After Darcy

Publisher: Bedford Square Publishers
Publish date: 21 July 2026
Pages: 300
Binding: Paperback
Language: English

Subjects: Literature & Fiction, Literary, Classics, Women's Fiction, Domestic Life, Contemporary, Humor & Satire, Humorous, Genre Fiction, Family Life, Feel-Good

What happens when you lose everyone's favourite leading man? A contemporary sequel to Pride & Prejudice, in the 21st century and 20 years after the original ends.

'Part sequel, part reimagining, and wholly delightful' Jodi Picoult

'An absolute delight. Funny, moving and filled with heart' Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things

It is a truism, frequently invoked by the members of the Meryton Women’s Guild, that one is only ever as happy as one’s unhappiest child. So, with five daughters and four grandchildren, it was a miracle Mrs Hester Bennet ever raised a smile. At best, she was only ever tentatively pleased, and even then understood that her contentment rested on the edge of a gaping precipice into which she would inevitably tumble the second Kitty or Lydia (it was almost always those two) messaged in the clutches of yet another existential crisis…

Lydia, home from Paris on New Year’s Day in a welter of hangover and humiliation, finds herself swearing off drink, drugs and sex for the next 12 months. Through her unfamiliar sobriety, she’ll see a landmark year for all the Bennet sisters, including a disruptive 40th birthday, an engagement and a funeral: and, maybe, coming to terms with the results of a run-of-the-mill run-in with a jackknifed lorry on a wet stretch of the M1…

A sharply funny and unexpectedly tender modern sequel to Pride & Prejudice, this is a story of sisterhood, survival, and second chances. For fans of Marian Keyes, Dolly Alderton, and anyone who's ever wondered what the Bennet sisters would be like in the age of therapy, WhatsApp, and wellness trends gone rogue.