The minute I saw the letter, I knew it was hers. There was no mistaking it: the salutation, the tiny, precise handwriting, the date, the content itself, all confirmed its ancient status and authorship…
Samantha McDonough cannot believe her eyes--or her luck. Tucked in an uncut page of a two-hundred-year old poetry book is a letter she believes was written by Jane Austen, mentioning with regret a manuscript that "went missing at Greenbriar in Devonshire." Could there really be an undiscovered Jane Austen novel waiting to be found? Could anyone resist the temptation to go looking for it?
Making her way to the beautiful, centuries-old Greenbriar estate, Samantha finds it no easy task to sell its owner, the handsome yet uncompromising Anthony Whitaker, on her wild idea of searching for a lost Austen work--until she mentions its possible million dollar value.
After discovering the unattributed manuscript, Samantha and Anthony are immediately absorbed in the story of Rebecca Stanhope, daughter of a small town rector, who is about to encounter some bittersweet truths about life and love. As they continue to read the newly discovered tale from the past, a new one unfolds in the present--a story that just might change both of their lives forever.
Samantha cannot believe her eyes on her luck when she discovers, tucked inside a 200-year-old book of poetry, a letter almost certainly written by Austen. The letter offers a clue to what could be one of the most important literary events of modern times: an undiscovered novel by the beloved author.
Praise for THE MISSING MANUSCRIPT OF JANE AUSTEN"A novel within a novel honoring what we love most about Austen: her engaging stories, her rapier wit, and her swoon worth romance...pitch perfect, brilliantly crafted."--
Austenprose"This richly imagined Jane Austen 'road novel' is...a page turner...A standout addition to the crowded archive of Austen homages."--
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A literary feast for Anglophiles...[with] an Austen-worthy ending."--
Publishers Weekly"Syrie James has surpassed herself...It'll be one of your favourite reads in 2013!"--My Jane Austen Book Club
"Ingenious!...An absorbing, reflective, and remarkable work of fiction that masterfully captures the essence and style of a Jane Austen novel."--Austenesque Reviews
"James expertly blends Austen archetypes--bumbling suitors, lady friends both silly and sympathetic, bemused fathers--with her own narrative wit...A sweet, enjoyable read for any Austen fan."--
Shelf Awareness"A delightful novel that you simply won't want to put down...A must read for all Jane Austen enthusiasts."--Confessions of an Avid Reader
"A book a Jane Austen lover cannot miss."--The Bookish Dame
"A magical book that readers will definitely store on their keeper shelf and read more than once."--
RT Book ReviewsPraise for Syrie James"Syrie James is a fine storyteller, with a sensitive ear for the Austenian voice."--
Jane Austen's Regency World"Offers a deeper understanding of what Austen's life might have been like."--
Los Angeles Times"A beautiful, fictional what-if."--
Austenprose"Suspense builds, and it's a tribute to the world James creates that the readers will anxiously root for Jane to find true love and wealth, even though we know it never happened."--
Kirkus Reviews 
