The Woman in White

An English Gothic novel published in 1859, The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins is considered one of the first psychological thrillers and detective novels. The story begins when young artist Walter Hartright encounters a mysterious woman dressed in white on a London road, who appears frightened and has escaped from an asylum. Later, he arrives at the rural estate of Limmeridge as a drawing teacher and is struck by the uncanny resemblance between the woman in white and his new student, the gentle and noble Laura Fairlie. Walter soon becomes entangled in a sinister conspiracy involving Laura, her cruel husband Sir Percival Glyde, and his cunning accomplice Count Fosco. The novel unfolds through letters and diary entries from multiple characters, creating a gripping and suspenseful narrative. Themes of betrayal, secret plots, social inequality, and the quest for justice are central to the story.