Twilight

"Twilight" by Frank Danby is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around a woman recovering from illness who retreats to a small house called Carbies in Pineland. As she navigates her solitude and physical health, she becomes embroiled in the memories and past of the house's former occupant, Margaret Capel, which leads her to want to write Margaret's story intertwined with her own experiences. At the start of the novel, the protagonist, suffering from neuritis, relocates to the seemingly quaint house in search of solitude to escape well-meaning acquaintances. She is immediately confronted with the presence of Margaret Capel, a former resident whose ghostly essence captivates her. The opening details her first interactions with a local doctor, Dr. Kennedy, who brings up Margaret, hinting at a deeper story lurking beneath the surface of both their lives. This entanglement with Margaret’s memory and the protagonist’s quest for authenticity in her writing begins to shape the narrative, creating an atmosphere filled with intrigue and reflection on life, love, and the artistic process. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Julia Frankau was a successful novelist who wrote under the name Frank Danby. Her first novel was published in 1887: Dr. Phillips: A Maida Vale Idyll. Its portrayal of London Jews and Jewish life, and its depiction of murder by a doctor were controversial. This was followed by more Frank Danby novels and by books on other subjects, including engraving, which were sometimes written under her own name. Frankau continued to write until the time of her death.