Librivox recording of the moonstone, by wilkie collins. The moonstone audiobook by wilkie collins on spotify. For more free audiobooks, or to become a volunteer reader, please visit. Wilkie collinss spellbinding tale of romance, theft, and murder inspired a hugely popular genrethe detective mystery. The moonstone, by wilkie collins the classic tales.
Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. Free audio book that you can download in mp3, ipod and itunes format for your portable audio player. Hats off to wilkie collins for providing a most addictive read, perfect for a thunderstorm night. The moonstone by wilkie collins free at loyal books. Outside her yorkshire country house watch the hindu priests who have waited for. William wilkie collins was born in london in 1824, the eldest son of a successful painter, william collins. The moonstone and the woman in white are widely considered to be collinss. Called the first and greatest of english detective novels by t. The moonstone is often said to be the godfather of the classic english detective story, its founding text. Read the moonstone online, free books by wilkie collins. It both conforms to and differs from midvictorian formulations of the genre and regards issues such as. Written by wilkie collins, audiobook narrated by jessie buckley, richard cordery, julian wadham, david sturzaker, hugh fraser, bruce alexander, oscar batterham, matthew spencer, james maccallum, stewart clarke, jot davies.
I laughed out loud on numerous occasions, and couldnt wait to get back to listening to it to find out what would happen next. The moonstone, the story of the theft of a legendary diamond that leads to murder, was first published in 1868, and is still read. A close friend and frequent collaborator of charles dickenss, he is best known as the author of the moonstone and the woman in white, sensation novels widely recognized as forerunners of modern suspense. See a complete list of the characters in the moonstone and indepth analyses of rachel verinder, franklin blake, ezra jennings, and godfrey ablewhite. Wilkie collins 1824 1889 the story concerns a young woman called rachel. The moonstone audio book librivox audio books bookdesign. It combines intriguing mystery with hilarious character portrayal both by the author, and in the excellent performance by b j harrison. A debased englishman steals the moonstone, a sacred gem, from india. The moonstone became collinss last great literary success, published at the end of an extraordinarily productive period which saw four successive novels become bestsellers. The moonstone, unabridged audiobook on cd with ebook.
It gained its name from its association with the hindu god of the moon, shiva. The moonstone wilkie collins audiobook and ebook all. However, when i read this time that, according to p. Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. I was attracted to the moonstone after reading hearing wilkie collins the woman in white. As a child, collins lived and traveled throughout europe, and to please his father, became a lawyer.
Collins boldly presents nearly a dozen character voices, and. The moonstone was actually a break from the kind of stories collins had written to that point. The project gutenberg ebook of the moonstone, by wilkie collins this ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. The moonstone is a name given to a large yellow diamond stolen from a religious shrine in india during a battle between the british and the indians in 1799 by john herncastle as witnessed by his cousin john verinder. Before there was sherlock holmes or hercule poirot, there was a tale of drugs, suicide, a stolen indian diamond and a reported curse. The victorian sensation novel genre was all the rage in england at the time, but with the moonstone, the focus began to shift to mystery, crime and detection. Years ago, in my teens, the moonstone was the first wilkie collins book i read. Wilkie collins was a master of suspense, but his transfer to audiobook requires a cast of readers to faithfully reflect the11 different characters who tell the story. It brings bad luck to each of its english possessors. The story concerns a young woman called rachel verinder who inherits a large indian diamond, the moonstone, on her eighteenth birthday. The moonstone by wilkie collins read by ronald pickup sean. Written by wilkie collins, narrated by ronald pickup, sean barrett, david timson, jamie parker, jonathan oliver, fenella woolgar, joe marsh. The moonstone audiobook wilkie collins the moonstone 1868 by wilkie collins is a 19thcentury british epistolary novel, generally considered the first detective novel in the english language.
In addition to patrick tull as the butler, audiobook customers might be interested in knowing that the narrators include davina porter and frank muller, both of whom have a large and loyal following. In a sense, collins wrote the rulebook on detective stories as many features of the moonstone have become conventions in the literature of others. The moonstone by wilkie collins is an early example of the english detective novel. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. He studied law and was admitted to the bar but never practiced his nominal profession, devoting his time to writing instead. Moonstone by wilkie collins, first edition abebooks. The unusual story takes place in england in the 19th century. The story was originally serialised in charles dickenss magazine all the year round.
The diamond is a gift from an uncle who once served as an army officer in british india. The moonstone part 1 of the moonstone by wilkie collins. Novels written from multiple points of view pose a particular challenge for the audiobook format. John herncastle, while fighting for the british army in india in 1799, killed the three brahmins who were then guarding the diamond and took it. It has been commanded that three brahmin priests must always guard the stone. Claimed as the first detective story in the english language, wilkie collins weaves his classic mystery through a series of narratives by various characters in the book who had first hand knowledge surrounding the disappearance of a large valuable yellow diamond the moonstone from the room of its young owner, rachel verinder. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Fab the story concerns a young woman called rachel verinder who inherits a large. The moonstone by wilkie collins read by ronald pickup, sean barrett, david timson, jamie parker, jonathan oilver. Choose the part of the moonstone which you want to read from the table of contents to get started. After that came the woman in white, because we owned it. Collins was a prolific writer, publishing not only novels, but many plays, short stories and works of nonfiction.
Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. The story concerns a young woman called rachel verinder who inherits a large indian. This popular classics audio book is now available for free download or. The project gutenberg ebook of the moonstone, by wilkie. I first read wilkie collins s the moonstone when i was about 10 years old. The son of a successful landscape artist, collins developed a early interest in storytelling to disarm bullies at boarding school. The bemused butler, the lovestricken housemaid, the enigmatic detective sergeant cuff, the drugaddicted scientisteach speculate on the mystery as collins weaves their narratives together. The moonstone, as well as some of his other work, was first published in dickens. Widely regarded as the precursor of the modern mystery and suspense novels, the moonstone tells of the events surrounding the disappearance of a mysterious and cursed yellow diamond. Naxos audiobooks brings together a strong cast to bring alive the mystery and suspense of the woman in white. A young woman who inherits a beautiful diamond known as the moonstone on her eighteenth birthday becomes the center of this mystery story.
The moonstone is generally considered to be the first detective novel in the english language. The moonstone, unabridged audiobook on cd with ebook 9781400119448 by wilkie collins. The moonstone opens with a written account of the large, yellow, moonstone diamond, sacred to hindus as the centerpiece in their idol of the god of the moon. The moonstone is also a great introduction to wilkie collins, whose works, in my opinion, are equal to those of his friend and mentor, charles. Five witnesses in turn to tell their version of the events. A fabulous yellow diamond becomes the dangerous inheritance of rachel verinder.
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. Hinging on the theft of an enormous diamond originally stolen from an indian shrine, this riveting novel features the innovative sergeant cuff, the hilarious house steward gabriel betteridge, a lovesick housemaid, and a mysterious band of indian jugglers. Wilkie collins 18241889 was an english playwright and novelist. James, this book was the first mystery that used a detective character involved in the case, i decided to have another read, since that fact makes the book rather historical. The moonstone is a novel by wilkie collins that was first published in 1868. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. The moonstone audiobook by wilkie collins 18241889 the story concerns a. Wilkie collinss the moonstone consists of 33 parts for ease of reading.
Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Wilkie collins 18241889, a friend of charles dickens, is considered by many to be the first english writer of mystery and detective novels. It is generally considered to be the first detective novel, and it established many of the ground rules of the modern detective novel. Colonel herncastle served in india and stole a diamond from the statue of an indian god. The book is widely regarded as the precursor of the modern mystery and suspense novels. The moonstone 1868 by wilkie collins is a 19thcentury british epistolary novel, generally considered the first full length detective novel in the. Topics about this book topics that mention this book. She proudly wears the jewel on her dress at her birthday party that night. Eliot, wilkie collins the moonstone is a masterpiece of suspense. It is generally considered to be the first detective novel, and it established. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle. The moonstone 1868 by wilkie collins is a 19thcentury british epistolary novel.
It catches one up and unfolds its amazing story through the recountings of its several narrators, all of them enticing and singular. The moonstone is a remarkable book written by willkie collins. After the moonstone he wrote novels with more specific social commentary, which did not achieve the same audience. Listen the original the moonstone audiobook by wilkie collins in full length for free. Part 1 of 2 of the moonstone by wilkie collins 1824 1889. Specifically, there was the moonstone, a long and twisting victorian tale that is considered the first mystery novel in the english language. Wilkie collins, carol phillips, british literature audiobooks. The moonstone, the article itself, though invokes within us the singular sanguine feeling, can never be compared to any other gem in the fictionalallure category. Charles dickens was a close friend and mentor of collins, and the two collaborated together on drama and fiction. A few years later, i was given two additional books by my violin teacher s husband. Read the moonstone, free online version of the book by wilkie collins, on. The moonstone by wilkie collins, free ebook global grey.
The moonstone, one of the first english detective novels, written by wilkie collins and published in 1868. The moonstone is a pageturner, writes carolyn heilbrun. Collins, in his great work, created the guidelines for the genre as we know it today. The discovery of the truth 18481849 the events related in several narratives. The characters and the action brought me into that time period with ease.
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