The Moonstone

The moonstone, a sacred Indian gem protected by three guards and an ancient curse, is stolen by the British officer Herncastle. His life dissolves into ruin, his family rejecting him. In an act of revenge, he bequeaths the moonstone to his niece, Rachel, for her 18th birthday. As expected, the moonstone wreaks chaos on the family, disappearing the very night it is given to Rachel. Her plans to marry Franklin Blake are destroyed. Her high-minded cousin Godfrey is attacked. And the most renowned detective in all England suspects that the theif is none other than Rachel herself. The curse will only be removed with the return of the moonstone to its proper place. The Moonstone, filled with memorable characters, is quite sophisticated in delineating the complexities and misunderstanding of human interaction. It is considered to be among the best of modern English detective stories.