During his life Wilkie Collins published twenty-three novels, six collections of short fiction, one collection of essays, a travel book, and a biography. He also published numerous short stories which were not published in books during his lifetime, at least one translation from French, more than a dozen plays — some original and some adapted from his other work — and more than a hundred articles in various Victorian periodicals. One further novel was completed by Walter Besant, and published after Collins's death on 23 September 1889; another, the first he wrote, came to light in 1989. Not all his work has been identified.
This bibliography lists the first publication in book form in England of works by Wilkie Collins. It often excludes plays, North American and other foreign editions. It also excludes the separately published Christmas editions of Household Words and All The Year Round to which Collins frequently contributed, often as one of a number of writers providing framed tales for Dickens as "Conductor." Many of Collins's stories were published and republished by Tauchnitz in Leipzig, and in the USA — sometimes with alternative titles. Numerous foreign language editions were published under a variety of titles, some bearing little similarity to the English title. For a more detailed breakdown of Collins's publications, see Paul Lewis's website.
Memoirs of the Life of William Collins, Esq., R. A. (biography in 2 vols.). London: Longman, Brown, Green and Longman. 14 November, 1848.
Antonina; or, The Fall of Rome (novel in 3 vols.). London: Richard Bentley, 27 February, 1850.
Rambles Beyond Railways; or, Notes in Cornwall Taken A-Foot, 1851. (travel essays in 1 vol.). London: Richard Bentley. 30 January 1851.
Mr. Wray's Cash-box: or, the Mask and the Mystery. A Christmas Sketch (December 1851) (novel in 1 vol.). Frontispiece by John Everett Millais. London: Richard Bentley, 17 Dec. 1851 [dated 1852].
Basil: A Story of Modern Life (novel in 3 vols.). London: Richard Bentley, 16 November, 1852.
Hide and Seek; or, The Mystery of Mary Grice. (novel in 3 vols.) London: Richard Bentley, 6 June 1854.
After Dark (short stories in 2 vols.) London: Smith, Elder and Company, 14 February, 1856. Originally in Household Words, 24 April, 1852 — 24 July, 1855, plus one original story and original linking narrative "Leaves from Leah's Diary" (1856).
The Dead Secret (novel in 2 vols.) London: Bradbury & Evans,1 June, 1857. Originally in Household Words, 3 January — 13 June, 1857.
The Queen of Hearts (short stories in 3 vols.). London: Hurst and Blackett, 1 October, 1859. Originally in Fraser's Magazine, November, 1855; Household Words, Christmas, 1855-1 January, 1859; National Magazine, November, 1856; Harper's New Monthly Magazine, February, 1857 — February, 1858; Atlantic Monthly, April, 1858; plus original linking narrative.
The Woman in White (novel in 3 vols.). London: Sampson Low, Son, & Co., 14 August, 1860. Originally in All the Year Round, 26 November, 1859 — 25 August, 1860.
No Name (novel in 3 vols.). London: Sampson Low, Son, & Co., 14 December, 1862, Originally in All the Year Round, 15 March, 1862 — 17 January, 1863. New York: Harper and Brothers (1 vol., with 16 illustrations by American artist John McLenan), 1873.
My Miscellanies (essays in 2 vols.). London: Sampson Low, Son, & Co., 15 October, 1863. Originally in Household Words, 7 June 1856 — 12 March, 1859, and All the Year Round, 4 June 1859 — 11 May 1861.
Armadale (novel in 2 vols.). London: Smith, Elder and Co., 15 May 1866. Originally in The Cornhill Magazine, November, 1864 — June, 1866.
The Moonstone: A Romance (novel in 3 vols.). London: Tinsley Brothers, 1 July, 1868. Originally in All the Year Round, 4 January — 8 August, 1868.
Man and Wife (novel in 3 vols.). London: F. S. Ellis, 15 June, 1870. Originally in Cassell's Magazine, November/December, 1869 — July/September, 1870.
Poor Miss Finch: A Novel (novel in 3 vols.). London: Richard Bentley and Son, 1 February, 1872. Originally in Cassell's Magazine (New Series), 2 September, 1871 — 24 February, 1872.
Miss or Mrs.? And Other Stories in Outline. (short stories in 1 vol.). London: Richard Bentley and Son, 17 January, 1873. Originally in The Graphic, Christmas, 1871; and All The Year Round, Christmas 1859 through Christmas 1861.
The New Magdalen (novel in 2 vols.). London: Richard Bentley and Son, 2 June, 1873. Originally in Temple Bar, October, 1872 — July, 1873.
The Frozen Deep and Other Stories (a play and short stories in 2 vols.). London: Bentley and Son, 1874. Originally in Temple Bar, August-October, 1874; Household Words, Christmas 1875 (much amended); The Home Journal, 1873.
NB. "The Dream Woman" (much amended in volume form) first appeared in the Christmas number of Household Words, 1855 [as "The Ostler" in The Holly Tree In]. "John Jago's Ghost" first appeared serially in The Home Journal, from December 1873 through February 1874. The Frozen Deep itself, re-written by Collins for his US tour, first appeared serially in Temple Bar from August through October 1874. [Based on information from Paul Lewis.]
American Readings. Toronto: Hunter, Rose: 1874.
The Law and the Lady (novel in 3 vols.). London: Chatto and Windus, 1 March, 1875. Originally in The Graphic 26 September, 1874 — 13 March, 1875.
The Two Destinies: A Romance (novel in 2 vols.). London: Chatto and Windus, 16 August, 1876. Originally in Temple Bar, January — September, 1876.
My Lady's Money: An Episode in the Life of a Young Girl. Picadilly: Chatto and Windus, 1879.
The Haunted Hotel: A Mystery of Modern Venice (novella). London: Chatto and Windus, 1 November, 1878. Originally in Belgravia, June — November, 1878; and The Illustrated London News, Christmas, 1877.
The Fallen Leaves (novel in 3 vols.). London: Chatto and Windus, 1 July, 1879. Originally in The World, 1 January — 23 July, 1879.
A Rogue's Life: From His Birth to His Marriage (novel in 1 Vol.). London: Richard Bentley and Son, 1 April, 1879. Originally in Household Words 1-29 March, 1856.
Jezebel's Daughter (novel in 3 vols.). London: Chatto & Windus, 1 April, 1880. Originally in The Bolton Weekly Journal, 13 September, 1879 — 31 January, 1880.
The Black Robe (novel in 3 vols.). London: Chatto and Windus, 1 April, 1881. Originally in The Sheffield and Rotherham Independent, 2 October, 1880 — 26 March, 1881.
Heart and Science: A Story of the Present Time. (novel in 3 vols.). London: Chatto and Windus, 16 May 1883. Originally in Belgravia Magazine, August, 1882 — June, 1883.
I Say No (novel in 3 vols.). London: Chatto and Windus, 15 November, 1884. Originally in London Society, January — December, 1884.
The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story (novel in 3 vols.). London: Chatto and Windus, 1 September, 1886. Originally in Leigh Journal and Times, 11 December, 1885 — 30 April, 1886.
The Guilty River (novel in 1 vol.). London: Simpkin, Marshall & Co.; Bristol: J. W. Arrowsmith, December, 1886.
Little Novels (novellas in 3 vols.). London: Chatto and Windus, 16 April, 1887. Originally in Canadian Monthly, August — September, 1875; Belgravia, January, 1877; All the Year Round, Summer Extra, 1877; Spirit of the Times, 22 December, 1877; 25 December, 1880; 22 December, 1883; Belgravia Annual, 1878, 1881, 1882, 1887; Temple Bar, January, 1879; Longman's Magazine, Christmas, 1884; The English Illustrated Magazine, January — February, 1885, and January, 1886; Harper's Weekly, 23 October 1885.
The Legacy of Cain (novel in 3 vols.). London: Chatto and Windus, 16 November, 1888. Originally in Leigh Journal and Times, 17 February — 29 June, 1888.
Blind Love (novel in 3 vols.), completed by Walter Besant after WC's death. London: Chatto and Windus, 1 January, 1890. Originally in The Illustrated London News, 6 July — 28 December, 1889.
Iolani, or Tahiti as it was. A Romance. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1999.
Created 24 June 2007
Last modified 25 August 2025