Francesco Mastriani

Born in Naples in 1819, Francesco Mastriani became one of the most widely read Italian novelists of the 19th century. He also worked as a journalist and playwright, and built his reputation through serialized fiction for the popular press, reaching readers across social classes.

His work ranged across melodrama, mystery, and social narrative, often drawing energy from the streets and everyday life of Naples. One of his best-known novels is The Blind Woman of Sorrento (1852), and his fiction was successful enough that several works were later adapted for film.

Although not always as internationally known as some of his contemporaries, Mastriani was remarkably prolific and remains an important figure in Neapolitan and Italian popular literature. He died in Naples in 1891.