“The Wentworth Letter,” which won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for best first published mystery story, is about a college professor who attempts to buy a stolen letter by Jane Austen and sell it to a wealthy Austen fanatic—his mother. He discovers that such scams, much like Jane Austen’s novels, are not nearly so easy to pull off as they appear.

The Barb Goffman Presents series showcases modern masterpieces of mystery, crime, and suspense selected by acclaimed mystery author and editor Barb Goffman.