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One of the first mystery novels,The Woman in White remains one of the best. It chronicles the appearance of a ghostly womanon an English estate and the efforts of Walter Hartright to unravel her identity. Madness, terror, fire, and family secrets give this the feel of a gothic novel, but the absence of sentimentality and supernaturalism prove it's a modern thriller.
Collins (a friend of Charles Dickens) mastered a device few writers can—multiple narrators tell a single story. Characters as diverse Hartright, an obese Italian count named Fosco, and the housekeeper of Blackwater Park (there are eleven narrators altogether) contribute to the complex tale. Each narrator has a distinct voice that captures their social status, level of education, and powers of observation, a truly formidable feat accomplished with efficiency and brilliance.
A novel about class distinctions and greed, The Woman in White transcends the modern mystery genre it helped create. By exploring universal themes, it helps us see the world in clearer focus. Dickens himself praised Collins highly, and this structurally groundbreaking novel shows us why.
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