The Moonstone

By: Wilkie Collins

Narrated by: Peter Jeffrey

Length: 18 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Exclusively from Audible

Considered the first full-length detective story in the English language, T.S. Eliot described The Moonstone as 'the first and greatest English detective novel'.

The stone of the title is an enormous yellow diamond plundered from an Indian shrine after the Siege of Seringapatam. Given to Miss Verinder on her 18th birthday, it mysteriously disappears that very night. Suspicion falls on three Indian jugglers who have been seen in the neighbourhood. Sergeant Cuff is assigned to the case and though it looks simple nothing can be taken for granted.

The story is recounted by several narrators including the bemused butler, the love-sick housemaid, the enigmatic detective Sergeant Cuff and the drug-addicted scientist, who in turn, speculate on the mystery.

This enthralling tale of romance, theft, and murder inspired the detective genre. In a sense, Collins wrote the rulebook on detective stories as many features of The Moonstone have become conventions in the literature of others.

Charles Dickens was a close friend and mentor of Collins, and the two collaborated together on drama and fiction. The Moonstone, as well as some of his other work, was first published in Dickens' journals.

Narrator Biography

Beginning his career on stage, Peter Jeffrey became a recognisable face on British television while enjoying thirty years with the Royal Shakespeare Company as well as working with all the other great British theatre companies. He was soon in demand for television character parts, playing roles in shows such as The Saint (1964-1965), The Avengers (1966-1968) and Doctor Who (1967 and 1978) as well as being involved in many BBC Radio 4 audio dramas such as The Pickwick Papers. Though a versatile actor, he was often cast in roles of authority such as Inspector Carter in Dixon of Dock Green (1966) but occasionally guest starred in comedy roles such as "Napper" Wainwright in Porridge (1975). He continued to act during his final years, with roles in the BBC adaptation of The Prince and the Pauper (1996), The Scarlet Pimpernel (1999) and Where the Heart Is (1999).

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Enthralling narrator!

There definitely are parts of the story that are humorous and intriguing and delightful. However, there were too many parts that were laden down with too much dialogue and became difficult to follow. I lost interest in the story by the time it was over.

An engrossing detective novel

I was attracted to THE MOONSTONE after reading (Hearing) Wilkie Collins" THE WOMAN IN WHITE. What is fascinating to me is how a book written over 140 years ago can be read eaily without footnotes to explain the significance of the events of the time. The characters and the action brought me into that time period with ease.

I plan to sownload every Wilkie Collins book that is available in Audible.com

Great book wonderfully read!!!

I read this book years ago & loved it, but it is very long, so I have not read it since. I am VERY glad that I invested the time to listen to it now. The book is even better than I remember it. The author was a great talent & the reader's skill makes it a truely amazing listening experience. I whole-heartedly recommend this book & this reader to anyone who wants a quality, intelligent listen.

Good mystery but narration

the mystery pulled me in but the narrators characters chosen by author ramble. annoying

Well told, but a little ignorant

Wilkie Collins never fails to deliver unexpected twists and turns that keep you hooked. This is also well narrated (especially in the beginning, as the narrator is especially gifted at interpreting the first voice). BUT there are a few parts that are a little uncomfortable for an audience 150 years later. Probably one of the least racist treatments of Indian culture FOR THAT TIME, there are some race related moments that are inappropriate today.

Good listening

Worth the time if you like the who done it and how.

Definitely hard to figure out. True mystery.

Written in the 1800s. A better story than many recent ones

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was beautifully written, the characters were vivid and compelling. It was like a time travel experience into the past with a delightful, if sometimes cringy, window into the culture of England during the 1800s.

Great Author - Great Performance

I am a huge Dickens fan, and given their similar writing styles how I missed this author all these years I do not know. But I am happy now to have found him now, and this performer is fantastic. I am not in love with the ending - and his other book "The Woman In White" is a better story - but this is definitely worth the time. The man could really write ~

Very interesting characters.

The audio performance my Mr. Jeffrey was amazing. There are a lot of good audio performers out there. Some are excellent confined to their genre. Mr Jeffrey (who is also a renowned actor) is like a Kevin Spacey of audio. You know he could do anything well.

The story plot, following the simple theft of The Moonstoon, is dramatized by characters that are so quirky and real we can almost touch them.

It's amazing the story still works almost 150 years later. A bow to the late great Mr. Wilkie Collins.

Great Victorian era mystery novel

I was surprised how intriguing and enjoyable this was. It started a bit slow and confusing with many disconnected details, but the author managed to weave them together into a suspenseful mystery worthy of modern detective dramas. Perhaps a bit long, but but the last 5 hours especially were enthralling.

The narrator, Peter Jeffrey, was absolutely perfect with his many different and idiosyncratic characters.