Jane Austen's Last, Unfinished Novel "I am no indiscriminate novel reader. The mere trash of the common circulating library I hold in the highest contempt." ? Jane Austen, Sanditon Set in 19th century England, Jane Austen's last novel was completed by another author after her death. While it is still debated whether Sanditon was simply a first draft or marked a shift in Austen's writing style, the story of the daily lives of a cast of characters living in Sanditon makes for a lively read for Jane Austen fans.