The Law and the Lady

by Collins, W. Wilkie; Taylor, Jenny Bourne

• ISBN13: 9780192836793
• ISBN10: 019283679X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-06-24
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Probably the first full-length novel with a woman detective as its heroine, The Law and the Lady (1875) is a fascinating example of Collins' later fiction. Valeria Valerie Woodville's first act as a married woman is to sign her name incorrectly in the marriage register; this slip is followedby a gradual disclosure of secrets about her husband's earlier life, each of which leads to another set of questions and enigmas. Developing many of the techniques at work in The Moonstone in bizarre and unexpected ways, and employing both Gothic and fantastic elements, The Law and the Lady adds asignificant dimension to the history of the detective novel.

Table of Contents

The Bride's Mistake	p. 13
The Bride's Thoughts	p. 22
Ramsgate Sands	p. 37
On the Way Home	p. 50
The Landlady's Discovery	p. 62
My Own Discovery	p. 70
On the Way to the Major	p. 83
The Friend of the Women	p. 97
The Defeat of the Major	p. 108
The Search	p. 128
The Return to Life	p. 158
The Scotch Verdict	p. 171
The Man's Decision	p. 181
The Woman's Answer	p. 189
The Story of the Trial. The Preliminaries	p. 209
First Question--Did the Woman Die Poisoned?	p. 213
Second Question--Who Poisoned Her?	p. 239
Third Question--What Was His Motive?	p. 258
The Evidence for the Defence	p. 282
The End of the Trial	p. 291
I See My Way	p. 308
The Major Makes Difficulties	p. 319
My Mother-in-law Surprises Me	p. 329
Miserrimus Dexter--First View	p. 339
Miserrimus Dexter--Second View	p. 351
More of My Obstinacy	p. 372
Mr Dexter at Home	p. 382
In the Dark	p. 399
In the Light	p. 410
The Indictment of Mrs Beauly	p. 427
The Defence of Mrs Beauly	p. 444
A Specimen of My Wisdom	p. 457
A Specimen of My Folly	p. 462
Gleninch	p. 484
Mr Playmore's Prophecy	p. 495
Ariel	p. 510
At the Bedside	p. 520
On the Journey Back	p. 539
On the Way to Dexter	p. 543
Nemesis at Last!	p. 553
Mr Playmore in a New Character	p. 592
More Surprises!	p. 608
At Last!	p. 619
Our New Honeymoon	p. 626
The Dust-heap Disturbed	p. 637
The Crisis Deferred	p. 651
The Wife's Confession	p. 658
What Else Could I Do?	p. 672
Past and Future	p. 679
The Last of the Story	p. 691
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