title: The Moonstone by: Collins, Wilkie published: 1868 read: 2020-05 preview

“The Moonstone” by Wilkie Collins is the first whodunnit in English literature. Published in 1868, it describes the theft of a precious Indian diamond, the Moonstone, and the subsequent investigation to find the thief.

The story begins with the diamond’s origin in India, where it is stolen from a Hindu temple by Colonel Herncastle during a British military campaign. The Moonstone is said to be cursed, bringing misfortune to its possessor. Upon his death, Colonel Herncastle bequeaths the diamond to his niece, Rachel Verinder, on her eighteenth birthday.

The diamond is presented to Rachel at a party held at her family’s estate. That very night, the Moonstone is stolen from her room, setting off a series of mysterious events. The investigation into the theft is led by Sergeant Cuff who interviews the household.

As the investigation unfolds, it is revealed that Franklin Blake, under the influence of laudanum (administered unknowingly by another character), took the diamond to safeguard it but then forgot his actions. The diamond is eventually traced to London, where it has been sold and shipped back to India by a group of Brahmins dedicated to its retrieval.

The novel concludes with the restoration of the Moonstone to its rightful place in the temple in India, and the resolution of the characters’ intertwined fates. Rachel and Franklin reconcile and plan to marry, while other characters come to terms with the events that transpired.

It’s a lovely book, with beautiful characters and a story which kept me in suspense till the end.

Dear Vicky, I apologise for reading this decades after you suggested I should.