What If Mr. Bingley Returned to Meryton Only to Find Jane Presumed Dead?

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Source: Review Copy from Author

When Mr. Bingley learns that Jane did hold him in affection, he hightails it to Meryton to win her heart. But when he arrives, he discovers that Mr. Bennet has passed away, the Bennet sisters have moved out of Longbourn, and that Jane Bennet is presumed dead! Filled with intense grief, self-recrimination, and bitter regret, Mr. Bingley is about to descend into a desolate black mood (Mr. Darcy style), but then Mr. Darcy arrives (after paying a visit to Cheapside) and declares that there are some that don’t believe Jane is dead – just missing after being in a carriage accident and leaving the accident site to search for help…

And so Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley set off to trace Jane’s journey from London to Shropshire (where she was heading to visit an aunt) and use all their resources to determine what happened to Jane Bennet and is she still alive…

I loved this delightful novella about Jane Bennet! It is a sweet and satisfying read at around 130 pages. I was immediately attracted to this story because of its focus on Jane Bennet and the intriguing premise of her mysteriously disappearing! I loved how Bronwen Chisholm divided the story equally between the two perspectives – following Jane’s experiences and flashbacks over the last month as well as Mr. Darcy’s and Mr. Bingley’s present-day investigations and conversations. In addition, I loved how the characters were portrayed in this story: Jane was intelligent and capable, her rescuer was devoted and endearing, Mr. Bingley was determined and emotional, and Mr. Darcy was hopeful and steady. For those may favor reading about Mr. Darcy, fear not – he is very prominently featured in this tale!

My favorite aspect of this dear novella were all the sweet and touching moments Ms. Chisholm subtly and effortless wove into her tale. Jane Bennet is such a gentle and kind soul, so it truly is most apropos that a novella about her would be filled with scenes of helpfulness, forgiveness, and thoughtful remembrance. I especially loved the ending scenes, Ms. Chisholm designed a most rewarding and gratifying ending for both the reader and her primary characters!

As with most novellas, the story moves at a brisk pace – which suited me quite well for the most part. I was eager to jump into this story and become immersed in the suspense and drama of Jane Bennet disappearing! However, there were maybe some parts of the story I did wish to see fleshed out with a little bit more detail – like who is this new aunt that Jane was intending to visit and more about Jane’s and Elizabeth’s feelings towards their suitors and their moments of introspection/change of heart.

Filled with perplexing suspense, endearing characters, and heartwarming relationships – Missing Jane is an excellent choice for anyone needing a brief and diverting adventure! I highly recommend!

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