Although I like Jane Austen’s novels, I’ve never had much interest in reading any of the many sequels, prequels or retellings written by other authors. However, I’ve read and enjoyed all of Nancy Bilyeau’s other books, so was happy to give this one a chance. As the title suggests, it’s inspired by Northanger Abbey, not my favourite Austen novel (that would be Persuasion), but one that I found entertaining and amusing. Those of you who have read it will remember that the heroine, Catherine Morland, is obsessed with Gothic novels; The Heiress of Northanger Abbey pays tribute to this with plenty of Gothic touches of its own!
The novel opens twenty-two years after the events of Northanger Abbey. Catherine has settled into married life as the wife of clergyman Henry Tilney and they have two daughters, Phoebe and Susan. Seventeen-year-old Phoebe, the eldest, is away from home accompanying her uncle and aunt, Frederick and Aurelia Tilney, who have gone to Bath to take the healing waters. Catherine is aware that as Frederick and Aurelia have no children of their own, they are considering making Phoebe their heiress, which means she would eventually inherit Northanger Abbey. However, in the 19th century being an heiress can be dangerous – as Catherine herself discovered twenty-two years earlier when a misunderstanding made her the target of fortune hunters John and Isabella Thorpe.
Catherine’s sister-in-law Eleanor Granville has come to visit for a few days with her children and Catherine offers to read Phoebe’s latest letter from Bath to them. She’s horrified when Phoebe mentions that the Thorpes are in Bath and that John Thorpe has suggested Phoebe go out riding with his son, Jack. Have Isabella and John set their sights on Phoebe and her possible fortune this time? Leaving eleven-year-old Susan in Eleanor’s care, Catherine heads straight for Bath to investigate – but is she right to distrust the Thorpes or is she just letting her imagination run wild again?
I really enjoyed this book, despite my usual aversion to Austen sequels. If you’ve never read Northanger Abbey, I don’t think that would be a problem at all; Bilyeau doesn’t just assume that you’ve read it and provides enough background information to make it easy to follow what’s happening and to understand Catherine’s history with the Thorpes. The writing style and use of language aren’t exact imitations of Austen’s, but still feel appropriate for the time period and the book can easily be read as an entertaining novel in its own right.
I loved the way we are kept guessing, at least for a while, about whether Catherine is correct about the Thorpes and Phoebe really is the target of their schemes or whether Catherine is judging them based on their actions all those years ago rather than the people they are now. I had my opinion and was proved right, but the story could have gone in different directions and been just as interesting. My favourite thing about the book, though, was the way Bilyeau uses Gothic elements to create suspense and atmosphere: a beautiful heiress who is (possibly) in danger; a mysterious villain; a lonely house on the moors; noises at night; and plenty of discussion of various Gothic novels, particularly John Polidori’s The Vampyre, published the year before the book is set.
My favourite Nancy Bilyeau novels are still the Genevieve Planché thrillers (beginning with The Blue), but this one was also very enjoyable and I’m happy to recommend it, whether or not you’re an Austen fan.
Thanks to the author for providing a copy of this book for review.
I’m linking this to RIPXXI hosted by @perilreaders
I haven’t generally enjoyed Austen spin offs but Northanger Abbey is my least favourite so I might try this one. It does sound fun
I can never decide on my least favourite Austen. I just know Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice are my top two!
Northanger Abbey is one of my two as yet unread Austen’s……. I think I’ll read the original first and then *maybe* try this one. I’m very much like you in that I tend not to be interested in spin-offs to original stories (although I do have a few H G Wells Sci-Fi ‘spin offs’ to schedule at some point….)
Yes, probably a good idea to read Northanger Abbey first, although this book does work as a standalone as well. I’ve never tried an HG Wells spin off – I hope you enjoy whichever ones you’re planning to read.
Nearly every Austen spin off I’ve read has been terrible. But this sounds quite interesting.
It was surprisingly good. I have no interest in the ones with zombies and vampires or where Austen’s characters are detectives solving mysteries!
Agreed, but yes, this one is better than most.
I gave one Bilyeau book a chance years ago and didn’t really enjoy it, but it probably didn’t help that it was the second in a series, and lacked background information to really know what was going on. Maybe I should try the first of her thrillers.
Yes, picking up the second book in a series first can definitely be a problem, particularly if there’s an assumption that you’ve read the first one and already know what’s going on.
It certainly was for this one. The book kept bringing up things I didn’t know about and not explaining them.
I share your feelings about Austen spin-offs, although I did enjoy Charlotte by Helen Moffett featuring Elizabeth Bennet’s friend Charlotte Lucas from Pride & Prejudice who marries Mr Collins. I enjoyed the author’s books The Blue and Dreamland so I might give this a go.
I haven’t come across the Helen Moffett – maybe I’ll give that one a chance if I decide to try more Austen spin-offs!
I’m not generally one for spin-offs or sequels, but this does sound well done!
Austen spin-offs don’t usually appeal to me much, but this was a good one and I felt it stayed true to the characters.
Sounds like we’re pretty much in agreement on this one, then. A better than average Austen fan fiction book.
I haven’t read many of them because they don’t usually sound appealing to me, but yes, this was a good one!
I always feel NA is vastly underrated, and I like it as a bridge between her hilarious but scattergun juvenilia and her more carefully crafted mature works. I like the idea of a sequel that references contemporary lit like the Polidori novella so I’ll certainly consider this!
I’ve only read Northanger Abbey once but it’s definitely one I would like to read again. Although there are other Austen novels that impressed me more, I thought it was very entertaining and I agree that it’s underrated.
I enjoyed this book too!
I found it very entertaining. Glad you enjoyed it too!
This sounds like good fun! Also Persuasion is my favourite Austen, too! With Mansfield Park as my least. 😊
It was very entertaining! I didn’t like Mansfield Park very much the first time I read it, but enjoyed it a lot more on a re-read a few years ago.