5 Books About Mary Bennet, the Sidelined Sister in 'Pride and Prejudice'

Pride and Prejudice follows Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters as they search for love in 19th-century England. There's Lizzie, of course, who falls for the brooding Mr. Darcy. Her sister Jane ends up with the charming Mr. Bingley. Sisters Catherine and Lydia Bennet are considered the younger, frivolous, and shallow sisters, leading to a scandalous elopement between Lydia and Mr. Wickham.

And then there's Mary.

Mary Bennet is the middle daughter, often overlooked as the most plain and serious of the Bennet sisters, who prefers reading books over finding a husband.

But that plainness allows for plenty of interpretation by authors who have decided to take another look at the middle Bennet sister. For these authors, exploring Mary's life gives readers a unique perspective of the other Bennet sister in a new light for Pride and Prejudice fans. Here are a few of their books that may make for enjoyable reading to figure out just who Mary Bennet could be.

1. The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow
2. The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet by Katherine Cowley
3. The Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Pamela Mingle
4. The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Lindz McLeod
5. Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon

The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow

After the death of her father, Mary leaves for London to stay with the Gardiners. Away from her family, and her mother in particular, Mary learns more about what she wants and gains confidence and encouragement from Mrs. Gardiner, who pushes her to become more social. That also means becoming more social with men, and she eventually ends up with not one but two love interests that she must decide on.

The book has been made into a British television series for Mary Bennet fans who want to get more of her story.

The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet by Katherine Cowley

The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet also begins with Mary needing to change her life after the death of her father, but then goes in a very different direction. Imagine crossing Mary Bennet with Agatha Christie, and the middle Bennet sister becomes an investigative heroine. It starts with Mary agreeing to move to a castle at the invitation of a mysterious relative named Lady Trafford that leads to a dead body, and Mary having to uncover the truth about what's going on to decide who she can trust.

The Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Pamela Mingle

Once again, Lydia and Wickham cause a scandal, and the Bennets send sisters Mary and Kitty to visit Jane and her husband, Mr. Bingley, to keep them away from the drama. But Mary isn't the "plain" sister anymore now that she has gotten older, which is evident when she catches the interest of one of Mr. Bingley's friends and tries to navigate her new potential love interest and her life with her sister's home.

The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Lindz McLeod

The return of Charlotte Lucas, another beloved character in Pride and Prejudice, brings a new twist to the love life of Mary Bennet. When Charlotte's husband, Mr. Collins, dies, Mary is dispatched to see Charlotte and offer her solace during her mourning. But the arrival of Mary also brings potentially romantic feelings between the two women who have to navigate this new awakening within the confined social norms of the Regency era.

Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon

The Bennet family arrives at the home of Lizzie and her husband, Mr. Darcy, just in time for Christmas. So does Arthur de Bourgh, a distant relative of Mr. Darcy who has just inherited an estate. He also catches the eye of Mary, who shares a social awkwardness with the new guest at Pemberley.

Written as a play by Gunderson and Melcon, it's not a novel but is still a potentially delightful retelling of Mary's life for Pride and Prejudice fans and is available on audiobook.

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