Charles Dickens

The Mystery of Edwin Drood Annotated Charles Dickens

The Mystery of Edwin Drood is Charles Dickens' unfinished mystery novel that follows John Jasper, a choirmaster and secret opium addict whose nephew disappears. Chapman & Hall published the book in a serialized form in 1870. As the novel opens, John Jasper is leaving an opium den and heading toward the Cloisterham Cathedral where he is the choirmaster. After the service, Edwin Drood, Jasper's nephew, comes to him and confesses that he has some misgivings about his betrothal to Rosa Bud. Rosa Bud lives in a boarding school called Nun's House and has a guardian named Mr. Grewgious, as she is an orphan as well. Rosa and Edwin were arranged in marriage by their parents before their deaths. Meanwhile, twins Neville and Helena Landless have arrived at Cloiseterham. There, the two will receive their respective educations, the former under Reverend Mr. Crisparkle and the latter at Nun's House. Neville confesses to Crisparkle that he hates his stepfather as he was abusive toward Helena, and he might have killed the man had he not been sent away.