description: First published serially in 1868, Wilkie Collins’s “The Moonstone” is generally considered as the first full length detective novel in the English language. The novel concerns a large valuable diamond plundered from India by Colonel Herncastle during the Siege of Seringapatam. Herncastle, who has been shunned by his own family, decides to bequeath the diamond to his niece Rachel Verinder on her eighteenth birthday. At her birthday party, Rachel wears the Moonstone for all to see, later that night the diamond goes missing from her room and quickly an investigation ensues to discover the identity of the thief and recover the jewel. Suspicion quickly falls upon three Indian jugglers at the party who are actually disguised Hindu priests who have dedicated their lives to recovering the diamond which has great religious significance. Despite the efforts of Sergeant Cuff, a renowned detective, the night ends with the mystery unsolved. Described by G. K. Chesterton as “probably the best detective tale in the world”, “The Moonstone” is one of Wilkie Collins’s most popular works which influenced the development an entirely new genre of fiction. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.
language: English
title: The Moonstone
titlecomplete: The Moonstone
characters: Gabriel Betteredge, Rachel Verinder, Rosanna Spearman, Franklin Blake, Drusilla Clack, Dr. Candy, Godfrey Ablewhite, Sergeant Cuff, Ezra Jennings, Penelope Betteredge, Mr. Murthwaite, Lady Julia Verinder, Matthew Bruff
genres: Fiction, Mystery, British Literature, Mystery Thriller, Literature, Classics, 19th Century, Historical Fiction, Crime, Victorian
ratings_count: 91348
places: England, Yorkshire, England, London, England, United Kingdom
awards: awardedAt: 1230796800000
name: Premio Euskadi de Literatura
category: Traduccion, awardedAt: 1357027200000
name: CWA Best Ever
category: Crime Novel
publisher: Dent Dutton