Craving witty, stylish read...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the Sarah Caudwell mysteries (starting with Thus was Adonis Murdered) are sort of Jane Austen meets Agatha Christie-- very funny in an ironic way.

I think this is an excellent suggestion (OP here), but unfortunately, I think I have read most (all?) of them!

Not sure why this type of book is so British-coded, but concede that pretty much all of the examples I can think of are also from across the pond.

Np here and I was going to suggest Caudewell’s series before I saw pps but I do have two good suggestions: Ngaio marsh’s Inspector Allyn mysteries if you feel like a mystery and if you re more in a Jane Austen/comedy of manners mood Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope.

[Anonymous]

I love all of the recommendations and will suggest Miss Buncle's Book but does no-one write like that now- like clever contemporary fiction??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who’s going to recommend the Draco Malfoy fanfic? I know you’re out there!

Yep, Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love.

[Anonymous]

Great thread OP! I'm excited to hear some recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Appreciate all these thoughtful suggestions! (OP here.)

I've started Cold Comfort Farm. Sort of Austen + PJ Wodehouse in "genre," but feels surprisingly modern. So far, so good!

Also, randomly found Austen's Persuasion, which I've never read, in a little library in my neighborhood. The beginning was surprisingly clunky and unreadable (certainly no equivalent of "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife"...). So my "model" for the type of book I am looking for has been cast in some doubt! Thinking of reading both of these nonetheless...

[Anonymous]

Brideshead Revisited

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rules of Civility

OP again: I think this is sort of getting close--for a contemporary book. Even more so, I'd say A Gentleman in Moscow. Which is sort of like if Mr. Darcy was Russian. Still aristocracy. And stuck in the same hotel for 3 decades. (But less witty.)

Sadly, I have (obviously) read these... but for anyone else looking for similar books.

[Anonymous]

The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford

[Anonymous]

I don’t know if this fits but a great book

The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rules of Civility

If you like audiobooks, the narrator for this book is absolutely beautiful. I have listened to it twice already.

[Anonymous]

Do you like humor? I find Jonathan Tropper's books to be very clever and witty but they're not quite as high brow as some of the recommendations. I think of them like Arrested Development/Veep/Schitt's Creek in terms of wit and cleverness if that's an apt comparison.

[Anonymous]

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Yes, it’s a fantasy, but it’s set in the Regency era and its wit and style are more closely related to a Jane Austen society commentary than anything else. The writing is superb. Don’t skip the footnotes!

[Anonymous]

Have you read any Connie Willis? To say nothing of the dog is a time travel book that was inspired in part by Jerome K Jerome.

Or also a little far afield I thought the Rachel Project was well written and fun but it’s about some messy 20 somethings in Dublin.

[Anonymous]

Some Henry James is quite funny as he “observed,” ie pokes fun at English mores.

[Anonymous]

Ally McBeal and Larry Paul
Lorelei and Luke (before April materialized)