Charles Dickens

The Mystery of Edwin Drood 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 Cloister ham 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. Egregious, as she is an orphan as well. Rosa and Edwin were arranged in marriage by their parents before their deaths. Edwin visits Rosa at Nun's House and the two banter.
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.
Rosa and Helena get along right away, and Rosa tells her friends that she's afraid of Jasper, the music instructor. Neville, believing that Edwin doesn't appreciate his betrothal to Rosa, exchanges "high words" with him. Jasper intervenes before the argument gets too heated. Rev Mr. Crisparkle later convinces Neville to apologize to Edwin, and he arranges for them to meet for dinner at Jasper's on Christmas Eve.