Mary Bennet is the middle Bennet sister from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and the protagonist of Katherine Cowley’s historical mystery series. In Austen’s original novel, Mary is the plain, bookish sister who quotes Fordyce’s Sermons and plays the piano badly at parties. She is easily the least noticed member of the family. Cowley’s series picks up after the events of Pride and Prejudice and puts those overlooked qualities to new use.
In The Secret Life of Mary Bennet series, Mary is recruited into espionage during the Napoleonic Wars. Her attention to detail, her love of research, and her ability to blend into the background make her a natural fit for intelligence work. Across the three books, she grows from a sheltered young woman into a capable agent, investigating crimes that threaten England while navigating the expectations placed on women in Regency society.
Reading Order
See the complete The Secret Life of Mary Bennet reading order for all books in the series.