Book Review: Louisa and the Missing Heiress

Reviewed By: Dawn Dowdle

Louisa and the Missing Heiress     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Anna Maclean
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Historical
Series: Louisa May Alcott Mysteries # 1
Signet, Paperback, 4/04, 293 pages, $5.99

The time is 1854. Louisa May Alcott is 22. Yes, this is the Louisa who later writes Little Women and goes on to become a famous author. In this book she does the sleuthing.

Her friend Dorothy Brownly Wortham is recently returned from her travels in Europe after her wedding to Preston. Louisa and her friend Sylvia Shattuck have been invited to Dorothy’s for tea. Also in attendance are Dorothy’s twin sisters Edith and Sarah, their brother Edgar, and their aunt Alfreda Thorney. Unfortunately the one person missing is Dorothy. After waiting for quite a while, she arrives. She says that tea was for tomorrow, not today. She won’t say where she’s been. She seems quite distraught and asks everyone to come back tomorrow for tea. She asks Louisa to arrive a little early so that they may talk.

Louisa is distressed and determined to arrive early to find out what is wrong with Dorothy.

The next day, Dorothy is once again missing. After everyone arrives, Constable Cobban of the Boston Watch and Police arrives to announce that Dorothy had drowned. Her dog Lily was found drowned with her.

Louisa and Sylvia attend the autopsy but it proves to be too much for Sylvia and they leave. Louisa is determined to find out how and why Dorothy was murdered. Yes, it was murder.

Louisa ends up putting herself in danger and bringing gossip upon her name in her quest to find the murderer.

While historical mysteries are not my favorite, I really enjoyed this book. It was fun having a famous author do the sleuthing. I thought I was well written and the characters were so well developed that I had trouble figuring out who did it. That always makes it a good mystery in my eyes.

I look forward to reading more books with Louisa doing the sleuthing. I recommend this book.

Dawn Dowdle

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Dawn Dowdle

Please visit Dawns website at www.mysteryloverscorner.com