Armadale (Mystery Classic) (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Victorian mystery of two men sharing a name, a deathbed confession, and a murderous legacy of family feud and Gothic intrigueBy Wilkie Collins
Length34h 12m
About this audiobook
Armadale is one of Wilkie Collins's most intricate sensation novels, a labyrinthine narrative of inherited guilt, mistaken identity, fraud, and psychological obsession. Centered on the fates of two Allan Armadales and the formidable Lydia Gwilt, the novel combines melodramatic incident with legal, domestic, and criminal intrigue. Its shifting documents, suspenseful disclosures, and bold treatment of female agency place it firmly within the Victorian sensation tradition, alongside Collins's The Woman in White and the darker experiments of Dickens and Braddon. Collins, a close friend and collaborator of Charles Dickens, was deeply interested in the hidden instabilities beneath respectable Victorian society. His legal training, fascination with crime, and unconventional private life sharpened his attention to secrecy, inheritance, and social hypocrisy. In Armadale, first serialized in 1864–66, he transformed these concerns into a daring study of destiny and moral ambiguity, especially through Lydia Gwilt, one of nineteenth-century fiction's most compelling antiheroines. This edition is highly recommended for readers who enjoy classic mysteries with intellectual density and emotional force. Armadale rewards patience with richly engineered suspense, vivid characterization, and a provocative critique of Victorian morality. It remains essential reading for admirers of literary crime fiction and the origins of the modern psychological thriller.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.1 (10.4K)
Includes Goodreads, StoryGraph, LibraryThing, Amazon
GenreMystery and Thriller, Literary Classics
Length34 hrs 12 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateMay 21, 2015
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Armadale (Mystery Classic) (Annotated)
26IX. Fate or Chance?
2Introduction
27X. The Housemaid’s Face
3Synopsis
28XI. Miss Gwilt Among the Quicksands
4Historical Context
29XII. The Clouding of the Sky
5Author Biography
30XIII. Exit
Show all chaptersShow less
6Prologue
31Book the Third
7I. The Travelers
32I. Mrs. Milroy
8II. The Solid Side of the Scotch Character
33II. The Man Is Found
9III. The Wreck of the Timber Ship
34III. The Brink of Discovery
10The Story
35IV. Allan at Bay
11Book the First
36V. Pedgift’s Remedy
12I. The Mystery of Ozias Midwinter
37VI. Pedgift’s Postscript
13II. The Man Revealed
38VII. The Martyrdom of Miss Gwilt
14III. Day and Night
39VIII. She Comes Between Them
15IV. The Shadow of the Past
40IX. She Knows the Truth
16V. The Shadow of the Future
41X. Miss Gwilt’s Diary
17Book the Second
42XI. Love and Law
18I. Lurking Mischief
43XII. A Scandal at the Station
19II. Allan as a Landed Gentleman
44XIII. An Old Man’s Heart
20III. The Claims of Society
45XIV. Miss Gwilt’s Diary
21IV. The March of Events
46XV. The Wedding-Day
22V. Mother Oldershaw on Her Guard
47Book the Fourth
23VI. Midwinter in Disguise
48I. Miss Gwilt’s Diary
24VII. The Plot Thickens
49II. The Diary Continued
25VIII. The Norfolk Broads
50III. The Diary Broken Off
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