The Mystery of Edwin Drood

By Charles Dickens CONCLUDED BY Leon Garfield
Rating: 10+
Recommended Reading Age: 15

This was the last book that Charles Dickens wrote, and he had only reached the twenty-second chapter when he died in 1870, leaving this book far from finished.

After Edwin Drood disappears, suspicion of murder is harbored toward two men: John Jasper, Edwin's uncle, and Neville Landless, a mysterious young man who has recently settled in the the town with his twin sister, Helena. For the next 11 months, dread and conjecture circulate in this book. Did someone kill Edwin Drood? If so, who and why? Or did he leave of his own accord?

As I neared the the twenty-second chapter of this book, I got the feeling that I get when something that I really love is about to be gone. As that chapter was the termination of Dicken's writing, I felt as if no great expectations could be held for the writing skill of this person Leon Garfield. However, I feel that he did an excellent job of simulating the signature style and wit of Dickens in his writing. At times I could not tell if it was the added author, or Dickens himself. Also, Mr. Garfield did an exceptionally imaginative job of resolving the mystery. I couldn't have done it myself.

Please note that there are other conclusions to this mystery, done by other authors, and I only review the one done by Leon Garfield.