The Hawthorne Inheritance
Kate Dike Blair
Fiction
Author Nathaniel Hawthorne’s sister Louisa drowns in 1852. But was it really an accident? In 1830, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s cousin John Stephens Dike flees Massachusetts and his abusive stepmother Priscilla and settles...
Out of stock
9781620065525
Author Nathaniel Hawthorne’s sister Louisa drowns in 1852. But was it really an accident?
In 1830, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s cousin John Stephens Dike flees Massachusetts and his abusive stepmother Priscilla and settles in Ohio, where he expands his uncle’s successful Grocery Emporium and marries his beloved Margaretta. Haunted only by occasional debilitating headaches, he considers his painful past to be safely behind him, until in 1883 an unexpected inheritance from his cousin Elizabeth Hawthorne brings John Stephens’ nightmarish boyhood again to the fore.
The inheritance consists of a crate of shabby furniture and a collection of old papers detailing the love affair between John Stephen’s late father John Dike and Hawthorne’s younger sister, Louisa. But it also raises some questions surrounding Louisa’s drowning in the 1852 Henry Clay steamship disaster. The documents include: John Dike’s post mortum treatiss regarding his affair with Louisa and her death; Louisa Hawthorne’s warm and witty diary entries celebrating the clandestine romance with John Dike and her experiences with Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller, and the Hawthorne, Alcott, Emerson, and Peabody families; and damning letters to a clergyman from the late Priscilla Dike detailing her hellish revenge.
But can John Stephens conquer his childhood terrors and find justice for Louisa? And what other literary bombshells lie hidden within Elizabeth Hawthorne’s bequest? In this meticulously researched historical novel, Kate Dike Blair salutes her Hawthorne cousins and their circles, explores inconsistencies in the Henry Clay accident inquest, and chronicles for the ages John and Louisa’s star-crossed romance.
Watch the book trailer: Hawthorne Inheritance Video
by Kate Dike Blair
Page Count: 255
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Publish Date: August 28, 2021
Imprint: Milford House Press
Genre: Historical Fiction
FICTION / Biographical
FICTION / Historical / Civil War Era
FICTION / Historical / General
You might also like ...
-
$22.95by Laura Palmer -- What We Can Learn From Histo...by Laura Palmer -- What We Can Learn From Historic Sensitive Persons about being an Empowered Empath -- Welcome to the wonderful world of being sensitive! Being a Highly Sensitive Person can be...
-
$16.95- Sharing Light After the Death of a Child - ...- Sharing Light After the Death of a Child - We live in a grief-illiterate society. After the death of a child we often hear “there are no words.” But there are words. Oil for Your Lantern offer...
-
$19.95Their Lives, Contributions, and Burial Sites Jo...Their Lives, Contributions, and Burial Sites Joe Farrell, Joe Farley, and Lawrence Knorr have traveled across the eastern USA to the graves of over 200 founding fathers (and mothers) responsible fo...
-
$14.95Their Lives, Contributions, and Burial Sites Jo...Their Lives, Contributions, and Burial Sites Joe Farrell, Joe Farley, and Lawrence Knorr have traveled across the eastern USA to the graves of over 200 founding fathers (and mothers) responsible fo...
-
$19.95Here in the Keystone State, as time passes by, ...Here in the Keystone State, as time passes by, it becomes harder to hear a first-hand account of what life and times were like in the Pennsylvania mountains prior to the invention of the “horseless...
-
$39.95-- or Once Upon a Time in the East -- MEET ME I...-- or Once Upon a Time in the East -- MEET ME IN MANHATTAN revives the legend of Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and Miss Etta Place, as in the early years of the 20th Century they flee the fast-f...
-
$29.95This new edition combines the first edition and...This new edition combines the first edition and Prince and the Paupers into one volume. Author and historian Guy Graybill presents the entertaining tale of one of America's most prolific moonshine...
-
$14.95Steve and Joan Troutman have collected the hist...Steve and Joan Troutman have collected the histories and photographs of the various one-room schoolhouse of the Mahantongo Valley, of Northumberland and Schuylkill Counties, Pennsylvania, including...
-
$16.95The indelible image lingers from every cemetery...The indelible image lingers from every cemetery and nostalgic detail consuming the human mind. It is a sumptuous palace swarming with bodies from the past. Cemeteries can be dynamically active or...
-
$22.95Sometimes losing your children is the only way ...Sometimes losing your children is the only way to save them. The year is 2039. Jean Bennett’s husband and sister have died from a mysterious illness. To save her children’s lives, she must leave t...
-
$16.95by Katherine Bowers Ever found yourself stuck o...by Katherine Bowers Ever found yourself stuck on the shoulder of life, afraid to veer out into traffic, petrified of being blind-sided by yet another reckless driver? I so want to be the brand of...
-
$19.95Anyone wishing to unlock the secrets behind Pen...Anyone wishing to unlock the secrets behind Pennsylvania’s treasure trove of old-time legends and folktales should read this book and its predecessors. Fascinating and unbelievable as some of these...
-
$16.95It was the time of rifle, tomahawk, and knife. ...It was the time of rifle, tomahawk, and knife. It was the time of plough, axe, and endurance. It was the time when blood flowed into the waters of the Susquehanna River—1750 to 1800—Colonial Susqu...
-
$19.95Henry Shoemaker compiled these legendary tales ...Henry Shoemaker compiled these legendary tales set in the Juniata Valley of central Pennsylvania. Shoemaker's tales recall the transition of the landscape from forest to industrial logging and the ...
-
$14.95by A. B. Zeitler – “I almost fell overboard on...by A. B. Zeitler – “I almost fell overboard on my way to America,” my father often said. This quote begins many immigrant adventures detailed in Leaving Germany: One Family’s Post-World War I Ame...
-
$19.95They say you can never go home again, but what ...They say you can never go home again, but what if home won’t let you leave? When Elbridge Corvallis’ mother dies, the barely minted professional hockey player abandons his first season to return t...
-
$24.95by Stephen Paul Sayers When the ride ends, the ...by Stephen Paul Sayers When the ride ends, the terror begins… The nightmares and visions are getting worse for crime writer Jack Rainne. He can’t shake the childhood memory of a haunting carousel r...
-
$12.95-- Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley -- A fictionalized...-- Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley -- A fictionalized account of Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley’s life story, the most plausible “Molly Pitcher” from the American Revolution, based on the historical record. b...
-
$24.95In Deals, Danger, Destiny—the first book in thi...In Deals, Danger, Destiny—the first book in this series—John LaCasse takes us through the glamour of wealth and his high-octane lifestyle. He opens the existential crises of fast and furious living...
-
$19.95Their Lives, Contributions, and Burial Sites Jo...Their Lives, Contributions, and Burial Sites Joe Farrell, Joe Farley, and Lawrence Knorr have traveled across the eastern USA to the graves of over 200 founding fathers (and mothers) responsible fo...
-
$12.95Unbelievably More Cartoons for the Somewhat Off...Unbelievably More Cartoons for the Somewhat Off-CenterIf you ever wondered what would happen if an author of graphically violent horror stories also drew cartoons? Not that many people would have t...
-
$19.95Volume Four of the Pennsylvania Fireside Tales ...Volume Four of the Pennsylvania Fireside Tales series contains more of the old-time Pennsylvania mountain legends and folktales collected by the author over the last fifty years. Just like in his ...
-
$12.95Thoughts from a Life of Ministry Several years...Thoughts from a Life of Ministry Several years after the pandemic (epidemic of an infectious disease), we still see the aftermath of the devastation created. The devastation is largely prevalent i...
-
$22.95A Novel of the Battle of Lexington and Concord ...A Novel of the Battle of Lexington and Concord In Colonial Massachusetts at the dawning of the American Revolution, an enslaved African American and a reluctant Patriot must battle the British regu...
-
$19.95by Bob Ford In Ford’s eighth collection of outd...by Bob Ford In Ford’s eighth collection of outdoor humor he continues to strike a chord with hunters and dog lovers as he makes observations about contemporary life, often through nostalgic narrati...
-
$19.95A Strong Cape Cod Connection From the start of ...A Strong Cape Cod Connection From the start of the Puritan era through the end of the Revolutionary War, Boston was the central hub of the slave trade. Slaves were brought onboard ships from the Af...
-
$22.95This book covers the entire 1960 Pittsburgh Pi...This book covers the entire 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates season from spring expectations through a season of destiny culminated by the wildest, most lopsided World Series ever—one which saw a team get ...
-
$24.95The Raven Naelo Saga - Book 1 Raven Naelo, a ha...The Raven Naelo Saga - Book 1 Raven Naelo, a half-elf rogue, dreams of following in her father’s footsteps and becoming a realm guardian. Her dreams move closer to reality when she proves herself a...
-
$16.95Before the US Constitution defined the role of ...Before the US Constitution defined the role of the President of the United States as the chief executive, fourteen men filled the role of President of the United States in Congress Assembled. Thoug...
-
$19.95by Rebecca Titchner Two sisters who never met. ...by Rebecca Titchner Two sisters who never met. Two decades of intimate journals. One tragic ending. A Ghost Comes Calling tells of one woman's journey to understand herself, her birth family, and ...
-
$9.99What should we do when we feel lonely? Everyone...What should we do when we feel lonely? Everyone feels lonely sometimes, and it can be difficult to navigate that feeling. The Emotion Monster series features the challenging, yet likeable characte...
-
$9.99What should we do when we feel jealous? Everyon...What should we do when we feel jealous? Everyone feels jealous sometimes, and it can be difficult to navigate that feeling. The Emotion Monster series features the challenging, yet likeable charac...
-
$9.99What should we do when we feel angry? Everyone ...What should we do when we feel angry? Everyone feels angry sometimes, and it can be difficult to navigate that feeling. The Emotion Monster series features the challenging, yet likable characters ...
-
$19.95“We are vessels ... and sometimes we have to em...“We are vessels ... and sometimes we have to empty them.” For years, Jhana has traveled the country in search of the stories of people from all walks of life had to tell. Now, after more than a dec...
-
$11.95by Carol Vento War begets unlikely pairings. In...by Carol Vento War begets unlikely pairings. In the shadow of World War I, Carol Schultz Vento’s father, Arthur Dutch Schultz, was born to two military veterans. In the immediate aftermath of World...
-
$19.95The Forbidden Powers - Book 3 Seven years have ...The Forbidden Powers - Book 3 Seven years have passed since the destruction of the Cup of Power and the defeat of Darvor’s armies. Life has gone on for Jonny, but he has not freed himself of the pa...
-
$9.99What should we do when we feel frustrated? Eve...What should we do when we feel frustrated? Everyone feels frustrated sometimes, and it can be difficult to navigate that feeling. The Emotion Monster series features the challenging, yet likeable...
-
$9.99What should we do when we feel sad? Everyone fe...What should we do when we feel sad? Everyone feels sad sometimes, and it can be difficult to navigate that feeling. The Emotion Monster series features the challenging, yet likeable characters fir...
-
$22.95In the railroad city of Altoona, Pennsylvania, ...In the railroad city of Altoona, Pennsylvania, 19-year-old Frank Davis straddles the cusp of manhood in the tumultuous year of 1966. His tranquil lower middle-class neighborhood, adorned with stree...
-
$22.95The Timothy House Chronicles: Book Two Through ...The Timothy House Chronicles: Book Two Through a Dark Valley, Book Two in The Timothy House Chronicles, continues the story of Abbie Richardson and Keith Haliday—two individuals who have suffered i...
-
$27.95From Pearl Harbor to Midway In November 1940, A...From Pearl Harbor to Midway In November 1940, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander-in-chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, told Prime Minister Prince Konoye, “If I am forced to wage war with the Un...
-
$16.95From the twisted mind of horror master Thomas M...From the twisted mind of horror master Thomas M. Malafarina comes the eighth short story collection in his Malaformed Realities series, appropriately entitled Malaformed Realities Volume 8. With th...
-
$16.95From the twisted mind of horror master Thomas ...From the twisted mind of horror master Thomas M. Malafarina comes the seventh short story collection in his Malaformed Realities series, appropriately entitled Malaformed Realities Volume 7. With...
-
$16.95Finding and Losing the Love of My Life in Six S...Finding and Losing the Love of My Life in Six Short Years What if you came home one day and found your husband dead in his favorite chair? This grief memoir explores the author’s experience of the ...
-
$19.95It is the author’s opinion that it is not an ex...It is the author’s opinion that it is not an exaggeration to say that if anyone wishes to experience one of those rare moments of true happiness that occurs in a lifetime, they should go to the mou...
-
$16.95by Carol Vento Carol Schultz Vento recounts the...by Carol Vento Carol Schultz Vento recounts the post-World War II years of her famous father "Dutch" Schultz. "Carol Schultz Vento's testimonial and others like it do not diminish the wartime gener...
-
$9.99What happens when the team goalie gets stuck in...What happens when the team goalie gets stuck in the net during the ice hockey championship game? In the book Stuck! the characters work towards a common goal- helping their goalie get unstuck from ...
-
$22.95- Four women, four stories, and a chance encoun...- Four women, four stories, and a chance encounter that changes everything. Still reeling from a recent breakup, Demi, a Greek-American banquet manager, joins her mother, aunt, and cousin on a trip...
-
$22.95~ The Accountant's Apprentice III ~ “One of the...~ The Accountant's Apprentice III ~ “One of the passengers waiting for a bus . . . said the area . . . was empty. She looked away for a few seconds. When she looked back, he was sitting there in h...
Recently Viewed Products
The Hawthorne Inheritance has a complex cast of characters: a cluster of families in 1800s Massachusetts. Blair elucidates the various relationships and intertwining of these families, as we get behind-the-scenes views of the famous literary people of the time: Hawthorne, Emerson, Thoreau the Alcotts, as they interacted with each other and with the Dike/Blair family of the author– all in the midst of a murder mystery that keeps you reading.
I liked the glimpses into the Transcendalist movement as it was lived at the time and how this new philosophy and new ideas about sexual issues – discarding the Puritan morality for something more humane – created clashes among people as they also opened up ongoing questions about boundaries.
I enjoyed reading about Concord, Mass, where I lived for a time, as it was in the 1800s. What a pleasure to see Walden Pond, the Walden Woods, and the landmark houses frequented by these notables and their families, who were all connected in some way to the Dike/Blair family system.
Kate Blair's extensive research and use of family records is impressive.
A captivating read describing a captivating world
Kate Dike Blair’s historical novel The Hawthorne Inheritance is a remarkable book. It is a fascinating love story that occurs within a family in the 1800’s. It pulls in some notable literary giants, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Louisa May Alcott, who are characters in this well-written book. What is remarkable is that the author adeptly recreates the world of that time for the reader. You can see and sense what people are wearing, eating, and smelling in each locale. You are totally immersed in the world of the novel. Through diary entries, letters, and personal documents, the reader becomes acquainted with the different characters, and the plot zips along in a most engaging manner. How do you know when you have read a good and important book? When you can’t put it down and do not want it to end. The Hawthorne Inheritance is one of those books. In addition, it is fascinating to note that author based the novel upon her family’s connections to the Hawthorne family and other New England families mentioned in the book. Blair infused her family’s history with romance and drama and gives her readers a wonderful, fun, and educational read.
Kate Dike Blair's "The Hawthorne Inheritance" is a beautifully written story of family intrigue that will hook you immediately from the first page to the last. Drawing from the author’s own ancestral history, this historical novel carries an emotional weight that adds depth to its already rich tapestry.
Blair's eloquent prose paints vivid scenes that unfold like a film in the mind’s eye. I was especially taken by the heart of the story—the enigmatic circumstances that surrounded the drowning death of Nathaniel Hawthorne's sister Louisa as well as the truth of her illicit romance with her uncle by marriage. The twists and turns of the suspenseful plot kept me turning pages, eager to uncover the next revelation. I also got a special kick when literary greats that included Hawthorne, Emerson, Thoreau, Alcott and my teen fave, Margaret Fuller, made memorable appearances.
"The Hawthorne Inheritance" transported me into a world I found so compelling and tantalizing, it left me longing for more as the final chapter drew near. For those seeking an absorbing literary read, “The Hawthorne Inheritance” is your ticket. It’s a captivating delight and very highly recommended.
This historical fiction novel crosses multiple generations to weave together actual and theoretical events to explore the death of Louisa Hawthorne, the younger sister of author Nathaniel Hawthorne. There’s a deep mystery here that is thoroughly researched and brilliantly written, full of alluring revelations, scheming family members, and illicit affairs. The characters are fleshed-out, colorful, and each one has a distinct voice. This book will appeal to mystery readers as well as fans of historical fiction.
Seamlessly weaving actual events with fictitious ones, Kate Dike Blair’s well-researched novel presents a plausible theory about the possible circumstances surrounding Louisa Hawthorne’s death. Best of all, this book has a character you will love to hate!
Customer Reviews