by Nancy Bilyeau
In this captivating Jane Austen sequel, the legacy of Northanger Abbey deepens with an exquisite infusion of Regency suspense and authentic Gothic fiction. The story follows Catherine Morland—now Catherine Tilney after marrying Henry Tilney—as she navigates the rigid social expectations of Regency high society while secretly unraveling a dark web of grudges and plots. Her beautiful daughter Phoebe has fallen under the spell of the Thorpe family—the same scheming John and Isabella Thorpe whom Catherine once knew all too well. Now, with the prospect of Phoebe inheriting Northanger Abbey, Catherine fears that fortune hunters are once again circling. When Catherine agrees to bring Phoebe to a visit to Isabella Thorpe’s remote home on the wild Devonshire moors, their visit reveals a landscape of reckless passions and a dangerously charming aristocratic neighbor. It all feels eerily like the plot of the latest gothic sensation, John Polidori’s The Vampyre—but is Catherine once again letting her imagination run wild or is a deadly threat closing in? Perfect for readers seeking carefully researched Austen extensions, this slow-burn historical mystery honors the wit of the original classic while plunging into a spine-chilling world of atmospheric dread and haunting deception.
Perfect for readers of The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow, The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin, and The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
Praise for The Heiress of Northanger Abbey
“Prepare to be captivated by this brilliant homage to the Gothic genre that will thrill Austen fans and lovers of historical fiction alike. Impossible to put down.”
—Syrie James, bestselling author of The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen and The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall
“Mysteries and dangers … very enjoyable!”
—Janie Chang, USA Today bestselling author of The Fourth Princess: A Gothic Novel of Old Shanghai
“Twenty years after the events of Northanger Abbey, one of Jane Austen’s most gentle and warm-hearted heroines sets out to protect her daughter from the very real dangers of being an heiress. The result is a sparkling tribute to Gothic stories, replete with moors, ruined castles, vampyre stories and forbidden romance. Insightful and charming, this is a novel of which Miss Austen would surely approve.”
—Susan Breen, award-winning author of Merry
“The Heiress of Northanger Abbey is richly layered, deliciously Gothic, and brimming with psychological suspense.”
—Emilya Naymark, author of the Sylvan mystery novels
“A compelling version of the story years after Austen’s own story closes….Impossible to put down and highly recommended.”
—Michelle Cameron, author of Napoleon’s Mirage and Babylon
Pre-order it from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org
Ebook, $4.99, ISBN 9798993563053
Paperback, 293 pages, $16.99, ISBN 9798993563046
Hardcover, $28.99, ISBN 9798993563039
Available on IngramSpark