My novel, "A Mad Endeavour: The Last Romance of Jane Austen" was published in February. It tells the story of a late-in-life romance between Jane and Mr. John Wirthemore, a widower and childhood friend of her brother Edward's, who has returned to England after thirty years spent making his fortune in the West Indies. He brings with him his son, Sebastian, who will soon begin his studies at Oxford, a daughter Violet, age 12 and her companion Kitty. Sparks soon fly between Jane and John, but their romance is threatened by the arrival of Miss Lavinia Treadwell, only child of a local squire, who is desperate to marry her off. Though still relatively young at 26 and exceptionally beautiful, she harbors a somewhat sordid past that has prevented her from attracting an eligible suitor. She soon sets her sights on Mr. Wirthemore. There follows a string of machinations, misunderstandings, recriminations, and mistaken first impressions that should be familiar to anyone who has read and enjoyed Austen's work. Fans of Gill Hornby's "Miss Austen" will doubtless appreciate this fictional chapter in the life of our authoress.
