The Woman in White

By: Wilkie Collins

Narrated by: Josephine Bailey, Simon Prebble

Length: 25 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

One of the greatest mystery thrillers ever written, Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White was a phenomenal best seller in the 1860s, achieving even greater success than works by Charles Dickens. Full of surprise, intrigue, and suspense, this vastly entertaining novel continues to enthrall audiences today.

The story begins with an eerie midnight encounter between artist Walter Hartright and a ghostly woman dressed all in white who seems desperate to share a dark secret. The next day Hartright, engaged as a drawing master to the beautiful Laura Fairlie and her half sister, tells his pupils about the strange events of the previous evening.

Determined to learn all they can about the mysterious woman in white, the three soon find themselves drawn into a chilling vortex of crime, poison, kidnapping, and international intrigue.

Masterfully constructed, The Woman in White is dominated by two of the finest creations in all Victorian fiction: Marion Halcombe, dark, mannish, yet irresistibly fascinating, and Count Fosco, the sinister and flamboyant "Napoleon of Crime".

Public Domain (P)2010 Tantor

Wonderful, Classic Story

A newbie to Wilkie Collins, I was incredibly excited to listen to the classic and much-loved Woman in White. Typical of its era, it's a deliciously wordy ramble of a story that isn't spooky by modern standards but is still a lot of fun to listen to. The narration is good--it was a bit of an adjustment shifting from the male narrator to the female one, but once I had wrapped my ears around it, I enjoyed both very much.

Just OK

Would you listen to The Woman in White again? Why?

I don't know what I was expecting actually. The reviews made the story sound quite intriguing. Although it was well written and moved along, it held no special interest for me. It was like riding a roller coaster that didn't have ups and downs enough to be captivating. I got sick of the "fading violet" acts and wasn't drawn to any particular character. Sooo, it was just ok.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I would have perhaps added a bit more excitement or mystery.

Which scene was your favorite?

I don't think I had one.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No. I wasn't moved, but I didn't expect the death of one of the characters to occur when and how it did.

Any additional comments?

Many pages to tell a relatively short story with a lot of unnecessary "fluff" that seemed to be added simply to lengthen it but didn't do much to enhance it.

Story has stood the test of time!

This well written book, published so long ago, captivated my attention from the beginning to its conclusion.

Victorian Mystery

What did you love best about The Woman in White?

I enjoy Victorian classics, so this satisfied my expectation.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Woman in White?

The plot twists were well done. I liked the beginning scene when the woman in white first appears in the foggy London streets.

Which character – as performed by Josephine Bailey and Simon Prebble – was your favorite?

Miriam was my favorite character and was the strong heroine of the book.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Movies are never true to the book, but I would probably go with "Victorian suspense at its' finest."

Any additional comments?

Very good narration.

Great book - not in love with the voices.

This was a great story that was quite thrilling and riveting. At times the voices were distracting.

A Stemwinder I Shall not Soon Forget

This book is a classic that if you have not yet read, you should drop everything and get on with it. Wilkie weaves labyrinthine tail each turn of witch will draw you on to what comes next. It is more than just a who done it. It is a moral tale. About a third of the way through the book there is a discussion of morality that could’ve been held yesterday, though the book was published in 1860 and the action takes place in 1850. Wilkie draws his characters much like dickens, though the moral dimensions of these characters is a bit more nuanced. I highly recommend this book. It requires 24 hours of listening, all of which are worth the effort.

A long and worthy commitment

It was like a long-winded fairy tale! I so enjoyed this mystery. It is extremely long but worth the time I invested.

Too loooong!😐

Great story well told but seriously it could have been told on maybe 10 hours less?

Fantastic Cast

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I've read The Moonstone, and now listened to The Woman in White, both by Wilkie Collins. Collins' way of writing from multiple points of view is perfect for the audiobook format. This recording of The Woman in White was riveting, a fantastic performance.

Unusual but Enjoyable

This book started out slowly . I tried to listen to it 2 or 3 times without interest so I left it for several months. Finally, one day I was desperate for an audio book to listen to so I tried this one again. I must have been in just the right frame of mind because it finally sparked my interest. The narration is done by Josephine Bailey who performs the different women very well and Simon Prebble who performs the more difficult men but also very well. The story drags a bit on occasion but overall was fairly enjoyable. It was quite different in the way it was narrated and took some getting used to but after all was said and done I look back and realize I enjoyed it quite a lot, especially the way it ended!