In Who Betrays Elizabeth Bennet? John Sutherland unravels 34 literary puzzles in a sequel to his bestselling works Is Heathcliff a Murderer? and Can Jane Eyre Be Happy?. As well as exploring new conundrums Professor Sutherland revisits some previous puzzles with the help of readers who offertheir own ingenious solutions, and set fresh posers for investigation. Victorian drug habits, railway systems, sanitation and dentistry are only a few of the areas that shed light on the motives and circumstances of some of literature's most famous characters: Elizabeth Bennet, Betsey Trotwood, Count Dracula, Anna Karenina, Alice and many more come under the spotlightin John Sutherland's highly entertaining collection. 'Sutherland puts humanity and the human, logic and curiosity, back into criticism . . . His respect for the realism of texts inspires, inspirits and delights.' Valentine Cunningham

This inventive, action-packed novel tells of a tormented Darcy who, dispirited by his family's 200-year curse and his fate as a half-human/half-vampire, would rather live forever alone than inflict the horrors of a vampire life on a beautiful wife. Destiny has other plans.

Jane Austen's Mrs. Bennet, mother of five difficult teenage daughters, is silent no more. Tired of having her ungrateful girls roll their their eyes at her and watching her husband return to his man cave, Mrs. Bennet finally tells her side of the story.

'Wonderful...concise, witty, effortlessly learned.' Sunday Times How does Magwitch swim to shore with a great iron on his leg? Where does Fanny Hill keep her contraceptives? Whose side is Hawkeye on? And how does Clarissa Dalloway get home so quickly? In this new edition sequel to the enormously successful Is Heathcliff a Murderer?, John Sutherland plays literary detective and investigates 32 literary conundrums, ranging from Daniel Defoe to Virginia Woolf. As in its universally loved predecessor, the questions and answers are ingenious and convincing, and return the reader with new respect to the great novels that inspire them.

A Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice VariationReturning home from Kent, Elizabeth Bennet is still distressed over Mr. Darcy's insulting marriage proposal. However, her attention is diverted by the local militia commander who asks her to observe Wickham, now suspected of being a French spy. Pretending to be besotted with Wickham, Elizabeth accompanies the regiment when they relocate to Brighton. Darcy arrives at Longbourn with the intention of making amends to Elizabeth, only to discover that she is now at Brighton with Wickham. Desperate to save her from the scoundrel, Darcy follows her to the seaside, where he hopes to woo her away from the other man. Deception piles on top of deception as Elizabeth attempts to carry out her mission without betraying confidences-or breaking Darcy's heart. However, the French plot runs deeper than she knows; soon she and Darcy are plunged into the confusing and dangerous world of international espionage. Can Darcy and Elizabeth escape with their lives and their love intact?

Amid the groves of Rosings Park, with Elizabeth by his side, Darcy had begun to hope for something different for his future than he had previously allowed himself to believe was possible-a partnership, a love match... ELIZABETH BENNET TRAVELS TO KENT to escape her mother's histrionics, hopeful to find respite in visiting her oldest friend, Charlotte Collins. Instead of the reprieve she desired, she finds herself trapped and miserable-a direct reflection of Mr Collins's peculiar sense of hospitality, justice, and duty.. The tension in the parsonage is significant, and her friend is much changed. Elizabeth's only relief is derived from her morning rambles, where she finds great solace in the strangest of places-walking with Mr Darcy. His steadiness, kindness and dependability greatly oppose her previous perceptions of the man, and yet she cannot help but continue to compare his character in Kent with the man she had supposed him to be during their previous acquaintance in Hertfordshire. Could it be that he was now showing his truest self to her? JUST WHEN IT SEEMS FELICITY is near, however, insidious jealousy arises and the betrayal of one close to the two couples threatens their nascent happiness. Elizabeth is pulled away too soon, and Darcy is left to wonder if she ever had feelings for him at all. Can the truth be untangled in time for their course of love to reach its completion?

When secrets are revealed and a family agenda works against him, can Fitzwilliam Darcy recover his damaged spirits and find happiness? Following his disastrous proposal to Elizabeth Bennet, Fitzwilliam Darcy returns to London from Kent, broken-hearted and dejected. One bright spot penetrates his sea of despair: his sister, Georgiana, has finally recovered her spirits from the grievous events at Ramsgate the previous summer. She has forged a new friendship with Miss Hester Drake, a lady who appears to be an ideal friend. In fact, Lady Matlock believes Miss Drake is Darcy's perfect match. Upon Elizabeth's arrival at the Gardiners' home from Kent, she finds that her sister Jane remains despondent over her abandonment by Mr. Bingley. But Elizabeth has information that might bring them together. She convinces her uncle Gardiner to write a letter to Mr. Bingley, providing key facts supplied to her by Mr. Darcy. When Bingley discovers that his friend and sisters colluded to keep Jane's presence in London from him, how will he respond? Given the chance, will Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth overcome their past misunderstandings? What will Darcy do when his beloved sister becomes a hindrance towards winning the lady he loves?

The Literary Detective is an omnibus edition of John Sutherland's three best-selling collections of literary puzzles, Is Heathcliffe a Murderer?, Can Jane Eyre be Happy?, and Who Betrays Elizabeth Bennet? Investigating a variety of anomalies, enigmas, and conundrums such as 'Why does RobinsonCrusoe find only one footprint?' and 'Where does Fanny Hill keep her contraceptives?', Professor Sutherland explores the questions readers often ask and critics rarely discuss. His forensic skills focus on authors from Defoe and Fielding to Wells and Woolf, relishing in particular thenineteenth-century novelists, Austen, Collins, Dickens, and the Brontes.By addressing 'real world' questions John Sutherland has brought lit. crit. Down from the rarefied heights of academe and into the everyday discourse of ordinary readers, who bring their own expertise to bear on these novels. In his introduction he quotes from some of the many letters he hasreceived, which demonstrate that we can all be astute and entertaining critics. The 'Sherlock Holmes of Literature', as he has been called, John Sutherland reminds us of the sheer pleasure and excitement that good books inspire, and of their endless ability to surprise and delight us.

Originally published in 1949, the unusual plot takes the Darcys into the realm of the Gothic-perfect for fans of Death Comes to Pemberley. Mr. Darcy must appoint a new rector at Pemberley, which affords the author the opportunity to introduce a host of new characters to mingle with the beloved and familiar ones of Jane Austen. A delightfully witty plot, full of surprises: "Who could have foretold that Dr. Robinson, who had done nothing of note in all his lifetime should, by the common and natural act of dying, set in motion a train of events so strange, so startling, so far removed from probability as to emulate the riotous fancies of a disordered mind?" "The kind of story Jane Austen would have delighted to tell." -J. Donald Adams What readers are saying: "Really a great book and captures Austen's characters quite well. I was excessively diverted." "A very original plot." "A wonderful addition to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice sequels!"

The villianous George Wickham, determined to start trouble, returns to Hertfordshire and places the lives of Elizabeth and her newborn son in danger, forcing Darcy to rush to the rescue.