KPBS Midday Edition

Booklover's New Novel Is A Jane Austen Mystery

By Maureen Cavanaugh / KPBS Midday Edition Co-Host

Published October 27, 2014 at 8:24 AM PDT

This story was published more than 10 years ago.

"First Impressions," is a new novel by Charlie Lovett.

Booklover's New Novel Is A Jane Austen Mystery

Book Lover's New Novel A Jane Austen Mystery GUEST:Charlie Lovett is author of the new novel, "First Impressions". He's in San Diego for an appearance at the Mysterious Galaxy book store.

Literary mysteries intrigue booklovers and even emerge as themes in popular culture.

Where did Mary Shelley really get her idea for "Frankenstein"? How would Charles Dickens' unfinished "Mystery of Edwin Drood" have ended? And the theories about who really wrote Shakespeare's plays have gone on for centuries.

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But creating a literary mystery based on the work of a famous author is a delicate business. Suppose the great Jane Austen politely plagiarized the plot of her masterwork "Pride and Prejudice"? And suppose the proof existed in one rare, old book? It's a premise that's carried off in a new novel called "First Impressions."

KPBS Midday Edition

Maureen Cavanaugh

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Maureen Cavanaugh has been a familiar voice for KPBS listeners for more than 15 years, serving in a variety of capacities including announcer, host, and producer. As host of KPBS Midday Edition, Maureen has interviewed a wide range of notables, such as comedienne Sandra Bernhardt, actor John Lequizamo, author Chuck Palahniuk, composer Marvin Hamlisch, artist Robert Irwin, and designer Zandra Rhodes. But of all the interviews Maureen has conducted, her most special was with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Before joining KPBS in 1997, she worked as a news anchor for KSDO and KOGO News Radio in San Diego. While working for commercial radio stations in San Diego and in Salt Lake City, Utah, Maureen reported on both hard news and lifestyle features. Maureen has received three "Golden Mike" awards from the Radio and TV News Association of Southern California for economic reporting and breaking news. She has also received a "Best of Show" and “Best Radio Newscast” awards from the San Diego Press Club and the "Flo" Award from Public Radio Program Directors Association for Best Public Radio Announcer in a large market. Maureen is a native of Queens, New York, but after more than 20 years in San Diego she feels she qualifies as a real Southern Californian.

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