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The Moonstone and The Woman in White
The Moonstone
Wilkie Collins’s spellbinding tale of romance, theft, and murder inspired a hugely popular genre–the detective mystery. Hinging on the theft of an enormous diamond originally stolen from an Indian shrine, this riveting novel features the innovative Sergeant Cuff, the hilarious house steward Gabriel Betteridge, a lovesick housemaid, and a mysterious band of Indian jugglers.
The Woman in White
One of the greatest mystery thrillers ever written, Wilkie Collins' The Woman in White was a phenomenal bestseller in the 1860s, achieving even greater success than works by Dickens, Collins' friend and mentor. Full of surprise, intrigue, and suspense, this vastly entertaining novel continues to enthrall readers today.
The story begins with an eerie midnight encounter between artist Walter Hartright and a ghostly woman dressed all in white who seems desperate to share a dark secret. The next day Hartright, engaged as a drawing master to the beautiful Laura Fairlie and her half sister, tells his pupils about the strange events of the previous evening. Determined to learn all they can about the mysterious woman in white, the three soon find themselves drawn into a chilling vortex of crime, poison, kidnapping, and international intrigue.
Masterfully constructed, The Woman in White is dominated by two of the finest creations in all Victorian fiction: Marion Halcombe, dark, mannish, yet irresistibly fascinating, and Count Fosco, the sinister and flamboyant "Napoleon of Crime."
Wilkie Collins’s spellbinding tale of romance, theft, and murder inspired a hugely popular genre–the detective mystery. Hinging on the theft of an enormous diamond originally stolen from an Indian shrine, this riveting novel features the innovative Sergeant Cuff, the hilarious house steward Gabriel Betteridge, a lovesick housemaid, and a mysterious band of Indian jugglers.
The Woman in White
One of the greatest mystery thrillers ever written, Wilkie Collins' The Woman in White was a phenomenal bestseller in the 1860s, achieving even greater success than works by Dickens, Collins' friend and mentor. Full of surprise, intrigue, and suspense, this vastly entertaining novel continues to enthrall readers today.
The story begins with an eerie midnight encounter between artist Walter Hartright and a ghostly woman dressed all in white who seems desperate to share a dark secret. The next day Hartright, engaged as a drawing master to the beautiful Laura Fairlie and her half sister, tells his pupils about the strange events of the previous evening. Determined to learn all they can about the mysterious woman in white, the three soon find themselves drawn into a chilling vortex of crime, poison, kidnapping, and international intrigue.
Masterfully constructed, The Woman in White is dominated by two of the finest creations in all Victorian fiction: Marion Halcombe, dark, mannish, yet irresistibly fascinating, and Count Fosco, the sinister and flamboyant "Napoleon of Crime."
843 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1937
About the author
Wilkie Collins
1,962 books3,026 followersWilkie Collins was an English novelist and playwright, best known for The Woman in White (1860), an early sensation novel, and The Moonstone (1868), a pioneering work of detective fiction. Born to landscape painter William Collins and Harriet Geddes, he spent part of his childhood in Italy and France, learning both languages. Initially working as a tea merchant, he later studied law, though he never practiced. His literary career began with Antonina (1850), and a meeting with Charles Dickens in 1851 proved pivotal. The two became close friends and collaborators, with Collins contributing to Dickens' journals and co-writing dramatic works.
Collins' success peaked in the 1860s with novels that combined suspense with social critique, including No Name (1862), Armadale (1864), and The Moonstone, which established key elements of the modern detective story. His personal life was unconventional—he openly opposed marriage and lived with Caroline Graves and her daughter for much of his life, while also maintaining a separate relationship with Martha Rudd, with whom he had three children.
Plagued by gout, Collins became addicted to laudanum, which affected both his health and later works. Despite declining quality in his writing, he remained a respected figure, mentoring younger authors and advocating for writers' rights. He died in 1889 and was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery. His legacy endures through his influential novels, which laid the groundwork for both sensation fiction and detective literature.
Collins' success peaked in the 1860s with novels that combined suspense with social critique, including No Name (1862), Armadale (1864), and The Moonstone, which established key elements of the modern detective story. His personal life was unconventional—he openly opposed marriage and lived with Caroline Graves and her daughter for much of his life, while also maintaining a separate relationship with Martha Rudd, with whom he had three children.
Plagued by gout, Collins became addicted to laudanum, which affected both his health and later works. Despite declining quality in his writing, he remained a respected figure, mentoring younger authors and advocating for writers' rights. He died in 1889 and was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery. His legacy endures through his influential novels, which laid the groundwork for both sensation fiction and detective literature.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 24, 2021
I'm reporting today on the second of the Wilkie Collins mysteries in the Modern Library edition pictured above: *The Woman in White.* Man, I love 19th century novelists! I had previously read this satisfying tale -- in which an asylum is used to switch two women and gain a fortune -- but had forgotten much of it. This go-round, I happened to dig into it right after reading *Bleak House,* written several years earlier by Collins's older colleague, Charles Dickens, and I was struck by the possible influences.
I can't say whether Collins's reference to light and shadow as metaphors for the vicissitudes of life had anything to do with his having read *Bleak House,* or if both authors were influenced by someone else, or if the imagery was just in the culture of the time, but that was the first parallel I noticed.
Second, each book has a pivotal character whose supreme selfishness has disastrous results for others. Dickens's Harold Skimpole adopts charm as his weapon and Collins's Frederick Fairlie professes to be a sensitive invalid, but they both manage to get their own way.
Third, Dickens uses one omniscient narrator and one who is a character, Esther Summerson. Collins has numerous characters testify in writing to events they have witnessed. As for the character of Esther and the character of Collins's Marian Halcombe, each is strong in her own way and clear about who she is. Each is the rock that others rely on. But Esther is no feminist, and Marian is. She is described as having qualities considered in the 19th century to appertain more to men, such as outspokenness, daring, and determination.
Finally, although Collins's Count Fosco is evil and Bucket, the detective in *Bleak House,* is more ambiguous, they use the same convivial stratagems to butter up people of every class and elicit information.
When the pandemic started in 2020, I was grateful to www.barrowbookstore.com for suggestions of movies on YouTube. Thanks to them, I enjoyed a Masterpiece Theater version of *The Woman in White* that was rewritten for television. It was good, but if you like getting lost in a book, I recommend the real thing. There are aspects of *The Woman in White* that could probably have been compressed without damage, but wow, they just don't make 'em like they used to.
I can't say whether Collins's reference to light and shadow as metaphors for the vicissitudes of life had anything to do with his having read *Bleak House,* or if both authors were influenced by someone else, or if the imagery was just in the culture of the time, but that was the first parallel I noticed.
Second, each book has a pivotal character whose supreme selfishness has disastrous results for others. Dickens's Harold Skimpole adopts charm as his weapon and Collins's Frederick Fairlie professes to be a sensitive invalid, but they both manage to get their own way.
Third, Dickens uses one omniscient narrator and one who is a character, Esther Summerson. Collins has numerous characters testify in writing to events they have witnessed. As for the character of Esther and the character of Collins's Marian Halcombe, each is strong in her own way and clear about who she is. Each is the rock that others rely on. But Esther is no feminist, and Marian is. She is described as having qualities considered in the 19th century to appertain more to men, such as outspokenness, daring, and determination.
Finally, although Collins's Count Fosco is evil and Bucket, the detective in *Bleak House,* is more ambiguous, they use the same convivial stratagems to butter up people of every class and elicit information.
When the pandemic started in 2020, I was grateful to www.barrowbookstore.com for suggestions of movies on YouTube. Thanks to them, I enjoyed a Masterpiece Theater version of *The Woman in White* that was rewritten for television. It was good, but if you like getting lost in a book, I recommend the real thing. There are aspects of *The Woman in White* that could probably have been compressed without damage, but wow, they just don't make 'em like they used to.
October 6, 2014
One of the most popular books of its time, The Woman in White reminds us that not all that is popular expresses the best of its time. Compared to other Victorian books, the dialogue remains foppish and undeveloped, revealing sentimentality as the root of all human interaction. Nothing emerges as passion; all is reduced to vague notions of propriety and morals. Having said that, it was a breakthrough for its day. The modern reader may find it disappointing especially if she has read some of Dickens, the sisters Bronte, Elizabeth Gaskill (admittedly a bit later in the nineteenth century) who truly write with energy. The second half of the book had this reader glad for the ability to speed read.
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November 9, 2019the woman in white is one of my favorite books ever. combines good detective story with nice literary writing.
the moonstone is awfully fun too.
the moonstone is awfully fun too.
June 8, 2019
World-Class 19th Century Gothic writing. Collins and Dickens were close friends. Collins contributed to Dickens' monthly periodical, ALL THE YEAR ROUND. Their novels were serialized, over the course of many months. For my money, Collins' novels don't ramble as Dickens' do—the danger of serials.
—Douy Swofford
—Douy Swofford
June 11, 2021
This is one of my favorite Wilkie Collins novels.
April 30, 2022
Gibberish
The woman in white is unreadable in this jumbled messed printing. The Moonshine is readable. This edition is a mess!
The woman in white is unreadable in this jumbled messed printing. The Moonshine is readable. This edition is a mess!
Read
May 12, 2023🙈🙈 I'm backdating my reads, so can't remember the details but do remember enjoying them both. Especially enjoyed the moonstone
February 24, 2025
I didn't care for either of these stories.
June 22, 2009
Rating/Review for The Woman in White only
Walter Hartright finds a woman, all in white, wandering down the road to London in the middle of the night. As they talk and walk, she mentions that her happiest times were spent at Limmeridge House as a child. By coincidence, Walter is leaving to become a drawing teacher at this house the very next day. In talking this over, it's revealed that the woman in white has been badly mistreated and there are many more secrets surrounding her.
I find it hard to judge a book by how it would have been received in its time. I can only judge by my modern-day standards. That being said, I was disappointed in this book. I really expected more.
I found the mystery to be mostly predictable. There were a few twists and turns that honestly surprised me, but I saw the big picture from pretty far out. I know this book was supposed to be one of the first mystery novels and should receive a lot of respect for that. But my problem is that I found a lot of the elements to have become cliches. I realize that this isn't being fair to this particular book, but there you go. It hasn't weathered that well for me, personally.
The way that Collins wrote about women drove me crazy. He has one very strong, very intelligent female character who is always spouting off about how "we women can't be quiet" and stuff like that. Having a woman say it doesn't make it okay. I know this might have been pretty standard fare for the time period, but I didn't care for it. It doesn't help me feel any better when we realize that the smart woman is ugly and mostly overlooked as a romantic prospect, while her boring, weak but beautiful sister is pursued on all fronts. Irritating.
This high-handed attitude extends to everyone who either doesn't have a title or at least a "gentlemanly" occupation. The descriptions of villagers and servants really aggravated me. Less eduction or opportunities does not equal a lack of intelligence. I know, my modern approach to a Victorian novel is getting in the way again.
The novel is written from many different view points. There are straight-up narratives written by Walter Hartright, letters written by lawyers and servants, and journal entries from the intelligent sister. I like the style, but I found the voices to be pretty interchangeable. The only one who really stood out to me was the owner of Limmeridge House, a nervous man, and his whining and complaining cracked me up!
All those view points to cover every possible angle of the mystery made the book longer than I thought it had to be. I'm not sure exactly what could have been left out, if anything, I'm just left with the vague feeling that it could have been shorter and been improved for it.
But for all my complaints, I really don't regret reading this. Considering it's length and the Victorian language, it was actually a pretty quick read. I wish I could look at it a little more objectively, but I can't. If you're good at judging a book by it's originality for it's time, you'll enjoy this. Unfortunately, that's just not me.
Walter Hartright finds a woman, all in white, wandering down the road to London in the middle of the night. As they talk and walk, she mentions that her happiest times were spent at Limmeridge House as a child. By coincidence, Walter is leaving to become a drawing teacher at this house the very next day. In talking this over, it's revealed that the woman in white has been badly mistreated and there are many more secrets surrounding her.
I find it hard to judge a book by how it would have been received in its time. I can only judge by my modern-day standards. That being said, I was disappointed in this book. I really expected more.
I found the mystery to be mostly predictable. There were a few twists and turns that honestly surprised me, but I saw the big picture from pretty far out. I know this book was supposed to be one of the first mystery novels and should receive a lot of respect for that. But my problem is that I found a lot of the elements to have become cliches. I realize that this isn't being fair to this particular book, but there you go. It hasn't weathered that well for me, personally.
The way that Collins wrote about women drove me crazy. He has one very strong, very intelligent female character who is always spouting off about how "we women can't be quiet" and stuff like that. Having a woman say it doesn't make it okay. I know this might have been pretty standard fare for the time period, but I didn't care for it. It doesn't help me feel any better when we realize that the smart woman is ugly and mostly overlooked as a romantic prospect, while her boring, weak but beautiful sister is pursued on all fronts. Irritating.
This high-handed attitude extends to everyone who either doesn't have a title or at least a "gentlemanly" occupation. The descriptions of villagers and servants really aggravated me. Less eduction or opportunities does not equal a lack of intelligence. I know, my modern approach to a Victorian novel is getting in the way again.
The novel is written from many different view points. There are straight-up narratives written by Walter Hartright, letters written by lawyers and servants, and journal entries from the intelligent sister. I like the style, but I found the voices to be pretty interchangeable. The only one who really stood out to me was the owner of Limmeridge House, a nervous man, and his whining and complaining cracked me up!
All those view points to cover every possible angle of the mystery made the book longer than I thought it had to be. I'm not sure exactly what could have been left out, if anything, I'm just left with the vague feeling that it could have been shorter and been improved for it.
But for all my complaints, I really don't regret reading this. Considering it's length and the Victorian language, it was actually a pretty quick read. I wish I could look at it a little more objectively, but I can't. If you're good at judging a book by it's originality for it's time, you'll enjoy this. Unfortunately, that's just not me.
October 3, 2013
I read Moonstone first after I had finished reading Les Misérables. It's a Victorian detective mystery. I really enjoyed the fully developed characters in both books. The Woman in White is still a mystery but it doesn't involve a detective. In Woman in White, there's a lot of plot development and details that you have to pay close attention to. For me it's a easy fast read which got my attention form the beginning. It's hard to believe that Wilkie Collins is very good friends with Charles Dickens. In a way, I think Collins is a much more fun writer to read from whereas Dickens' books take a while to get into. There's definitely a difference and I believe that Collins may have influenced Dickens' later works in terms of plot and mystery storytelling.
Overall I gave both book 4 stars.
Overall I gave both book 4 stars.
Currently Reading
July 8, 2011I read The Moonstone last summer and loved it. It was interesting and strangely hilarious. For some reason I'm always surprised when Victorian novels are funny. I've just started The Woman in White, and it is going slowly so far. I have a feeling it will pick up, I just have to get deeper into the story.
March 31, 2011
Finally finished the Woman in White! Got kind of long and confusing at parts, but overall, a great story.
April 4, 2012
Read these two novels in the mid '50s - just great!!!
April 25, 2012
Moonstone read in 2010. Woman in White read in 2009
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December 5, 2012These were great mysteries!
March 8, 2013
The Moonstone is just as interesting as The Woman in White. Loved it.
May 28, 2013
The Woman in White is my all-time favorite book. The Moonstone is said to be the first detective novel and is a really great book too. Everyone who likes Jane Austen should read Wilkie Collins.
September 10, 2016
One of my favourite texts...
February 12, 2012
Both excellent stories. Gripping.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews