An ancient Egyptian evil known as 'The Beetle' has arrived in London to wreak a mysterious vengeance on politician Paul Lessingham. When this strange creature, 'born neither of God nor man', orchestrates the disappearance of Lessingham's fiancée Marjorie, it becomes a race against time to solve the mystery of the Beetle and save Marjorie from an unthinkable fate! Told alternately from the points of view of Robert Holt, a clerk who is hypnotized into becoming a mindless slave, Marjorie, a beautiful and independent New Woman, Sydney Atherton, a cynical inventor of murderous weapons of war, and the clever detective Augustus Champnell, The Beetle is a thrilling mystery that will keep readers guessing until its startling climax.
This new edition is certain to become the definitive edition of Marsh's most successful novel. It features the unabridged text of the 1897 first edition, including a reproduction of its cover and all four illustrations by John Williamson. Minna Vuohelainen's introduction corrects the errors of previous scholars and places the novel in the context of fin de siècle fiction and growing uneasiness over urban conditions, imperialism, and gender roles. Also featured in this edition are substantial selections of fictional and nonfictional contextual material, including excerpts from Marsh's other works and unpublished manuscripts, as well as detailed notes for modern readers.