New Releases by Wilkie Collins

In Wilkie Collins'' seminal work, "The Woman in White," the author deftly weaves a complex narrative that blends elements of mystery, gothic suspense, and social critique. Presented in a serialized format, the novel employs multiple viewpoints and a richly atmospheric prose style that immerses readers in the psychological depth of its characters. It explores themes of identity, madness, and the oppressive structures of Victorian society, particularly concerning gender and class—a reflection of the societal mores prevalent during Collins'' time. This illustrated edition further enriches the experience, offering visual interpretations that enhance the haunting narrative. Wilkie Collins, often hailed as a pioneer of the detective genre, was profoundly influenced by his personal experiences and the literary context of the mid-19th century. Close friendship with Charles Dickens and an engagement with contemporary social issues shaped Collins'' literary themes. Known for his commitment to realism, Collins drew on personal observations of the social injustices of his day, which uniquely positioned him to tackle the plight of women as exemplified in the character of Laura Fairlie. Readers are invited to enjoy Collins'' masterful storytelling, which not only captivates but also challenges societal norms. "The Woman in White" is a critical exploration of morality tinged with suspense, making it essential reading for those interested in Victorian literature, gender studies, or simply a thrilling narrative experience. In this enriched edition, we have carefully created added value for your reading experience: - A succinct Introduction situates the work''s timeless appeal and themes. - The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists. - A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era''s events and influences that shaped the writing. - An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author''s life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text. - A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings. - Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work''s messages, connecting them to modern life. - Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance. - Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.

The Law and the Lady is a detective story, published in 1875 by Wilkie Collins. It is not quite as sensational in style as The Moonstone and The Woman in White.

When a condemned woman asks the local Minister to take her daughter home, the childless man is touched and finds himself unable to refuse. Yet the prisoner is unrepentant of the murder of her husband. Will her vices be passed on to this seemingly sweet child? (Goodreads)

The Woman in White is Wilkie Collins''s fifth published novel, written in 1859. It is considered to be among the first mystery novels and is widely regarded as one of the first (and finest) in the genre of "sensation novels".

William Wilkie Collins (8 January 1824 - 23 September 1889) was an English novelist, playwright, and writer of short stories. He was hugely popular in his time, and wrote 27 novels, more than 50 short stories, at least 15 plays, and over 100 pieces of non-fiction work. His best-known works are The Woman in White, The Moonstone, Armadale and No Name.

Widely regarded as the precursor of the modern mystery and suspense novels, The Moonstone tells of the events surrounding the disappearance of a mysterious (and cursed) yellow diamond. T. S. Eliot called it 'the first, the longest, and the best of modern English detective novels'. It contains a number of ideas which became common tropes of the genre, including a crime being investigated by talented amateurs who happen to be present when it is committed, and two police officers who exemplify respectively the 'Scotland Yard bungler' and the skilled, professional detective.

The moonstone in the title refers to a brilliant but flawed gem seized by a British officer in India. He brought it back to England as a family heirloom - with a supposed curse placed upon it. The officer bequeathed the stone to his niece, Rachel Verinder, for her to inherit when she turns 18. The night of her 18th birthday, the Moonstone goes missing. Everyone connected with Rachel at her family estate in Yorkshire is under suspicion. It is up to the London detective, Sergeant Cuff, to solve the crime.

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

Armadale (1866) by Wilkie Collins is a 19th-century semi-epistolary novel. Some chapters consist of letters between the various characters, while other chapters record the events as the characters perceive them.The novel has a convoluted plot about two distant cousins both named Allan Armadale. The father of one had murdered the father of the other (the two fathers are also named Allan Armadale). The story starts with a deathbed confession by the murderer in the form of a letter to be given to his baby son when he grows up. Many years are skipped over. The son, mistreated at home, runs away from his mother and stepfather, and takes up a wandering life under the assumed name of Ozias Midwinter. He becomes a companion to the other Allan Armadale, who throughout the novel never discovers the relationship. But Ozias is constantly haunted by feeling that he might harm Allan, first after he reads the letter left for him, and then again after they spend the night on a shipwreck off the Isle of Man--the ship turning out to be the same on which the old murder took place (the murderer locked his victim in a cabin as the boat filled with water). On the boat, Allan has a mysterious dream involving three characters. This dream fills Ozias with foreboding, its three scenes becoming fulfilled in the course of the novel.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White. First serialized and then published as a book in 1860, Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White represents a seminal classic of English fiction. It is classified by some critics among mystery novels and by some others as a Gothic novel. The narrative's structure is epistolary. It tells the story of a poor young art teacher named Walter Hartright who happens to see a strange apparition one evening as he is strolling through the streets of London. It is the unearthly figure of a woman dressed all in white and who seems to suffer from mental troubles. Later in the novel, while teaching at Limmeridge House, Walter discovers that his most beloved student named Laura has a striking resemblance to the mad woman that he has encountered. Despite the mutual love between the teacher and his student, the latter has to marry a noble man named Sir Percival Glyde to satisfy her father's wishes. The readers then learn that the woman in white is Laura's half sister who was confined to a mental asylum and who eventually dies of a heart condition. Glyde does not really like Laura and wishes to steal her money. He conspires to send her to the mental asylum to replace her identical sister. Helped by her other sister Marian, Laura manages to flee the asylum and finally marry Walter after the accidental death of her wicked husband.

"Have you ever heard of such a thing as the fascination of terror?" Reprint of the ghost story originally published in 1879.

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.

“This edition of Collins’s Blind Love offers the best of modern scholarship—it is impossible to praise it too much.” — A.D. Hutter, UCLA

Despite the grave misgivings of both their families, Valeria Brinton and Eustace Woodville are married. But before long the new bride begins to suspect a dark secret in her husband''s past and when she discovers that he has been living under a false name, she determines to find out why he is concealing his true identity from her. Soon she must endure an even greater shock: the revelation that her husband has been on trial for poisoning his first wife. Convinced of his innocence, Valeria is prepared to do anything to clear her husband''s name, and in so doing upturns the conventions of polite nineteenth century society. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

A mystery of unrelenting suspense and penetrating characterization, The Dead Secret explores the relationship between a fallen woman, her illegitimate daughter, and buried secrets in a superb blend of romance and Gothic drama. Reprinted here in the only critical edition available, is the text of the first edition, including Collins's preface and revisions. A superb introduction relates the text to Collins's love of the theatre, and previous and subsequent works.

Man and Wife was Wilkie Collins''s ninth published novel. It is the second of his novels (after No Name) in which social questions provide the main impetus of the plot. Collins increasingly used his novels to explore social abuses, which according to critics tends to detract from their qualities as fiction. The social issue which drives the plot is the state of Scots marriage law; at the time the novel was written, any couple who were legally entitled to marry and who asserted that they were married, either before witnesses or in writing, were regarded in Scotland as being legally married. The novel, the next in sequence after Collins''s highly successful The Moonstone, was a commercial success. Among modern critics, Peters holds a low opinion of its plot and characterisation, but Page argues that it should be classed with Collins''s acclaimed 1860s fiction rather than with his later, and inferior, polemical novels. The novel has proved enduringly popular and remains in print. (wikipedia.org)