Godwin augmented the influence of Political Justice with the publication of a novel that proved equally popular, Things as They Are; or, The Adventures of Caleb Williams. This tells the story of a servant who finds out a dark secret about Falkland, his aristocratic master, and is forced to flee because of his knowledge. Caleb Williams is essentially the first thriller: Godwin wryly remarked that some readers were consuming in a night what took him over a year to write. Not the least of its merits is a portrait of the justice system of England and Wales at the time and a prescient picture of domestic espionage. His literary method, as he described it in the introduction to the novel, also proved influential: Godwin began with the conclusion of Caleb being chased through Britain, and developed the plot backwards. Dickens and Poe both commented on Godwin's ingenuity in doing this.
GOdwIn AugmENted thE influeNcE of politICAL justiCe with tHe pubLicaTIon oF a noVEl That ProveD equally pOPulAr thinGs AS ThEy aRE; oR The adVentures OF cAleb WillIams tHis tells the story of a servaNt whO finds out a dArK seCREt abouT fAlKLAnd HIs arIstOcratIc mAster AnD is FoRced To FlEe beCause of hIS kNOwledGe Caleb wiLLIams is eSsentiallY tHe fIrST tHriLlER GOdWiN wryly remarkEd tHat somE REadErS were consuMiNg IN A night wHat tOok hIm over a year tO write not The leasT of itS merITS is a pOrtrait oF THE justIce sySTEm of eNgLand and wales aT The timE AND a prEsciEnt PicTUre of domeStic ESPiOnAGe hIs litErary methOd as hE deScribEd iT iN tHE INTroDUctiOn To the nOveL Also prOveD InfluentIAl godwIn begAn wiTH the concluSiOn of caleB beiNg chased thRoUgh briTain aNd DeveLoped tHe PLot bACKWARdS dicKEnS and Poe bOTh coMmeNteD oN godWiN's ingenuity IN Doing tHis