Summary
The Queen of Hearts (1859) is a cleverly framed Victorian mystery novel by Wilkie Collins, structured as a series of ten suspenseful tales told by three aging bachelor brothers—all retired lawyers—living together in a remote cottage.
When a young woman named Jessie Yelverton comes to stay with them, the brothers suspect she may soon be separated from them by marriage.
To delay this outcome, they entertain her by each taking turns telling stories, one per night, in a competition to win her attention—and perhaps her heart. But under the surface of this charming frame lies a deeper narrative mystery that gradually unfolds across the tales.