seem targeted to a younger audience.

*𝐈 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐀𝐑𝐂. 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧*

Wow! What a refreshing read! Let's start with some basic and initial observations. The cover is attention-grabbing in an almost psychedelic way.. I like colorful things so this one stood out to me.. The book title is quite clever and holds true to the premise of the book. The description matches very well, and this book definitely reminded me of the Stalking Jack the Ripper book. If you liked that book, then I fully believe you'll like this one.

It is a period piece and did a through job of paralleling Pride and Prejudice while also interweaving the murder mystery element. I found the characters to be likeable, the plot interesting, and the mystery and resolution done well. The author did a good job of keeping with the concept of exploring the conflict in following tradition versus being a woman with a brain who wants to have independence and have more control over her life...as well as figuring out how love fits into all of that. Overall, I liked this story.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio for an advanced audiobook of Pride and Premeditation.
This was a very fun interpretation of Pride and Prejudice with a murder mystery twist. I liked how the personalities of each character stayed true to its source material while still being unique in its storytelling. It was definitely a slow moving mystery, most the book was spend with Lizzie looking for clues and thinking through the case but overall I really enjoyed the storytelling. This is a great book if you’re looking for something fun, and easy especially if you already know the original story.