The stories were so well written and very suspenseful. I'd forgotten what a great author she is. This genre was quite unexpected but very satisfying. ( )

Obvious talent. I like her "classics" best but these were admirably diverting. ( )

There’s almost nothing I enjoy more than a Victorian gothic romance/thriller, and here are four terrific stories by one of America’s most beloved authors. It was very Bronte-esque! ( )

I loved these stories/short novels! She could certainly branch out as a writer, as these adult works were a far cry from "Little Women". The title story was especially fascinating, also loved "The Mysterious Key", but I think "The Abbot's Ghost" was my favorite.

I definitely recommend this one. ( )

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/10527363

This looked like a different kind of book, and it is. Known for Little Women, Louisa May Alcott wrote all her life, from an early age, like Jo, the main character in Little Women. Among other things she wrote "thrillers" that were often serialized in newspapers, under pen names. She didn't feel they were "legitimate" pieces of writing, not what "real" writers wrote. I suppose that's true, in a sense. Any kind of genre fiction tends to be considered lower class than what we call literature.

Although written mainly for the money, these four short novels are written with care. Time is taken on the details, the characters, the feelings. Unfortunately from my point of view, they are written in a rather flowery style, as was usual at the time. So we wade through a lot of delicate language and loaded paragraphs that could easily have been condensed to a pithy sentence or two. For me, the wordiness was a drawback, as it didn't usually add to the narrative or to the sense of the characters.

Each of the four novels features a strong woman who is bent upon revenge. In some cases the woman is relentless, while in others she shows a softer side. These women all have acting skills and can get others to do their dirty work or to believe the stories they tell. I wondered, each time, who would win out, or rather what would win: evil or good. There are unknowns that keep us guessing, and, interestingly to me, many drawing rooms of wealthy people. Alcott was herself not wealthy and did not grow up wealthy. I wonder where she learned the habits and lives of the ruling class. I don't doubt that she got it right, for I have read other accounts of these lives that corroborate her sense.

The book begins with an introduction by Madeleine Stern, which is worth reading for the information it offers about Alcott and her life and work.

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