Well, they often have elaborate descriptions of the era's social settings. For example, the clothing styles like long gowns for women and top hats for men. The romances in these novels usually involve a certain level of propriety and social class differences. The characters might be from different social strata, and their love has to overcome the barriers of class and social expectations.
They often had complex plots. For example, the stories would weave together the mystery of a crime or a hidden secret with the budding or troubled romances of the characters.
One great turn of the century romance mystery novel is 'The Moonstone' by Wilkie Collins. It combines elements of a love story with a mysterious disappearance of a precious jewel. The characters are well - drawn and the plot keeps you guessing.
There's Edith Wharton. She was known for her in - depth exploration of the upper - class society in her romances. 'The Age of Innocence' is a great example. Her writing captured the nuances of love and relationships within the social constraints of the turn of the century. Also, Thomas Hardy had some works that could be considered in this category. His novels often dealt with the themes of love and fate, set against the backdrop of the changing times at the turn of the century.
One of the best turn - of - the - century novels is 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It beautifully captures the decadence and disillusionment of the Jazz Age. Another great one is 'Mrs. Dalloway' by Virginia Woolf, which delves deep into the consciousness of its characters on a single day. And 'Heart of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad is also a remarkable work that explores the darkness within humanity during that time.
The 'Nick Carter' series was also quite prominent. These dime novels were filled with action - packed detective stories. They were highly engaging and contributed to the popularity of detective fiction in the turn - of - the - century era. They had a simple yet effective writing style that attracted a wide range of readers.
They often have complex plots. The settings are usually in the cities of that time, like London or New York, showing the seedy underbelly. And the characters can be very diverse, from cunning criminals to dogged detectives.
One characteristic is that they often reflect the social changes of that time. For example, the transition in values, from more traditional to more modern ones. There was also a lot of exploration of new literary styles as writers were influenced by the changing world around them.
One is 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker. It introduced the iconic vampire Count Dracula and has been a huge influence on horror ever since. Another is 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' by Robert Louis Stevenson. It explores the duality of human nature in a very disturbing way.
Henry James is one. His novels like 'The Portrait of a Lady' are well - known. James was great at exploring the psychology of his characters, which was a feature of many turn of the century novels.