"I have always held the old-fashioned opinion that the primary object of work of fiction should be to tell a story." -Wilkie Collins, from the Preface

Look Inside the Book

On his way to a new job at an English manor, artist Walter Hartright is met by a woman dressed in white who has escaped from an asylum. This is only the beginning of a series of adventures that involve secret societies, fires, conspiracies, and mistaken identities. Will Walter be able to outwit the rich and conniving Sir Percival Glyde? Will he be able to rescue the reluctant Laura from her engagement? And just what is Count Fosco hiding?

This very famous classic helped to launch the genre of the detective novel, and packs quite a punch. The Canon Classics series presents the most definitive works of Western literature in a colorful, well-crafted, and affordable way. Unlike many other thrift editions, our classics are printed on thicker text stock, are bound with distinctive felt paperback covers, and feature individualized designs that prioritize readability by means of proper margins, leading, characters per line, font, trim size, etc. Each book’s materials and layout combine to make the classics a simple and striking addition to classrooms and homes, ideal for introducing the best of literary culture and human experience to the next generation.

This edition does not feature a worldview guide or introduction.