Behind a Mask: The Unknown Thrillers Of Louisa May Alcott [Paperback]

Louisa May Alcott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 14, 1997

Six years before she wrote Little Women, Louisa May Alcott, in financial straits, entered "Pauline's Passion and Punishment," a novelette, in a newspaper contest. Not only did it win the $100 prize, but, published anonymously, it marked the first in the series of "blood & thunder tales" that would be her livelihood for years.

In Behind a Mask, editor Madeleine Stern introduces four Alcott thrillers: "Pauline's Passion and Punishment," "The Mysterious Key," "The Abbot's Ghost," and the title story, "Behind a Mask." First published in one volume in 1975, they are regarded as Alcott's finest work in this genre.

Editorial Reviews

From Scientific American

Behind a Mask is by far the better way to become acquainted with Alcott's racier side.

From The New Yorker

Significantly deepens our understanding of one of the most tragically bright figures in American literature.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (February 14, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688151329
• ISBN-13: 978-0688151324
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #465,285 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Characters hardly "Little Women", March 24, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Behind a Mask: The Unknown Thrillers Of Louisa May Alcott (Hardcover)

In this collection of four short stories, Louisa May Alcott reveals herself as a racy, infinately readable author. Each story features strong women, with sharp tongues and sharper wits. Every plot has an unexpected twist, and a decidedly dark touch of irony. If you couldn't read Little Women because of its flowery prose, here is a second chance to aquaint yourself with an incredible American author. Every story is a page turner to the very end, and each short enough to be read in an evening.

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remeber Jo's "naughty stories?", March 15, 2002

By 

Kimberly Wells (Shreveport, LA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Behind a Mask: The Unknown Thrillers Of Louisa May Alcott (Paperback)

In Little Women, remember the stories that Professor Bhaer convinces Jo aren't worthy of her? These stories, written under the pseudonym A.M. Barnard, are sort of those, just as Jo was "sort of" Alcott's alter ego... Alcott loved these short stories, considered quite scandalous, and she felt they were better work than the "moral pap for children" (her words, not mine) for which she is more famous.

While I love Little Women (read it a million times), and am really glad she wrote that "moral stuff," these stories have a darker edge than the happy March home-- thrillingly scandalous. Some of the short stories are a little bit less finely crafted than others, but all of the ones in this collection are fabulous. Actresses! Poisoners! Exotic Locales! Revenge-seeking scorned women! Wicked Women in general! This is one of many collected by Stern-- so get them all, and learn about the darker persona of the famous "girl's writer."

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deffinately no Little Women... but better, December 30, 2004

By 

Jaylyn (Philadelphia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Behind a Mask: The Unknown Thrillers Of Louisa May Alcott (Paperback)

What a trippy book. I was in highschool when my mother gave me this book for Christmas. I was a girlie girl and a fan of Little Women. My best friend and I were even into the spin off stories from that book and when we found out there was a collection of "dark", unknown Louisa May Alcott stories that were being published we had no idea what we were about to sit down to. I must of read each story twice. From an old witchie woman driving the men of a family mad to smoking hash, a whole new world was being opened up to me. Reading this turned me on to short stories, and I wanted to read more like it which led me into discovering author's like Graham Greene and James Baldwin. I was also devoting myself to go to English and Literature class and trying out some of my own short stories. I think if you have a young women in your home who's into reading and dabbles in things like poetry and writting this is a good book to add to her collection... right next to Little Women