Mephisto 2838 by Don Manley – Jane Austen Edition

I worked steadily through this middle of the road puzzle but was left with one that stumped me – 29A. I wanted the answer to be GENNET as I was obsessed with book=GEN rather than the far more obvious book=B! I even wondered if the Famous Five were called GENNET. It took some time before I realised my stupidity. I think I may be getting too old for this blogging game.

Across
1	MOABITE – MO-A-BITE; tick=MO; smart=BITE; Ruth here is Mrs Boaz from the Hebrew Bible;
6	PITSAW – P(IT’S)AW;
10	INKOSI – IN-KOS-I; native stick=KO; clan leader;
11	IMPUGN – I’M-PU(G)N;
12	PARRAMATTA – PAR(RA-MATT)A; gunners=Royal Artillery=RA; a fabric;
14	GAIKWAR – (a king – n)*-WAR; Indian ruler;
15	REIVE – RE(ce)IVE; church=CE; “to receive” is Christian jargon;
16	UPSIES – (issue + p)*; plural of upsy=carousal;
19	GARNISHEEMENT – (men hire agents)*;
23	LIPASE – L(IPA)SE; an enzyme;
25	LITHO – LIT-HO;
27	OLEARIA – OLE-ARIA;
28	DISMISSIVE – D(IS-MISS)IVE;
29	BENNET – B-(tee)* surrounds N-N; B=book; N=name; “tee” from “teens”; reference Pride and Prejudice;
30	EVINCE – E-VI(N)CE;
31	FRENNE – old word for “stranger” – nearly sounds like “friend”;
32	STODGER – ST-(l)ODGER;
Down
1	MISGUGGLE – M(IS-G)UGGLE; G from (commin)G; MUGGLE from Harry Potter; lovely word for cock-up;
2	ON,TAP – O(N-TA)P; volunteers=Territorial Army=TA;
3	BOAKING – OB reversed-A-KING;
4	TIRASSE – TIR(ASS)E;
5	ENARTHROSES – (he rants sore)*;
6	PIMP – PI(M)P;
7	IMARI – hidden (Blenhe)IM-A-RI(ch); porcelaine;
8	SUTILE – SUT-I’LE; sounds like “suit-isle”; reference Isle of Man;
9	AGAVE – A(l)GA(r)VE; “side bits”=left and right; a plant;
13	MEAT-EATER – (so)ME-AT(hlete) – geddit?;
17	WELLSET – WE’LL-SET;
18	IMPAVID – IMP-AVID;
20	RATINE – (tear in)*;
21	RIDER – RID-ER; clear=RID; an old gold coin;
22	NOMEN – (negotiatio)N-OMEN;
24	SINCE – hidden (obsessive)S-INCE(ssantly);
26	TITE – sounds like “tight”=drunk; old word for “at once”;