First Impressions
Buy the Book: Bookmarks (Signed Copies), Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, IndieBoundPublished by: Penguin
Release Date: September 29, 2015
Pages: 336
ISBN13: 978-0143127727
Overview
Charlie Lovett first delighted readers with his New York Times bestselling debut, The Bookman’s Tale. Now, Lovett weaves another brilliantly imagined mystery, this time featuring one of English literature’s most popular and beloved authors: Jane Austen.
Book lover and Austen enthusiast Sophie Collingwood has recently taken a job at an antiquarian bookshop in London when two different customers request a copy of the same obscure book: the second edition of Little Book of Allegories by Richard Mansfield. Their queries draw Sophie into a mystery that will cast doubt on the true authorship of Pride and Prejudice—and ultimately threaten Sophie’s life.
In a dual narrative that alternates between Sophie’s quest to uncover the truth—while choosing between two suitors—and a young Jane Austen’s touching friendship with the aging cleric Richard Mansfield, Lovett weaves a romantic, suspenseful, and utterly compelling novel about love in all its forms and the joys of a life lived in books.
Praise & Reviews
“Lovett weaves two plots together in this well-designed, ingenious novel. Ardent fans of Jane Austen and lovers of gripping stories will enjoy following Sophie’s pursuit of the truth.”
—Publishers Weekly
“[A] thrilling romance.”
—Woman’s Day,“WD Picks”
“A delightful read.”
—Library Journal
“Lovett’s love of books and libraries once again energizes his storytelling.”
—Kirkus
“An inventive tale with elements of romance and suspense, wrapped around a bookish mystery.”
—Deborah Harkness, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Life
“A thoroughly engaging story that keeps us enthralled to the very last page. Austen herself would adore the counter-point heroine, the bright and delightful Sophie Collingwood. A pure gem.”
—Katherine Reay, author of Dear Mr. Knightley
“Brimming with charm and intrigue, Charlie Lovett’s new novel will leave a lasting impression on lovers of books, literary enigmas, and the eternally fascinating Jane Austen. Riveting.”
—Erika Robuck, author of Hemingway’s Girl
“Lovettstrikes the perfect chord between literature and a first rate thriller.”
—Craig Johnson, author of the Walt Longmire Mysteries, the basis of A&E’s hit series Longmire