At the center of this 1854 work, a secret waits to be revealed. Why should the apparently respectable painter Valentine Blyth refuse to account for the presence in his household of the beautiful girl known only as Madonna?

Written 150 years ago, never published, and presumed lost for nearly a century, Wilkie Collins's earliest novel now appears in print for the first time. Iolani is a sensational romance - a tale of terror and suspense, bravery and betrayal, set against the lush backdrop of Tahiti. The novel is set in Tahiti prior to European contact. It tells the story of the diabolical high priest, Iolani, and the heroic young woman, Idia, who bears his child. Determined...