num_pages: 496
description: Mary Elizabeth Braddon (1837–1915), Victorian England’s bestselling woman writer, blends Dickensian humor with chilling suspense in this “exuberantly campy” ( Kirkus Reviews ) mystery. The novel features Jabez North, a manipulative orphan who becomes a ruthless killer; Valerie de Cevennes, a stunning heiress who falls into North’s diabolical trap; and Mr. Peters, a mute detective who communicates his brilliant reasoning through sign language.This edition includes a critical Afterword and endnotes by Victorian scholar Dr. Chris Willis.
language: English
title: The Trail of the Serpent
titlecomplete: The Trail of the Serpent
characters: Jabez North, Joseph Peters, Egerton Lansdown, Gaston de Lancy, Isabel Darley, Sillikens, Laurent Blurosset, Sloshy, Kuppins, Valerie de Cevennes, Montague Harding, Augustus Darley, Jim Lomax, Agnes Marwood, Richard Marwood
genres: Classics, British Literature, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Thriller, Audiobook, Historical Fiction, 19th Century, Fiction, Victorian
ratings_count: 724
places: Paris, England
publisher: Random House Publishing Group