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The Woman in White cover art

The Woman in White

By: Wilkie Collins
Narrated by: Roger Rees, Rosalyn Landor, John Lee, Judy Geeson
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Summary

Young Walter Hartright meets the mysterious woman in white in what soon became one of the most popular novels of the 19th century. Secrets, mistaken identities, surprise revelations, amnesia, locked rooms and locked asylums, and an unorthodox villain made this mystery thriller an instant success when it first appeared in 1860, and it has continued to enthrall ever since.

From the hero's foreboding before his arrival at Limmeridge House to the nefarious plot concerning the beautiful Laura, the breathtaking tension of Collins's narrative created a new literary genre of suspense fiction, which profoundly shaped the course of English popular writing.

Generally considered the first English sensation novel, The Woman in White features the remarkable heroine Marian Halcombe and her sleuthing partner, drawing-master Walter Hartright, pitted against the diabolical team of Count Fosco and Sir Percival Glyde. A gripping tale of murder, intrigue, madness, and mistaken identity, Collins's psychological thriller has never been out of print since its publication in 1860.

While Collins's other great mystery, The Moonstone, has been called the finest detective story ever written, it was this work that so gripped the imagination of the world that Wilkie Collins had his own tombstone inscribed "Author of The Woman in White."

Public Domain (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

  • Audie Award Finalist, Classics, 2011

"Collins was a master craftsman, whom many modern mystery-mongers might imitate to their profit." (Dorothy L. Sayers)

What listeners say about The Woman in White

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

the wonderful woman in white

This has been a lovely, gentle book to wallow in - the easy flowing narrative, the delightful style harking back to a finer age in time and the clever weaving and wandering of the story line. There is simplicity in the romanticsim and ideas of the book but this really doesn't mattter when on a higher plane there is much to enjoy: beautifully constructed characters, delightful descriptions of people, places and scenes and the inevitability of where the story eventually ends up. A wonderful audio book that I recommend highly - for a historical setting with a relevant theme (jealousy, greed, love, boys-meets-girl, etc, etc), gentle pace with no shocks (no bad language, no violoence, etc) and a mystery cleverly woven through PLUS its an enjoyable listen! I think that the 'listen' is half the pleasure of some audio books - I would never have the time to have read The Woman in White but I was able to 'catch it' in the car, doing the housework, etc.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Glorious Narrators

This was a really excellent way to read The Woman in White. I would strongly recommend purchasing this version of the audiobook over any other which doesn't have such an extensive cast. The narrator changes many times throughout, and the shifts in narrator (each embodying the character very well) made this highly enjoyable, in a way which a single narrator may have lacked.

If you're looking for something short and sweet, um, stay away from 19th Century literature? But the mystery, plot turns, and suspense work for a modern reader, although some of the social anxieties about asylums might not.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The first thriller writer

Wilkie Collins is sometimes thought to be the first thriller writer, and this book bears out that idea. It is ideally written for translation into spoken word as it's in several parts, each written by a different character. This particular version exploits this by having several readers which greatly enhances the book.



Unlike many nineteenth century novels, 'The Woman in White' jumps into its plot from the very beginning and one is engaged with the characters right away. It has fewer characters than a Dickens novel, where you've often lost sight of someone long before they turn up again and so the story is tightly woven.



If you haven't read 'The Woman in White' or 'The Moonstone' I'm envious of the pleasure you have in store!



'The Woman in White'



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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Intriguing Mystery

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. At first the pace of the narrative seemed quite slow & took a while to get used to but as the story moved on it seemed to fit right in with the Victorian characters and period. I wanted to know what was going to happen next and couldn't wait for an opportunity to listen. It's a story of the time - forbidden love, oppressed women, with sinister characters and a mystery thrown in. Highly recommended.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • A
  • 13-04-13

Beautifully written and told!

I chose this book because it was a historical novel, narrated in part by John Lee (who i particularly like to listen to!) and because it was one of the longest books and I wanted a story to last me throughout my holiday and what a good choice....! I really enjoyed this book, it was beautifully written by a fabulous wordsmith! I particularly liked the way Wilki Collins tells the story through the memories of the characters in the story, it is a psychological thriller with suspense, secrets, frustrations and it keeps you interested throughout.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Really enjoyed this!

The Woman in White was a set book in my Uni course. This version broke up the monotony of reading and gave a fresh insight as there was a variety of narrators.

Definitely recommend this.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

so long and drawn out

very well done, but sooo long and drawn out. Turns out to be quite a simple story but twenty words are used when only a couple are needed. I guess it's the old English language. Took me several attempts to get to the end but it's ok.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Variety of voices makes this excellent

The original narrative is told by a variety of narrators - in this version they are voiced by different actors which makes it an enjoyable and varied listen. Thoroughly enjoyed the story.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Highly recommend

Great listen, very good characters and lots of twists and turns to keep you gripped throughout

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant performance of a classic

“The Woman In White” is an acknowledged Victorian classic and this performance does it full justice. The narrators read with energy, flair, and sensitivity and convey all the excitement, drama, and emotion of the work.
I would strongly recommend it.

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