Miss Caroline Bingley would probably not have approved of travel to America in 1814. But we assure you, she does not mind in the least now.
Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Investigator, is officially published by HarperVia today in the USA and Canada, with this eye-popping cover by Sarah Kellogg.
Fly free, little book. Sharmini and I are so pleased to see you out in the world.
Miss Caroline Bingley continues her tour of the Antipodes, with Sharmini and me appearing alongside Alison Goodman in our Regency Roadshow, so you get to hear about Miss Bingley and the feisty heroines of The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin.
Here’s where we are (in various combinations) next:
Launches at the Library In a way, it all started at a Jane Austen seminar in the Library at La Trobe University, hosted by my dear colleague Kylie Mirmohamadi many years ago. Now Kylie’s gorgeous novel, Diving, Falling, is out and so is ours, so we’re celebrating both books, with Sharmini, Kylie and me in conversation with another dear colleague, Carrie Tiffany. 12.30, 29 April, Seminar room 1.34, Bundoora campus Library, La Trobe.
Books in Bars Join Sharmini and me for a great night of cosy crime and murder (well, talking about murder), with the good folks of Dymocks Geelong. 6:30pm, 30 April, Waurn Ponds Hotel.
Utter Ruin! I’m interrogating – I mean, interviewing – Alison about her new book, The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin, hosted by the lovely people at Ulysses Books, on 8 May. 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm, in the bookshop itself, in Hampton.
A Very Austen Afternoon The fabulous Wendys at Bookish in Bendigo have invited Alison and me to celebrate Miss Austen’s 250th birthday with a high tea and a conversation with the delightful author Katrina Nannestad, to discuss all things Austenesque – mystery, manners and the role of women in the Regency period. 2:30pm, 10 May, Mackenzie Quarter, Bendigo.
The same day, Sharmini is taking part in another very special Austen celebration: Jane Austen’s Music, Pemberley Revisited. In this performance, Austen’s razor-sharp wit and keen observations on love and society come vividly to life through carefully chosen readings and period-perfect musical selections, performed by Rachael Beesley, Aura Go, and Lizzy Bennet’s Band. Afterwards, Sharmini will be in conversation with Melbourne book editor, event moderator and bookseller, Jaclyn Crupi about Jane Austen, her literature and her legacy. 4pm, 10 May, at the Melbourne Recital Centre.
Here’s what’s coming up for the first little while as we take to the high road. Three authors, two books, wonderful booksellers, and plenty of laughs.
Then we’re all having a little break over Easter to breathe and eat chocolate.
More event details to follow.
Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Detective is now out in the world.
The novel, co-written with Sharmini Kumar, is published by HarperCollins and out now in Australia and New Zealand. It will be in shops in the UK next week (April 6).
We hope you like it.
We’ve got lots of events lined up, and some of them are with our friend and Regency co-conspirator Alison Goodman, whose fabulous new novel, The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin, is also out about now.
I’ll keep you posted here and on socials.
The game’s afoot!
It’s not long now until Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Detective descends upon an unsuspecting world. I’ll post soon about launches and events in April and May (that’s when the book is out in Australia, New Zealand and the UK, although of course you can pre-order now). US readers will have to wait until July (sorry!).
In the meantime, we’ve received some lovely praise for the book. Here’s a sample:
‘Loved this adventure in Austen’s world, with Caroline Bingley taking centre stage and proving what we knew all along; that there was much more to her character than met the eye! Wonderful scene setting and addictively pacey, this book will delight Jane Austen and Agatha Christie fans alike. Queen of the one-line put-downs, Miss Bingley makes the most brilliant sleuth – proving that detective work is right up there with watercolours and dancing as the height of ladylike accomplishments!’ – Fliss Chester, author of the Cressida Fawcett Mysteries
‘Utterly delightful! Miss Caroline Bingley is revealed as a perfectly imperfect heroine in this charming Austen-inspired escapade. Beyond its entertaining surface and mannered Regency dialogue also lies a shrewd critique of British imperial rule and a resounding message of female empowerment. As Miss Bingley would say, no hand wringing allowed!’ – Kyra Geddes, author of The Story Thief
‘I can only assume that Jane Austen would be delighted to read of Miss Bingley’s exploits. An elegant and utterly accomplished mystery’ – Sulari Gentill, bestselling author of The Woman in the Library and The Mystery Writer
Thanks to the many authors who’ve supported Sharmini and me in the lead-up to launch with blurbs, encouragement and hugs.
I’m thrilled to announce that Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Detective, a new novel co-written with Sharmini Kumar, is now available for pre-order before release in April in the UK, Australia and NZ. It’s out in the US in July (US pre-order details coming soon).
How gorgeous is this cover design by Andrew Davis?
Thanks to HarperCollins Australia & New Zealand, HarperHQ and HarperVia for bringing our tribute to Miss Austen on her 250th birthday out into the world.
You can pre-order your copy here.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single lady in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a mystery to solve.
Here’s the idea;
Two years after the events of Pride and Prejudice, Miss Caroline Bingley is staying at her brother’s country estate within an easy ride of Mr and Mrs Darcy’s home, Pemberley, and wondering if there’s more to life than playing cribbage and paying calls on country neighbours.
So when Georgiana Darcy’s maid, Jayani, vanishes – and worse, Georgiana disappears in search of her – Caroline races to London to find them both, and quickly discovers a shocking, cold-blooded murder.
Soon Caroline and Georgiana are careering through the gritty, grimy underbelly of London assisted by Caroline’s trusty manservant, Gordon, and demanding answers of shady characters, police magistrates and mysterious East India Company-men to discover the killer. Along the way they uncover the cost of Empire on India and its people … and Miss Bingley’s incomparable powers of investigation.
As Caroline puts her superior new talents to work, she finds out exactly what an accomplished, independent woman with a sharp mind and a large fortune can achieve – even when pitted against secrets, scandal, and a murderer with no mercy.
We can’t wait for you to read it.
Kelly Gardiner 