Hidden in Plain Prose: Dr. Bethany Amorin and the Secret Jane Austen
When a forgotten manuscript surfaces deep in the archives of an Oxford library—its spine cracked, its cover unmarked, and its author listed only as “A Lady”—Dr. Bethany Amorin, a literary historian and expert in 18th-century women's writing, is called upon to authenticate what may be the most controversial literary discovery of the century: an unpublished, unmistakably Austenian novel that depicts a bold and passionate love affair between two women.
In Hidden in Plain Prose, Dr. Amorin embarks on a meticulous journey through literary forensics, historical context, and Austen’s personal correspondence to determine the truth. Could this novel—equal in wit, elegance, and social critique to Austen’s known works—be the missing piece that redefines her legacy? Or is it an elaborate literary hoax?
Dr. Amorin examines:
- The stylistic fingerprints within the novel that align with Austen’s established canon.
- Watermarks and paper analysis that place the manuscript in the early 19th century.
- Buried correspondence between Austen and an unnamed confidante, hinting at a deeper, more private emotional world.
- The social and moral climate of Regency England that would have made such a novel dangerous to publish—or even possess.
- Theories of suppression by family members, literary executors, or even academic institutions with reputations to protect.
As the investigation unfolds, Dr. Amorin is drawn not only into the mystery of the text, but into a larger narrative of how women’s voices—particularly queer voices—have been muted, masked, and misread throughout history.
This riveting account is as much a detective story as it is a reclamation of literary heritage, challenging long-held assumptions about Jane Austen, and asking: What happens when a woman known for irony and restraint dares to speak of love unbound?
Hidden in Plain Prose: The Mystery of Austin's Missing Novel
Dr. Bethany Amorin