The Mystery of Edwin DroodThe final, unfinished novel of Charles Dickens that is in many ways his most intriguing—a gripping, haunting masterpiece that foreshadows the detective stories of Conan Doyle and the nightmarish novels of Kafka. The Mystery of Edwin Drood is a highly atmospheric tale of murder. Central to the plot is John Jasper: in public he is a man of integrity and benevolence; in private he is an opium addict. And while seeming to smile on the engagement of his nephew, Edwin Drood, he is, in fact, consumed by jealousy, driven to terrify the boy’s fiancée and to plot the murder of Edwin himself. As in many of Dickens’s greatest novels, the gulf between appearance and reality drives the action. Set in the seemingly innocuous cathedral town of Cloisterham, the story rapidly darkens with a sense of impending evil. Though The Mystery of Edwin Drood is one of its author’s darkest books, it also bustles with a vast roster of memorable–and delightfully named–minor characters: Mrs. Billikins, the landlady; the foolish Mr. Sapsea; the domineering philanthropist, Mr. Honeythunder; and the mysterious Datchery. Several attempts have been made over the years to complete the novel and solve the mystery, but even in its unfinished state it is a masterpiece. |
Contents
3 | |
A Dean and a Chapter Also | 7 |
The Nuns House | 18 |
Mr Sapsea | 31 |
Mr Durdles and Friend | 41 |
Philanthropy in Minor Canon Corner | 48 |
More Confidences Than One | 58 |
Daggers Drawn | 68 |
When Shall These Three Meet Again? | 147 |
Impeached | 160 |
Devoted | 170 |
Philanthropy Professional and Unprofessional | 180 |
A Settler in Cloisterham | 194 |
Shadow on the SunDial | 203 |
Divers Flights | 212 |
A Gritty State of Things Comes On | 228 |
Birds in the Bush | 78 |
Smoothing the Way | 92 |
A Picture and a Ring | 107 |
A Night with Durdles | 121 |
Both at Their Best | 136 |
The Dawn Again | 246 |
THE TRIAL OF JOHN JASPER FOR THE MURDER OF EDWIN DROOD | 263 |
NOTES | 355 |
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Common terms and phrases
answer Bazzard believe better Billickin brother called Canon Crisparkle Cathedral CHARLES DICKENS CHESTERTON Christmas Christmas Eve Cloisterham cries Crisparkle's CROTCH Datchery Dean dear dear boy deary Deputy Dickens Dickens's dinner door Durdles Eddy Edwin Drood evidence eyes face feel follow Furnival's Inn Gate House gentleman give Grewgious hand head Honeythunder hope Jack John Jasper JUDGE Jury knew learned friend leave light look Lord Matthew Pearl mean mind Minor Canon Corner Miss Landless Miss Rosa Miss Twinkleton murder Mystery of Edwin nephew never Neville Landless night Nuns once opium pass Philanthropist poor prisoner Pussy quicklime replies returned ring Rosa Bud Rosa's Sapsea seemed sister speak Staple Inn suppose sure Tartar tell thing thought told took Tope Tope's turn walk WALTERS watch window WITNESS woman word young lady