William Wilkie Collins was a prominent Victorian fiction writer and a close friend of Charles Dickens. Though his reputation declined after his death, he is now experiencing a resurgence in critical and popular attention. Collins achieved significant fame in the 1860s with novels like 'The Moonstone,' which is widely regarded as the first true detective novel, a genre he effectively pioneered. His work continues to be studied and adapted, highlighting his lasting literary significance.
Wilkie Collins' third novel tells the story of a deaf and dumb girl and the rebellious man she loves, gradually unravelling the secret of her origins through the ingenuity of a persistent stranger. The text includes explanatory notes.