The Deemster

Caine’s first novel set on the Isle of Man is a dramatic family saga telling the story of several generations of a Manx family. From bribery to piousness, depression and lost honour to love and fights to the death, this story was so popular in its time that Bram Stoker wrote the introduction to a later edition and King Edward VII made a surprise visit to the Island to be shown some of the locations in which the novel is set. The Deemster was the basis for several stage plays and a 1917 American film which starred Caine’s son Derwent Hall Caine. In his time, Hall Caine was one of the most popular writers in the world. The Deemster was his first novel set on the Isle of Man. It was a huge success running to over 50 editions in at least 9 languages.