"Charming amateur sleuth"
Although they are as poor as can be, they live in an
exclusive section of Boston so Louisa May Alcott and her
family mingle with people of high society. Her father
doesn't earn much money and the family's work with the
Abolitionists and the underground puts the Alcotts in
danger yet they are a close group bound by love. In her
early twenties Louisa May wants to be a writer. She is excited about seeing her friend Dot Wortham's home
after a year long honeymoon in Europe. Dot noticeably
upset asks Louisa to meet with her tomorrow at a tea
party. The next day Louisa May learns that her friend's
body was found floating in the Charles River. Bruises
around her throat and injuries to her head lead the police
to believe she was murdered by her husband who society
thinks married Dot for her money. Louisa is more attuned
to the behavioral nuances of the families of Dot and her
husband and thinks the killer is still at large. Wanting
justice to be served, she starts her own investigation and
almost ends up as the killer's next victim. LOUISA AND THE MISSING HEIRESS is a charming amateur
sleuth novel that will appeal to fans of historical
cozies. Anna Maclean brings the 1850's in Boston to life
and readers see how even in the North the social issue of
slavery permeates the culture. The heroine is charming,
intelligent and independent, a woman who knows what she
wants and will work to obtain it. This is the first
installment in what looks to be a delightful new mystery
series starring a totally wonderful protagonist. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted March 15, 2004
In this delightful new "tale of dark secrets, mysterious
men, and heiresses in distress,"* Louisa May Alcott, the
beloved author of Little Women, is cast in the role of
amateur sleuth-investigating crimes more heinous than
anything she can imagine in her "blood and thunder"
romances.
SummaryGentle Reader,
In the days before I achieved renown as the author of
Little Women, I was writing and selling stories of a more
lurid nature, inspired by my spellbound fascination with
the dark and mysterious. But nothing I could conjure from
my own imagination could prepare me for the role of
detective I found myself playing time and again...
My family and I shared a frugal home in Boston during the
years before the Civil War, a time of hooped skirts and
beaver hats. While I railed against my lack of freedom as
a woman, my parents set high standards for me, offering
warmth and wisdom, and secretly (and illegally!) aiding
the Underground Railroad. My sisters provided lighter
companionship, as did my many friends, including Dorothy
Wortham.
I was looking forward to seeing Dot again after her year-
long honeymoon overseas. However, the happy reunion I
expected was overshadowed by her distant and distraught
behavior. Before she could confide her anxiety in me, her
body was discovered floating in Boston Harbor, with
evidence of foul play. I could not fathom who would wish
to harm such a kind spirit as Dot, but I was determined to
search the foggy, cobblestone streets until I found out...
Louisa May Alcott
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