The Mystery of Edwin Drood is Charles Dickens’s final novel, a dark and atmospheric mystery left incomplete at the time of his death on June 9, 1870. Set in the fictional cathedral town of Cloisterham, the story centres on the disappearance of Edwin Drood, a young engineer, and explores themes of jealousy, obsession, dual identity, and moral ambiguity. Key characters include John Jasper, Drood’s opium-addicted choirmaster uncle; Rosa Bud, Drood’s fiancée; and Neville Landless, a passionate outsider who quickly becomes a suspect in Drood’s disappearance. Dickens’s rich prose, vivid characterization, and intricate plotting are evident, though only six of the planned twelve parts were completed, leaving the resolution forever unknown and sparking enduring speculation. The novel’s unfinished nature, combined with its evocative setting and psychological intensity, has made it a subject of fascination. It has inspired numerous theories, continuations, stage and screen adaptations, and academic studies. Its original serial publication in six monthly parts (April–September 1870) is notable for its bibliographic complexity. advertisements, and issue points.