Had Jane Austen lived to complete Sanditon , it would have been as treasured as her other novels. In the half-finished masterpiece, Austen fashions one of her classic heroines--Charlotte Heywood. The surviving fragment also sets the story well on its path as Charlotte begins an adventure to Sanditon where a full cast of characters becomes intertwined in various intrigues. At first, Charlotte finds amusement enough standing at her ample Venetian window looking over the placid seafront. However, before long, Charlotte discovers that scandals abound. She becomes captivated by the romance of the seaside lifestyle. But is the town of Sanditon truly a haven and will Charlotte find happiness there? Now, fully completed by respected author and Austen expert Juliette Shapiro, this new edition of Sanditon finishes the original story in a vivid style recognizable to any fan. Shapiro's prose and plot twists stay true to Austen's sensibilities at all times while capturing her romance, tragedy, humor and sardonic wit.