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Love is stronger than death even though it can’t stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can’t separate people from love. It can’t take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death. ~author unknown

On a leisurely walk, newly married Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy come across a group of unmentionables and the unthinkable happens…Mr Darcy is nipped by a dreadful.  The proper course for Mrs. Darcy to take would be to promptly behead her husband and burn the body, to be safe.  However, Elizabeth hears of an antidote that is underdevelopment in London and takes it upon herself to chance saving her love and living happily ever after.

I have admitted in the past that Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice somehow got passed up in my reading endeavors over the years, but it is on my list to get to eventually.  Although I do wonder if the lack of dreadfuls will make it less enjoyable.  Everything is better with zombies, right?  I will, also, add that I feel this novel could be read as a standalone tale.  There is enough information filled into the story of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Dreadfully Ever After that a reader totally virgin to this world should have no problem following the events.  I will add that this filled in information I speak of should not be an annoyance for those who have read the previous books.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Dreadfully Ever After by Steve Hockensmith is the entertaining and highly descriptive conclusion to the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies trilogy. The tale starts by allowing us an idea of the life of Mr and Mrs Darcy and we learn that there is something just not quite right with Elizabeth.  However before we learn what that might be, Mr Darcy is bitten and we find Elizabeth heading out on the path to find the antidote that she has heard about.  The majority of the rest of the book is divided into alternating chapters of Elizabeth’s exploits in London attempting to get her hands on this cure and Mr Darcy, at home, doing everything he can to avoid succumbing to the carnivorous cravings that have started to haunt his world.

To be perfectly honest, there is only one aspect of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Dreadfully Ever After that got under my skin.  There is a Scottish gentleman by the name of Sir Angus MacFarquhar and he evidently has a thick Scottish brogue.  Instead of mentioning his thick accent or drawing attention to it by having those he is speaking with have difficulty understanding him, we read his accent. (ex: “You therrre!” “Don’t you darrrre.”) Of course, this is just a matter of personal taste and opinion, as is this review.

You can learn more about the author Steve Hockensmith on his website, Steve Hockensmith, Writer Guy or  follow him on twitter: @MrHockensmith

Also, check out the publishers of the  Pride and Prejudice and Zombies trilogy Quirk Books for more fun information on the trilogy and their other titles.

Espresso rating: Triple

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Dreadfully Ever After will be available for purchase March 22, 2010.