Wilkie Collins
Charming and intelligent but somewhat lacking in the purpose and dedication departments, protagonist Frank Softly just can't seem to find a profession that suits him, much to the chagrin of his family. Still, his journey to find himself is full of entertaining adventures and misadventures. Modern-day readers will find a lot to love in Wilkie Collins' A Rogue's Life.
3) Basil
The Moonstone is a 19th-century novel by the master of sensation fiction, Wilkie Collins. It is considered, with The Woman in White, to be his best work, and is also commonly seen as the first English detective novel. Many of the standard ground rules for detective fiction can be found in this work, as well as examples of Collins' forward-thinking approach to the treatment of Indians and servants.
During his lifetime, British fiction writer Wilkie Collins came to rival Charles Dickens in popularity and critical acclaim. Like Dickens, Collins often gravitated toward characters who overcame significant obstacles to learn important life lessons. The novella The Guilty River continues in this vein, recounting an against-all-odds love affair that blossoms between a couple that each hail from a different social caste.
6) Armadale
If you can't get enough of classic British mystery novels, dive into this spine-tingling tale of mistaken identity penned by Wilkie Collins, the author of The Woman in White and The Moonstone. The tale, told partly through letters and documents, recounts the intertwined lives and fates of two distant cousins who both happen to bear the name 'Allan Armadale.'
In addition to his reputation as one of the important early innovators in the genre of detective fiction, Wilkie Collins is recognized as being one of the first writers to feature female sleuths in his stories. In The Law and the Lady, Collins' heroine succeeds in cracking a tough case that has left professional investigators stumped.
8) Man and Wife
Dig into this juicy domestic drama from famed British novelist and playwright Wilkie Collins. Not only does Man and Wife provide a stunning account of the ups and downs of married life in the Victorian period, it also offers a detailed takedown of the backwards laws and traditions that governed the institution during that era.
Rosamund Treverton has it all—an affluent lifestyle, a loving mother who dotes on her, and a seemingly bright future. But a deathbed confession from her mother makes it clear that Rosamund's past hides a dark secret. This suspenseful family mystery will keep readers entranced until the very last page.
If you like your mysteries with a liberal dash of prurient gossip and high-society drama, be sure to add Wilkie Collins' Jezebel's Daughter to your must-read list. This tautly suspenseful tale full of betrayal and unexpected plot twists is a worthy diversion.
Many popular nineteenth-century writers published travelogues and essay collections recounting their journeys at home and abroad, but few pulled off this feat with the polish and panache that beloved novelist Wilkie Collins brings to the task. Rambles Beyond Railways recounts a walking tour of Cornwall that Collins and a friend took together, and the vivid writing and charming observations are served up in the author's inimitably warm and
...Looking for a short but thoroughly enjoyable read? Check out My Lady's Money by Wilkie Collins, who was a collaborator with Charles Dickens and one of the most popular storytellers of the late nineteenth century. With elements of mystery, adventure, romance, and a heroic canine companion, this engaging story is a great way to while away an afternoon.
Master storyteller Wilkie Collins is known for his tightly plotted novels, which often have plots drawn from historical events. This engrossing romance, set against the backdrop of ancient Rome as it was poised on the brink of collapse, is Collins' first novel and a fitting introduction to his body of work.
Best known for his popular forays into detective fiction, Wilkie Collins' The Haunted Hotel blends elements of the classic whodunit with creepy overtones of Gothic horror. The tale delves into the mysterious disappearance of a newlywed aristocrat whose blushing bride may be harboring a dark secret.
17) The Dead Alive
A British attorney nearly dead from stress, exhaustion, and overwork ventures to America to spend some time recuperating at the quaint country farmhouse of a relative. Sounds like a pastoral paradise, right? Well, before long, the protagonist is thrown into the midst of a bizarre murder case. Will he be able to unravel the mystery before it's too late?
18) After Dark
Curl up with After Dark, the first collection of early detective fiction master Wilkie Collins' short stories. Including a diverse array of mysteries, tales of murder, and family drama in wartime and other chaotic settings, this engrossing collection is sure to have something that appeals to every reader.
Today, divorces are a dime a dozen. In the nineteenth century, however, the implosion of a family unit was a much rarer event, and the implications of such an occurrence often spread far beyond the small group of people who were directly involved. Settle in for this juicy domestic drama from Wilkie Collins, friend and protege of Charles Dickens.
20) No Thoroughfare
In the gripping drama No Thoroughfare, two of the Victorian era's most popular writers—Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens—team up to tell a tale of mistaken identity and miscommunication. The fates of two orphans with the same name are inextricably intertwined, and just when it appears that the coincidence will result in disaster, a brave soul steps forward to right decades of errors and obfuscation.