Behind a Mask: The Unknown Thrillers of Louisa May Alcott

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

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."

Every story in this book is a page-turner! You will boo the villains and cheer the heroines -- who sometimes happen to be one and the same. Three cheers for Madeleine Stern for resurrecting these rousing tales.

This was an amazing thriller. It kept me reading until the end. I do not usualy like thrillers, but Miss Alcott makes it very interesting, mysterious with the slightest bit of romance. I would highly recomend it.

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.