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Our Mutual Friend

Dickens' last complete novel was published serially 1864-5. It begins with an intriguing fortune offered to John Harmon by his late father, a rich dust contractor, in his will.

To receive the money, John must marry a certain Bella Wilfer who he does not know from Eve. He is returning from the exile enforced by his father and confides in a ship's mate who attempts to murder him. The mate gets killed instead, leaving one inconvenient corpse. Because John is considered dead (the body is found with his papers), the money passes to Mr Boffin, old Harmon's foreman. Harmon adopts Bella and John comes into his employ disguised as John Rokesmith. Bella does not fall for John but through kindly Boffin's contrivances learns to hate money and fall for her suitor under his false name. Eventually she learns of his true identity as the Boffins had previously, and the villainous one-legged Silas Wegg's plot to blackmail Mr Boffin is brought to light.

There is also a story running behind the main plot about a certain Eugene Wrayburn and his love for Lizzie Hexam, and his rival's attempt to murder him. The two plots are only really connected through the waterside murders but it allows Dickens to indulge in an extremely socially diverse cast of characters. (Summary written by Alan Chant).

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bk1_01 - Book the First - Chapter 01 ON THE LOOK OUT (Ophelia Darcy)
bk1_02 - Book the First - Chapter 02 THE MAN FROM SOMEWHERE (Kirsten Ferreri)
bk1_03 - Book the First - Chapter 03 ANOTHER MAN (junk science)
bk1_04 - Book the First - Chapter 04 THE R. WILFER FAMILY (Ophelia Darcy)
bk1_05 - Book the First - Chapter 05 BOFFIN'S BOWER (audiotoshokan)
bk1_06 - Book the First - Chapter 06 CUT ADRIFT (Andy Minter (1934-2017))
bk1_07 - Book the First - Chapter 07 MR WEGG LOOKS AFTER HIMSELF (David Barnes)
bk1_08 - Book the First - Chapter 08 MR BOFFIN IN CONSULTATION (Alan Chant)
bk1_09 - Book the First - Chapter 09 MR AND MRS BOFFIN IN CONSULTATION (Alan Chant)
bk1_10 - Book the First - Chapter 10 A MARRIAGE CONTRACT (galaxiant)
bk1_11 - Book the First - Chapter 11 PODSNAPPERY (Ophelia Darcy)
bk1_12 - Book the First - Chapter 12 THE SWEAT OF AN HONEST MAN'S BROW (Andy Minter (1934-2017))
bk1_13 - Book the First - Chapter 13 TRACKING THE BIRD OF PREY (junk science)
bk1_14 - Book the First - Chapter 14 THE BIRD OF PREY BROUGHT DOWN (mikenkat)
bk1_15 - Book the First - Chapter 15 TWO NEW SERVANTS (mikenkat)
bk1_16 - Book the First - Chapter 16 MINDERS AND RE-MINDERS (JemmaBlythe)
bk1_17 - Book the First - Chapter 17 A DISMAL SWAMP (Andy Minter (1934-2017))
bk2_01 - Book the Second - Chapter 01 OF AN EDUCATIONAL CHARACTER (Ophelia Darcy)
bk2_02 - Book the Second - Chapter 02 STILL EDUCATIONAL (Kirsten Ferreri)
bk2_03 - Book the Second - Chapter 03 A PIECE OF WORK (roolynninms)
bk2_04 - Book the Second - Chapter 04 CUPID PROMPTED (roolynninms)
bk2_05 - Book the Second - Chapter 05 MERCURY PROMPTING (Kirk Thomas)
bk2_06 - Book the Second - Chapter 06 A RIDDLE WITHOUT AN ANSWER (Alan Chant)
bk2_07 - Book the Second - Chapter 07 IN WHICH A FRIENDLY MOVE IS ORIGINATED (Rick Box)
bk2_08 - Book the Second - Chapter 08 IN WHICH AN INNOCENT ELOPEMENT OCCURS (JemmaBlythe)
bk2_09 - Book the Second - Chapter 09 IN WHICH THE ORPHAN MAKES HIS WILL (Kirk Thomas)
bk2_10 - Book the Second - Chapter 10 A SUCCESSOR (Brooks Jensen)
bk2_11 - Book the Second - Chapter 11 SOME AFFAIRS OF THE HEART (Ophelia Darcy)
bk2_12 - Book the Second - Chapter 12 MORE BIRDS OF PREY (Rick Box)
bk2_13 - Book the Second - Chapter 13 A SOLO AND A DUETT (Alan Chant)
bk2_14 - Book the Second - Chapter 14 STRONG OF PURPOSE (Brooks Jensen)
bk2_15 - Book the Second - Chapter 15 THE WHOLE CASE SO FAR (Ophelia Darcy)
bk2_16 - Book the Second - Chapter 16 AN ANNIVERSARY OCCASION (Ophelia Darcy)
bk3_01 - Book the Third - Chapter 01 LODGERS IN QUEER STREET (Brooks Jensen)
bk3_02 - Book the Third - Chapter 02 A RESPECTED FRIEND IN A NEW ASPECT (Kirsten Ferreri)
bk3_03 - Book the Third - Chapter 03 THE SAME RESPECTED FRIEND IN MORE ASPECTS THAN ONE (Alan Chant)
bk3_04 - Book the Third - Chapter 04 A HAPPY RETURN OF THE DAY (JemmaBlythe)
bk3_05 - Book the Third - Chapter 05 THE GOLDEN DUSTMAN FALLS INTO BAD COMPANY (E. Moulton)
bk3_06 - Book the Third - Chapter 06 THE GOLDEN DUSTMAN FALLS INTO WORSE COMPANY (Missie)
bk3_07 - Book the Third - Chapter 07 THE FRIENDLY MOVE TAKES UP A STRONG POSITION (JemmaBlythe)
bk3_08 - Book the Third - Chapter 08 THE END OF A LONG JOURNEY (E. Moulton)
bk3_09 - Book the Third - Chapter 09 SOMEBODY BECOMES THE SUBJECT OF A PREDICTION (Alan Chant)
bk3_10 - Book the Third - Chapter 10 SCOUTS OUT (JemmaBlythe)
bk3_11 - Book the Third - Chapter 11 IN THE DARK (JemmaBlythe)
bk3_12 - Book the Third - Chapter 12 MEANING MISCHIEF (Alan Chant)
bk3_13 - Book the Third - Chapter 13 GIVE A DOG A BAD NAME, AND HANG HIM (Alan Chant)
bk3_14 - Book the Third - Chapter 14 MR WEGG PREPARES A GRINDSTONE FOR MR BOFFIN'S NOSE (Alan Chant)
bk3_15 - Book the Third - Chapter 15 THE GOLDEN DUSTMAN AT HIS WORST (Alan Chant)
bk3_16 - Book the Third - Chapter 16 THE FEAST OF THE THREE HOBGOBLINS (Alan Chant)
bk3_17 - Book the Third - Chapter 17 A SOCIAL CHORUS (JemmaBlythe)
bk4_01 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 01 SETTING TRAPS (Alan Chant)
bk4_02 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 02 THE GOLDEN DUSTMAN RISES A LITTLE (Kirsten Ferreri)
bk4_03 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 03 THE GOLDEN DUSTMAN SINKS AGAIN (Alan Chant)
bk4_04 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 04 A RUNAWAY MATCH (Alan Chant)
bk4_05 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 05 CONCERNING THE MENDICANT'S BRIDE (Alan Chant)
bk4_06 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 06 A CRY FOR HELP (Ophelia Darcy)
bk4_07 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 07 BETTER TO BE ABEL THAN CAIN (Alan Chant)
bk4_08 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 08 A FEW GRAINS OF PEPPER (David Barnes)
bk4_09 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 09 TWO PLACES VACATED (Ophelia Darcy)
bk4_10 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 10 THE DOLLS' DRESSMAKER DISCOVERS A WORD (Ophelia Darcy)
bk4_11 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 11 EFFECT IS GIVEN TO THE DOLLS' DRESSMAKER'S DISCOVERY (Alan Chant)
bk4_12 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 12 THE PASSING SHADOW (Lady Maria)
bk4_13 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 13 SHOWING HOW THE GOLDEN DUSTMAN HELPED TO SCATTER DUST (Alan Chant)
bk4_14 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 14 CHECKMATE TO THE FRIENDLY MOVE (Alan Chant)
bk4_15 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 15 WHAT WAS CAUGHT IN THE TRAPS THAT WERE SET (Alan Chant)
bk4_16 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 16 PERSONS AND THINGS IN GENERAL (Ophelia Darcy)
bk4_17 - Book the Fourth - Chapter 17 THE VOICE OF SOCIETY (Czechchris)
bk5 - POSTSCRIPT, IN LIEU OF PREFACE (Ophelia Darcy)
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