Shelf Control #2 - Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

Hosted @ Bookshelf Fantasies (on hiatus for 10 days, but whatevs)

This meme is focused on featuring books that have been languishing on our shelves, unread and unloved, for way too long. And now that I've discovered the wonder of NetGalley, I don't see this problem getting any better...

This week's Shelf Control is Death Comes to Pemberley, a murder mystery set in the world of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. I know, I don't know why it's taking me so damn long to read it either. It's literally two of my favorite things merged into one. 

Title: Death Comes to Pemberley

Author: P.D. James

Published: 2011

Page length: 291 pages

A rare meeting of literary genius: P. D. James, long among the most admired mystery writers of our time, draws the characters of Jane Austen’s beloved novel Pride and Prejudice into a tale of murder and emotional mayhem. It is 1803, six years since Elizabeth and Darcy embarked on their life together at Pemberley, Darcy’s magnificent estate. Their peaceful, orderly world seems almost unassailable. Elizabeth has found her footing as the chatelaine of the great house. They have two fine sons, Fitzwilliam and Charles. Elizabeth’s sister Jane and her husband, Bingley, live nearby; her father visits often; there is optimistic talk about the prospects of marriage for Darcy’s sister Georgiana. And preparations are under way for their much-anticipated annual autumn ball. Then, on the eve of the ball, the patrician idyll is shattered. A coach careens up the drive carrying Lydia, Elizabeth’s disgraced sister, who with her husband, the very dubious Wickham, has been banned from Pemberley. She stumbles out of the carriage, hysterical, shrieking that Wickham has been murdered. With shocking suddenness, Pemberley is plunged into a frightening mystery. Inspired by a lifelong passion for Austen, P. D. James masterfully re-creates the world of Pride and Prejudice,electrifying it with the excitement and suspense of a brilliantly crafted crime story, as only she can write it. Goodreads

 How I Got It: Bought it at Goodwill over two years ago and it's been on my bedside table ever since.

Why I Want to Read It: Uh, did you not read my intro? It's a murder mystery set in the world of Pride and Prejudice! Elizabeth freakin Bennet as an amateur sleuth! I honestly think I've put off reading it because I've built it up so much in my head that I don't want to be disappointed.
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Has anyone read this book yet? Should I temper my expectations? What books have been sitting around on your bookshelves?

Shelf Control #1

Hosted @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Shelf Control is a meme that introduces books we want to read and already own. I love this idea because the stack of books in my TBR pile continues to grow, yet I Can't.Stop.Buying. I have a problem.

The book I'm featuring for my first Shelf Control is Manila Noir, part of an anthology series that focuses on stories set within particular cities.

             Title: Manila Noir (part of the Akashic Noir series)
             Author(s): Various Filipino authors
             Published: 2013
             Length: 280 pages


From the introduction by Jessica Hagedorn:

"Manila's a city of survivors, schemers, and dreamers...A city of extremes. Where the rich live in posh enclaves, guarded by men with guns. Where the poor improvise homes out of wood, tin, and cardboard and live by their wits. Where five-star hotels and luxury malls selling Prada and Louis Vuitton coexist with toxic garbage dumps and sprawling 'informal settlements' (a.k.a. squatter settlements), where religious zeal coexists with superstition, where 'hospitality' might be another word for prostitution, where sports and show business can be the first step to politics, where politics can be synonymous with nepotism, cronyism, and corruption, where violence is nothing out of the ordinary, and pretty much anything can be had for a price--if you have the money and/or the connections, that is...

As you will see from this steamy collection of stories, all these delicious contradictions serve to enrich and expand our concept of noir. What you will also find are the noir essentials: alienated and desperate characters, terse dialogue, sudden violence, betrayals left and right...All the fabulous and fearless writers gathered here have a deep connection and abiding love for this crazy-making, intoxicating city. There's nothing like it in the world, and they know it." Amazon

How I got it: I bought it! From Centuries & Sleuths, an awesome history and mystery bookstore in Forest Park.

Why I want to read it: I randomly came across it while browsing at the bookstore and it immediately jumped out at me. There's not nearly enough diversity in fiction (mysteries are particularly bad about this), and a mystery anthology set in my mother country immediately spoke to me. I don't know why it's taking me so long to get around to reading it, but I think it's definitely moving up to the top of my pile.
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So what books have been sitting unread and unloved on your shelf for way too long?