Is it just me, or is the latter half of the novel substantially more somber that the former? The deaths of Lady Verinder, Ezra Jennings, and Godfrey Ablewhite are each pretty substantia blows, and feel as though they bring the novel into a much more serious tone.

Could this be attributed to the curse of the moonstone? Was this merely a random event, or is there a connection between Lady Verinder's death and the fact that the moonstone passed through Rachel at some point? Interested to see if those two events are interelated somehow in the end, as well as the first death that was introduced in the book (Rossana).

So far, a pattern of tragic events surrounding the family seems to unfold, with the second death of another female character. Could there be some kind of explanation that ties them both?

I wonder if Rachel did say this. Perhaps the mother made it up to protect Rachel? Lady Verinder told Betteredge to dismiss Cuff from the case immediately. I wonder if she knows about the case more than she is telling.