Uncle Silas

Uncle Silas (1864) is a gothic mystery novel by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, known for its suspense and psychological depth. The story is told by Maud Ruthyn, a teenage heiress sent to live with her reclusive and sinister Uncle Silas after her father’s death. Isolated and increasingly uneasy, Maud uncovers family secrets and faces threats to her inheritance and safety. The novel blends gothic tropes—secluded estates, eerie atmospheres, unreliable guardians—with intricate character development and slow-building dread. A masterwork of Victorian gothic fiction, Uncle Silas influenced writers like Henry James and Wilkie Collins.