Behind a Mask is a fast-paced thriller, remarkable for forward-looking feminist themes. These are developed through the interplay between vivid, varied characters. Bella's simplicity and Edward's good-heartedness serve to balance Gerald's distrust and Lucia's dislike. Haughty Lucia embodies the dullness of docility in contrast to Jean, and Sir John a moral uprightness. Jean is a skillfully crafted character, interesting for what she does and what she stands for. A one-dimensional, scheming, bitter, and entirely malicious Jean would have worked against Alcott's feminist purpose.

To engage the reader quickly, Alcott opens with a touch of intrigue. Jean Muir may not be merely a pale, thin, governess in a plain dress. "Something in the lines of the mouth betrayed strength," and her voice "had a curious mixture of command and entreaty in its varying tones." The reader is fascinated with Jean by the time she unmasks in the privacy of...