Mrs. Rochester's Ghost

 Mrs. Rochester's Ghost by Lindsay Marcott (2021) 283 pages

Jane loses her job when the television series she writes for is canceled. After months of being unable to find a new job, she's feeling severe financial hardship, when she gets a call from a guy she used to work with at a bar years ago. Otis now cooks for his cousin, Evan Rochester, who's wealthy and in need of a tutor for his teenaged daughter. If Jane agrees to come, she'll have her own cottage on the grounds of Rochester's property on the California coast.

An alternating storyline is the story of Evan Rochester's wife, Beatrice, a former super model who walked into the sea several months ago, if one believes Evan's story. Some people, including Beatrice's brother, say that Evan killed his wife, having tired of living with her severe mental illness, and needing cash from their joint assets to fund his business proposals. In chapters told from Beatrice's point of view, her mental illness is profoundly on display, and it's fascinating to see how she views her husband ("my jailer") and his household employees.

Meanwhile, Jane's interactions with the brusque Rochester are improving after an awkward first meeting, making her‒against better advice‒fall for him.

I enjoyed this modern re-telling of Jane Eyre, maybe even more than Brontë's original story.