The Moonstone Murder Mystery Book Review

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, the first of his Sunrays trilogy, is a nineteenth-century British steamship mystery. It's an early example of the classic, modern detective novel, and set many of the ground rules for the genre. The Moonstone follows a young man, Cyrus Moonstones, from his birth, through his school and into his married life. It was serialised in Charles Dickens' newspaper All the Year Round from 18 1977 to 18 1978.

The Moonstone is the quintessential detective story. It's set in a time when the police are more interested in catching criminals than solving crimes, and the detective, Cyrus Moonstones, is more than a little reluctant to accept this fact. His mentor, Captain George Moonstones, urges him to accept the challenge of facing his biggest challenge, yet it's only after Moonstones realising that the only way to catch the culprit is to become the best detective in the country. The novel has become widely regarded as one of the greatest detective novels of all time.

The novel is divided into three Parts. The first deals with Moonstone's investigation, in which he tracks down the killer through the use of sleuthing and tricks. The second part sees Moonstones interrogate the suspect, who turns out to be a barkeep, about the details of the crime. Finally, with the help of a few other detectives, Moonstones tracks down and kills the criminal.

Part three of The Moonstone features some beautiful supporting actors. Anthony Hilling as Captain George Moonstones, the great detective and friend of Moonstones, is unforgettable. Philip Marlowe is the barkeeper, who turns out to be the prime suspect in the crime, but also proves to be an able ally. The supporting cast plays supporting roles very well, bringing a human interest element to the novel that makes it very enjoyable to read.

The Moonstone Murder Mystery is a highly entertaining book that is extremely realistic in a number of ways. It's set in 19th century Scotland and involves several intricate details and historical figures. The murder mystery is a great follow up to Grantchester - which was another successful murder mystery novel written by Halliday. The two books take place in almost parallel, yet are very different from one another.

The Moonstone Murder Mystery is well worth reading. It's a thoroughly enjoyable mystery that is set in a very familiar setting. The writing style is clear and there is little if any violence. Recommended for people who like a murder mystery with a bit of romance.