It's an exquisitely realised tale of the uncertainty and brutality of teenage years told with the lightness of touch and humour that Val is famous for. Utter brilliance from McDermid' SUSAN CALMAN
'McDermid's reworking of the original novel is intelligent, amusing and well-written... captures beautifully how it feels to be a teenager... McDermid is a subtle and witty writer and it's hard to imagine a better evocation of the spirit of the original.' THE TIMES
'A fun rendering... McDermid's Abbey, with its passageways and dark corners, is fantastic, and this novel is a lark.' SUNDAY TIMES
'McDermid's great virtue is to have made Austen's characters seem fresh in the way they would have been for her first readers... I can imagine Jane herself applauding.' SUNDAY EXPRESS
'Note perfect... breezy, vital, inventive... Her obvious pleasure in the task is as contagious as Austen's wit.' THE SCOTSMAN
Praise for The Austen Project:
'The Austen Project is a breathtaking tribute to Jane Austen. I can't wait to read the other five "updates" while being reminded to reread, joyfully, the originals' Washington Post