The Wentworth Letter

By Jeff Soloway

“The Wentworth Letter,” which won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for best first published mystery story, is about a college professor who attempts to buy a stolen letter by Jane Austen and sell it to a wealthy Austen fanatic—his mother. He discovers that such scams, much like Jane Austen’s novels, are not nearly so easy to pull off as they appear.

The Barb Goffman Presents series showcases modern masterpieces of mystery, crime, and suspense selected by acclaimed mystery author and editor Barb Goffman.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wildside Press
• Release date: Apr 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9781479459025

Book preview

Table of Contents

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

THE WENTWORTH LETTER

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

Copyright © 2013 by Jeff Soloway.

Originally published in The Malfeasance Occasional: Girl Trouble.

Published by Wildside Press, LLC.

wildsidepress.com | bcmystery.com

THE WENTWORTH LETTER

JEFF SOLOWAY

The new student in the Jane Austen seminar walloped himself into the chair next to the professor. He was overweight, balding, and haphazardly shaved, and he appeared to have only one eye, or one that worked; the other was hidden behind a single darkened eyeglass lens. The tittering of the young women (there were never any young men in the Austen seminar) was like a wind through dry grass. Cheryl, the only human among the leopardesses, got up and took the seat beside him. She smiled warmly at him. He smiled hotly at her.

This is Alex, Professor Cowen announced. Fooled by the name, he had expected his new continuing-ed student to be a female book-club regular hoping to ditch cookies and gossip for more sophisticated literary chitchat. Instead he got a guy whose breaths sounded like an idling Harley. He’s an auditor from our local community. In compensation for this misfortune, the university waived its fees.

"We’re reading Persuasion, Stella said, leaning her sleek body over the table toward him. Do you know it?" She put on her most obviously fake smile, the one designed to strike fear in the hearts of her victims and bloodlust in the hearts of her allies.

"I don’t need Persuasion, Alex replied, lifting an undulating monobrow. I’m already persuaded." He added