The Evil Genius

Wilkie Collins

There is literally no such thing as an evil genius, just a lot of depressed people who were not lucky enough to live in the 1800s. This is a historical family drama. A very abrupt end. Its never quite clear who the evil genius is. But he certainly gave us a clear idea of just how devastating adultery can be.

The Fallen Leaves

Wilkie Collins

Full of noble aspirations, a young graduate of the American Christian Community, Amelius Goldenhart, comes to his homeland in England. Here he falls in love with Regina, the niece of the wealthy merchant Farneby, but, having learned selfishness and cruelty, the hypocrisy of the world, he gives his heart to the destitute, lonely girl Sally one of the representatives of the fallen leaves of bourgeois society.

The Guilty River

Wilkie Collins

Gerard Roiland, a typical Collins outsider, returns from college in Germany to take over his family estate at Trimley Dean and falls inappropriately in love with Kristel Toller, the daughter of one of his tenants. There is a mysterious deaf tenant who is also after Christelle.

The Law and the Lady

Wilkie Collins

A young woman gets married and suddenly finds herself in a situation where her loving and beloved husband turns out to be the bearer of a different surname, and a terrible, dark and discrediting secret is revealed in his past.

The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices

Wilkie Collins, Charles Dickens

This story is about two students who go on a journey to find a way to completely relax. Along the way, they encounter some problems and humorous incidents. The reader can distinguish the voice of Dickens and Collins in the narration. Especially memorable is the sensational story of Collins and Dickenss wonderful story about the wedding chamber. This is just one of many texts that are not widely used, but they are definitely worth reading.

The Legacy of Cain

Wilkie Collins

This book not only wants to thrill its readers with a chilling story, but also touches on social issues in this case, the debate about whether there is a tendency to crime in a person. Blood is the genetic code, or can it be successfully counteracted by compassionate and virtuous parenting.

The Moonstone

Wilkie Collins

A diamond is stolen from the English country estate of Lady Verinder and the renowned Sergeant Cuff is brought in from London to help solve the case. The diamond, said to bring bad luck to its owner because it was stolen from a temple in India, was given to Lady Verinders daughter, Rachel, on her 18th birthday. It was bequeathed to Rachel from her uncle (who stole it when he was a young soldier) on his death. The story unfolds through several narrators, all of whom know a piece of what happened. As each of them writes his or her side of the story, the reader gets just a little more information that helps to solve the mystery. You can see things invented here that were directly borrowed by future writers: Holmes overconfidence (and his use of London urchins as agents); Agatha Christies exploration of narrative reliability.

The New Magdalen

Wilkie Collins

The adopted daughter of a wealthy aristocrat is a beauty who is waiting for a profitable marriage. What is her past hiding? Will the Princess have the courage to turn into Cinderella, to sacrifice love and wealth?