Moonfleet

<p><I>Moonfleet</I> (1898) is an adventure novel by J. Meade Falkner. Largely forgotten by today's readers Falkner was more widely known in his lifetime for his nonfiction works on history and topography as well as his role as chairman of a major arms manufacturer. Far from the amateur musings of a bored millionaire Falkner's writing shows a mastery of genre fiction while benefitting from his extensive geographical knowledge. <I>Moonfleet</I> has been adapted several times for radio television and film most notably for Fritz Lang's 1955 feature of the same name. When I was a child I thought that this place was called Moonfleet because on a still night whether in summer or in winter frosts the moon shone very brightly on the lagoon; but learned afterwards that 'twas but short for 'Mohune-fleet' from the Mohunes a great family who were once lords of all these parts. Growing up in Moonfleet young John Trenchard couldn't help but hear the legends of the powerful Mohune family whose ancestor Colonel Blackbeard is said to have stolen a diamond from King Charles I. An orphan he is raised by his aunt Miss Arnold who tries to protect him from the violence and crime perpetuated by local smugglers. At church one Sunday John hears noises from the crypt below and endeavors to return. The next day he encounters two of his friends beside the church wall and suspects they are searching for the ghost of Blackbeard. As he steps into a sinkhole in the graveyard he finds himself in a tunnel leading to the crypt where the telltale signs of smuggling reveal a shocking secret.<p>Since our inception in 2020 Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover all while maintaining the integrity of the original book. <p>With thousands of titles in our collection we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.</p>