The Moonstone (+Biography and Bibliography) (6X9po Glossy Cover Finish): 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. T. S. Eliot called it 'the first, the longest, and the best of modern English detective novels'. It contains a number of ideas which became common tropes of the genre, including a crime being investigated by talented amateurs who happen to be present when it is committed ...
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The Moonstone (+Biography and Bibliography) (6X9po Glossy Cover Finish): 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. T. S. Eliot called it 'the first, the longest, and the best of modern English detective novels'. It contains a number of ideas which became common tropes of the genre, including a crime being investigated by talented amateurs who happen to be present when it is committed, and two police officers who exemplify respectively the 'Scotland Yard bungler' and the skilled, professional detective.
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Add this copy of The Moonstone to cart. $41.84, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2019 by Independently published.
It appears one must step back in time for the greater mystery stories and writers and almost the further back, the better. Perhaps it is the quieter, gentler era when people employed time creatively, actually thinking and allowing ideas and themes to develop. This is a book that must be owned. It truly warrants regular re-readings to explore its many facets.
kirving
Nov 12, 2009
This classic novel is one of the original detective stories. The writing style is not always easy for the modern reader to follow. The story moves very slowly in parts. The type in the edition I had was very small and made reading a challenge. It is not a book I would read again.
LawMan
Mar 12, 2008
The First in a Long Line
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins was the first in a new genre of intelligent, thoughtful mysteries. The influence of this book can be seen in works by Doyle, Christie and many others. The story line is fairly simple. A cursed diamond finds it way to an Upper class English girl as a birthday present.. It is stolen and the balance of the book deals with the reconstruction of the crime and recovery of the stone. The author takes the reader on this journey by describing each segment of the case through the eyes of a different character. The book thus speaks with many voices, all unique, all interconnected and all displaying their unique set of biases and prejudices. Collins "super sleuth" will remind the reader of Sherlock Holmes and may well have served as an informal model for that legendary detective. The story, character development and overall writing are first class. And, although set in the mid 19th Century has much to attract and hold the modern reader. Collins weaves a wonderfully intricate story. However, if you need gratuitous violence, a body strewn landscape and a rough talking, crass narrator, stick to the Evening News, this is not the book for you.
