Catherine Morland, a young woman with an active imagination, finds her expectations of high society challenged when she is invited to the titular Northanger Abbey. Catherine travels to Bath, where she navigates the social intricacies of the upper class and develops a friendship with the Tilney family. Her penchant for reading gothic novels leads her to project dramatic, sinister narratives onto the mundane reality of her hosts' lives. The narrative follows her development as she learns to distinguish between the tropes of fiction and the complexities of human behavior. The story is presented through a third-person omniscient narrator who frequently comments on the nature of the novel itself.

Readers and critics frequently highlight the work as a clever subversion of the popular gothic novels of the era. Discussion often centers on the effectiveness of the narrator's voice in guiding the reader through Catherine's misinterpretations of her surroundings. Many appreciate the balance between the lighthearted social satire and the genuine development of the protagonist's character. The pacing is often described as steady, focusing more on interpersonal dynamics and social observation than on high-stakes action. Scholars often note that the book serves as both a parody of literary trends and a sincere exploration of the transition into adulthood.