Jezebel's Daughter

Jezebel's Daughter, printed in 1880, is a Victorian thriller from Wilkie Collins. Based in the 1858 play 'The Red Vial', it is a story of fraud, betrayal and mystery based around Mrs. Fontaine, a disturbing widow who employs various poisons and remedies to control her family and friends. A talented chemist and a shrewd businessman die on the same day. Mrs. Fontaine, widow of the chemist, is leave with the poisons he was researching, while Mrs. Wagner is leave with her husband's reforms and plans for hiring women staff along with men in his firm. Mrs. Wagner trusts in dealing madman gently and appeals for the funny little man Jack Straw to be released from the madhouse. At that time, her nephew David Glenny is appointed to the Frankfurt office, where he works with Mr. Keller and Mr. Engelmann. Keller son, Fritz has enamoured with Minna Fontaine, but the marriage is not being approved of by his father because Mrs. Fontaine is in debt after her husband's death. The story is narrated by Mrs. Wagner's nephew David Glenny, and enriched with extracts from the letters and diaries of different characters. Supposed to have been responsible for her husband's downfall, Madame Fontaine becomes known as Jezebel, and her charming daughter is known as Jezebel's daughter.

Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) was an English author and playwright widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the mystery and detective genres. Known for his intricate plots, suspenseful narratives, and complex characters, Collins captivated Victorian readers with his thrilling tales. His most famous work, 'The Woman in White', is considered a masterpiece of gothic fiction and has left an indelible mark on the genre.