The Beetle. Richard Marsh

This work was published in 1897 at the same time as Bram Stoker's Dracula and for a long time outstripped it in popularity. And it is not surprising, because Richard Marsh skillfully combined political detective, horror and Victorian Gothic, and most importantly - added Egyptian motifs to it. It is believed that the descriptions of mysterious pagan cults and sacrifices reflected the fears widespread in British society due to archaeological excavations of tombs. But whatever it was, the author managed to create one of the best examples of a Gothic thriller, which keeps the reader in suspense until the last page.