The Old English Baron

The Old English Baron by Clara Reeve

There is a death and an inheritor of the estate of the deceased. Somebody comes in and decides there must have been wrong-doing. After a duel, it is determined that the inheritor ordered the killing of the deceased. The victor spares his life but orders penance. There is also a marriage involved with some of the parties. This is fairly fresh and modern for a book more than two-centuries old. It keeps grounded well in realistic situations.

Frankenstein

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

This book has spawned so many adaptations that I was surprised at the story. Dr. Frankenstein is the creator of the monster. However, he abandons it. the monster seeks its own fulfilment. It felt like most of the novel is told from the perspective of the Frankenstein as he is going through stages of mental collapse. The monster kills multiple people and Frankenstein is among those that are questioned. He lets others die for the misdeeds of the monster. His family is destroyed by the monster. He struggles internally for what he had done. The internal fear makes the novel more powerful than the movie adaptations.