Wilkie Collins was in such pain from rheumatic gout when dictating The Moonstone, a succession of secretaries gave up, unable to endure his cries and groans. The last parts of the novel were written under the effects of opium. The Moonstone (1868) is probably the first ever example of detective fiction, narrated from radically different points of view (also stoned). Genuis!

The book has several narratives and 50 chapters in total. To listen to or download these, please click here.