Dancing with Mr. Darcy: Stories Inspired by Jane Austen and Chawton House
Comprised of the three winners of the Chawton House Library short story competition as well as 17 runners up, this collection offers a wide variety of takes on Austen, her life, her literature, and her impact—with nary a zombie in sight. The winning entry, Victoria Owen’s “Jane Austen over the Styx” finds Jane on judgment day being called to task by five characters she skewered in her novels. Elsa A. Solender’s “Second Thoughts” draws from Austen’s biography to explore her decision to accept the proposal of Harris Bigg-Withers, only to recant the next day. Kirsty Mitchell’s “Jayne” gets inside the head of a soft-core model who is both well read and eminently practical. Elizabeth Hopkinson’s “The Delaford Ladies’ Detective Agency” sends up Alexander McCall Smith’s series, casting the now married Elinor and Marianne Dashwood as sleuths in a light-hearted mystery. Clair Humphies details an Austen-themed bachelorette weekend that goes awry until a dashing Mr. Darcy type shows up in “The Jane Austen Hen Weekend.” A lively and diverse collection. --Kristine Huntley