by Wilkie Collins, 1868
Fantastic mystery published in 1868. Story takes place in 1840’s England. Herncastle steals an Indian diamond, the Moonstone, and wills it to his niece on her 18th birthday. Franklin Blake delivers it (her cousin). There is a curse associated with the Moontsone because it is guarded by 3 Indians in perpetuity. Three Indians show up soon after but the diamond gets stolen by someone in the house. Franklin Blake hires Sergeant Cuff to try and find out. Sgt. Cuff accuses Rachel (the niece) but it wasn’t her and she acts like she knows. She’s become very angry at Franklin.
The old servant, Gabriel Betteridge, writes his story of what happened. Very entertaining. He relies on Robinson Crusoe for everything. He is also close to a housemaid who likes to go to the Shivering Sands.
Miss Clack, a terrible Christian woman, writes next. She is disgusting – so superior and judgmental.
Then Mr. Bruff relates. He’s the lawyer. Then Franklin Blake, then Ezra Jennings, a scary doctor who really saves the day because he tries an experiment and discovers that Franklin Blake did take the diamond while on opium! He had no idea he did it. But that’s why Rachel was so upset. She saw him do it but loved him and wouldn’t tell in order to protect him.
It ends up that Godfrey Ablewhite, another of Rachel’s cousins, took the Moonstone and pawned it for a year. He redeems it one year later. The Indians follow him and smother him and take their Moonstone back to India. Franklin and Rachel marry and live happily ever after.
Wonderful writing, great dialogue, great characters–fun, fun, fun!!!