Anonymous
Post 02/18/2026 06:57     Subject: Craving witty, stylish read...

Ally McBeal and Larry Paul
Lorelei and Luke (before April materialized)
Anonymous
Post 02/14/2026 11:57     Subject: Craving witty, stylish read...

Some Henry James is quite funny as he “observed,” ie pokes fun at English mores.
Anonymous
Post 02/14/2026 11:00     Subject: Craving witty, stylish read...

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
Post 02/14/2026 10:35     Subject: Craving witty, stylish read...

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
Post 02/13/2026 20:13     Subject: Craving witty, stylish read...

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
Post 02/13/2026 20:11     Subject: Craving witty, stylish read...

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
Post 02/13/2026 19:00     Subject: Craving witty, stylish read...

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

The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2026 18:54     Subject: Craving witty, stylish read...

The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford

Anonymous
Post 02/13/2026 18:52     Subject: Craving witty, stylish read...

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
Post 02/13/2026 18:48     Subject: Craving witty, stylish read...

Brideshead Revisited
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2026 18:34     Subject: Re:Craving witty, stylish read...

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
Post 02/13/2026 09:05     Subject: Craving witty, stylish read...

Great thread OP! I'm excited to hear some recommendations.
Anonymous
Post 02/13/2026 07:56     Subject: Craving witty, stylish read...

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
Post 02/13/2026 07:41     Subject: Re:Craving witty, stylish read...

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
Post 02/10/2026 20:07     Subject: Craving witty, stylish read...

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.