Woman in White

Back in the day, before mobile phones, before any sort of phones, you could send letters and know they would arrive the next day, and send messengers if the other person lived close enough.
The year was 1851, when a promise to be married to someone was not something you would contemplate reneging on just because you had fallen in love with some one else in the meantime.

The technology was different, some of the values were very different, but crime was still crime.  It's said that Woman in White, written by Wilkie Collins in 1861 was the first detective novel, but I think it is more than that. We are puzzled as the story plays out not by who did it? There is very little doubt who are the heroes and who are the villains. Rather we are intrigued in wondering what did they do? and how? and will there ever be proof?

The characters are closely observed and clearly drawn, but would you expect anything less from the drawing teacher who tells much of the narrative?   Actually the narrative is told by various characters, so there is a mixtures of styles and personal observations.  This adds to the feeling that you know the character of the various parties to the story.

Some of the minor characters tell their story in a way that is very comical, adding a touch of light relief to the story a it unfolds. The solicitor tells his part quite factually, but succinctly. His part is important, as property rights of women play as large a part in this as any Jane Austen novel.

Even with the change of styles, the story zips along and is quite readable; you get the story rather than commentary on the story and life in general that seem to make other 19th century novels hard going.

There is toward the end a very unexpected co-incidence of circumstances -  Ann used the word contrived - but the story is none the less good for that.

Indeed at the end all the loose ends are tied up, and we are left feeling good, and having enjoyed the company  of a wide selection of characters.