Pride and Premeditation
Page turning
Easy read
Refreshing

Pride and Premeditation

Tirzah Price2021
Perfect for fans of the Lady Janies and Stalking Jack the Ripper, the first book in the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries series is a clever retelling of Pride and Prejudice that reimagines the iconic settings, characters, and romances in a thrilling and high-stakes whodunit. 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.
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Reviews

Photo of Christina Rose Sullivan
Christina Rose Sullivan@salteenz
5 stars
May 10, 2024

just a lil cutie

+2
Photo of Kaylee Ray
Kaylee Ray@epeolatri
5 stars
Apr 5, 2024

SO GOOD.

Photo of Melissa Palmer
Melissa Palmer@melissapalmer404
5 stars
Nov 5, 2023

Fans of Jane Austen will enjoy this series, where Austen's characters are involved in an interesting mystery. It was a quick read and I enjoyed it. I will continue the series.

Photo of Ellen Ivey
Ellen Ivey@ellen_ivey
3.5 stars
Jul 15, 2023

Loved this light read. Was a good holiday book. It was definitely a risk to read a book inspired by one of my favourite Jane Austens but it was derivative enough that it didn't kill me to read.

+2
Photo of Kimberly Burgess
Kimberly Burgess @fernweh_and_haven
4 stars
Jan 2, 2023

Very cute murder mystery retelling, major Enola Holmes meets Lady Janies series vibes. Highly recommend the audiobook!

Photo of Sven Test
Sven Test@sven-sg-test-1
4 stars
Aug 31, 2022

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a brilliant idea, conceived and executed by a clever young woman, must be claimed by a man. Through the years, I've read quite a few YA retellings on this classic and I've enjoyed them a lot! Of course, I jumped at the chance of reading Pride and Premeditation, especially when I found out this had a Murder Mystery twist AND for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper Lizzie doesn't wish to marry. She wishes to become a barrister at her father's legal practice. It is here where she has helped in many cases, but cannot get the recognition she deserves because the horrible Mr. Collins is always taking credit for her work. When a murder happens, Lizzie takes it as a great opportunity to prove to her father she has what it takes to work at his firm. What she doesn't account for is how complex this entire murder really ends up being! Where men fail to see the truth, a woman may uncover many secrets before tea. The characters, in many aspects, were so true to their original inspirations, but they also had a new take in order to fit this murder mystery! I loved discovering new aspects of these characters, while seeing similarities. I enjoyed reading about the deep connection that Lizzie and her papa, Mr. Bennet, have. Mr. Bennet still has some of his quirks in this retelling, which had me grinning from ear to ear! We can't leave Mrs. Bennet behind. Her character was probably the most similar to the original inspiration, which surprisingly didn't take away from this retelling in the slightest. "Miss Bennet, if I'm surprised at anything you say, it's because I'm amazed at the quickness of your mind, not because I doubt your abilities." Everyone knows how much I love romance and basically need it in every single book I read. BUT! I was so immersed in the writing and story-line that I actually just...forgot about it. Sure, we have all the bickering and banter between Darcy and Lizzie (which I was totally here for), but I did not mind one single bit that this book lacked the romance. The investigation on the murder really takes your entire focus and you're just as eager as Lizzie in finding the culprit. Kudos to the author for making a romance lover forget about the romance! I personally loved all the liberties that the author took with this retelling! They added a unique touch to the classic story. Let me tell you, this really helped in adding the mystery aspect--it actually helped enhance it so much! Pride and Premeditation will surely be loved and enjoyed by fans of SJTR. The intrigue, tension, banter, twists and turns will keep readers engaged until the very end and will have them eagerly anticipating the next installment in this Jane Austen Murder Mystery series! -- Follow Me Blog ❃ Instagram ❃ Twitter ❃ Bloglovin ❃ Goodreads ❃ Pinterest ❃ Etsy Shop

Photo of Heather
Heather@heathersbooked
3 stars
Aug 21, 2022

3 Stars ⭐️ This book loosely follows the plot of Pride and Prejudice. It’s mainly the characters’ names that remain the same. I thought this was a fun YA mystery. I liked the first half way more than the second half. I just felt like the ending was unrealistic. So that’s why I gave it three stars. Overall, it was a fast, fun read. Read if you like: Retellings Strong female leads Historical fiction YA mysteries

Photo of Holly
Holly@hollyck
4 stars
Aug 12, 2022

3.5 rounded up. It was definitely good, but I wasn't wowed by it.

Photo of elizabeth church
elizabeth church@elizabeth_church
2 stars
Aug 12, 2022

2.5 The book was okay. Expected it to be a bit better, but liked the idea and prompt of the novel. It took me a while to actually get involved in the characters and plot of the book which is not really what you want when reading a book, let alone a retelling. Just wish there was a bit more of an enemies to lovers theme in the book; especially considering it was a retelling of Pride and Prejudice. There was a chance to modernize it just a bit more with witty comments and things that would make it just a bit more scandalous than just some company competition.

Photo of ashley
ashley @ashquinn88
4.5 stars
Aug 2, 2022

a great spin off of pride and prejudice, It brought my two favorite genres together, mystery and romance

This review contains a spoiler
Photo of Julie Fisher
Julie Fisher@jcfisher
5 stars
Apr 1, 2022

This book is amazing. Why is nobody talking about it?! Pride and Prejudice meets Sherlock Holmes. Lizzie is very Lizzie. Darcy is very Darcy. Some of the same lines that squeeze your heart are in there unexpectedly. But add mystery and plot twists! I LOVED IT.

+3
Photo of Mari
Mari@marywithani
3.5 stars
Mar 9, 2022

Not what I normally read, but a sweet book with a good dash of romance. Definitely one where you know the murderer halfway through, but still good nonetheless!

Photo of Sarah Dillon
Sarah Dillon@sarahdillon
3 stars
Feb 24, 2022

oh no she’s slipping back into her pride and prejudice phase

Photo of Lainie Stuart
Lainie Stuart@lainiereads
4 stars
Feb 15, 2022

Man, I love Pride and Prejudice. This book was such a cute and quick read, with an interesting mystery too. It was really fun to see the combination of the original Pride and Prejudice story and this new world that Tirzah Price created. While I do believe that this is a book that you cannot take too seriously (you will not enjoy it nearly as much if you try to think critically), I think that Price did a great job with keeping the heart of each character the same as Austen's. I really enjoyed how she was able to do this while also adding many twists and turns that made the mystery very exciting. Definitely recommend to anyone who loves Pride and Prejudice and wants a fun read. Side note: Darcy in this was amazing, I love him so much.

Photo of Eliza Gonzalez
Eliza Gonzalez@vipertooth
3 stars
Jan 29, 2022

This would have appealed much more to me if I didn't have the original story to compare it to. I'm trying not to rate it too harshly, as there's not much about the book I find fault with aside from disliking how it differs from its inspiration. There's nothing wrong with changing and rewriting a story, but all of the changes Price made were ones I did not enjoy. The characters often felt either water downed or like strange caricatures. The relationship dynamics also suffered, and I wish Jane and Bingley were more present in the story. Even though it centered around proving Bingley's innocence, he was practically a ghost through most of it. All in all, it was a relatively enjoyable read. I'd recommend it to perhaps someone who hasn't read P&P or isn't as picky about the liberties taken with the characters.

Photo of Beth Livingston
Beth Livingston@readergirl19
4 stars
Jan 18, 2022

I would like to thank the publishers at HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for an eARC. I enjoyed this book immensely. Lizzie Bennet wants to be a barrister like her father at his law firm, Longbourn & Sons. She wants to prove herself and the opportunity arises when she gets wind of a case. Charles Bingley is charged with murdering his brother-in-law. When interviewing Mr. Bingley, she meets his solicitor, Mr. Darcy. Let's just say sparks fly. If you like cozy mysteries and Pride & Prejudice, then you have to give this a read. I really like this rendition of Jane Austen's classic. Tirzah Price did a brilliant job on this book. I want a sequel! I give Pride and Premeditation a 4 out of 5 stars. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Photo of Emma Hurst
Emma Hurst @emmacatherine2
2 stars
Jan 5, 2022

DNF

Photo of maddy
maddy@books_with_missy
3.5 stars
Jan 5, 2022

Good, good, good book. Enjoyable, fun, murder mystery, feminist, went down easy, a little bit of a too happy ending but loved the writing, however sometimes wording is a bit confusing. Loved the era and great Pride and Prejudice spin.

Photo of Irina
Irina @irinalit
4 stars
Jan 4, 2022

It was a bit slow in the beginning but got more engaging as the plot twists started. It’s interesting to see how some of the original characters’ plots have been changed and reimagined in this novel. It’s a perfect book for those who love Pride and Prejudice and Agatha Christie novels.

Photo of M
M@dinomar
4 stars
Dec 18, 2021

I was able to receive an ARC of the audiobook from the publishers through NetGalley, which was super cool Pride & Prejudice is one of my favorite books so I was really excited to hear about a murder mystery with the same characters. In this version of the classic Pride & Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennett is a headstrong woman trying to become a solicitor when she hears of a case that may help her get everything she wants. Mr. Bingley has been accused of murdering his brother-in-law. Elizabeth does not believe that he is capable of such a gruesome act, so she offers her services. That is when she meets him for the first time. and Darcy is a headstrong man that is just trying to help out his dear 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 does not want to put the fate of his long-time friend Mr. Bingley in jeopardy. 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.

Photo of alice nunes
alice nunes@alicenunes
4 stars
Dec 14, 2021

This was so good and so much fun!! I totally will read the other books in this series when they come out!! Seriously this was more fun than I’d been having with books for a while

Photo of Caitlyn DeRouin
Caitlyn DeRouin@caitlynderouin
4 stars
Dec 14, 2021

Trigger Warnings: Death (on page), murder, sexism, implied racisim I absolutely love Jane Austen, she's one of my favorite authors, and I love murder mysteries. So when I heard about this book, I immediately wanted to read it! Something I often worry about with retellings is how these characters that I love so much and have grown up with, will be portrayed by a new author. Tirzah Price did a wonderful job of taking these characters and making them her own while staying true to the inspiration. No one felt extremely out of character from the original story, and the changes that were made absolutely made sense within this story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be looking forward to the next books in the series!

Photo of Nora Reisenberger
Nora Reisenberger@nora96_rei
3 stars
Dec 13, 2021

Delightfully familiar yet surprisingly fresh. We follow the enigmatic Lizzie as she strives to gain her father’s approval in helping to work at the family’s law firm all the while navigating unfolding plots of murder, deceit, pride and prejudice ;) Obviously the general structure of this story feels inherently familiar. Most people will know or have an idea about Jane Austen’s work and most people know how a crime drama is set up. But here we have a charming account of a young woman ahead of her time navigating the murky waters of criminal investigation and legal prosecution before these were standard practice. As such we see her struggle within the system and deliberately going against or staying out of it. And in this the story shines a light on equal rights for women in society and the work place 👍🏻👍🏻 which we always like to see. It’s also generally just a really nice story. The mystery unfurls as Lizzie’s investigation delves further into the plot and we get to follow along on the wild chase for motive, evidence and justice! 12+ Even though we get the general idea that there is blood involved in a murder case, I would actually already feel comfortable in recommending this book to slightly younger audiences as well. The language albeit making an effort to come across as slightly proper and of the “Olden Days” is easy to follow and comprehend.

Photo of Alli King
Alli King@mrskingisreading
4 stars
Dec 4, 2021

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for Pride 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. Don’t get me wrong- I’m all about the feminism, and it didn’t detract from the story. It’s still great.

Highlights

Photo of kah
kah@readsbykah

A good opinion, once lost, is lost forever.

Photo of kah
kah@readsbykah

Once your reputation is in doubt, it is near impossible to restore.

Photo of kah
kah@readsbykah

IT IS A TRUTH universally acknowledged that a brilliant idea, conceived and executed by a clever young woman, must be claimed by a man.

Photo of Emma Kamer
Emma Kamer@emmakamer

The law of the land declared that innocence had to be proven, but Lizzie often found herself needing to be convinced of wrongdoing.

Page 19
Photo of joy-lynn
joy-lynn@joy-lynn

Lizzie would have laughed if their conversation had a different tone. Her father had been the first one to teach her about Aristotle's methods of persuasion-pathos, ethos, and logos. Pathos was a method of appealing to her father's emotions, which was exactly what she had been attempting to do. The barrister picked up on it, of course. "Considering I have no authority or experience and cannot use ethos, I assume you would have me rely on logos," she said. Mr. Bennet chuckled. "If you can convince me that I should hire you using logic and facts, then I shall consider it. Which is a good offer, considering how much your mother will berate me for doing so."

Photo of maddy
maddy@books_with_missy

“Logic, she reminded herself, but it was shockingly difficult to think logically when you stood between to pistols.”

Photo of maddy
maddy@books_with_missy

“One’s death should matter no more than the other.”