The Plight of the Darcy Brothers

Altman, Marsha. 2009. The Plight of the Darcy Brothers: Pride and Prejudice Continues: A Tale of The Darcys and the Bingleys. 359 pages. Sourcebooks.

This one is the sequel to The Darcys and the Bingleys. The book follows three couples primarily--Elizabeth and Darcy, Jane and Charles, and Caroline and Daniel. (The first two couples I know need no introduction. Caroline is 'Caroline Bingley'--Charles' sister--and her husband, Dr. Daniel Maddox, a character introduced in Altman's book not Austen's.)

A Bennet sister is in trouble! And you may have trouble guessing just who that sister is. It's not really a secret. Not when they the publisher chooses to tell you right on the back cover. It's Mary. And shocker of all shockers, while she was away studying in France, Mary fell in love and got pregnant. Now she's returned to England to face her family and the consequences of her actions.

Darcy and Elizabeth--in the place of Mr. Bennet--have decided to go to Europe to track down the would-be-father. But what they find in Europe--who they find in Europe--is just the beginning.

Did you notice the title? The Plight of the Darcy Brothers. If you noticed the word BROTHERS then you might just guess a secret or two will be revealed in this one about Darcy's family.

This one kept me reading. I didn't always find it believable. But I almost always found it entertaining. It is more action-oriented than the first one. (Personally, I don't care how action-oriented an Austen sequel is. I don't need duels and stand-offs and such to be entertained. I'd like to see Darcy a little less injured along the way. Maybe Altman really likes to see Elizabeth play nurse?!)

One thing that I have to say is that I really really appreciate the fact that these two sequels are clean. It's refreshing.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews