-
The Moonstone
- Narrated by: Peter Jeffrey
- Length: 18 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Classics
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $24.51
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Armadale
- By: Wilkie Collins
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton, Rachel Atkins, David Rintoul, and others
- Length: 30 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Wilkie Collins' follow-up to The Woman in White and No Name is an innovative take on mistaken identity, the nature of evil, and the dark underbelly of Victorian England. The story concerns two distant cousins, both named Allan Armadale, and the impact of a family tragedy, which makes one of them a target of the murderous Lydia Gwilt, a vicious and malevolent charmer determined to get her hands on the Armadale fortune. Will the real Allan Armadale be revealed, and will he survive the plot against his life?
-
-
Listen again & again to unravel layers of mystery
- By Proud Parents of Furry Kids on 10-28-20
By: Wilkie Collins
-
Hide and Seek
- By: Wilkie Collins
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton
- Length: 15 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Appearing in 1854, Hide and Seek was Wilkie Collins’s third published novel. At the centre of the plot is the mystery surrounding a deaf and dumb girl known as Madonna, whom the painter Valentine Blyth rescues from her life as a circus performer. But it is only when Blyth’s friend Zack Thorpe rebels against his disciplinarian father and falls into bad company that the secret of Madonna is revealed.
-
-
Wilkie learning his craft
- By Alex on 05-20-22
By: Wilkie Collins
-
No Name
- By: Wilkie Collins
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton, Rachel Atkins, Russell Bentley, and others
- Length: 27 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Magdalen and Norah Vanstone have known only comfort and affluence for their entire lives. Orphaned suddenly following the unexpected deaths of their parents, the illegitimate sisters find themselves flung into the other extreme of living: their father had neglected to amend his will following their parents' recent marriage, leaving them with nothing, and their bitter, estranged uncle, the legal inheritor of the family fortune, mercilessly refuses them support.
-
-
Good and Evil and Funny
- By John on 07-06-20
By: Wilkie Collins
-
The Dead Secret
- By: Wilkie Collins
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton
- Length: 13 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A masterful blend of Gothic drama and romance, Wilkie Collins' mystery novel is an exploration of illegitimacy and inheritance. Set in Cornwall, the plot foreshadows The Woman in White with its themes of doubtful identity and deception and involves a broad array of characters. The "secret" of the book's title is the true parentage of the book's heroine, Rosamond Treverton, which has been written down and kept in an unused room at Porthgenna Tower. This is where, 20 years later, much of the novel's action is set.
-
-
Only complaint is I wish it were longer
- By alisammeredith on 03-15-22
By: Wilkie Collins
-
Man and Wife
- By: Wilkie Collins
- Narrated by: Nicolas Boulton
- Length: 23 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Published 10 years after Collins’s most popular novel The Woman in White, Man and Wife centres on the confused and inequitable marriage laws of 19th-century Britain, reflecting the author’s own antipathy toward the institution. The plot follows the fortunes of a woman who, committed to marriage with one man, comes to believe that she may have inadvertently married his friend, according to the archaic laws of Scotland and Ireland.
-
-
Intricate plot, good dialogue, desperately needed an editor
- By Seth on 07-25-21
By: Wilkie Collins
-
The Woman in White
- By: Wilkie Collins
- Narrated by: Ian Holm
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Late one moonlit night, Walter Hartright encounters a solitary and terrified woman dressed all in white. He saves her from capture by her pursuers and determines to solve the mystery of her distress and terror. Inspired by an actual criminal case, this gripping tale of murder, intrigue, madness and mistaken identity has never been out of print since its publication and brought Collins great fame and success.
-
-
A thriller you will not be able to put down!
- By Kaui on 11-23-17
By: Wilkie Collins
-
Armadale
- By: Wilkie Collins
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton, Rachel Atkins, David Rintoul, and others
- Length: 30 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Wilkie Collins' follow-up to The Woman in White and No Name is an innovative take on mistaken identity, the nature of evil, and the dark underbelly of Victorian England. The story concerns two distant cousins, both named Allan Armadale, and the impact of a family tragedy, which makes one of them a target of the murderous Lydia Gwilt, a vicious and malevolent charmer determined to get her hands on the Armadale fortune. Will the real Allan Armadale be revealed, and will he survive the plot against his life?
-
-
Listen again & again to unravel layers of mystery
- By Proud Parents of Furry Kids on 10-28-20
By: Wilkie Collins
-
Hide and Seek
- By: Wilkie Collins
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton
- Length: 15 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Appearing in 1854, Hide and Seek was Wilkie Collins’s third published novel. At the centre of the plot is the mystery surrounding a deaf and dumb girl known as Madonna, whom the painter Valentine Blyth rescues from her life as a circus performer. But it is only when Blyth’s friend Zack Thorpe rebels against his disciplinarian father and falls into bad company that the secret of Madonna is revealed.
-
-
Wilkie learning his craft
- By Alex on 05-20-22
By: Wilkie Collins
-
No Name
- By: Wilkie Collins
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton, Rachel Atkins, Russell Bentley, and others
- Length: 27 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Magdalen and Norah Vanstone have known only comfort and affluence for their entire lives. Orphaned suddenly following the unexpected deaths of their parents, the illegitimate sisters find themselves flung into the other extreme of living: their father had neglected to amend his will following their parents' recent marriage, leaving them with nothing, and their bitter, estranged uncle, the legal inheritor of the family fortune, mercilessly refuses them support.
-
-
Good and Evil and Funny
- By John on 07-06-20
By: Wilkie Collins
-
The Dead Secret
- By: Wilkie Collins
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton
- Length: 13 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A masterful blend of Gothic drama and romance, Wilkie Collins' mystery novel is an exploration of illegitimacy and inheritance. Set in Cornwall, the plot foreshadows The Woman in White with its themes of doubtful identity and deception and involves a broad array of characters. The "secret" of the book's title is the true parentage of the book's heroine, Rosamond Treverton, which has been written down and kept in an unused room at Porthgenna Tower. This is where, 20 years later, much of the novel's action is set.
-
-
Only complaint is I wish it were longer
- By alisammeredith on 03-15-22
By: Wilkie Collins
-
Man and Wife
- By: Wilkie Collins
- Narrated by: Nicolas Boulton
- Length: 23 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Published 10 years after Collins’s most popular novel The Woman in White, Man and Wife centres on the confused and inequitable marriage laws of 19th-century Britain, reflecting the author’s own antipathy toward the institution. The plot follows the fortunes of a woman who, committed to marriage with one man, comes to believe that she may have inadvertently married his friend, according to the archaic laws of Scotland and Ireland.
-
-
Intricate plot, good dialogue, desperately needed an editor
- By Seth on 07-25-21
By: Wilkie Collins
-
The Woman in White
- By: Wilkie Collins
- Narrated by: Ian Holm
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Late one moonlit night, Walter Hartright encounters a solitary and terrified woman dressed all in white. He saves her from capture by her pursuers and determines to solve the mystery of her distress and terror. Inspired by an actual criminal case, this gripping tale of murder, intrigue, madness and mistaken identity has never been out of print since its publication and brought Collins great fame and success.
-
-
A thriller you will not be able to put down!
- By Kaui on 11-23-17
By: Wilkie Collins
-
The Haunted Hotel
- By: Wilkie Collins
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Lord Montbarry dies suddenly in his Venice palace, and his courier goes missing, suspicion is instantly thrown on his new wife, the beautiful Countess Narona, who has collected his life insurance and fled to America. Montbarry's former fiance, Agnes, still harboring feelings for him, and Henry Westwick, Montbarry's younger brother, decide to investigate this tragedy and head for the palace, now a hotel. Not long after their arrival they experience strange and unsettling occurrences, and the circumstances of Montbarry's death begin to unravel.
-
-
Really Really Good Story
- By Ms Peach on 11-24-19
By: Wilkie Collins
-
Our Mutual Friend
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 31 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A sinister masterpiece, Our Mutual Friend was Dickens' last completed novel. It is perhaps his ultimate vision of a dark, macabre London and the corrupting power of money.
-
-
Worth six stars
- By Erez on 07-05-08
By: Charles Dickens
-
David Copperfield
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 33 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Based in part on Dickens's own life, it is the story of a young man's journey from an unhappy and impoverished childhood to the discovery of his vocation as a successful novelist. Among its gloriously vivid cast of characters, he e.ncounters his tyrannical stepfather, Mr. Murdstone; his formidable aunt, Betsey Trotwood; the eternally humble yet treacherous Uriah Heep; the frivolous, enchanting Dora; and one of literature's great comic creations, the magnificently impecunious Mr. Micawber.
-
-
Simply Amazing
- By Justin on 11-05-10
By: Charles Dickens
-
Great Expectations
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
- Length: 18 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the most revered works in English literature, Great Expectations traces the coming of age of a young orphan, Pip, from a boy of shallow aspirations into a man of maturity. From the chilling opening confrontation with an escaped convict to the grand but eerily disheveled estate of bitter old Miss Havisham, all is not what it seems in Dickens’ dark tale of false illusions and thwarted desire.
-
-
Great Performance of a classic!
- By Steven on 08-18-13
By: Charles Dickens
-
Hard Times
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Anton Lesser
- Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hard Times is Dickens's most political novel. Set in the industrial north of England, in Coketown, he examines the lives of working people, who are taught by the capitalists Gradgrind and Bounderby to think only of the facts of life and not to indulge in imagination. Gradgrind’s own children have been so educated and as a result are dysfunctional and disconnected from their feelings. Only the travelling circus company of Sleary seems to offer any hope of humanity in Coketown.
-
-
Very glad I kept going!
- By Bonny on 03-01-16
By: Charles Dickens
-
Sherlock Holmes
- By: Arthur Conan Doyle, Stephen Fry - introductions
- Narrated by: Stephen Fry
- Length: 62 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ever since he made his first appearance in A Study In Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes has enthralled and delighted millions of fans throughout the world. Now Audible is proud to present Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, read by Stephen Fry. A lifelong fan of Doyle's detective fiction, Fry has narrated the definitive collection of Sherlock Holmes - four novels and four collections of short stories. And, exclusively for Audible, Stephen has written and narrated eight insightful introductions, one for each title.
-
-
Chapter Guide!
- By Katya Rice on 05-25-18
By: Arthur Conan Doyle, and others
-
Little Dorrit
- The Audible Dickens Collection
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
- Length: 40 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This Audible Exclusive production revisits Charles Dickens’ tragi-comic novel Little Dorrit. Written during the Crimean War, it a story of fortunes won and lost and a masterly portrayal of the failings of Victorian Society, with the ever-present spectre of law enforcement and imprisonment looming over a fearful population. Divided into two parts, Book One: Poverty and Book Two: Riches, Little Dorrit satirises the debtors prisons and the detrimental effect of enforcing a British class system.
-
-
Fantastic
- By Amazon Customer on 07-14-20
By: Charles Dickens
-
Dombey and Son
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 39 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dombey and Son is vintage Dickens and explores the classic themes of betrayal, cruelty and deceit. Dombey's dysfunctional relationships are painted against a backdrop of social unrest in industrialized London, which is populated by a host of fascinating and memorable secondary characters. The complete and unabridged novel is brought spectacularly to life by veteran reader David Timson.
-
-
A Hidden Dickens Gem
- By eileen on 01-15-12
By: Charles Dickens
-
Oliver Twist
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 16 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After escaping from the dark and dismal workhouse where he was born, Oliver finds himself on the mean streets of Victorian-era London and is unwittingly recruited into a scabrous gang of scheming urchins. In this band of petty thieves, Oliver encounters the extraordinary and vibrant characters who have captured audiences' imaginations for more than 150 years.
-
-
Dickens + Simon Vance = Divine
- By Bonny on 05-15-14
By: Charles Dickens
-
Dracula [Audible Edition]
- By: Bram Stoker
- Narrated by: Alan Cumming, Tim Curry, Simon Vance, and others
- Length: 15 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The modern audience hasn't had a chance to truly appreciate the unknowing dread that readers would have felt when reading Bram Stoker's original 1897 manuscript. Most modern productions employ campiness or sound effects to try to bring back that gothic tension, but we've tried something different. By returning to Stoker's original storytelling structure - a series of letters and journal entries voiced by Jonathan Harker, Dr. Van Helsing, and other characters - with an all-star cast of narrators, we've sought to recapture its originally intended horror and power.
-
-
Mina: A Heroine for the Ages
- By Nicole on 08-15-14
By: Bram Stoker
-
Barnaby Rudge
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 23 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a case of mistaken identification, Barnaby Rudge, a pale half-wit with long red hair who dresses all in green and carries a large raven on his back, is arrested as the leader of a mob of anti-Catholic rioters. He is condemned to death on the gallows, but an upright locksmith named Gabriel Varden comes to his aid.
-
-
Overlong but under-rated Dickens
- By David on 08-14-09
By: Charles Dickens
-
The Old Curiosity Shop
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Anton Lesser
- Length: 22 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Provoking an unprecedented outpouring of public grief when it was first published, it follows the story of Little Nell and her feckless grandfather. Forced to leave their magical shop of curiosities in London, they are pursued across the English countryside by the grotesquely evil dwarf Quilp. They escape - but at what cost?
-
-
Outstanding Narration
- By Ro on 12-10-09
By: Charles Dickens
Publisher's Summary
Exclusively from Audible
Considered the first full-length detective story in the English language, T.S. Eliot described The Moonstone as 'the first and greatest English detective novel'.
The stone of the title is an enormous yellow diamond plundered from an Indian shrine after the Siege of Seringapatam. Given to Miss Verinder on her 18th birthday, it mysteriously disappears that very night. Suspicion falls on three Indian jugglers who have been seen in the neighbourhood. Sergeant Cuff is assigned to the case and though it looks simple nothing can be taken for granted.
The story is recounted by several narrators including the bemused butler, the love-sick housemaid, the enigmatic detective Sergeant Cuff and the drug-addicted scientist, who in turn, speculate on the mystery.
This enthralling tale of romance, theft, and murder inspired the detective genre. In a sense, Collins wrote the rulebook on detective stories as many features of The Moonstone have become conventions in the literature of others.
Charles Dickens was a close friend and mentor of Collins, and the two collaborated together on drama and fiction. The Moonstone, as well as some of his other work, was first published in Dickens' journals.
Narrator Biography
Beginning his career on stage, Peter Jeffrey became a recognisable face on British television while enjoying thirty years with the Royal Shakespeare Company as well as working with all the other great British theatre companies. He was soon in demand for television character parts, playing roles in shows such as The Saint (1964-1965), The Avengers (1966-1968) and Doctor Who (1967 and 1978) as well as being involved in many BBC Radio 4 audio dramas such as The Pickwick Papers. Though a versatile actor, he was often cast in roles of authority such as Inspector Carter in Dixon of Dock Green (1966) but occasionally guest starred in comedy roles such as "Napper" Wainwright in Porridge (1975). He continued to act during his final years, with roles in the BBC adaptation of The Prince and the Pauper (1996), The Scarlet Pimpernel (1999) and Where the Heart Is (1999).
More from the same
What listeners say about The Moonstone
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
- Lucie
- 01-03-09
An engrossing detective novel
I was attracted to THE MOONSTONE after reading (Hearing) Wilkie Collins" THE WOMAN IN WHITE. 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. The characters and the action brought me into that time period with ease.
I plan to sownload every Wilkie Collins book that is available in Audible.com
30 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Anne
- 02-26-10
Surprisingly good
I probably never would have read this on paper - too old-fashioned, too long - but with it narrated (and done so well by Jeffrey!) I was able to hear the voices of the characters and be entertained by the different perspectives as each one tells the story from their point of view. I thought this was a masterfully crafted story, with parts that made me laugh out loud. Had to be able to concentrate when listening to keep track of the plot and characters.
23 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Yvette
- 02-18-09
Great book wonderfully read!!!
I read this book years ago & loved it, but it is very long, so I have not read it since. I am VERY glad that I invested the time to listen to it now. The book is even better than I remember it. The author was a great talent & the reader's skill makes it a truely amazing listening experience. I whole-heartedly recommend this book & this reader to anyone who wants a quality, intelligent listen.
20 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Kathleen
- 03-19-11
So perfect for these looonnnng winter evenings
First, I'm a fan of Charles Dickens' novels, so historical fiction doesn't challenge me in the slightest, provided it has a plot. And The Moonstone has plot in spades, along with one of the most adorable characters I've ever encountered in all of literature (Gabriel Betteredge), and a wonderfully involved, somewhat gothic, mystery. If films like Gosford Park send you screaming, don't even dream of taking on this novel. But if you love English historical and gothic fiction, and enjoy an occasional mystery, this atmospheric gem will provide hours of guilty pleasure. Wilkie Collins was a contemporary (and friend) of Dickens, so expect similar pacing. Peter Jeffrey's narration was superb!
18 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Cheryl Birdsong-Juneau
- 04-18-10
One of my favorite Audiobooks
The narrator was wonderful and the story was interesting and highly enjoyable. The plot might be a bit slow and verbose for some people, but if you like a well turned phrase and detailed character depictions, you will like this aspect as much as I did. The narrator's reading and distinctive voices for the different characters was outstanding.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Caroline
- 04-26-12
The First Detective Novel Ever Written: A Gem!
Many consider the Moonstone to be the first detective novel ever written. And it's, in my opinion, one of the best. The plot is riveting, the story full of surprises. Even when Collins seems to be losing his way in a subplot, he always manage to enrich the main mystery: what happened to the Moonstone, a huge diamond discovered in India and sent to a young woman from her uncle. Almost as soon as she comes into possession of this magnificient jewel, it mysteriously disappears. What happened to the Moonstone, who took it, why and how? The how is especially puzzling. One thing is for sure, you will be entertained all the way to the final solution to this puzzle. It's a must read for true mystery fans.
The narration done by Peter Jeffrey is first class. I could listen to him telling stories all day long. Enjoy!
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- laurence
- 02-04-11
Delightful novel & first-rate narration
Peter Jeffrey does the various voices with great skill and character. The humor of the novel comes through strongly. I wish Peter Jeffrey would do more narration, he's really fabulous.
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Beau
- 03-11-12
Splendid Discovery
This is one of the best audible listens yet. I am very particular in choosing my audio books and it took me sometime to settle on this one - I don't regret it in the least. It was a marvelous and keen story. Very perceptive and subtly witty. It is not a fast paced or a short book, but I was happy to return to it every time I had the chance to listen. I am looking forward to reading other works by Wilkie Collins and I thought Peter Jeffery captured the emotion and flavor of the work beautifully.
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Sandra
- 07-12-08
i like this book
i enjoyed this book and the reader...i have read the hard copy before and wanted this to listen to while i knit...it did its job well! and his accent is so much better than mine!
19 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Gary
- 07-12-09
Good - if you are not in a hurry
When I first started listening to the book I had to keep restarting it to get used to the accents and sentence structure. Even though this is written in English I felt challenged to understand the train of thought of the writer.
At about one third into the book the perspective changed. The story narration was taken over by another character and I realized that the first narrative was intentionally written in a "wandering" style to reflect the personality of that character.
Subsequent narratives were much easier to understand and to the point of the story. It is easy to see why one might stop listening to the first wordy and tedious narrative.
If you like stories to proceed at quick pace I would recommend the abridged version which I would expect to be more concise.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall

- Joanne
- 06-29-08
An absolute gem
Please excuse the pun! This is the best audiobook I have ever listened to. Peter Jeffrey's reading is superb, bringing each character to life - from the trusted family butler Betteridge to the faintly ridiculous religous spunster Miss Clack. In terms of the story - it is superb piece of Victorian derring-do with a spirited young hero and heroine, a conspiracy involving mysterious foreigners, a lovelorn housemaid and opiuos use of laudanum. The writing is witty and sympathetic. The plot is complex, and though perhaps not as tightly plotted as a modern day thriller this would be enjoyed by lovers of detection fiction as well as fans of victorina.
Highly reccommended!!
65 people found this helpful
-
Overall

- Choosy
- 01-20-11
good listening
Wilkie Collins' best book, beautifully read by Peter Jeffrey. I had to look again at the description to double-check that it wasn't a dramatisation, so consistent and well-differentiated are his voices. A delight to listen to.
26 people found this helpful
-
Overall

- Jenny
- 02-04-10
The original detective story brought to life
This is the first audiobook I've listened to for a long time. In the past I'd always found them inferior to "the real thing" but this one has totally changed my mind. Wonderfully narrated in a way that transmits the pace and energy of the story, this audiobook is excellent. I don't know whether books written in the Victorian era especially lend themselves to this format, I suspect that they do. I'm going to test my theory with some Dickens next!
19 people found this helpful
-
Overall

- Tei
- 08-21-09
PURE PLEASURE
This recording of a fabulous classic is an absolute joy. Peter Jeffrey, the reader, is a superb interpreter of Collins' writing. I longed to hear more. Thank you Peter Jeffrey!
12 people found this helpful
-
Overall

- H
- 04-14-09
Fantastic
This is yet another wonderful audio book - Peter Jeffrey's brilliant reading of a book that keeps one guessing till the end gave me great enjoyment. I did not think there could be a narrator that could match Stephen Fry but I think Peter Jeffrey does!! Highly recommended
12 people found this helpful
-
Overall

- Nick
- 10-08-08
Excellent Reading
Not only is this a compelling and masterful story, but the narrator Peter Jeffrey brings the book alive with a most accomplished reading. Each character and textual narrator is given a unique and highly sympathetic voice that captivates the listener with a flawlessness that can only add to the magic of the book itself.
Highly recommended.
24 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- SnapWriter
- 09-07-16
A brilliant performance of the famous mystery
This is a brilliantly performed edition of the great mystery novel. Peter Jeffrey brings all the characters off the page. One of the best downloads I’ve chosen in a long while.
Immensely enjoyable, and thoroughly recommended.
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall

- Nadia
- 09-09-08
Brilliant
I'm loving this. I read it years ago and didn't remember the details. The story is great, the reading fantastic. I'm about half way through, listening whilst commuting, and it has turned the drive into a real pleasure.
22 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Mr.
- 07-08-14
Hard to beat.
I don't usually listen to fiction, being much more of a narrative history fan. However, I was an admirer of the late Peter Jeffrey and bought the Moonstone because of his narration. I could not be happier with this audiobook. The story, one of the earliest examples of detective fiction, fully deserves its high reputation among the great British classics, and Peter Jeffrey's handling of the epistolary nature of the narrative is magnificent. Old or young, male or female, Yorkshireman or Indian, he voices each with skill, taste and intelligence creating a wonderful recording. Highly recommended, my only regret is that Peter Jeffrey didn't leave more of a legacy for us to enjoy.
14 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Ms. Kay Fenton
- 01-01-14
Compulsive listening
What did you like most about The Moonstone?
Exciting mystery well read.
Any additional comments?
Old fashioned language which still grips. Little bit long winded on some chapters.
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Kimberley
- 06-27-16
Wonderful reading of a classic detective novel
Would you listen to The Moonstone again? Why?
Absolutely. The Moonstone, set in 1848, tells the story of the famous yellow diamond, reputed to be cursed, that goes missing on the night Miss Rachel Verinder receives it as a gift on her eighteenth birthday. When Sergeant Cuff arrives to investigate the loss of the diamond, it soon becomes apparent that nobody in the house is above suspicion. It is a fine example of the classic detective novel, and was very enjoyable to read in audiobook format.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Gabriel Betteredge, particularly given Peter Jeffrey's reading. I felt like I had an old grandfather sitting beside me while he told the story of an interesting episode from his life while frequently meandering off track with entertaining asides. I also thought the inimitable Miss Clack's narrative was hilarious, even though she would be horrified to hear it and would no doubt force a religious tract (or ten) on me for such blasphemy.
What does Peter Jeffrey bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
I originally read The Moonstone as a physical book several years ago and rated it around 3.5 stars. When I came to listen to the audiobook, however, I upgraded my rating to a full 5 stars, thanks largely to Peter Jeffrey's reading. An epistolary novel written entirely in first person, the text lends itself well to being read aloud and Peter Jeffrey does an excellent job of bringing out the humour that Wilkie Collins infuses into his narratives. His use of different voices for different characters (including Miss Clack) was very successful.
If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
Beware, reader -- in taking up company with Sergeant Cuff there is a good chance you will catch a highly contagious ailment for which there is no cure: the detective fever!
Any additional comments?
Readers should be aware that The Moonstone is far more slow moving than Wilkie Collins' other well-known "sensation" novel, The Woman in White. If you are looking for something fast moving, perhaps try The Woman in White first. However, if you are looking for a great detective novel (in the tradition of Sherlock Holmes or Agatha Christie), this is an excellent and enjoyable offering from a master storyteller.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 12-28-21
Victorian melodrama
I have read somewhere that Wilkie Collins may be credited with writing some of the very first examples of the police procedural genre of fiction. I have read and admired Collins' 5th novel, " The Woman in White" and noted some similarities with that work, as I listened to "The Moonstone" (eg, multiple voices/narratives as the story unfolds). I found the storytelling rather tedious in this novel and anticipated the solution to the mystery and the conclusion long before we actually got there. But, I really admired Peter Jeffrey's narration and that kept me listening. I will seek out other works narrated by Jeffrey, he made up for deficiencies in the story with his polished, professional and lively performance.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amazon Customer
- 12-04-21
Enjoyable
Was an enjoyable story . Different laugage but of the time period .Enough to keep you interested .Narration very good easy to listen to. overall a good book.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 10-08-21
Entertaining
Kept me in suspense. The few outdated sentiments I.e. about women, class etc I dismissed due to date - overall an enjoyable read.