Fans of Jane Austen's work will enjoy the novels of her predecessor Fanny Burney, who many critics and historians agree exerted a profound influence over Austen's evolution as a writer. The sweeping novel Cecilia follows one well-born woman's quest to find a suitable husband who will meet the exacting stipulations set forth by her family.

Adam Bede follows the lives of a fictional rural community. The life and expectations of the good carpenter Adam Bede are disrupted when the local lord takes liberties below his station and his conscience. The novel is a discussion of class and education and also of religion, with the female Methodist preacher Dinah Morris coming to the fore as the novel progresses.

Rumors and Gossip . . . The lifeblood of London

When Olivia Bevelstoke is told that her new neighbor may have killed his fiancée, she doesn't believe it for a second, but, still, how can she help spying on him, just to be sure? So she stakes out a spot near her bedroom window, cleverly concealed by curtains, watches, and waits . . . and discovers a most intriguing man, who is definitely up to something.

Sir Harry Valentine works