Against the grain: Female detectives and "lawyers in petticoats" in the fiction of Wilkie Collins

Wilkie Collins (1824--1889) changed the direction of English fiction during his lifetime and created the prototype for a new and lasting genre. "The Diary of Anne Rodway," The Dead Secret, The Woman in White, No Name, and The Law and the Lady all exemplify his skill in crafting tales of mystery and detection, and feature women as detectives. He was one of the most feminist of Victorian writers in his portrayal of women as intelligent, assertive and resourceful, as well as in his attacks on gender and class prejudices. His innovative plot devices established him as the founder of English detective fiction. Collins's interest in social and legal reforms, especially of the laws relating to marriage and family, informs his novels foregrounding women as sleuths. Female incursions into masculine domains of law and detection represent a bold departure from convention; his transgressive heroines challenge stereotypes and succeed where men have failed.