The Abbot's Ghost, or Maurice Treherne's Temptation

by Louisa May Alcott

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

The Abbott's Ghost is another hidden gem written by Louisa May Alcott. Maurice Treherne saved his cousin Jasper's life after a misadventure in the water and was made a cripple because of it. Jasper of course is forever grateful but due to a small faux pas does a poor way of showing it. Maurice is in love with his cousin Octativa but due to his circumstances Octavia's mother puts a wrench in any happiness as her daughter should and could do better. In the end, a ghost story comes true paving the way for the couple's future.

I felt the Abbott's Ghost was a cross between a Jane Austen novel and A Christmas Carol. Ninety percent of the book occurs during a dinner party with witty dialogue and scandal, also the ending has a very Austen feel with all the happy marriages. A Christmas Carol is reminiscent because The Abbott's Ghost is in fact a Christmas story but I would use this loosely as it is not very merry; this really reminds me of A Christmas Carol because of the amount of ghost stories in it, each more tantalizing than the last. The Abbott's Ghost is a small story with great depth, keeping eyes wide open to the unexpected end.

You can find this review among others, at my blog She is too fond of books