《月亮宝石》是被誉为英国小说和现代侦破小说的鼻祖的柯林斯的代表作，被誉为第一部最长和最优秀的现代侦探小说。这是一个由一颗巨大的钻石引起的曲折离奇的故事，这颗几百年来镶嵌在印度月亮神前额的宝石，因为颜色像月亮，光泽随月色变化而得名。根据神的旨意，它一直由三个婆罗门守卫着，神还预言说，谁要是拿走这颗宝石，灾祸就必将落到他的头上。十八世纪初叶，月亮宝石被抢，后来落到了英国军官亨卡斯尔上校的手中。在他将此作为生日礼物赠送给外甥女雷茜尔后，宝石突然失踪。经过许多周折，案件终于真相大白，月亮宝石最后又重嵌回到月亮神的前额上……

一颗巨大而美丽的宝石，数百年来一直镶嵌在印度神殿里月亮神的前额上，由三个婆罗门守卫。传说，谁要是偷走了这颗月亮宝石，灾祸就必将降临到他的头上。然而在雷切尔·韦林德小姐18岁生日这天，它却意外地成了她的生日礼物。可就在同一天晚上，它又失踪了。雷切尔的母亲请来卡夫探长，开始寻找失踪的宝石……

PR0L0GUE

THE STORMING OF SERINGAPATAM

(1799)

 Extracted from a Family Paper

THE ST0RY

First Period

THE LOSS OF THE DIAMOND (1848)

 The Events related by Gabriel Betteredge,

 House-steward in the service of Fulia,Laay

 Verinder

Second Period

THE DISC0VERY OF THE TRUTH

(1848-49)

 The Events related in several Narratives

FIRST NARRATIVE

 Contributed by Miss Clack,Niece of the late

 Sir Fohn Verinder

SECOND NARRATIVE

 Contributed by Mathew Bruff,Solicitor,of

 Gray’s Inn Square

THIRD NARRATIVE

 Contributed by Franklin Blake

FOURTH NARRATIVE

 Extractedfrom the Fournal of Ezra

 Fennings

FIFTH NARRATIVE

 The Story resumedbyFranklinBlake

SIXTH NARRATIVE

 Contributed by Sergeant Cuff

SEVENTH NARRATIVE

 In a Letter from Mr.Candy

EIGHTH NARRATIVE

 Contributed by Gabriel Betteredge

EPILOGUE

THE FINDING oF THE DIAMOND

I．THE STATEMENT OF SERGEANT CUFF’S

 MAN(1849)

II．THE STATEMENT OFTHE CAPTAIN(1849)

III．THE STATEMENT OF MR．MURTHWAITE

(1850)

In a Letter to Mr.Bruff