About
Wilkie Collins, born in London in 1824, was an English novelist and playwright, a major figure of Victorian fiction. Son of an academic painter, he studied law but turned to writing. A close friend of Charles Dickens, he contributed to his periodicals. He is famous for his suspense novels, notably The Woman in White (1860) and The Moonstone (1868), considered the first English detective novel. His work explores mysteries, family secrets, and social injustices. He suffered from gout and became addicted to opium, which influenced his writing. He died in 1889.
* 1824-01-08 — † 1889-09-23
Major works
- The Woman in White (1860)novel
- No Name (1862)novel
- Armadale (1866)novel
- The Moonstone (1868)novel
- The Law and the Lady (1875)novel
Key milestones
- 1851Met Charles Dickens and began collaborating on his periodicals.
- 1860Publication of The Woman in White, which launched the sensation fiction genre.
- 1868Publication of The Moonstone, considered the first English detective novel.
Themes
Suspense and mysteryFamily secretsSocial injusticeIdentity and disguiseAddiction and illness
Sources: britannica.com · oxfordbibliographies.com · npg.org.uk