Basil

<p><I>Basil</I> (1852) is a novel by Wilkie Collins. Written in the aftermath of <I>Antonina</I> (1850) his successful debut <I>Basil</I> finds the author honing the trademark sense of mystery and psychological unease that would make him a household name around the world. Recognized as an important Victorian novelist and pioneer of detective fiction Wilkie Collins was a writer with a gift for thoughtful entertainment stories written for a popular audience that continue to resonate with scholars and readers today. Basil a young heir is born with the future in his hands. As he reaches adulthood he begins to question the expectations associated with wealth and social standing. Under enormous pressure from his father to marry a respectable woman he finds himself drawn to a mysterious beauty a draper's daughter named Margaret Sherwin. In secret he arranges a plan with her father to marry Margaret on one condition: they must live separately until she reaches the age of eighteen. As he eagerly awaits the day Basil reconnects with Mannion an acquaintance who has just recently returned from abroad. As the story unfolds Basil's fortunate destiny gives way to jealousy violence and a series of shocking revelations. Beyond its sensational plot <I>Basil</I> is a novel that effectively critiques the institution of marriage and the false morality of the British aristocracy. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript this edition of Wilkie Collins' <I>Basil</I> is a classic work of English literature reimagined for modern readers.</p>