The woman who first gives life, light, and form to our shadowy conceptions of beauty, fills a void in our spiritual nature that has remained unknown to us till she appeared. Wilkie Collins' controversial novel was partly inspired on a real-life 18th century abduction and unlawful imprisonment. It was one of the first works of 'detective' fiction with a storey knitted together from numerous characters. In 1859, the storey created a stir among readers by capturing their attention with a haunting initial scene in which the enigmatic 'Woman in White, ' Anne Catherick, meets Walter Hartright. The novel's chilling, suspenseful, and tense mood remain as evocative for readers today as they were when it was first released.