Uncle Silas (1864) is a Gothic mystery novel by Irish author Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. The story follows Maud Ruthyn, a young heiress who, after her father's death, is sent to live at Bartram-Haugh with her uncle Silas—a man with a dark past, once suspected of murder and ruined by gambling. Though believed reformed, Silas is deeply in debt and stands to profit from Maud's death. Aided by the sinister governess Madame de la Rougierre, he schemes to force Maud into marrying his degenerate son Dudley, or destroy her entirely. This atmospheric tale of suspense, betrayal, and terror remains a classic of Victorian Gothic fiction.
