LADY VERNON AND HER DAUGHTER A Novel of Jane Austen's Lady Susan

Recently widowed, Lady Vernon is forced to rely on her self-serving brother-in-law to care for her and her lovely daughter, Frederica. In Regency England, where aristocratic life is centered upon securing a financially advantageous marriage, Lady Vernon seeks to make the best match for Freddy. Narrator Susan Duerden artfully navigates extensive character explications, including litanies of familial relationships and family rankings and speculations on financial worth. Duerden's cultured tones—sometimes dulcet, sometimes scratchy—perfectly represent the hypocrisy of the social hierarchy. Duerden's voice lingers spitefully over gossipy letters and bristles with indignation when misrepresentations are aired. The authors use letters and conversations from Jane Austen's little-known epistolary work, LADY SUSAN, as their starting point, then veer off in surprising and delightful directions. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2010]