Clarissa Harlowe, or the History of a Young Lady - Volume 8 by Samuel Richardson (1689 - 1761)

In Volume 8 Clarissa continues to decline towards her pitiful end, while Lovelace remains defiant, even as his nemesis Colonel Morden finally arrives his town. One of the earliest and certainly the longest novel in the English language, with a wide-ranging influence not only on the English novel, but also on nineteenth century European literature at large, it is gripping, twisted and a magnificent dramatic soap opera. - Summary by Nicole Lee