Uncle Silas

Uncle Silas (1864) By Joseph S. Le Fanu Uncle Silas is a Victorian Gothic thriller, and an early locked-room mystery with a strong interest in the occult. The book grew out of an earlier short story, published as "The Murdered Cousin", in the 1851 collection Ghost Stories. The plot revolves around Maud Ruthyn, a young heroine tormented by governess Madame de la Rougierre. When Maud is orphaned, more trouble awaits when she is sent to live with her Uncle Silas.