Red Spider, Volume 1 (of 2)

Red Spider, Volume 1, published in 1887, is a 19th-century English novel set in the rural parish of Bratton Clovelly, Devon. The story follows the rivalry between two brothers-in-law, Hillary Nanspian and Taverner Langford, as their personal grievances and a superstitious belief in a red spider escalate into conflict. The narrative explores themes of class dynamics, societal change, and the decline of rural customs, reflecting the author's nostalgic connection to village life and the landscape of his childhood.