Book Beginnings on Fridays - Death Comes to Pemberley

This is a meme hosted by Rose City Reader.  They ask that you post the first line(s) to the book you are currently reading and share some feelings on the book.  I'm tweaking this a bit and I'm going to share first lines of books/stories, written by, about, or in the theme of Jane Austen.



This week I'm taking my opening from Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James in honor of the PBS Mystery Miniseries.

Prologue
The Bennets of Longbourn 

It was generally agreed by the female residents of Meryton that Mr. and Mrs. Bennet of Longbourn had been fortunate in the disposal in marriage of four of their five daughters. Meryton, a small market town in Hertfordshire, is not on the route of any tours of pleasure, having neither beauty of setting nor a distinguished history, while its only great house, Netherfield Park, although impressive, is not mentioned in books about the county's notable architecture. The town has an assembly room where dances are regularly held but no theatre, and the chief entertainment takes place in private houses where the boredom of dinner parties and whist tables, always with the same company, is relieved by gossip.

Okay really this is filling in for the fact that I haven't watched it yet and don't have a review written like I planned. That'll be posted next week!  If you want to share your thoughts on the show/movie please let us know.