S. Joyant Reihenfolge der Bücher (Chronologisch)

In this story, the chief character's internal melodrama elevates the narrative beyond mere melodrama into the realm of true dreams, as noted by T.S. Eliot. Like Poe and Conan Doyle, Wilkie Collins adeptly navigated the supernatural while making significant contributions to detective literature. His first published work, a supernatural allegory titled The Last Stage Coach Man, marked the beginning of his lifelong fascination with the occult. His later work, The Haunted Hotel, showcases a streamlined narrative that distills the themes and methods from his earlier, more extensive novels. The relentless pace and focus on plot detail found in The Moonstone and The Woman in White are present here, alongside a preoccupation with destiny and the struggle against it. Set against the backdrop of Collins' beloved Venice, the story features its grim waterways and palatial beauty, haunted by mysterious women and dark conspiracies. The Countess Narona, a cosmopolitan enchantress, embodies the fatal woman trope, driven by her obsession with fatality, compelling coincidences to unfold. Collins injects humor and irony to relieve tension, with theatrical motifs reflecting his involvement in the stage during that period. The narrative draws inspiration from a French crime case, with its vivid scenes and conflicts stemming from Collins' richly imaginative and haunted mind.