Robert Hichens

Born in 1864, Robert Hichens was an English novelist, journalist, lyricist, and playwright whose long career stretched from the late Victorian period well into the 20th century. He first drew wide attention with The Green Carnation in 1894, a witty society satire that became one of his most talked-about early books.

He went on to write many novels, including The Garden of Allah, The Call of the Blood, and Bella Donna. Travel and setting were a big part of his appeal: North Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East often appear in his fiction, giving his stories a strong atmosphere as well as romantic and psychological tension.

Hichens also wrote tales with a ghostly or uncanny edge, and that mix of polish and strangeness still makes him an interesting figure today. He died in 1950, leaving behind a large body of work that ranges from light social comedy to darker, more haunting fiction.