A young woman's penchant for sensational Gothic novels leads to misunderstandings in the matters of the heart.

When Catherine Morland is given the opportunity to stay with the childless Allen family in Bath, she is hoping for an adventure of the type she has been reading in novels. Soon introduced to society, she meets Isabella Thorpe and her brother John, a good friend of her own brother, James. She also meets Henry Tilney, a handsome young man from a good family and his sister, Eleanor. Invited to visit the Tilney estate, Northanger Abbey, she has thoughts of romance but soon learns that status, class and money are all equally important when it comes to matters of the heart.—garykmcd

Seventeen-year-old Catherine Morland (Felicity Jones), daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Morland, is a tomboy with a wild imagination and a passion for Gothic novels. Family friends Mr. and Mrs. Allen invite Catherine to spend the season in Bath and she readily accepts. At her first ball, Catherine meets and dances with Henry Tilney (JJ Feild). The following day, Catherine makes the acquaintance of the Thorpe family. She becomes good friends with Isabella Thorpe (Carey Mulligan) and she meets Isabella's brother, John (William Beck), when she is reunited with her own brother, James (Hugh O'Conor). John flirts with Catherine at a ball, but she is more interested in meeting with Henry and his sister, Eleanor (Catherine Walker). Catherine is pressured by Isabella and John into riding to Blaise Castle, despite having made plans for a walk with Henry and Eleanor. John assures her that he saw Henry driving a phaeton to Wick Rocks, but while Catherine is in John's carriage, she sees the Tilneys walking along the street. Catherine asks John to stop, knowing he lied to her, but he refuses. Catherine runs into the Tilney family at the opera and makes her apologies, before planning another walk. John tells Henry's father, General Tilney (Liam Cunningham), that Catherine is the Allens' heir, and the General invites her to spend the day with the family. Catherine is delighted when she learns Henry and Eleanor love books as much as she does. On her return home, Isabella tells Catherine that she and James are engaged. James and John announce that they are to leave Bath for a few weeks and after talking about marriage with Catherine, John leaves believing she is in love with him. Isabella catches the eye of Henry's older brother, Captain Frederick Tilney (Mark Dymond), and flirts with him after she learns how low James' income will be. General Tilney invites Catherine to stay with his family at Northanger Abbey and she accepts. When Isabella tells Catherine that John is going to propose to her, Catherine tells her friend to write to him and explains that he is mistaken. Isabella continues to flirt with Frederick and Catherine asks Henry to convince his brother to leave her alone. However, he tells Catherine that Frederick will be leaving town soon to re-join his regiment. Catherine states that Northanger Abbey looks exactly as she imagined it and she becomes intrigued by Mrs. Tilney's death. Due to her overactive imagination, Catherine starts to believe that General Tilney murdered his wife. Henry catches her in his mother's chamber and becomes offended when he realizes what she has been thinking. Catherine apologizes and Henry tells her that perhaps it is possible to read too many novels. Catherine receives a letter from James, in which he reveals that his engagement to Isabella has been called off, because she allowed Frederick to seduce her. Eleanor explains to Catherine that her brother has no intention of marrying Isabella. Catherine gets a letter from Isabella, asking her to apologize to James for her, but Catherine states that she will do no such thing. General Tilney returns home from a trip away and orders Eleanor to send Catherine home to Fullerton that night. Catherine endures the trip alone and believes that Henry told the General about her suspicions. A few days later, Henry comes to Fullerton and explains that the General discovered that Catherine's family were not as rich as John led him to believe. He apologizes for his father's actions and explains that even though he will probably be disinherited, he loves Catherine and proposes. Catherine accepts and the couple marry.

Catherine Morland is taken to Bath, England by the wealthy Mr. and Mrs. Allen and introduces her to Georgian society. There she meets the social-climbing Isabella and John Thorpe, the handsome Henry Tilney and elegant Eleanor Tilney. After making an impression on Henry and Eleanor's father, the Tilneys invite her to their country mansion, Northanger Abbey. Catherine falls in love with Henry but realizes that love can be fickle and that money - and not just love - is an important consideration in the marriage business. The story is based on Jane Austen's novel of the same name, "Northanger Abbey."—M. C. Gomez