内容简介
ThePenguinEnglishLibraryEditionofTheMoonstonebyWilkieCollins.'HerewasourquietEnglishhousesuddenlyinvadedbyadevilishIndianDiamond-bringingafteritaconspiracyoflivingrogues,setlooseonusbythevengeanceofadeadman'WhenRachelVerinder'sbirthdaypresent-theMoonstone,alargeIndiandiamond-isstolenatherparty,suspicionandthediamond'smysteriouscurseseemsettoruineveryoneandeverythingsheloves.OnlySergeantCuff'sfamousdetectiveskillsofferanyhopeofpeaceandafutureforthemall.TheintricateplotandmoderntechniqueofmultiplenarratorsmadeWilkieCollin's1868workahugesuccessintheVictoriansensationgenre.Withareconstructionofthecrime,redherringsanda'locked-room'puzzle,TheMoonstonewasalsoamajorprecursorofthemodernmysterynovel.ThePenguinEnglishLibrary-100editionsofthebestfictioninEnglish,fromtheeighteenthcenturyandtheveryfirstnovelstothebeginningoftheFirstWorldWar.
作者简介
WilkieCollins(1824-89)wasaprolificnovelist,playwrightandshort-storywriter.Bornintoafamilyofartists,inlaterlifethewriterofthirtynovelsandlifelongfriendofCharlesDickensbecameaddictedtoopium,whichhetooktohelprelievetheseverepainof'rheumaticgout',aformofarthritis.Hebegantosufferfromparanoiaandhallucinations,includingthepresenceofa'subjectivedoppelgänger'henamedGhostWilkie,andthedrugplaysaprominentpartinTheMoonstone.TheWomaninWhiteisalsopublishedinthePenguinEnglishLibrary.