'The Scarlet Letter: A Romance' is a masterpiece of historical fiction set in the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1642 to 1649. Exploring themes of legalism, sin and guilt, it tells the story of Hester Prynne who conceives a child out of wedlock and then struggles to create a new life of dignity. 'The Scarlet Letter' was one of the earliest mass-produced books in America and a best-seller. It is still highly regarded in literary circles.