Portrait of a Man with Red Hair: A Romantic Macabre

"Portrait of a Man with Red Hair: A Romantic Macabre" by Hugh Walpole is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story focuses on Charles Percy Harkness, an American man who embarks on a journey to Treliss, a picturesque town in Cornwall, seeking beauty and refuge after a long period of solitude and reflection in his life. As Harkness navigates his interactions with the locals, he becomes engulfed in the tapestry of romantic and potentially sinister events that unfold around him. At the start of the book, Charles Harkness is traveling by train to Treliss, where he is driven by a sense of curiosity and a desire for adventure, despite grappling with feelings of cowardice and isolation. The opening chapters introduce us to Harkness's psyche, revealing a man who is sensitive, introspective, and somewhat caught between two worlds—his American identity and his experiences in Europe. His train journey is interrupted by an old man who expresses disdain for tourists, foreshadowing the tension between visitors and the local customs of Treliss. Upon arriving in Treliss, Harkness is drawn into a web of intrigue when he overhears a distressed girl named Hesther pleading to be freed from a troublesome marriage. This pivotal moment sets the stage for a complex exploration of love, identity, and the conflicts that arise in a seemingly idyllic setting. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Sir Hugh Seymour Walpole, CBE was an English novelist. He was the son of an Anglican clergyman, intended for a career in the church but drawn instead to writing. Among those who encouraged him were the authors Henry James and Arnold Bennett. His skill at scene-setting and vivid plots, as well as his high profile as a lecturer, brought him a large readership in the United Kingdom and North America. He was a best-selling author in the 1920s and 1930s but has been largely neglected since his death.