The Woman in White

By: Wilkie Collins

Narrated by: Ian Holm

Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

Exclusively from Audible

Late one moonlit night, Walter Hartright encounters a solitary and terrified woman dressed all in white. He saves her from capture by her pursuers and determines to solve the mystery of her distress and terror.

Inspired by an actual criminal case, this gripping tale of murder, intrigue, madness and mistaken identity has never been out of print since its publication and brought Collins great fame and success. Considered to be among the first mystery novels and the first and finest in the genre of 'sensation novels', The Woman in White is noted for its suspenseful plot and unique characterisation.

Collins's use of multiple narrators drew on his legal training and he states 'the story of an offence against the laws is told in Court by more than one witness'.

In 2003, Robert McCrum writing for The Observer ranked The Woman in White number 23 in the top 100 greatest novels of all time. The novel was also listed at number 77 on the BBC's survey The Big Read.

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

Narrator Biography

Sir Ian Holm, is a star of the Royal Shakespeare Company, who has played more than 100 roles in films and on television, whilst receiving a stream of awards and nominations. His television debut came as Richard III on the BBC's filmed theatrical production The Wars of the Roses (1965). One of his best-known roles is Sam Mussabini in Chariots of Fire (1981). He has also starred in The Fifth Element (1997), From Hell (2001), The Aviator (2004) and as Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films. He has provided voice-overs for many television documentaries including 1066: The Battle for Middle Earth (2009), starred in the BBC's The Lord of the Rings radio dramatisations and narrated many audiobooks. In 1989 he was appointed CBE and in 1998 was knighted for his services to drama.

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

So worth the time!!

I loved this story so very much! Narrorator did an amzing job too. Hated for it to end but LOVE how it ended!! When I consider the time in which this book was written, I am beyond impressed. In today's terms, Wilkie Collins you're the bomb!

Perfection!

This book kept me engrossed in it's detail and eloquence, I put it down only to make the experience last longer! Ian Holm is amazing, his voice just holds your attention and makes you feel truly present throughout its duration , highly recommend this book!

A lovely, languid mystery set in 1850.

This book and its mysterious title, is told mostly through letters and journal entries. I throughly enjoyed the book. The characters were complex, and the twists and turns of the plot line kept me engaged. If you are looking for a lengthy tale with rich language, pick this title. Highly recommended.

Bravo !

Reading this masterpiece brings me more joy than reading it the first time. Audio lends it a quality of depth and drama. A must listen.

Amazing story!

Several times I thought I knew what was happening, only to be surprised. The author's voice is crisp and clear, and ian Holm narrates flawlessly

Oldie but goodie—Still the best

Great plot, characters, narration — great literature at its best. A pleasure to listen to, just as good today.

An All-Time Favorite.

I love this novel. It’s suspenseful beyond comprehension. Absolutely brilliant conclusion. Definitely, this is a literary masterpiece for the ages. Enjoy…!!! 😄😄😄

A must listen!

One of my favorite books - brilliantly read and brought to life by Ian Holm. Highly recommended!

That literary luster!

It’s a good story as far as period pieces go, but wow! The extra shine that good literature puts on fiction that is heard rather than read really makes such a difference. I can hang with the typical so-so prose when a fictional plot is pretty good. This is a good plot set in luscious prose. So hard to find! Would read it again just for the ear candy factor.

The twists and turns to get to the HEA was unexpected

What a wild ride! The switch in POVs was so well done it was easy to follow the story and leave you in anticipation of what was to happen next.