Uncle Silas is a Victorian Gothic psychological thriller novel by Sheridan Le Fanu. The story centers around Maud Ruthyn, a young, orphaned heiress who moves in with her mysterious uncle, Silas Ruthyn, after the death of her parents. Maud soon discovers that her uncle is not what he seems and that he has a dark past. She also learns that her former governess, Madame de La Rougierre, is still alive and is involved in a plot against her. As Maud investigates her uncle's past and the governess's motives, she uncovers a web of secrets, lies, and murder.