Inheritance

Here, at last, is "Jo's" novel, the first Alcott romance, whose tantalizing hints in the classic autobiographical "Little Women" have for generations left fans yearning for more. Now, after almost 150 years in family archives, Louisa May Alcott's first novel has finally arrived for her eager public. Set in an English country manor, it follows the tangled fortunes of Edith Adelon, a poor, orphaned girl of Italian descent whose loyalty and beauty have earned her the patronage of wealthy friends – until a jealous rival schemes to snatch her from that family's care. In the locket about her neck, she carries a deep secret about her rightful claim to wealth, but an even greater truth is hidden in Edith's heart: her deep adoration for the gentle and noble Lord Percy, the only friend who can save her from the machinations of the spiteful and envious Lady Ida. With a charm that brings Jane Austen to mind, in its underlying simplicity and profound sentiments, this novel affirms the triumphant power of both love and propriety. Written by Louisa in 1849, when she was still seventeen years old, it beautifully illustrates virtue and values.