A Rogue's Life (ePub)

Wilkie Collins, born William Wilkie Collins on January 8, 1824, in London, England, was a prominent Victorian novelist, playwright, and short story writer known for his spellbinding works in the genre of the mystery and suspense novel. A close friend and collaborator of Charles Dickens, Collins is widely regarded for introducing the reading public to the detective fiction narrative, which laid the foundation for this genre's later development. His writing style is characterized by a keen eye for detail, intricate plots, and an enduring concern for social issues, a trait shared by many of his contemporaries in the social-realist tradition of the 19th century. His novel 'A Rogue's Life' (1856), a picaresque narrative replete with humor and adventure, reflects Collins's dexterity in crafting memorable characters and situations that capture the prevailing societal intrigues of his time. Among his most famous works, 'The Woman in White' (1859) and 'The Moonstone' (1868), exhibit his masterful use of suspense and investigative storytelling, respectively deemed one of the first mystery novels and a precursor to the classic English detective stories. Collins's literary contributions extend beyond his role as an entertainer; his works often challenged the strict moral codes of Victorian society, delving into the complexities of identity, madness, and the unseen depths of the human psyche. Despite his health declining in later years, largely due to gout and opium dependency, Collins continued to write until his death on September 23, 1889. His legacy survives as a cornerstone in the crime and mystery genre of literature.