Whatever happened to Georgiana Darcy? An interview with historical mystery author (and Janite) Regina Jeffers

Today I'm talking with Regina Jeffers about her cozy mystery, THE DISAPPEARANCE OF GEORGIANA DARCY, which transplants familiar Jane Austen characters into a cozy mystery setting.

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1) Tell us about your latest book.


THE DISAPPEARANCE OF GEORGIANA DARCY is a cozy mystery, much in the vein of an Agatha Christie novel or the Murder She Wrote TV series. A cozy is set in a deserted area and has no sex or graphic violence. Along with the main characters, a “cozy” requires the reader to use his intelligence to solve the mystery’s clues. The book is classified as romantic suspense, but there is more suspense than romance in the story line. I prefer the idea of “romantic elements” instead. The novel is set two years after PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ends. Although Georgiana Darcy had made a brilliant match in Major General Fitzwilliam, Darcy has never fully accepted the loss of his sister to a proper marriage, but he would gladly “lose” Georgiana to Edward Fitzwilliam’s care if it meant that he could finally locate her on the infamous Merrick Moor.

Book Blurb: Shackled in the dungeon of a macabre castle with no recollection of her past, a young woman finds herself falling in love with her captor–the estate’s master. Yet, placing her trust in him before she regains her memory and unravels the castle’s wicked truths would be a catastrophe.

Far away at Pemberley, the Darcys happily gather to celebrate the marriage of Kitty Bennet. But a dark cloud sweeps through the festivities: Georgiana Darcy has disappeared without a trace. Upon receiving word of his sister’s likely demise, Darcy and wife, Elizabeth, set off across the English countryside, seeking answers in the unfamiliar and menacing Scottish moors.

How can Darcy keep his sister safe from the most sinister threat she has ever faced when he doesn’t even know if she’s alive? True to Austen’s style and rife with malicious villains, dramatic revelations and heroic gestures, this suspense-packed mystery places Darcy and Elizabeth in the most harrowing situation they have ever faced–finding Georgiana before it is too late.

2) What inspired you to write a mystery book set in the general Pride and Prejudice milieu?

This book is actually my second romantic suspense. Ulysses Press released THE PHANTOM OF PEMBERLEY in 2010. It did well, placing third in the Dixie Kane Memorial Awards. Fans also received “Phantom” with open arms. Naturally, in the publishing world, one stays with success. But more than that, I believe the Regency Period, with its strict guidelines for behavior and the stringent delineation for social class makes it easy to craft a mystery. Information is withheld; yet, everyone in Regency era Society knows the secrets. It is the perfect scenario.

Yet, writing a mystery is always difficult–to mix overt clues about the crime with essential details that appear unimportant, but are necessary to solve the mystery. Balancing the reveal with inference gaps takes time and planning. And, of course, tossing in those lovely “red herrings,” which take the reader down the wrong paths, are wonderful to see come to fruition.

3) Was it difficult to balance the tension required with mystery with the sort of generally non-mystery atmosphere associated with Austen characters (well, outside of NORTHANGER ABBEY, at least)?


Actually, Austen was a master at creating a diversion, an ingredient necessary for a well-developed mystery. For example, in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, she manages to make her readers not see the truth about Mr. Darcy. About Mr. Wickham. About Elizabeth Bennet. Austen says things such as, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” This is a tongue-in-cheek statement of theme, but it is flawed first impression of what the story entails. She says of George Wickham that he is “beyond them all in person, countenance, air, and walk.” That is another flawed impression. Of Elizabeth, Austen says, “She is not so handsome as Jane, nor half so good-humored as Lydia.” Yet, those of us who have read the novel know this is a false impression. Elizabeth has depths of character not seen in either Jane or Lydia Bennet. Mr. Darcy says of Elizabeth, “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me.” Flawed, again and again.

As in any well-told mystery, it is necessary to introduce an unexpected scenario. For the crime, it becomes prudent to develop a closed circle of suspects, each of whom has credible motives and reasonable opportunities to commit the crime. “Phantom” dealt with a series of unexpected deaths; “Disappearance” builds suspense with the setting. Legends of the Merrick Moor, the Awful Hand, and the Murder Hole add suspense to the story line.

4) Will we get to see the good Mr. Darcy thrash a villain or two?

A: I have written several “Darcy” sequels and adaptations. In each, Mr. Darcy is a virile specimen of Regency-era manhood. He has had more than one “tussle” with Mr. Wickham in my novels.

Andrew Davies’ created the image of “Darcy” in the 1995 Pride and Prejudice mini-series. Colin Firth as Fitzwilliam Darcy is given scenes (NOT found in the original story) that make his character more appealing to the predominantly female viewing audience. We see him on horseback, swimming in a placid lake, fencing, and hunting. We see him stepping from his bath and staring broodingly out a window. Women loved the image. These same women are my audience. I would be foolish to go against the model.

5) Your novel has a mix of original creations and more well known Austen characters. Did you find it difficult to write scenes with the Austen characters?

I seriously believe that Austen’s intertextual reinscriptions of Restoration comedy have echoes in contemporary rewrites of classical literature. Reading a historical novel in its period requires the reader to understand the period, as well as the social distance from the present. Despite Austen being a part of the Society of which she wrote, her works display a “distance” from the time period, and that “distance” marks Austen’s voice as one more distinct than others of her time. Jane Austen was sophisticated, subtle, and very intelligent in her handling of complex issues. Austen’s women were women of sense; they embodied the notion of rational love. Today’s audience has paradoxically maintained Austen’s “formula.”

Austen characters have lived in my head for half a century. They are often dancing about a ballroom or strolling along a country lane. When I write, the scenes play in my head as if they were part of a movie. When something is not correct, I simply hit “rewind” until the scene plays with authority. I often find myself saying, “Mr. Darcy would not say that.” Then I replay the scene until it is correct.

6) Did you ever have any concern that readers might take issue with your interpretation of these well-known characters?

The most difficult part of writing Austen-inspired literature is that each of Austen’s fans feels as if “Jane” is her personal friend, and that reader knows “Jane’s mind” better than anyone else. Therefore, they bring to the reading experience a preconceived idea of how Austen’s characters would act outside of her novels. I have been fortunate, overall. Most of my readers feel that I understand how Austen’s characters would respond to various situations. However, I occasionally meet a reader who disagrees with what I have written. One thing that I do religiously in my works is that I use as much of Austen’s actual text as possible within the story line. Many love to hear familiar phrases in new situations.

Writing scenes with the forbidden word “SEX” in them is more of an issue. Many Janeites think any scene that involves sexual references is inappropriate for Austen-inspired works. My scenes are more realistic. I look at Darcy and Elizabeth’s joining as a loving one. I do not write torrid sexual encounters, but I also do not avoid the old adage of “an heir and a spare.” My scenes are more indicative of vintage films. One sees the build up, but then the door closes, and he knows what happens.

7) Period novels necessitate research. Even with you having a starting point in a famous work, your story goes off in directions Austen never dreamt of. So, in the course of doing research for your novel, is there anything you learned that surprised you?


The research is based on what would and would not be acceptable for the Regency Period, the time period in which the majority of my novels are set. The true Regency Period lasted only ten years, from 1811 to 1820. Most writers of the period place their stories somewhere between 1800 and 1820; however, a few feature everything from the French Revolution to the Reform. When I am creating a Jane Austen adaptation, my setting is defined by Austen’s original story line. For example, the events in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE occur in 1812. If I am writing an Austen sequel, I must be aware of the events that happened in the years following 1812. In my latest novel, THE DISAPPEARANCE OF GEORGIANA DARCY, Colonel Fitzwilliam is returning from service with Wellington at Waterloo. Therefore, the book must be true to June 1815. In my unique Regencies, I tend to place my characters in situations that occur between 1810 and 1815. It is the time period of which I am most familiar.

I have a stash of Regency-related books to which I often turn for assistance. The Internet is helpful, but there is so much misinformation on the Web that a person must look for sites that verify the content found upon the page. One of the biggest issues is anachronistic phrases. I am more aware of those issues in my Austen-inspired works. Miss Austen has a distinct style, which is difficult to replicate, and I make a point of adding her actual wording to the story lines. In most Regencies on the mass market, in the publishing business, a certain number of anachronistic phrases are acceptable. Those serve as a segue between what is often seen as the stilted language of the period and modern phrasing. However, I do attempt to be true to language style.

I love to look for the “unusual” of the Regency era and then incorporate the legend into my novels. For example, there is the mysterious Holy Island of Lindisfarne and the legend of St. Cuthbert’s miraculous burial site or the real-life case of Mary Reynolds, a woman who suffered from Dissociative Identity Disorder. I also found it quite fascinating that Lord Thomas Cochrane proposed saturation bombing and chemical warfare during the Napoleonic Wars. The era has such “nuggets” that amaze my readers and keep them coming back for more.

8) Writing an entire novel continuing the adventures of Austen characters is rather indicative of your fondness for Miss Austen's work. Can you tell us about your first experience with her work?

I have been in love with Jane Austen’s stories for as long as I can remember. When I was twelve, I read PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and was hooked. Perhaps, it was being a product of the 1950s and 1960s. Those decades were a male dominated period (Have you ever watched Mad Men?). Jane Austen’s works looked at society through a comedic screen while examining issues found in a male dominated world. Charlotte Lucas symbolizes the prevailing attitude toward women, while Elizabeth Bennet does not condemn feminine “virtues,” but rather balances them with a sensible mind. In each of Austen’s novels, the main characters have experiences that create a profound and permanent transformation (Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE; Marianne Dashwood in SENSE AND SENSIBILITY; Emma Woodhouse in Emma; Anne Elliot in PERSUASION; Catherine Morland in NORTHANGER ABBEY; and Edmund in MANSFIELD PARK). Austen’s witty, satirical approach to her subjects resonates across the centuries. Therefore, as a twelve-year-old, I read Jane Austen for the first time, and I was hooked.

9) Can you tell us about any of your other published or planned works?


Currently, during the day, I am spending time with my new grandson. His parents are both teachers, and “LoLa” is tending the child until the end of the school year. I love to watch him reach each of his benchmarks. James is 6 months old and is my new best friend.

In the evenings, I am writing. My next Austen-inspired title with Ulysses Press will be another Darcy mystery to be released in the spring of 2013. I am preparing to release my contemporary version of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, entitled HONOR AND HOPE, as soon as we decide on the cover art for the project. Currently, I am writing book 4 of my Regency historical series: A TOUCH OF GRACE. (Book 1 was THE SCANDAL OF LADY ELEANOR [formerly A Touch of Gold]; Book 2 is A TOUCH OF VELVET; Book 3 is A TOUCH OF CASHMERE). I am on chapter 22 of the tale, and I love it. The story has taken on its own life. Publishers’ Weekly called this series a “knockout.”

Beside the above titles, I have written seven Austen-inspired titles. They include Darcy’s Passions: Pride and Prejudice Retold Through His Eyes; Darcy’s Temptation, The Phantom of Pemberley, Vampire Darcy’s Desires, The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy, Captain Wentworth’s Persuasion, and Christmas at Pemberley. In addition to the books in the Realm series, The First Wives’ Club is the first book in a Regency era trilogy, and there’s always my contemporary romance, Second Chances: The Courtship Wars, which is based around a reality TV show.

10)  If you could spend an hour talking to anyone from any time in history, who would it be? And Why?

When I was younger, I had a fascination with George Custer. Besides the Regency Period, I read extensively about the American Civil War, when Custer’s military career began. I tried to discover every little detail about the man who died at the Battle of Little Bighorn. For example, did you know that a year after that fateful battle that Custer’s remains were dug up and reburied at West Point? Were you aware that Custer used a cinnamon scented tonic on his long golden locks? Did you realize that Custer wrote a book, published in 1874, entitled My Life on the Plains or Personal Experiences with the Indians? How about the fact that Walt Whitman, on hearing the news of Custer's death, wrote the poem "From Far Dakota's Canyons"? Among his men, Custer developed a reputation for flamboyant behavior. He led his troops into battle wearing a black velvet jacket trimmed with gold lace, a crimson necktie, and a white hat. He claimed that he adopted this outfit so that his men "would recognize him on any part of the field.”

Custer's defeat at the Little Bighorn made the life of an obscure 19th century military figure into the subject of legends with countless songs, books, and paintings. Custer’s critics say his blunders caused his death and the death of his men. His supporters say he was only following standard military tactics of his time.

Paintings and writings about "the Custer massacre" depict Custer as a gallant victim, surrounded by bloodthirsty savages. The fact that Custer started the battle by attacking the Indian village is often omitted.
It is said that the “Indians” did not scalp or mutilate Custer's body out of respect for his fighting ability, but few participating Indians knew who he was. To this day no one knows the real reason the Amerinds left Custer’s body intact.

11) What was your favorite chapter (or part) of THE DISAPPEARANCE OF GEORGIANA DARCY to write and why?

I love to write confrontations. I am not certain what that says about me. Perhaps, it is all the years that I spent in martial arts. I have always seen the forms (simulated fights) used to train the students in Tae Kwon Do as “dance.” Therefore, if one looks closely at any of my books, it’s the “fight scene” that takes more than one chapter. In this book, Major General Fitzwilliam (the former Colonel Fitzwilliam) and Darcy race across the Scottish moors to rescue a woman they believe to be the missing Georgiana; yet, before they have the opportunity to find their missing loved one, they must fight their way through the prison cells below Normanna Hall. Those pages are wrought with tension.

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Thanks, Regina.

If you'd like to see more from Regina, please check out her website at http://www.rjeffers.com/.

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF GEORGIANA DARCY is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-a-million, and Joseph Beth Booksellers.

Mr. Beard's Regency Tour Day 16: Jane in 855 words--A Brief Biography of Jane Austen

Welcome to my continuing series on late Georgian/Regency England. If you haven't a clue what I'm talking about, please check out this post.

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In recent decades, many people's interest in the Regency and late Georgian period has been kindled by exposure to the works of Jane Austen. Many people, even if they haven't read her work, have at least seen a movie or television adaptation.

Who was the woman behind Darcy, Lizzie, Emma, Elinor, and so many other characters who have fused themselves into the cultural consciousness of the English-speaking world (and Colin Firth's career)? Here, I present a brief biographical sketch of Miss Jane Austen.

Jane Austen was born December 16, 1775 in the village of Steventon in Hampshire to George and Cassandra Austen. She was the seventh of eight children, and the second girl. Jane's father was a clergyman and scholar of modest means but still of some gentility. Much like Lizzie Bennett, Jane was close to her father and he encouraged her, along with all of his children, to be proud of learning and reading. Unlike Mrs. Bennett, however, Jane's mother was a woman of wit.

In 1783, Jane and her sister (also named Cassandra) were sent off for education at the hands of one of their aunts. Though they briefly returned home, they were again sent off, for a year, to a boarding school in Reading, Berkshire. As girls, they were instructed in the subjects considered appropriate for their gender, such as French, music, and dance.  

Jane and Cassandra were very close. Both would remain unmarried throughout life. Some of their letters to each other have survived, allowing unusually direct insight into the mind and personality of Jane Austen. Many more could have perhaps survived, but unfortunately for us, following Jane's death, her sister destroyed and edited many letters, apparently in an attempt to protect the privacy of her beloved younger sister.

When the sisters returned home from boarding school, their education was not as limited in scope. Their father had access to a rather sizable library, which he encouraged all his children, including his daughters, to utilize. The family amused themselves with the writing of stories, the performance of plays, and other creative endeavors. Jane grew up in a near perfect environment to encourage her interest in writing. 

By 1793, she'd already produced a collection a work, now commonly called her Juvenilia. Though the various pieces of work in this collection lack the sophistication of her later work, her wit and keen eye for the social foibles of the time was already obvious.

Over the next several years, she would also produce First Impressions, the original draft of what would later become Pride and Prejudice.

Jane's father retired somewhat abruptly in 1800 and moved the remaining non-married family to Bath. The city would play a key role in two of her later works, Persuasion and Northanger Abbey. Given how she didn't always present the social elites of Bath in a positive light, one wonders about the kind of people she encountered. Surviving evidence from her letters clearly indicates that Jane had a very low tolerance for superficial, pompous, and witless people. Her disdain for at least some aspects of the Bath social scene is quite in evidence in a letter she wrote on May 21, 1801:

"... Our party at Ly. Fust's was made up of the same set of people that you have already heard of -- the Winstones, Mrs. Chamberlayne, Mrs. Busby, Mrs. Franklyn, and Mrs. Maria Somerville; yet I think it was not quite so stupid as the two preceding parties here."

As noted above, Jane Austen remained unmarried her entire life. This is not to say she never had the opportunity. In 1802, there's some indication she was to marry a man of decent means, but for some reason never went through with it. There's not clear evidence of why she decided not to marry the man, but some evidence in her letters suggests that she may simply have not wanted to marry a man she did not genuinely love.

Her beloved father passed away in 1805. Without his income, Jane, her sister, and mother were forced to rely on the Austen brothers for support until the Austen women were finally settled in a cottage near the property of one of the Austen brothers (the living arrangement has echoes of the Dashwood women in Sense and Sensibility).

Though Jane, with the aid of her brother Henry, had sold a copyright for an early work to a publisher, the man made little effort to actually publish her work. Thus, her first attempt at publishing a novel was a failure and the work remained tied up in copyright issues due to her inability to pay the publisher back the initial advance due to her precarious financial situation at the time.

Despite the issues with her initial publishing attempt, the publishing of Sense and Sensibility in 1811 went more smoothly Again, her brother Henry helped facilitate her contact a publisher. The book was released to favorable reviews and commercial success. First Impressions was fully reworked into Pride and Prejudice and published in 1813. Mansfield Park followed in 1814 and Emma in 1815.

Jane became ill in 1816. To this day, it's not clear the nature of her illness, and a wide variety of diseases have been suggested. Her health would decline over the next year until she finally died on July 18, 1817 at the age of forty-one.

Henry and Cassandra would see to it that her completed Persuasion and Northanger Abbey were posthumously published. Ironically, Northanger Abbey was completed years before in 1803, making it the first Austen novel completed publication. When I mentioned an "early work" being tied up in copyright, it was the earlier version of the novel, then called Susan. The copyright was reacquired for a modest sum in 1816.

Duty, Responsibility, and Freedom: An interview with historical fiction author Lauren Gilbert

Today I'm talking with Lauren Gilbert about her Regency novel, HEYERWOOD.

Lauren Gilbert has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, with a minor in Art History. She has continued her education with classes, work shops and independent study. An avid reader, she is a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. She has presented several programs to JASNA chapters. She lives in Florida, with her husband Ed.

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1. Tell us about your book. 

HEYERWOOD is a historical novel, with romantic overtones, set in the late Georgian/Regency era. A woman who has been a chattel and pawn finds herself free, wealthy and able to do whatever she wants. The novel is about choices and growth.

2. What kindled your interest in Regency/Georgian England? 

I have always loved history, and historical novels set in all periods. The late Georgian period and Regency era seem to have an additional glamour. They also remind me alot of our own time, in their political turmoil, class and income divides, and sharp clashes between conservative and liberal values.

3. What went into creating your heroine? 

A line in EMMA, where Emma is explaining to Harriet that wealthy women don't need to marry, caught my attention, and I started thinking about what such a situation might be like. I've also done some research about women's daily lives during the time, and (even for upper class women) there were a lot of duties and responsibilities. I wanted to create a rounded character, with a full life, finding her way.

4. How has your membership in the Jane Austen Society of North America informed or helped your writing? 

It has deepened my understanding of Jane Austen's life, her time and her writing. Jane Austen's writing is amazing, in that she created so many layers of meaning and had such a light touch. Just listening and reading discussion and interpretation of her writings has given me an ideal towards which to strive.

5. What do you think is most commonly misunderstood about this period? 

A significant issue is the brevity of the Regency itself, and the fact that it is part of the Georgian era, not a completely separate and unrelated time. (The Regent did become George IV, after all!) The Georgian/Regency era was when the industrial revolution really began, and saw the middle class beginning to rise in wealth and status. It's the point where the very decadent earlier Georgian period begins the shift to the more conservative climate that ultimately characterized the Victorian era.

On a more mundane note, the daily cares and responsibilities of running a home or estate are frequently ignored, as if having servants or works relieved the master or mistress of all involvement. (It may have done so for the uber-wealthy, but there was a lot more involved for most, and even the uber-wealthy needed to pay some attention!)

6. Georgian and Regency books are popular all over the world, but particularly in North American and the UK, particularly among women. Why are modern women so interested in period where women were far more limited in their rights? 

When we think of these periods, we think of a time of grace, beauty, glamour and sparkle. Women in beautiful gowns and jewels, dashing gentlemen, adherence to rules of courtesy, a time of elegance. This offers a total contrast to one's normal way of life, and provides entertainment and escape.

7. What is your favorite Jane Austen book?

PERSUASION. I love the way the characters evolve with the seasons, and the romance of the hero's and heroine's second chance at love.

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Thanks, Lauren.

You can find more from Lauren at : http://www.heyerwood.com and http://laurengilbertheyerwood.wordpress.com.

HEYERWOOD can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Author House.