The Moonstone

Synopsis

The Moonstone is written by Wilkie Collins, an English novelist and author of first English detective novel “The Moonstone” who is also remembered for his literary contributions of Armadale, No Name, and The Woman in White.

Colonel Herncastle, while serving British army in India, steals a moonstone and brings to his England home. His family shuns him and Herncastle dies after leaving a will stating the moonstone as a birthday gift to his niece Rachel Verinder. Rachel Verinder wears the moonstone in her neck during her 18th birthday which was attended by her cousin Franklin Blake, and few Indian jugglers. After the celebrations are over, the moonstone is found missing from Rachel’s bedroom.

Many of the party attendees are in suspicious including Indian jugglers, a maid Rosanna Spearman who commits suicide after the incident and Rachel who started acting furious with Franklin. Sergeant Cuff, a detective investigates and during a year of investigation, reveals the moonstone is might have been pledged in a bank locker against a surety to a moneylender. Meanwhile Rachel’s mother dies; Rachel accepts and rejects a marriage proposal from her cousin Godfrey Ablewhite, who was also an attendee in the eventful last birthday party.

Meanwhile Franklin Blake returns after travelling abroad and determined to solve the mystery. The rest of the story is narrated, the investigations of Franklin and finally the moonstone is recovered and has been handed over to the origin place in India.

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