Author: Catherine Lowell
Publisher: Touchstone
Genre: Literary fiction
ISBN: 978-1-5011-2421-1
Pages: 352
Price: $25.99
Samantha Whipple is the last remaining descendant of the Brontë family. Although the media believes she is heir to a fortune in lost memorabilia, she knows anything of value probably perished along with her father in the fire that took his life. So when one of his marked-up Brontë books shows up at her dorm room, she wonders how it could have survived – and how it got there.
As Samantha debates literature with her professor, the two verbally spar over the Brontës in particular. A self-proclaimed Brontë expert publishes a book purporting to contain the missing (aka “stolen”) items that he thinks exist, and Samantha is furious. But the biggest problem Samantha has to deal with is the sudden realization that she never really knew her father at all.
The Madwoman Upstairs captivated my interest from the very first page, producing endless speculation on the unusual literary mystery it presents. The characters are real and so very human, quirky in their own unique ways. This debut novel is a winner, and I look forward to seeing more from this talented new author.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
Bergers Book Reviews 