What do you think?
Rate this book
Louisa May Alcott Mystery #1
Louisa and the Missing Heiress
Long before she will achieve fame as the author of Little Women, Louisa May Alcott is writing stories of a more dark and mysterious nature. But nothing prepares her for the role of amateur detective she assumes when the body of her dear friend, wealthy newlywed Dorothy Wortham, is found floating in Boston's harbor. It's well known that Dorothy's family didn't approve of her husband, a confirmed fortune hunter, but Louisa suspects that some deeper secret lies behind her friend's tragic murder...
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2004
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
June 13, 2019
This novel is so incredibly detailed, well thought out, well researched. It beats out a lot of other average historical fiction in that way. The research must have been extensive, and it only deepens and enriches the story for the better.
My first thought in reading this book was a bit of alarm, as I realized that Louisa's best friend and confidant is named Sylvia -- not one of her sisters, nor any person I know of from Louisa's history (though I could be wrong on that count?). I just longed for a bit more of familiarity with this stranger. However, once I realized/pretended that Sylvia perhaps represents the female version of Laurie Lawrence, I accepted her friendship better. (Sidenote: That may or may not have been the author's intention, but it sounded good enough to me.)
What I love is how the story weaves in elements of the Alcotts' lifestyle -- which in many ways was different than their neighbors -- and yet it feels natural, not like they are oddballs for their vegetarian choices and free thinking. The lifestyle seems actually manageable, not so strict as in other books, but perhaps by this point in their lives, Mr. Alcott has wisened, changed the strictest of his ways and mellowed. Whatever the case, the home as illustrated in this book is one that I'd like to live in.
I truly feel like Louisa's personality shone forth accurately too. It blends her writing work life with her family and social life seamlessly. I couldn't ask for a better fictional characterization than what is presented in this book.
Language level: 4 out of 5. Infrequent, but some highly distasteful words.
Content includes: Unwed mothers, childbirth, and adult conversations about such. Nude paintings are mentioned, as one of the characters is an artist of such work. A public autopsy is performed and intricately described, yet tactful enough. Also, the plot weaves in various ideas of men who are having an affair, or other illicit behavior. (It's not written in a lewd way, but it's in the whole story.)
Minimum age to read: 18 and up.
Overall? It's an intriguing mystery, centered upon one of my favorite authoresses. How could I not like it? And yet... some of the aforementioned content is fairly heavy, draining my overall excitement for this title.
"The professions of detective and author, I now know, have much in common. Both involve an attempt to understand the deepest nature of human beings, as well as the act of telling -- or uncovering -- their deepest, truest stories."
- - - - - - - - - - - -
This book was read during the Louisa May Alcott Reading Challenge found on:
https://inthebookcase.blogspot.com
COYER Water on cover: 3
My first thought in reading this book was a bit of alarm, as I realized that Louisa's best friend and confidant is named Sylvia -- not one of her sisters, nor any person I know of from Louisa's history (though I could be wrong on that count?). I just longed for a bit more of familiarity with this stranger. However, once I realized/pretended that Sylvia perhaps represents the female version of Laurie Lawrence, I accepted her friendship better. (Sidenote: That may or may not have been the author's intention, but it sounded good enough to me.)
What I love is how the story weaves in elements of the Alcotts' lifestyle -- which in many ways was different than their neighbors -- and yet it feels natural, not like they are oddballs for their vegetarian choices and free thinking. The lifestyle seems actually manageable, not so strict as in other books, but perhaps by this point in their lives, Mr. Alcott has wisened, changed the strictest of his ways and mellowed. Whatever the case, the home as illustrated in this book is one that I'd like to live in.
I truly feel like Louisa's personality shone forth accurately too. It blends her writing work life with her family and social life seamlessly. I couldn't ask for a better fictional characterization than what is presented in this book.
Language level: 4 out of 5. Infrequent, but some highly distasteful words.
Content includes: Unwed mothers, childbirth, and adult conversations about such. Nude paintings are mentioned, as one of the characters is an artist of such work. A public autopsy is performed and intricately described, yet tactful enough. Also, the plot weaves in various ideas of men who are having an affair, or other illicit behavior. (It's not written in a lewd way, but it's in the whole story.)
Minimum age to read: 18 and up.
Overall? It's an intriguing mystery, centered upon one of my favorite authoresses. How could I not like it? And yet... some of the aforementioned content is fairly heavy, draining my overall excitement for this title.
"The professions of detective and author, I now know, have much in common. Both involve an attempt to understand the deepest nature of human beings, as well as the act of telling -- or uncovering -- their deepest, truest stories."
- - - - - - - - - - - -
This book was read during the Louisa May Alcott Reading Challenge found on:
https://inthebookcase.blogspot.com
COYER Water on cover: 3
July 26, 2018
This was a fairly good book! At times I thought to just stop reading, but then the next chapter took me back to the story.
It was well written but from the stand point of over One Hundred years ago.
Louisa was a very smart author and did tell some wonderful stories but this book fell a little short.
Louisa May Alcott has to find out who killed her beloved Childhood friend. There are many suspects, but it takes her until the final chapter to do it.
By the end of the story the murderer is someone not suspected by anyone.
I did stay with the book only out of trying to figure who dun it!
I enjoyed the author's way of writing, and I only think I would recommend it to friends.
It was well written but from the stand point of over One Hundred years ago.
Louisa was a very smart author and did tell some wonderful stories but this book fell a little short.
Louisa May Alcott has to find out who killed her beloved Childhood friend. There are many suspects, but it takes her until the final chapter to do it.
By the end of the story the murderer is someone not suspected by anyone.
I did stay with the book only out of trying to figure who dun it!
I enjoyed the author's way of writing, and I only think I would recommend it to friends.
April 17, 2016
number one in this great series about the author before she became famous. Struggling along with her mother to keep the family going. she is portrayed as I always thought she was intelligent and unconventional. Great qualities in a sleuth
August 8, 2017
Nice little mystery with Louisa May Alcott as the sleuth. I know, it sounds a little far-fetched, but it actually worked. I did figure out the murder mystery in the middle of the book.
July 17, 2025
(2.5 stars) Living in Boston, before she's a published writer, young Louisa May Alcott turns detective to find out what happened to her friend. The title is misleading, for this is not a mystery about a missing heiress, but a murdered woman. When newly-wed Dot is discovered dead in the harbor, the first assumptions are that it was an accident or suicide. But an inquest is opened by clear indications that Dorothy murdered, and the assumed motive is her wealth. Louisa is promptly the case to figure out who murdered her friend and why.
In a nod to Alcott's sensational "blood and thunder tales," the prospect of Louisa as detective was intriguing, and, at worse, I figured this would be a fun, light read. Unfortunately, the author does not make as good use of Alcott's life and fiction as could have been done. Despite being obviously well-researched by the author, Maclean makes some questionable creative choices. Rather than adopting Alcott's sisters as her natural sleuthing side-kicks, Maclean creates a lack-luster friend named Sylvia (presumably named after the character in Alcott's novel Moods ). It is, furthermore, a brave choice when writing fiction about a historical person, whose voice is well documented, to write a narrative in first-person, as Maclean has done, because it is then a challenge to capture the character's authentic voice, which is missing here. While unconventional and daring in her actions, the character had none of Alcott's spiritedness, humor, or temperament to make her a fleshed out character. The writing carries none of Alcott's tone, rhythms, or manners. I cringed every time Louisa called her mother by her nickname "Abba," which Alcott did not call her. (Likewise, for the way the character Louisa refers to other historical characters, too).
These particular historically-minded criticisms aside, the narrative had other problems, including multiple narrative inconsistencies—both in the mystery plot (as cited by another reviewer) and in other details, such as Mrs. Alcott preparing a chicken (despite the real Alcotts rare meat consumption, especially in this period in their life when they were quite impoverished), and then shortly later the narrative contradictorily remarks on Mrs. Alcott serving cheese, as an animal product her husband approves in their otherwise vegetarian diet ... she was just dressing a chicken!
The plot was also rather uninspiring. It was a quick read, but the mystery was not compelling to me. As a reader, I didn't feel connected to the characters or their plights, nor was it suspenseful or actively engaging. There were a few amusing scenes, which I genuinely enjoyed, and I longed for more of those, had the author taken a different approach in framing the story and making a better use of the Alcott family as characters. And I did appreciate that the author had done her research (if not how it was executed). The writing is also good, but the whole needed more development. I would probably read the next two books in the series if the opportunity were to be presented to me, but I am not rushing to continue.
In a nod to Alcott's sensational "blood and thunder tales," the prospect of Louisa as detective was intriguing, and, at worse, I figured this would be a fun, light read. Unfortunately, the author does not make as good use of Alcott's life and fiction as could have been done. Despite being obviously well-researched by the author, Maclean makes some questionable creative choices. Rather than adopting Alcott's sisters as her natural sleuthing side-kicks, Maclean creates a lack-luster friend named Sylvia (presumably named after the character in Alcott's novel Moods ). It is, furthermore, a brave choice when writing fiction about a historical person, whose voice is well documented, to write a narrative in first-person, as Maclean has done, because it is then a challenge to capture the character's authentic voice, which is missing here. While unconventional and daring in her actions, the character had none of Alcott's spiritedness, humor, or temperament to make her a fleshed out character. The writing carries none of Alcott's tone, rhythms, or manners. I cringed every time Louisa called her mother by her nickname "Abba," which Alcott did not call her. (Likewise, for the way the character Louisa refers to other historical characters, too).
These particular historically-minded criticisms aside, the narrative had other problems, including multiple narrative inconsistencies—both in the mystery plot (as cited by another reviewer) and in other details, such as Mrs. Alcott preparing a chicken (despite the real Alcotts rare meat consumption, especially in this period in their life when they were quite impoverished), and then shortly later the narrative contradictorily remarks on Mrs. Alcott serving cheese, as an animal product her husband approves in their otherwise vegetarian diet ... she was just dressing a chicken!
The plot was also rather uninspiring. It was a quick read, but the mystery was not compelling to me. As a reader, I didn't feel connected to the characters or their plights, nor was it suspenseful or actively engaging. There were a few amusing scenes, which I genuinely enjoyed, and I longed for more of those, had the author taken a different approach in framing the story and making a better use of the Alcott family as characters. And I did appreciate that the author had done her research (if not how it was executed). The writing is also good, but the whole needed more development. I would probably read the next two books in the series if the opportunity were to be presented to me, but I am not rushing to continue.
July 17, 2017
The first book in the Louisa May Alcott mystery series is basically Nancy Drew time-warped back to 1855 with a rich version of Bess Marvin as a sidekick: young, intelligent woman going out on a limb, sometimes annoying the official investigation, and risking her own safety in order to get to the bottom of something. It was reasonably cute and entertaining for the most part. However, I give it only 2 stars (I would have given it only one except for the reasonably cute part) because of a glaring time-line error that should have been caught by the editor and completely messes up the solving of the whodunit. On page 69 of the Obsidian paperback printing, Louisa is trying to overcome the death of her friend and speaks to someone who comments "Yesterday (the day of the crime) a child fell in and the nurse screamed bloody horror....." Louisa uses this time frame actively in her investigation. However, on page 283 near the end of the book, when getting the full story from a witness, it comes out that somehow, miraculously, the already-dead victim managed to return to the location the day after the event on page 69 (as noted, the day after the crime was committed and the same day that Louisa was mourning the death of her friend and beginning to ask questions) for a specific errand. That places both her and others in different times, places and circumstances than those used to investigate and solve the mystery. In my opinion, this is inexcusable for both an editor and an experienced author. There are other inconsistencies and suspension-of-disbelief moments scattered through the book, but this was the most glaring. It almost made me wonder if the author decided on a different ending but just forgot to read back through and make sure the story still matched.
February 10, 2021
Very good! As someone who loves Louisa May Alcott's writing, I thought this was a fun read. I really enjoyed her relationship with her mom and Slyvia throughout the book. Her deductive skills were strong but believable and the ending had me on the edge of my seat. I think some of the other relationships could have been fleshed out a little more as I was having a hard time keeping them straight due to a lack of detail. Overall, I absolutely recommend this though! Entertaining, interesting read loaded with many historical details.
March 10, 2017
The first in a series featuring the author Louisa May Alcott as an amateur detective. It's 1854 and Louisa's good friend Dorothy has been murdered. She married a man her family believes is a fortune hunter who is soon accused of her murder. Louisa isn't so sure of his guilt and begins investigating. I liked the setting and the depiction of Louisa. The mystery was ridiculously easy to solve, I figured out who it was nearly as soon as the character was introduced in the story.
May 31, 2020
A story of Louisa May Alcott before she wrote Little Women. Louisa investigates the disappearance of a good friend while living in Roxbury Massachusetts. Many twists and a shocking ending make this book hard to put down!
June 19, 2020
So so good! Fab concept. Louisa May Alcott the author of little women is a sleuth way ahead of her time. Plucky and intellegent constantly rebelling against the social rules of the times. I absoloutely adored this book.
April 23, 2018
Louisa May Alcott meets Agatha Christie... I took a chance on this mystery series and found them excellent.
June 15, 2018
Very good book.
August 8, 2018
A wonderfully detailed & engaging mystery. The author does an incredible job of illustrating the story and couldn’t put the book down!
April 24, 2020
Since Alcott wrote gothic mysteries, it only seems fitting that she got involved in a few! This is fun.
April 2, 2021
Pretty good.
March 29, 2023
Beautifully written. I enjoyed the historical background information.
November 16, 2024
C. fiction, mystery; Louisa May Alcott, main character
January 16, 2016
Louisa and the Missing Heiress: The First Louisa May Alcott Mystery takes place in Boston in 1854 long before Louisa gains the fame from her book Little Women. Back then she was writing a children's book and "blood and thunder" mysteries. Her father was a philosopher and would never approve of her literary pursuits. Her mother was a very frugal woman but very independent. The family followed some very risky pursuits for the time.
But the life she was leading in no way prepared her for the death of her friend, Dottie, a young newlywed, barely home from a year long trip abroad. She was clearly changed when she returned. Louisa was trying to find a way to spend time with her friend to determine what had caused this change, but she was too late. Dottie was found dead in the Boston Harbor. Accident... suicide... no it was murder. Suddenly Louisa feels as if she has been thrust into one of her mystery writings and she needs to find out who killed her friend and why. There are definitely many secrets and strange happenings. Louisa must sleuth out the truth before she falls victim herself.
My Thoughts
I really enjoyed this story. Stories behind the scenes of any famous person are always fun. It appears to be pretty historically accurate and reads much like something written my Louisa May Alcott herself. She was definitely one of my favorite authors while growing up.
Maclean takes us effortlessly back in time with a great mystery plot and true to the facts characters. It is books like this the remind us of authors who wrote wonderful classics and brings them back to life for yet another generation of readers.
The next book in this delightful series, Louisa and the Country Bachelor will be released October 4, 2011. I venture to say that after reading these stories you will probably feel like rereading some of Alcott's classics or reading them for the first time if you haven't before.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Obsidian. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 19s 16 CFR, Part 255 : 1CGuides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. 1D
September 23, 2011
Louisa and the Missing Heiress: The First Louisa May Alcott Mystery takes place in Boston in 1854 long before Louisa gains the fame from her book Little Women. Back then she was writing a children's book and "blood and thunder" mysteries. Her father was a philosopher and would never approve of her literary pursuits. Her mother was a very frugal woman but very independent. The family followed some very risky pursuits for the time.
But the life she was leading in no way prepared her for the death of her friend, Dottie, a young newlywed, barely home from a year long trip abroad. She was clearly changed when she returned. Louisa was trying to find a way to spend time with her friend to determine what had caused this change, but she was too late. Dottie was found dead in the Boston Harbor. Accident... suicide... no it was murder. Suddenly Louisa feels as if she has been thrust into one of her mystery writings and she needs to find out who killed her friend and why. There are definitely many secrets and strange happenings. Louisa must sleuth out the truth before she falls victim herself.
My Thoughts
I really enjoyed this story. Stories behind the scenes of any famous person are always fun. It appears to be pretty historically accurate and reads much like something written my Louisa May Alcott herself. She was definitely one of my favorite authors while growing up.
Maclean takes us effortlessly back in time with a great mystery plot and true to the facts characters. It is books like this the remind us of authors who wrote wonderful classics and brings them back to life for yet another generation of readers.
The next book in this delightful series, Louisa and the Country Bachelor will be released October 4, 2011. I venture to say that after reading these stories you will probably feel like rereading some of Alcott's classics or reading them for the first time if you haven't before.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Obsidian. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
May 26, 2011
"Louisa and the Missing Heiress" is a historical mystery set in 1854 in Boston. The title is misleading since the heiress in question was never really missing, just late to tea parties and then killed. The story contained rich, but not overwhelming detail about everyday life at that time and the real Louisa May Alcott's life.
I found the Louisa character charming, and I enjoyed the underlying humor in how she viewed others and herself. The other characters were vivid but generally not very deep or distinct from each other.
The whodunit wasn't very difficult to figure out. I was sure who the murderer was very early in the story, and it only became more obvious. The author was able to extend the mystery by having Louisa have so many questions to ask that she didn't ask some obvious questions early on. However, she still hadn't asked these questions when, near then end of the story, Louisa knew she was missing something but couldn't think of any questions she'd neglected to ask. The character was smart, so this didn't strike me as realistic.
When Louisa did figure it out who the murderer was (along with some details that, indeed, I never would have guessed), she acted stupidly: she didn't tell anyone who the murderer was, sent her only backup away (to fetch the police), then went alone and without a weapon to confront someone whom she suspected was about to kill again. This didn't increase the suspense for me. During her confrontation with the murderer, the author didn't use the murderer's name in order to "surprise" us with it later. That just made me feel insulted and irritated.
So, while I found the first two-thirds of the novel charming and enjoyable, the author hit too many of my pet peeves in the last third for me to enjoy it. If the things I pointed out above don't annoy you, then you'll probably enjoy this novel. There were no sex scenes. There was a very minor amount of both explicit and "he cursed" style bad language.
I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.
I found the Louisa character charming, and I enjoyed the underlying humor in how she viewed others and herself. The other characters were vivid but generally not very deep or distinct from each other.
The whodunit wasn't very difficult to figure out. I was sure who the murderer was very early in the story, and it only became more obvious. The author was able to extend the mystery by having Louisa have so many questions to ask that she didn't ask some obvious questions early on. However, she still hadn't asked these questions when, near then end of the story, Louisa knew she was missing something but couldn't think of any questions she'd neglected to ask. The character was smart, so this didn't strike me as realistic.
When Louisa did figure it out who the murderer was (along with some details that, indeed, I never would have guessed), she acted stupidly: she didn't tell anyone who the murderer was, sent her only backup away (to fetch the police), then went alone and without a weapon to confront someone whom she suspected was about to kill again. This didn't increase the suspense for me. During her confrontation with the murderer, the author didn't use the murderer's name in order to "surprise" us with it later. That just made me feel insulted and irritated.
So, while I found the first two-thirds of the novel charming and enjoyable, the author hit too many of my pet peeves in the last third for me to enjoy it. If the things I pointed out above don't annoy you, then you'll probably enjoy this novel. There were no sex scenes. There was a very minor amount of both explicit and "he cursed" style bad language.
I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.
May 4, 2013
This is a fun read for all ages especially if any of you have read Little Women or any other of Louisa May Alcott stories. The many details of her life, those around her, her family and her friends are wonderfully shown in great detail. Then in addition, she adds in a wonderfully complex mystery. It was very enjoyable.
That she would take up sleuthing is a foregone conclusion. Her mind is extremely clever and as the story progresses, you will find yourself, along with her, trying to solve the mystery. Every time I thought I had solved it, I was proven wrong, as was she. However she was much ahead of me in figuring out what was going on. As she discovered something new, I would think, “Oh of course.” The fact is, I would not have been able to figure it out, although I was given the same clues as she was.
This is a tale of dark secrets, mysterious men, and a family torn apart with secrets. Louisa dares to confront the mores of the day, and does things that absolutely horrify many of the leading citizens. Her story includes so many facts about Boston in 1854 that I would swear that the author had actually lived there. As she pursues her hunt for the murderer, she is also in danger many times, but is able to handle each situation as it happens.
When she finally finds the murderer, I was surprised. I hadn’t even considered this person. What a cleverly written and fascinating mystery. It makes me want to read more of this series.
That she would take up sleuthing is a foregone conclusion. Her mind is extremely clever and as the story progresses, you will find yourself, along with her, trying to solve the mystery. Every time I thought I had solved it, I was proven wrong, as was she. However she was much ahead of me in figuring out what was going on. As she discovered something new, I would think, “Oh of course.” The fact is, I would not have been able to figure it out, although I was given the same clues as she was.
This is a tale of dark secrets, mysterious men, and a family torn apart with secrets. Louisa dares to confront the mores of the day, and does things that absolutely horrify many of the leading citizens. Her story includes so many facts about Boston in 1854 that I would swear that the author had actually lived there. As she pursues her hunt for the murderer, she is also in danger many times, but is able to handle each situation as it happens.
When she finally finds the murderer, I was surprised. I hadn’t even considered this person. What a cleverly written and fascinating mystery. It makes me want to read more of this series.
July 11, 2011
Journey back to Boston circa 1887 for a historical mystery starring Louisa May Alcott before she became famous. As a budding writer, Louisa has an observant nature, so when her friend Dot is late for a tea party and arrives in a disheveled state, Louisa’s suspicions are raised. Everyone wonders why Dottie married Preston Wortham, especially so Dottie’s wealthy family. So when Dot is found dead by the wharf, it’s no surprise that Constable Cobban suspects the victim’s husband of being a fortune-hunter. Afraid the officer of the law might not look any further than the obvious, Louisa determines to unmask the killer. It appears all of Dottie’s relatives have something to hide, and a few near misses on her life tell our heroine that she’s getting closer to the truth.
This is a delightful debut for a new series. I look forward to reading more about Miss Alcott’s exploits in the sequel, Louisa and the Country Bachelor.
This is a delightful debut for a new series. I look forward to reading more about Miss Alcott’s exploits in the sequel, Louisa and the Country Bachelor.
January 8, 2017
I usually avoid books featuring famous people being amateur detectives like the plague but I bought this book in a remaindered bookstore because it looked good. I enjoyed it. Within the last few years I visited Alcott's home in Massachusetts and have been to her grave on "Author's Ridge". I got the impression from the tour of her home that she was reclusive in nature. Therefore I was surprised in this book to find her outgoing and tenacious in solving the murder of her friend, Dorothy. I have since read about her online and found that the book was fairly accurate in her personal circumstances and personality. I still think that her father was strange, though.
The "missing heiress" wasn't actually missing. She was late to two tea parties and then found drowned. This was the murder mystery that Louisa solves. I could be persuaded to read about her further adventures. And of course, "Little Women" was based on her life with her 3 sisters.
The "missing heiress" wasn't actually missing. She was late to two tea parties and then found drowned. This was the murder mystery that Louisa solves. I could be persuaded to read about her further adventures. And of course, "Little Women" was based on her life with her 3 sisters.
June 19, 2010
I picked this one up from my library sale for a quarter mostly because I'm interested in Louisa May after reading the fabulous book, The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, and because I can't pass up an interesting looking read for such a cheap price!! I wasn't sure what to expect, but I have to say that I loved Louisa as an amateur sleuth!! It was fun to put the pieces to the puzzle together with Louisa and to see her interaction with polite society. Maclean did a great job of bringing the underbelly of Boston to life and I could really picture the wharves with the fog, beggars, and the ladies of the night. Several times I thought I had solved the mystery of who killed Louisa's dear friend Dot, but alas I was not correct in my assumptions. I enjoyed this one enough to go looking for book #2!!
March 20, 2012
Haven't read any other books by Anna Maclean, but after reading "Louisa and the Missing Heiress", I want to read the rest of her titles. This was cleverly written, and a fabulous idea to imagine Louisa May Alcott involved in intrigue!! I liked the blend of fact and fiction! It did keep me guessing! I have read a biography about Louisa, but it mainly covered her youth. I did some additional research about L.M.A. and found that she was also a nurse during wartime, contracted typhoid and experienced mercury poisoning due to the medicine she took for the typhoid; it had long-term effects and she died of a stroke at age 56. She fought through the symptoms and left quite a legacy!!! Good work, Anna Maclean, for drawing more attention to Louisa May Alcott (albeit a mostly fiction book)!! An excellent addition to my "library!"
January 20, 2013
n this first book of a promising new series, Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women, tells readers of a time in her past when she helped solve a murder mystery. Shortly after going to a tea party where her friend, Dorothy Brownly Wortham, acts strangely, Dorothy is murdered. Dorothy had told Louisa she wanted to speak to her, but was killed before she had a chance to. Louisa is determined to find out how and why Dorothy was murdered.
This was an extremely well written, well researched book. Louisa really came to life as a character, as did the rest of her family, especially her mother, Abba. The time period also came to life through the book. The mystery itself was well plotted, and the identity of the murderer unexpected.
I'm looking forward to more books in this series.
This was an extremely well written, well researched book. Louisa really came to life as a character, as did the rest of her family, especially her mother, Abba. The time period also came to life through the book. The mystery itself was well plotted, and the identity of the murderer unexpected.
I'm looking forward to more books in this series.
August 17, 2011
Before Louisa May Alcott published her classics, she apparently experienced some exciting and sometimes harrowing adventures of her own. At least, that's the premise of this delightful mystery featuring the immortal novelist as the sleuth. The Louisa we meet in the story is much like the character of Jo in Little Women - smart, curious, creative, sensitive, and never quite as ladylike as society would like her to be. The mystery is well crafted, the revealing of the clues very clever, and the lovely style of the writing is what one would expect of a budding 19th century author. I loved it and look forward to book 2 in the series!
August 23, 2011
Louisa May Alcott in a whole different light. The characterization was believable and enjoyable. I think I may have to read her biography just to see how close MacLean came to the real Louisa and her family of helpers. Louisa is a sleuth and a writer who cannot let the innocent suffer. Her father a vegetarian, required that the family not eat meat, meaning on Sundays they had "carrots, six ways". They were not allowed to use wool blankets or clothing and often suffered from the cold. Louisa's father also helped with the Underground Railroad and her mother, as well as Louisa, helped out in a home for unwed mothers-to-be. Who knew?
November 30, 2015
I was leery of this book and actually picked it up thinking it was going to be awful. It's surprisingly good, with a solid mystery and good characterization--especially of Louisa herself.
I know very little about Alcott and this is a plus. In the similar series based on Jane Austen, I know enough about Austen's life, and death, to feel a sense of foreboding and gloom. With Alcott, I know nothing other than she was a writer and that I've read Little Women and one other piece (the name of which escapes me).
I know very little about Alcott and this is a plus. In the similar series based on Jane Austen, I know enough about Austen's life, and death, to feel a sense of foreboding and gloom. With Alcott, I know nothing other than she was a writer and that I've read Little Women and one other piece (the name of which escapes me).
November 2, 2011
If Louisa Mae Alcott had written and published mystery books, would they have been like this? Anna Maclean tells the story with her protagonist as Louis "Miss Alcott" with all the propriaty and social norms of the 1800's as she works her way through a murder of a dear friend. Well told and enjoyable, with enough characters to keep things interesting as well as adding a few twists to the plot to keep the story moving. A little background on the Alcott family as well as a story of social classes of the time. A fun read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews