The Moonstone

Wilkie Collins was one of the leading English authors of the Victorian era. Collins was a prolific author and he is credited for writing the first modern detective novel in English literature. Collins was a good friend of Charles Dickens and they collaborated on several works. With classics such as The Woman in White, The Moonstone, No Name, and Armadale, he remains one of the most widely read authors today. The Moonstone, published in 1868, is a mystery novel centering around a young English woman named Rachel Verinder who inherits a large diamond for her 18th birthday. When Rachel has a party to celebrate her birthday the beautiful diamond is stolen. The book has been made into many critically acclaimed films.