Edgar Huntly or Memoirs of a Sleepwalker 1799 is a novel by American author Charles Brockden Brown. Combining the suspenseful style of Gothic fiction with such thematic interests as consciousness morality and truth Browns novel shows the profound influence of European literature on his aesthetic while grounding the narrative in a distinctly American setting. Following the murder of his friend Waldegrave the young Edgar Huntly devotes himself to uncovering the mystery of his death. While walking at night near the scene of the crime Huntly sees a servant from a nearby farm named Clithero digging in the ground beneath a willow. Initially horrified at the mans strange behavior and disheveled appearance Huntly soon becomes suspicious and decides to question Clithero. After realizing that the man is a sleepwalker he confronts Clithero who denies murdering Waldegrave but admits his guilt in murdering a man in his native Ireland. Disappointed but eager as ever to find his friends killer Edgar continues his search. When he wakes up in a dark cave completely disoriented and on the brink of starvation Edgar must fend off the merciless local wildlife and escape captivity by the Lenni Lenape tribe in order to survive. Charles Brockden Browns Edgar Huntly or Memoirs of a Sleepwalker is a harrowing work of mystery horror revenge and survival which not only serves as a fine example of Gothic fiction but as a detailed psychological portrait of settler colonial life. This early masterpiece of American literature among Browns other works would inspire the novels of James Fenimore Cooper Mary Shelleys Frankenstein and countless other authors whose works employ elements of mystery suspense and horror. Browns novel is perfect for readers looking for a terrifying tale with philosophical and psychological depth as well as for those interested in the early days of American fiction. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript this edition of Charles Brockden Brown