Ann Radcliffe

Ann Radcliffe was an English novelist born in 1764, widely regarded as the founder of Gothic fiction. Her novels, including The Mysteries of Udolpho and The Italian, established the conventions of the genre — brooding castles, menacing villains, sublime landscapes, and heroines in peril. The Italian is a masterpiece of atmospheric suspense set in eighteenth-century Italy. Her audiobooks and books are essential listening and reading for fans of Gothic literature and anyone who appreciates the origins of the thriller.