The Moonstone

The Moonstone, a priceless Indian diamond which had come to England as spoils of war, is given to Rachel Verrinder on her 18th birthday. That night, the stone is stolen. The phlegmatic Sergeant Cuff is called in, and with the help of the loquacious steward, Betteredge, the mystery is solved.

This seminal English mystery is presented in an unusual, but appropriate, manner, reflecting the episodic nature of the story. Three actors present the story in parts, taking on separate first-person accounts of events. All the voices are convincing, cultured British intonations describing the events surrounding the apparent theft of the Moonstone diamond from a country mansion. Each voice shades the various characters featured within the particular parts, just as the narrative offers characterizations of the other persons without attempting an outright mimicry. The abridgment is nicely done, too, avoiding any choppiness.