Young Claudio di Bartelma leaves the home of his adoptive father, the Marchese di Bartelma, to attend university at Rome. There, he befriends the handsome and mischievous Lodovico di Ponta. Together, the two youths become involved in a variety of amorous pursuits and humorous adventures. But their fun is short-lived, as events quickly take a turn for the sinister. A mysterious pilgrim seems to stalk their steps, and Claudio is drawn into an affair with an enigmatic older woman, Viola, who lives in splendour but yet claims to be imprisoned. Meanwhile, Claudio investigates the truth of his parentage. Who were his parents, and what is his connection to Lodovico's father, the Count di Ponta, who many years ago was involved in a murderous love affair with his brother's wife? Midnight meetings among ruins, supernatural warnings, and a vengeful spectre will help to reveal the shocking truth behind the strange mysteries!

A clever mix of Bildungsroman, picaresque tale, mystery, and Gothic horror, Astonishment!!! (1802) shows Francis Lathom at the height of his powers. This new edition, the first since 1821, includes the unabridged text of the first edition, a reproduction of the first edition's title page, and the complete text of two contemporary reviews.