S A Novel Month of Mystery: Stolen Jewels | Some Little Good

A Novel Month of Mystery: Stolen Jewels

 
We're welcoming in the first full week of October with our bookstagram challenge #ANovelMonthofMystery!

This week's prompt is: Stolen Jewels
 
There are so many great stories that fall under this category, so we thought it would be fun to share a few different titles for all ages featuring the theft of precious gems!

 
The first book that we picked out for today is:

The Moonstone

Written by Wilkie Collins and published in 1868, this classic novel established many of the standards for the modern detective genre.

The story begins by relating the origins of the Moonstone, a highly valuable Indian diamond.  Through nefarious means, the stone ends up in the possession of Colonel Herncastle. 

In his will he bequeaths the diamond to his niece on her eighteenth birthday, along with all of the danger that surrounds the jewel!

 On the night of her eighteenth birthday, the stone disappears without a trace, leaving behind a web of unhappiness and misunderstandings.

 This book reads very much like the Victorian literature of the time - full of drama and suspense! It is an epistolary novel, and is told by many characters. One of our favorite narrators is the house-steward, Gabriel Betteredge. He begins the tale, and his deep passion for Robinson Crusoe has always made us want to read that book. When our leaning stack of mysteries stops threatening to consume us, we might get around to it one day!

You can read this book for free on Project Gutenberg HERE
And you can listen to this book for free on Librivox HERE


The second book we are sharing is:

The Window at The White Cat


"Margery Fleming comes to attorney Jack Knox seeking help - her father, Allan Fleming, has disappeared. Knox reluctantly agrees, and calls in detective Al Hunter to investigate. Knox is not too concerned about Fleming, as he has been seen around town.


Margery's aunt, Miss Susan Jane Maitland, asks Knox to help her revise her will. Knox goes to her home at Bellwood, and discovers that Jane has disappeared without a trace. At the same time, ten of her 98 precious pearls have disappeared also, apparently a theft."

Synopsis by The Mystillery

 This Mary Roberts Rinehart mystery is definitely one of our favorites! This book is scattered with humor and intrigue and we love revisiting it often.

 You can read this book for free on Project Gutenberg HERE
And you can listen to this book for free on Librivox HERE

The last book in our lineup is perfect for young and old mystery fans alike!

Piggins and The Royal Wedding

 In Piggins and the Royal Wedding, the bride's wedding ring disappears moments before the ceremony is to begin! But never fear, all is resolved when Piggins, the Reynard's clever butler, is called upon to investigate the crime.


Written by Jane Yolen, all of the Piggins picture books feature simple mysteries with clever twists. 

Also, the illustrations by Jane Dyer are simply magic! Filled with numerous details, each page is like taking a charming visit to St. Mary Mead. One of our favorite parts about these illustrations are all the clues tucked on each page along the way. 

Every time we finish a story, we always have to go back and look at all the pictures again to find each of the clues - it never ceases to amaze!

 
The Piggins books are now out of print, but you can still find them used on
Amazon, Thriftbooks, and Ebay
 
 
 
Honorable Mentions
 
A few more fun titles that we didn't have room to include, but that feature valuable jewels:
 
"The Mystery of the Blue Train" by Agatha Christie
"The Ruby and the Caldron" by Anna Katharine Green
"Leave it to Psmith" by P. G. Wodehouse 
(This one isn't technically a mystery, but it definitely centers around stolen jewels . . . 
As does many a Wodehouse story! 😁)
 
 
Have you ever read any of these titles?
Do you have a favorite mystery featuring stolen jewels? 
We always love discovering new gems! 📚



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