The Dead Alive

by Wilkie Collins

William Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) was an English novelist, playwright, and writer of short stories. He was hugely popular in his time, and wrote 27 novels, more than 50 short stories, at least 15 plays, and over 100 pieces of non-fiction work. His best-known works are The Woman in White (1860), The Moonstone (1868), Armadale (1866) and No Name (1862). His works were classified at the time as 'sensation novels', a genre seen nowadays as the precursor to detective fiction and suspense fiction. He also wrote penetratingly on the plight of women and on the social and domestic issues of his time. His novel, No Name combined social commentary - the absurdity of the law as it applied to children of unmarried parents - with a densely-plotted revenge thriller. Amongst his other works are: Basil (1852), Hide and Seek (1854), After the Dark (1856), The Frozen Deep (1857), The Queen of Hearts (1859), Man and Wife (1870), The New Magdalen (1873), The Law and the Lady (1875), The Two Destinies (1876), and A Rogue's Life (1879).

Genres: Classics, Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Crime, Short Stories, Gothic

72 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1873

About the author

Wilkie Collins was an English novelist and playwright, best known for The Woman in White (1860), an early sensation novel, and The Moonstone (1868), a pioneering work of detective fiction. Born to landscape painter William Collins and Harriet Geddes, he spent part of his childhood in Italy and France, learning both languages. Initially working as a tea merchant, he later studied law, though he never practiced. His literary career began with Antonina (1850), and a meeting with Charles Dickens in 1851 proved pivotal. The two became close friends and collaborators, with Collins contributing to Dickens' journals and co-writing dramatic works.
Collins' success peaked in the 1860s with novels that combined suspense with social critique, including No Name (1862), Armadale (1864), and The Moonstone, which established key elements of the modern detective story. His personal life was unconventional—he openly opposed marriage and lived with Caroline Graves and her daughter for much of his life, while also maintaining a separate relationship with Martha Rudd, with whom he had three children.
Plagued by gout, Collins became addicted to laudanum, which affected both his health and later works. Despite declining quality in his writing, he remained a respected figure, mentoring younger authors and advocating for writers' rights. He died in 1889 and was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery. His legacy endures through his influential novels, which laid the groundwork for both sensation fiction and detective literature.

Reviews

[Zaphirenia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ψυχαγωγική νουβέλα που βασίζεται σε πραγματική δικαστική υπόθεση στις ΗΠΑ, το πρώτο δικαστικό θρίλερ αναγράφεται στο εξώφυλλο του βιβλίου και δεν έχω λόγο να το αμφισβητήσω, ο Collins ήταν γενικά πρωτοπόρος, οπότε γιατί όχι και σε αυτό το είδος. Διαβάζεται πολύ γρήγορα και ευχάριστα, αν και τόσο ο τίτλος όσο και η εισαγωγή στην αρχή του βιβλίου προϊδεαζουν παραπάνω από επαρκώς για την εξέλιξη της πλοκής.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Καταρχάς, τι επιλογή εξωφύλλου είναι αυτή με τον χιπστερα που τσιγκελωνει το μουστάκι του. Σαν διαφήμιση για τρεντι μπαρμπερικο στην Νέα Σμύρνη. Αν τα παιδιά στην ποικίλη στοά το έκαναν για χαβαλέ, πέτυχαν. :‘)

Ενδιαφέρουσα ιστορία, απλή στην σύλληψη και την εκτέλεση της αλλά έξυπνη παρόλα αυτά, επιβεβαιώνοντας ότι οι πιο ιδιοσυγκρασιακοι άνθρωποι βρίσκονται στην πραγματική ζωή και δημιουργούν περίεργες καταστάσεις που η λογοτεχνία δυσκολεύεται πολύ να συλλάβει από μόνη της. Αυτό, μιας και όλη η ιστορία με ελάχιστες παραλλαγές βασίζεται σε πραγματική δικαστική υπόθεση και μάλιστα υποτίθεται την πρώτη διαπιστωμένη προσπάθεια πλάνης της αμερικανικής δικαιοσύνης.

Και τέτοιου είδους μικρα κείμενα, όπως και τα περισσότερα σε αυτή τη σειρά, για μένα λειτουργούν ως ανθολογία διαμέσου της οποίας τσιμπάς συγγραφείς για να διαβάσεις περαιτέρω. Όποτε εκ των πραγμάτων αυτές οι μικρές νουβέλες δεν είναι επαρκές δείγμα για την ποιότητα του συγγραφέα. Το ίδιο ισχύει με το συγκεκριμένο που κρατάει μεν το ενδιαφέρον, προσφέρει ένα ψυχαγωγικό δίωρο αλλά μέχρι εκεί. Δεν διέκρινα κάποιο εξαιρετικό δείγμα γραφής με το άπειρο μάτι μου, ούτε μπορώ να πω εντυπωσιάστηκα από το «αντίπαλο δέος του Καρόλου Ντίκενς». Ως προς αυτό, δεν είχα εντυπωσιαστεί ποτέ ούτε από τον ίδιο τον Ντίκενς. Η γραφή του Κολλινς είναι απλή, με λίγα στολίδια και οι χαρακτηρες που σκιαγραφεί πολύ βασικοί, ίσως γιατί δεν απαιτούσε το αναγνωστικό κοινό της εποχής κάτι παραπάνω από cheap thrills, λίγο τόλμη και γοητεία επί χάρτου. Πάντως για τα 4 ευρώ που κάνει στην πολιτεία και με την γρήγορη ροή του, δεν χάνει κανείς να το προσθέσει στο αναγνωστικό του ιστορικό.

[Elina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Γρήγορο διήγημα...είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο του συγγραφέα που διαβάζω και δεν πιστεύω ότι έκανα σωστή επιλογή για να τον γνωρίσω.

[Tristram Shandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

“‘I wish I had never given John Jago that meeting,’ she said. ‘When a man asks anything of a woman, the woman, I find, mostly repents it if she says, “Yes.”’”

Coming from an affianced lady, these words may not bode too well for the future bridegroom, but still, doubts as to the wisdom of marital choices are probably not the biggest problem the family we get to know in Wilkie Collins’s rather long short story The Dead Alive have to face.

Mr. Lefrank, our first-person narrator, is a British lawyer, who is so overworked that upon his doctor’s advice, he takes some time off and visits remote relatives in the United States, a family of well-to-do farmers. On the night of his arrival, however, he finds out that the Meadowcrofts are mired in a continuous period of domestic strife: Old Mr. Meadowcroft, after giving the farm to his two sons, Ambrose and Silas, was not too satisfied with their management of it, and therefore set Mr. John Jago over them as a steward of the farm – a man who strikes our narrator with the expression of nigh-mad unrest in his eyes. To make matters even more complicated, Ambrose and Silas’s sister, an embittered religious bigot, has set her cap on the steward and resents her brothers’ unwillingness to accept him as a manager, and she also resents – being a woman full of the capacity to resent – the presence of Naomi Colebrook, a remote cousin of theirs and the affianced bride of Ambrose. John Jago, on the other hand, is looking elsewhere for a future wife. All in all, if Mr. Lefrank’s intention was to get some rest from the stress he undergoes in his office, it was probably not such a very wholesome idea to go and see the Meadowcrofts.

After a day or two in the family fold, Mr. Lefrank witnesses an acrimonious quarrel between the two brothers and the steward in which they barely fall short of coming to blows. A little time later, Mr. John Jago has disappeared, and the ugly suspicion of having done away with him falls on Ambrose and Silas, a suspicion that gets further confirmation when the neighbours, searching the place, find some buttons of Jago’s and some bones in a limekiln, as well as the solid stick that Ambrose used to carry with him. The title The Dead Alive may possibly tell you where this story is heading, but still, it is quite interesting to see the different family members act in their specific ways in this time of family crisis. Collins even gives a redeeming moment of grace to the scheming Miss Meadowcroft, when she shows herself really worried at the thought of what might have happened to Jago, but the first-person narrator’s main focus of sympathy, and in this he is to guide the readers, is on young cousin Naomi. I thought there was a lot to admire in the plucky young woman, but her treatment of Ambrose seemed a bit too high-handed to me.

What I found quite an amusing plot element was the situation when they found bones in the limekiln and couldn’t really tell whether they were from a human or an animal. Now, if this were a matter of table manners or so, I’d say that I also find it difficult in certain cases to make the distinction, but with bones the question cannot be all too difficult, and I had to chuckle when I read that experts disagreed heavily on the provenance of those bones. I was also reminded of a Sherlock Holmes story where a death was feigned with the help of charred rabbit bones in a fire. Yes, rabbit bones. Some people may not have much of a spine, but still their anatomical backbone will hardly be mistaken for that of a rodent – if a lot of other things will.

Apart from that little detail, however, I really enjoyed the story – and in a way, I also enjoyed this detail.

[Λίνα Θωμάρεη · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ο Κόλινς εδώ μας γνωρίζει το νομικό σύστημα των ΗΠΑ το οποίο έμπαζε νερά από τότες και που στην περίπτωση του βιβλίου, το οποίο βασίζεται σε αληθινά γεγονότα, 2 νέοι φυλακίζονται με την κατηγορία του φόνου, παρόλο που τα στοιχεία που μαζεύονται δεν είναι τελείως ξεκάθαρα και ακόμα οι μαρτυρίες είναι περιορισμένες σε φήμες και κουτσομπολιό. Με λίγα λόγια αυτό το βιβλίο θα μπορούσε να χαρακτηριστεί ένα ακόμα φιάσκο της Αμερικάνικης Δικαιοσύνης και την τρομοκρατία που επικρατούσε από τότε, ώστε άνθρωποι που το βροντοφωνάζουν ότι είναι αθώοι "θάβονται" στην προχειρότητα μεν αλλά άμεση αντιμετώπιση δε των αρχών ώστε να φέρουν την λεγόμενη δικαίωση.

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was surprised to see that I've read so little of Wilkie Collins. This being my theirs of his work. While I found this to be rather a good read it felt to short to be as well developed as I had wanted. But then again short stories are rarely my cup of tea. This was a great reminder though to pick up more of his work in the nearest future as possible

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book I read on our rainy vacation was The Dead Alive by Wilkie Collins which was written in 1874 and based on the Boorn Brothers murder case which of course I had to look up. They are right, whoever it is that said the story is based on the Boorn Brothers case, while there are differences, Collins book is close to what happened.

In this book Collins gives us Philip Lefrank. Philip has fainted at his desk, alarming his clerk and ending up with the doctor. The doctor tells him that while his heart is right, and he can discover no organic disease, he is not going to die yet. The disease he suffers with is overwork, and the remedy is rest. But our narrator can't just rest, it is term time, the courts are sitting, his table is filled with briefs waiting for him, he is a junior barrister in good practice, it is impossible to rest. But that very day the senior counsel in the case he was on applied for some information which it was his duty to supply and to his horror and amazement, he was unable to collect his ideas, all facts and dates mingled together confusedly in his mind. He was led out of court and the next day followed his doctor's advice and took passage for America in the first steamer that sailed for New York.

Not the best idea, at least I don't think so. For he is going to visit relatives (that would be bad enough) but he is now on his way across the country to visit his relative, Mr. Isaac Meadowcroft, of Morwick Farm. Here is what he tells us of his trip through America:

There are some of the grandest natural prospects on the face of creation in America. There is also to be found in certain States of the Union, by way of wholesome contrast, scenery as flat, as monotonous, and as uninteresting to the traveler, as any that the earth can show. The part of the country in which M. Meadowcroft’s farm was situated fell within this latter category. I looked round me when I stepped out of the railway-carriage on the platform at Morwick Station; and I said to myself, “If to be cured means, in my case, to be dull, I have accurately picked out the very place for the purpose.”

I look back at those words by the light of later events; and I pronounce them, as you will soon pronounce them, to be the words of an essentially rash man, whose hasty judgment never stopped to consider what surprises time and chance together might have in store for him.

So our narrator ends up at the home of Isaac Meadowcroft and his two sons, Ambrose and Silas, his unmarried daughter whose name I can't remember, their cousin Naomi Colebrook, and the man who causes all the trouble, John Jago. Of the people now gathered together for dinner, Mr. Meadowcroft is described as a "confirmed invalid, confined by chronic rheumatism to his chair. His daughter is a "melancholy, middle-aged woman, without visible attractions of any sort". As for the brothers, they are described by our narrator this way:

Silas Meadowcroft came in at the same moment, and was presented to me by his brother. There was a strong family likeness between them, Ambrose being the taller and the handsomer man of the two. But there was no marked character in either face. I set them down as men with undeveloped qualities, waiting (the good and evil qualities alike) for time and circumstances to bring them to their full growth.

And our Mr. Jago is:

He was short, spare, and wiry; singularly pale for a person whose life was passed in the country. The face was in other respects, besides this, a striking face to see. As to the lower part, it was covered with a thick black beard and mustache, at a time when shaving was the rule, and beards the rare exception, in America. As to the upper part of the face, it was irradiated by a pair of wild, glittering brown eyes, the expression of which suggested to me that there was something not quite right with the man’s mental balance. A perfectly sane person in all his sayings and doings, so far as I could see, there was still something in those wild brown eyes which suggested to me that, under exceptionally trying circumstances, he might surprise his oldest friends by acting in some exceptionally violent or foolish way. “A little cracked”—that in the popular phrase was my impression of the stranger who now made his appearance in the supper-room.

And finally we have Naomi we're told:

she had a small head, well carried, and well set on her shoulders; bright gray eyes, that looked at you honestly, and meant what they looked; a trim, slight little figure—too slight for our English notions of beauty; a strong American accent; and (a rare thing in America) a pleasantly toned voice, which made the accent agreeable to English ears.

Now they have me wondering how my voice would sound to an English person. So these are the people we have and this is the dinner they have the night he arrives:

By way of making my first evening at the farm all the more embarrassing to me as a stranger, I discovered before long that the father and sons were talking indirectly at each other, through Mr. Jago and through me. When old Mr. Meadowcroft spoke disparagingly to his overlooker of some past mistake made in the cultivation of the arable land of the farm, old Mr. Meadowcroft’s eyes pointed the application of his hostile criticism straight in the direction of his two sons. When the two sons seized a stray remark of mine about animals in general, and applied it satirically to the mismanagement of sheep and oxen in particular, they looked at John Jago, while they talked to me. On occasions of this sort—and they happened frequently—Naomi struck in resolutely at the right moment, and turned the talk to some harmless topic. Every time she took a prominent part in this way in keeping the peace, melancholy Miss Meadowcroft looked slowly round at her in stern and silent disparagement of her interference. A more dreary and more disunited family party I never sat at the table with. Envy, hatred, malice and uncharitableness are never so essentially detestable to my mind as when they are animated by a sense of propriety, and work under the surface. But for my interest in Naomi, and my other interest in the little love-looks which I now and then surprised passing between her and Ambrose, I should never have sat through that supper. I should certainly have taken refuge in my French novel and my own room.

From what I gathered as I read Silas and Ambrose hate John Jago, they don't like that their father put this man in charge of the farm, Miss Meadowcroft however, intends on marrying Mr. Jago one way or another, and therefore does not care for her brothers who are always getting into battles with Mr. Jago. She also isn't fond of having Naomi around, I guess she doesn't like the look in Mr. Jago's eyes when Naomi walks into the room. Ambrose loves Naomi, and Naomi loves Ambrose. And Jago has no interest in Miss Meadowcroft, but has much interest in Naomi. These are the people we are stuck with. Things like this are happening all the time:

Ambrose and Silas both approached me hospitably, with their open cigar-cases in their hands.

“You were quite right to say ‘No,’” Ambrose began. “Never smoke with John Jago. His cigars will poison you.”

“And never believe a word John Jago says to you,” added Silas. “He is the greatest liar in America, let the other be whom he may.”

Naomi shook her forefinger reproachfully at them, as if the two sturdy young farmers had been two children.

“What will Mr. Lefrank think,” she said, “if you talk in that way of a person whom your father respects and trusts? Go and smoke. I am ashamed of both of you.”

Silas slunk away without a word of protest. Ambrose stood his ground, evidently bent on making his peace with Naomi before he left her.

Then we have this:

There’s hardly a day goes by that hard words don’t pass between the boys and John, or the boys and their father. The old man has an aggravating way, Mr. Lefrank—a nasty way, as we do call it—of taking John Jago’s part. Do speak to him about it when you get the chance. The main blame of the quarrel between Silas and John the other day lies at his door, as I think. I don’t want to excuse Silas, either. It was brutal of him—though he is Ambrose’s brother—to strike John, who is the smaller and weaker man of the two. But it was worse than brutal in John, sir, to out with his knife and try to stab Silas. Oh, he did it! If Silas had not caught the knife in his hand (his hand’s awfully cut, I can tell you; I dressed it myself), it might have ended, for anything I know, in murder—”

And then one day Mr. Jago takes a trip to Narrabee, the market town and doesn't come back. They search Narrabee, he hasn't been there. They search the property and they find some bones, some buttons of Jago's, although how you recognize buttons from one person or another I don't know, and Ambrose's walking stick. And before long the brothers find themselves arrested for the murder of Mr. Jago. It was interesting that these experts couldn't seem to agree on whether the bones that were found were human or animal bones. It seems to me that should have been rather important when arresting people. I'm not sure, not having examined any bones ever, but I think I could tell the difference between dog bones and people bones, or horse bones, or rabbit bones. And here I sit thinking, this book was based on a real event, so maybe bones are harder to identify than I think. So whose bones are they? Who killed Mr. Jago? I won't tell you, but think about the title of the book for awhile and you just might figure it out without reading the book, although I'd still read the book. Happy reading.

[Δημήτρης · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 περίπου είναι η γενική βαθμολογία του βιβλίου. Νομίζω είναι από τις πιο accurate βαθμολογίες που έχω πετύχει στο goodreads. Αν μπορούσα θα του έβαζα 3,5 αστεράκια αλλά θα βάλω 4 αντί για 3 καθώς το τελείωσα αμέσως και με κράτησε η γραφή.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another incredible story by Wilkie Collins telling the story of a murder in United States and how a British lawyer has solved this mysterious case.

Available for download at http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7891

[Ellen Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Wilkie Collins. His works were the first pieces of literature to touch me to the core and I love that he always has so much forgiveness and hope in his books. I started reading his books at a time when I felt very hopeless, alone, and sad. His words always lifted me up, his characters always showed me that all was not lost, and his stories proved that one can be redeemed.

This short story was very enjoyable I had read it before but did not remember much about it, and even when I read it this time, it was like reading it for the first time. The suspense made me hold my breath and I flew over the pages as fast as I could in order to reach the end and find out whether justice was achieved or not.

The characters are not very developed or anything, so it is hard to deduce anything yourself. You have to be content to simply keep reading and follow the author's guiding hand until you find yourself out of the dark waters. I did not know what to believe, what to expect, who to root for, or anything. I just knew that the man telling the story had nothing to do with the mystery.

[Oziel Bispo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um homem desaparece repentinamente. A descoberta de alguns ossos, uma faca,dois botões e o aparecimento de um fantasma nos sonhos de um cidadão respeitado apontam a suspeita direta contra dois irmãos que sabidamente não gostavam do homem desaparecido e brigaram com ele no dia de seu desaparecimento.Apesar da dúvida quanto aos ossos serem humanos, os irmãos são presos; um irmão acusa o outro; o último, primeiro afirma sua inocência, mas depois confessa a fim de garantir uma sentença mais leve; apesar da advertência do juiz sobre ser perigoso confessar por esperança e pelo medo, os irmãos são rapidamente condenados...
Qual dos dois irmãos cometeu o assassinato?
Baseado em um caso real ocorrido em Vermont em 1819 nos Estados Unidos...

[Marilena ⚓ · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5*

Το τρίτο βιβλίο που διαβάζω απο τον συγγραφέα ''Ο ζωντανός νεκρός'' ήταν πολύ ωραίο αλλά σε καμία περίπτωση δεν συγκρίνεται με το ''η γυναίκα με τα άσπρα'' ή το ''θαμμένο μυστικό'', αλλά και σε αυτή τη μικρή νουβέλα μαγνητίζει με την υπέροχη γραφή του. Εμπνευσμένος απο μια δικαστική απόφαση των ΗΠΑ δημιουργεί τη δική του ιστορία με μικρές παραλλαγές από την πραγματική. Η εξαφάνιση του Τζέικο που δεν ήταν και ο πιο συμπαθής άνθρωπος της περιοχής. θα βάλει στο στόχαστρο τους ανθρώπους που δεν είχαν καλές σχέσεις μαζί του. Χωρίς πραγματικά στοιχεία η απόφαση θα παρθεί και ο ένοχος θα κριθεί. Μα Είναι πράγματι όλα όπως δείχνουν;

Ο Collins μέσω των αβάσιμων στοιχείων μας παρουσιάζει ότι το δικαστικό σύστημα απο τότε δεν ήταν τόσο σωστό όσο έπρεπε. Ότι οι άνθρωποι κρίνουν και πιστεύουν ότι θέλουν, επιβεβαιώνοντας ότι ακόμα και χωρίς στοιχεία μπορεί να δικάσουν κάποιον είτε είναι ένοχος είτε όχι. Το προτείνω σε όσους αναζητούν μια γρήγορη ιστορία που θα την διαβάσουν μέσα σε λίγες ώρες!

[Evi Routoula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Λατρεύω τον Γουίλκι Κόλινς και γενικά την βικτωριανή λογοτεχνία. έτσι με μεγάλη χαρά ανακάλυψα αυτή την μεγάλη νουβέλα στο βιβλιοπωλείο. Είναι μια νέα έκδοση των εκδόσεων Ποικίλη Στοά, του φίλου μου του Ξενοφώντα του Μπρουντζάκη. Τους τελευταίους μήνες η Ποικίλη Στοά μας έχει χαρίσει νουβέλες διάσημων κλασικών συγγραφέων σε επανεκδόσεις με καινούριες μεταφράσεις και εξώφυλλα πουλύ καλαίσθητα.
Πρόκειται για το πρώτο δικαστικό θρίλερ των εποχών. Δύο αδέλφια στις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες κατηγορούνται άδικα για τον φόνο του επιστάτη τους. Ο συγγραφέας εμπνεύστηκε να γράψει αυτήν την ιστορία από πραγματικά γεγονότα που είχαν συμβεί εκείνη την εποχή στην Αμερική. Είναι ένα κατηγορώ στο αμερικανικό δικανικό σύστημα καθώς και στην θανατική ποινή, η οποία δεν μπορεί να διορθωθεί! Οι χαρακτήρες αναλύονται όμορφα παρά το μικρό μέγεθος του έργου: μια γεροντοκόρη που αγαπά κρυφά, μια ομορφη νέα και αθώα γυναίκα, ένας εξαφανισμένος επιστάτης, ο ηλικιωμένος πάτερ φαμίλιας παροπλισμένος, ένας νεαρός δικηγόρος που δεν μπορεί να απομακρυνθεί από τα δικαστήρια ούτε στις διακοπές του! ( με τον τελευταίο δένομαι χωρίς να θέλω!!) Υπέροχα δείγματα γραφής από τον πατέρα της αστυνομικής λογοτεχνίας.

[Matina Kyriazopoulou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Αγαπημένος Collins, εξαιρετικός ακόμη και σε τόσο μικρής έκτασης έργο του. Δεν ξέρω αν έχει γυριστεί σε ταινία αλλά αν όχι, θα έπρεπε. Σε κρατά σε αγωνία για τη συνέχεια. Το διάβασα μέσα σε δυο ώρες και θα το ξαναδιάβαζα άνετα αν δε με περίμεναν τόσα στο κομοδίνο.

[Ruby Bibi · Rating 3 out of 5]

-Wilkie Collins has a style of writing that’s interesting, clear and absorbing. Though this is a very short story, it still retains the earmark of his other novels, of which I’m a large fan.
-This story is different from his usual stories in that it’s based on an actual event, even retaining many of the actual details of that occurrence. The story as written, though, seems to be a purely imaginative fiction.
-The narrator is Philip Lefrank, a young barrister living in England. He’s stressed from his work and a doctor advises that he must rest or he may even die. When he feels that he must continue to work despite the doctor’s warnings, he forgets key points of the cases under his watch and he realizes that a rest period is necessary.
-He leaves for the United States, to a farm owned by cousins in the Midwest. He arrives there and meets Ambrose and Silas Meadowcroft, their sister and their aged and invalid father. Also related to the Meadowcroft family but through Mr. Meadowcroft rather than through his wife, as Frank is related, was a young charming woman, Naomi Colebrook who has a relationship with Ambrose. Rounding out the group was John Jago, who was hired to restore the farm to profitability, which he successfully did, as the Meadowcroft brothers were not able to do. John has earned the ear of the Meadowcroft father and is treated as a favorite because of this.
-At dinner, the enmity between Jago and the Meadowcroft brothers hangs in the room. Philip’s presence, as well as Naomi’s kind manner, lessen the intensity somewhat but it’s still greatly felt.
-One day, John disappears, and there is evidence that suggests that John has been killed. At first the brothers profess their innocence but then, in a surprising turn of events, Silas accuses his brother of the murder.
-Very interesting as to how the story continues to unfold and, though the story is brief and could have been expanded upon, the writing is excellent.

[Perry Whitford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent little potboiler from the chum of Charles Dickens, based on a real-life case where two brothers were wrongly accused of murder.

In Vermont, 1812, farmhand Russell Colvin suddenly disappeared. After human bones and a few other articles are found several years later, Stephen and Jesse Boorn are accused of his murder. Due to the advice of their council and, notably, the credulity afforded to a supernatural visitation by the dead Colvin to the brother's uncle, the brothers confessed to the crime.

The facts of this case and the details of Collins's story are so similar you could hardly call this a work of fiction, iwere it not for the change of names and the addition of a romantic subplot. His powers of description, which waned over the long form of narrative in later years, were still potent in the shorter. I was on board after this early characterisation of the brother's sister Miss Meadowcroft:

'a melancholy, middle-aged woman, without visible attractions of any sort—one of those persons who appear to accept the obligation of living under protest, as a burden which they would never have consented to bear if they had only been consulted first.'

It's worth reading up on the Boorn brothers case, a truly remarkable tale. In his own note at the end Collins says of the relationship between his own story and the case which inspired it,

that all the “improbable events” in the story are matters of fact, taken from the printed narrative. Anything which “looks like truth” is, in nine cases out of ten, the invention of the author.

He was right.

[Michael Sorbello · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty decent crime story that’s less of a thriller and more of a “so who’s the bad guy?” episode of CSI or Law and Order. I enjoyed the happy, if a bit cliche ending, and the main female protagonist was interesting enough. Not groundbreaking, but by no means bad.

[Magda Komotoglou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Πάντα καλός αλλά σε σύγκριση με τα αριστουργήματα του, Αρμαντέιλ, η γυναίκα με τα άσπρα κλπ, αυτό το βιβλίο είναι μικρό.

[Tara MacDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did it as a audiobook style, read thru a podcast. Part of Dateline NBCs Morroson Mysteries. Nothing better than Keith Morrison reading you a book!

[Michelle's Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dead Alive written by Wilkie Collins in the 1870s is on the real-life wrongful conviction of Stephen and Jesse Boorn that happened in 1819 in the United States, in the state of Vermont. It shines a light on the failures of the legal system when it came to collecting forensic evidence. Some editions of this book might contain a detailed review of the 1819 Boorn case. Mine, however, only contains a short paragraph at the end about the Boorn case written by Wilkie Collins.

As you can see, The Dead Alive is much shorter story (a novella) than his typical novels, about the size of a pamphlet…just something to be aware of if you are price shopping for the physical book. I like to read physical books, but had I known ahead of time that this book was going to be this small for the same price as one of Wilkie’s regular sized novels, I might have skipped buying it since it’s available online for free. This is another book that is in the public domain, which means it’s available for free to read on Gutenberg.org, or listen to at Librivox.org.

The law and it’s failures and characters who are just everyday people yet feel compelled to take circumstances into their own hands to bring about justice, are consistent themes that run through many of Collins’ books including The Woman in White, The Moonstone, No Name, The Law and the Lady, and Man and Wife.

Most of the characters are male in this book, but there is one female character and the twist or surprise at the end is related to her. It’s not a big twist and this is not a complicated book, but it was the only thing in the book that brought me any surprise as I neared the end. Wilkie Collins has written better books than this, but for all you CSI and NCSI fans who are interested in forensics and criminal cases, and certainly if you are a Wilkie Collins fan, this might be for you. If so, go to your quiet place and start reading or listening.

[booklearner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I immensely enjoyed The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins. So, as often is the result of something I love, I went in search of more books by same author. This is my next foray into the Collins canon. A novella really, this took no time at all for me to finish; it was a pretty easy read.

I found it moderately interesting, could predict some of what would happen, but novellas and short stories are not really my thing. I did not realize it was so short when I ordered it through my library system. But, I read it and was glad to add another title to last year’s list of books read.

Collins paints a good descriptive atmosphere that one could feel. I like that in a book. I might forget the details of what happened, but I carry the feel of a story around with me. I also thought the content gave some fodder for the brain. SPOILER: Even though the brothers did not commit murder as the town believed, their actions of hatred leading up to the dramatic episode in question reaped hard consequences. Jago was not physically dead, yet they had ‘murdered him in their hearts’ and were paying the price. One man lost his fiancé in the whole matter… to another man much more deserving. END OF SPOILER.

If you want to stretch yourself to read something a little deeper but are not used to thick tomes or heavy vocabulary, I would recommend this book to you. As an added bonus, the story is loosely based on a true story. There is benefit to be gained by it, and will not require much time. Another score in my book for Collins!

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read It Here

Laura rated it 4*

1874 - "John Jago's Ghost; or The Dead Alive"

First lines - "HEART all right," said the doctor. "Lungs all right. No organic disease that I can discover. Philip Lefrank, don't alarm yourself. You are not going to die yet. The disease you are suffering from is--overwork. The remedy in your case is--rest."

The uneasiness mounts:

Page 6: By way of making my first evening at the farm all the more embarrassing to me as a stranger, I discovered before long that the father and sons were talking indirectly _at_ each other, through Mr. Jago and through me.

[Dorcas · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

A pleasant little who dunnit murder mystery, based on true events. A British solicitor is advised to go away for health reasons and rest up. He takes himself to a distant relative's farm in Vermont where two brothers are accused of murdering the farm manager. The one person who may hold a clue is the brother Ambrose's fiance; a pretty young woman named Naomi Colebrook.

What follows is a trial of circumstantial evidence, but no body.

Its an ok read but I was hoping for more suspense. This is more like playing the boardgame "Clue". But not bad for a novella. And its free on kindle.

[Sophia K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent! I have read almost all books written by Dickens but didn't know about Wilkie Collins!
Bought it at the El.Venizelos airport. Love the cover of this edition and it was what actually intrigued me to pick it up.
Now I'm hooked and will read EVERYTHING he ever written.

[Ελενη Ηλιαδου · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ο ζωντανός νεκρός ειναι μια νουβέλα του Ουιλκι Κόλινς που η κεντρική της ιδέα αναγάγετε σε μια αληθινή υπόθεση που απασχόλησε την δικαιοσύνη στην Αμερική το 1819. Πρόκειται για την πρωτη αποδεδειγμένη δικαστική πλάνη στην ιστορία τον ΗΠΑ. Εδω ο Κόλινς μας παρουσιάζει τα κενά που υπαρχουν στην δικαιοσύνη και το πως καποιος αθώος μπορει να βρεθεί αντιμέτωπος με την κρεμάλα μονο και μονο απο λανθασμένες διαγνώσεις ιατροδικαστών,ψευδές μαρτυρίες και την πιεςη που ασκείται στους κατηγορούμενους. Απλα υπέροχο

[Stefanos Chatzianagnostou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ευχάριστο και με ωραίο χτίσιμο, χωρίς να είναι τρομερό. Η αφήγηση πολύ καλή, χωρίς ιδιαίτερη δράση αλλά σε κρατάει ως το τέλος.

[Mwrogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to Keith Morrison read this book! It was wonderful.

[Dana Noel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting, to say the least. Boring, to be truthful, lol

[Cirtnecce · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot unlike other Collin’s plots, is based away from England and set in rural America.Philip Lefrank, an overworked and now sick lawyer is advised by his doctors to take a break from work for the sake of his health. He therefore sets off to America to visit some cousins of his who run a farm – The Medowcroft of the Morwick Farm. He arrives at Morwick station and is met my Issac Medowcroft’s eldest son – Ambrose, who appears to be a handsome and personable individual and who entertains Lefrank with interesting and candid conversation all the way to their journey to the Mrowick Farm.There he finally meets his host and the patriarch of the family Issac Medowcroft, his daughter, his daughter, a grim faced unhappy looking Miss Medowcroft and their cousin, Naomi Colebrook, with whom Ambrose seemed to be in love. The atmosphere of the house seemed strained and Lefrank was glad to retire to his own room. When he came down for dinner that night, he was introduced to the younger brother Silas and yet another person, John Jago who apparently ran the farm on behalf of Issac Medowcroft. It is soon apparent to Lefrank that things are not as they seem and there are tensions and undercurrents at play in between the Medowcroft household. The brothers do not like John Jago who seems to have the good opinion and trust of the elder Medowcroft and Miss Medowcroft for sure did not like Naomi Colebrook. After dinner, Naomi, seeks an interview with Lefrank and shares her angst about the continuing tension and unpleasantness in the household and seeks his help in trying to speak to the brothers. It is at this point John Jago approaches Naomi and requests to speak to her, to which Naomi agrees, setting of a series of events, with unforeseen results.

This is not perhaps one of the best works of Collin’s and it lacks the plot tenacity of The Moonstone or the Women in White. But it is Collin’s and till the end, you are kept guessing what and who? The ensemble of characters like all of Collin’s works have a large range -the now enfeebled patriarch, the angry woman scorned, the gentle heroine, the good brother and the weakling and the strange outsider. You name it and they are all there and they are woven so well in the plot that it seems like taking even one of them out would leave a gaping hole in the narrative.The women do seem to verge at two ends of the spectrum, but this was a Victorian man writing the novel and allowances have to be made for that day and age! The narrative without doubt the tale is kind of uni-dimensional. the length of the novella and the vivid characterization ensures that the story does not come across as flat. It straight forward no frills and no gore writing that brings the reader to the climatic end, smoothly and tries up the lose ends cleanly.

A very good one time, read it through the night novella!

[Bettielee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting something creepy and this was actually a mystery, and based on tru fax! I can't tell you about it though or that will completely spoil it. To be honest, I sort of knew what was going to happen because it was fairly predictable and, the author sort of ruined it as well. I can't explain that either - let's just say that what happens at the close of the story could have come as a big shock if the author hadn't said "and now that X has happened I knew that Y would happen" and then Y happened.

Basically, our hero is a frail hero, and is ordered by his doctor to rest or suffer a breakdown. So he steams for America from England and goes to stay at his uncle's cousin's father's farm or something like that. The farm is peopled by an old patriarch, his dried-up old biddy of a daughter who sees it as her job to make everyone's life as miserable as possible, and two hardworking but rather dim-witted sons. There is also a lovely cousin who has blown in like a breath of fresh air and fallen in love with one of the dimwits. Last is a bearded and vengeful steward the patriarch hired behind the dimwit's back, the old biddy is in love with, and the dimwits see as a meddler. The dinner table in this house is a real hoot.

As you can imagine, the farm has become a tinderbox and after a terrible fight between the dimwits and the steward, the steward disappears. At this point it got really good. I didn't know who to believe! I didn't want to believe either of the brothers could have killed him. Is he dead? Did he just disappear in a huff, or did he do it on purpose? What was his mysterious convo in the garden with the young cousin about? The ending is a huge mix of ... stuff. It left me very conflicted. Some parts are happy, some are sad. It's really good and very short - not a book, hardly a novella. I'd say very long short story.