The Italian; or, The Confessional of the Black Penitents (1796) was the final novel that Ann Radcliffe published in her lifetime. With her monumental The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794), it is widely considered her finest work – a nearly perfect combination of suspense, romance, social critique, and deep psychology. Set in Naples in the decades before the French Revolution, it chronicles the adventures of two lovers, Ellena di Rosalba and Vincentio di Vivaldi, whose intended marriage provokes the ire not just of Vivaldi's powerful parents, but also of the Holy Inquisition. Since its first publication, readers have admired The Italian's sharply drawn characters, evocative landscapes, brilliantly constructed plot, and unrivalled atmospherics. Arguably no other Romantic novelist has depicted the human capacity for evil so palpably while providing such a range of beauties for readers to savour. This edition presents the definitive text along with a full introduction and explanatory notes.