The Romance of the Forest

The acknowledged master of Gothic romance, Ann Radcliffe wrote only three novels in the genre, the most popular of which is The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794.) After evoking the same terror and suspense in The Italian as she had in her previous Gothic-style works, Radcliffe stopped writing novels; the extent to which disgust with fame, the receipt of an inheritance, and her husband's jealousy at her success each contributed to her retirement remains an object of critical speculation.