It's supposedly the first mystery novel written and was a hugh hit in 1860. A classic and I had never even heard of it. The writing is Victorian and thus wordy and full of swooning, and it did take me a few chapters to get drawn in and fall in love with the fully fleshed out heros, heroines and even villians. Cleverly organized book, interesting and unexpected plots twists and lots of insights into 1850's in London. I am a little sad it is done.

Engaging plot, well-developed characters, great narration.

This is a lengthy, involved and quirky plot. The wordiness is indicative of the time the book was written, but it is a great listen. Not sure I would have read the whole thing. The plot has a lot of intriguing twists and turns, but carries a lot of suspense in the latter portion of the book.

The last days at Blackwater Park were very intriguing, can't say more, or the cat will be out of the bag. The later days in London were also great!

Not, unless I wanted to stay awake for 18 hrs! Have a long drive or flight coming up? This is a great book for something like that.

I chose this book based on several references to it made in Diane Setterfield's "Thirteenth Tale". Am surprised I hadn't run into it before then.

Probably not because of the length but I did enjoy it

Some of the plot was predictable but there were several dramatic surprises.

Walter was my favorite, although he doesn't appear in large parts of the book. I chose this book partly because I have enjoyed Simon Prebble. The largest part narrated by Josephine Bailey is of the character Marian and I disliked how she did that character, she sounded too mechanical, as if she was reading rather than speaking.

There is a great surprise around the middle of the book which I didn't see coming and which introduced many questions answered in the later part of the book.

I will probably listen to others by Collins.

This book is a tour of Engish custom and manners as well as a passable mystery. I enjoyed the character development and ability of the author to transport the reader to the setting the novel takes place in.

I enjoyed every word and throughout the book I could not wait to find out what would happen next. This is one of those books you do not want to stop listening to. The characters were fun and interesting and very well developed. Somehow, even trivial events in this book are written in a way that makes them intriguing. Highly recommended.

Set in 18th Century England, this book held my attention throughout. The reader learns a lot of the social classes, the restrictions, the heartbreak. The reader's performance is excellent; Sometimes edge-of-your-seat thrill, but always intriguing. I highly recommend this book.

This book was interesting but it should have been a lot shorter. They went over the same ground too many times. I liked the switching of story tellers and I thought the story was good.

No, not really. I admire the currage of the writer to write such a story in that time frame but it would have been better to publish it on audible in an abriged version. The whole story endlessly dragged on.

The mail narrator was rather ok but the woman I didn't like.

No. But if you find the best scenario writer maybe.

It took too long to tell the story. And the ending was contrived

Probably not

Performance was good

I'd rather pull my own 2 front teeth than go through another Wilkie Collins book.

Its certainly turned me off the genre for a good long while. At least male authors of the period.

The simple fact these narrators didn't even give a HINT of a yawn while suffering through all the surplus verbage entitles them not only to a chance to read to me again, they positively deserve medals for their efforts here.

I am very well acquainted with the writing style of this period: florid, loquacious, verbose.... but this? Collins made me want to scream. Collins made even the "heroine" female lead so insipid as to show her as barely conscious of her surroundings and helpless, timid, .....vapid.
The turns the story took were always apparent beforehand; the ending no surprise.
Bummer bummer bummer.