The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance

"The Shadow of a Crime: A Cumbrian Romance" by Hall Caine is a novel written during the late 19th century. The story unfolds primarily in the small village of Wythburn, focusing on the lives of its sheep-farming inhabitants and the deep-seated tensions that arise from a mysterious crime involving the local tailor, Sim Stagg. Among the central characters are Ralph Ray, a young man with a strong sense of duty, and Rotha, the daughter of Sim, who must navigate the complexities of compassion, innocence, and disgrace as the ramifications of the crime impact their lives. At the start of the novel, the reader is introduced to Wythburn, a quaint rural community steeped in tradition and folklore. Sim Stagg, a tailor accused of being a spy and subsequently found dead under suspicious circumstances, becomes the fulcrum around which the narrative pivots. The opening chapters explore the dynamics within Sim's family, particularly the relationship between him and his daughter Rotha, as well as the interactions with Ralph Ray, who ultimately supports Rotha through these troubling times. The tone is a blend of drama and psychological inquiry as the villagers grapple with fear, suspicion, and the implications of their judgments, setting the stage for further exploration of themes related to justice, innocence, and the moral complexities of human relationships. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Sir Thomas Henry Hall Caine, usually known as Hall Caine, was a British novelist, dramatist, short story writer, poet and critic of the late 19th and early 20th century. Caine's popularity during his lifetime was unprecedented. He wrote 15 novels on subjects of adultery, divorce, domestic violence, illegitimacy, infanticide, religious bigotry and women's rights, became an international literary celebrity, and sold a total of ten million books. Caine was the most highly paid novelist of his day. The Eternal City is the first novel to have sold over a million copies worldwide. In addition to his books, Caine is the author of more than a dozen plays and was one of the most commercially successful dramatists of his time; many were West End and Broadway productions. Caine adapted seven of his novels for the stage. He collaborated with leading actors and managers, including Wilson Barrett, Viola Allen, Herbert Beerbohm Tree, Louis Napoleon Parker, Mrs Patrick Campbell, George Alexander, and Arthur Collins. Most of Caine's novels were adapted into silent black and white films. A. E. Coleby's 1923 18,454 feet, nineteen-reel film The Prodigal Son became the longest commercially made British film. Alfred Hitchcock's 1929 film The Manxman, is Hitchcock's last silent film.