This is a story set between the lines of Pride and Prejudice telling the servant’s story. Although I have read P&P it was about a million years ago and I couldn’t remember the story that well, it’s a long time since I’ve even seen a TV version. I read this more on the strength of having liked Jo Baker’s The Undertow (aka The Picture Book in the UK) than on the Austen connection. I have no idea what diehard Austen fans will make of it, but I thought it worked very well indeed. It’s a lot grittier than Austen when dealing with what really happens behind the scenes to make even a small country household run smoothly. A whole new cast of characters and connections bring the household to life and show a different side of life. Well worth a read, and I might even get around to an Austen re-read sometime!