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.

Love this story

I loved every single minute of this story and the narration was superb. I did not even slightly guess the ending

Wonderful story

The story of intrigue and mystery, a diamond sacred to a Hindu sect is stolen from India. Years later it ends up in England as a gift to a woman on her eighteenth birthday. During the night the diamond is stolen, and the investigation into its disappearance is explained.

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.

Victorian detective novel

Too long-winded for some but I enjoyed this oldfashioned but oddly modern detective story. Some very funny and one very sad character, like in many of Dickens' novels (who was a good friend of Wilky Collins). Ironic description of upstairs-downstairs relationships and bigotry. Excellent narration.

Couldnt put it down

Definitely will recommend. The narrator was perfect for the book. Worth a second listen as well.

I can't believe this book is 150 years old!

This was an excellent story. I didn't know what to expect coming in, only that it is considered one of the first mystery novels in the English language. It was reminiscent of works by Austin or Dickens, but at the same time felt very modern. The narrator was excellent and the story was compelling (and many times I laughed out loud). I highly recommend!

Classic mystery

Regarded as one of the earliest examples of the mystery novel, the experience is enhanced by the excellent narration of Peter Jeffrey.

Best Narrator Ever

I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard at an audio book. The narrator has perfect comic timing.