The Moving Finger (1942) Agatha Christie ‘I can see you are a very clever young man—but not quite enough confidence in yourself. You ought to have!’ Joanna gave a loud hoot. ‘For goodness’ sake don’t encourage him to feel like that. He thinks quite enough of himself as it is.’ ‘Be quiet, Joanna,’ I said. […]
The Body in the Library (1942) Agatha Christie Mrs Bantry reflected a minute and then applied an urgent conjugal elbow to her sleeping spouse. ‘Arthur, Arthur, wake up.’ Colonel Bantry grunted, muttered, and rolled over on his side. ‘Wake up, Arthur. Did you hear what she said?’ ‘Very likely,’ said Colonel Bantry indistinctly. ‘I quite […]
The Murder at the Vicarage (1930) Agatha Christie ‘I’m evidently not a housekeeper by nature. I find it better to leave things to Mary and just make up my mind to be uncomfortable and have nasty things to eat.’ Miss Marple is a white-haired old lady with a gentle, appealing manner – Miss Wetherby is […]
A Caribbean Mystery (1964) Agatha Christie (Miss Marple) The story that started my love of Miss Marple. I saw this (I was probably babysitting) and immediately went, “It’s AJ Simon! What is this?” And then I fell in love with Helen Hayes and Miss Marple. “As far as I can make out,” said Miss Marple, […]
Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (1985) Agatha Christie (Miss Marple) The first half of this edition is The Thirteen Problems / The Tuesday Club Murders, which I earlier. The second half has the following stories: From The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories (1939) “Miss Marple Tells a Story” first in Home Journal (1935) [“Behind […]
The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side (1962) Agatha Christie (Miss Marple) One had to face the fact: St. Mary Mead was not the place it had been. In a sense, of course, nothing was what it had been. You could blame the war (both the wars) or the younger generation, or women going out […]
4:50 from Paddington (1957) Agatha Christie (Miss Marple) This might be one of my favorite Miss Marple mysteries. It’s definitely one of the most memorable. At that moment another train, also on a downline, swerved inwards towards them, for a moment with almost alarming effect. For a time the two trains ran parallel, now one […]
A Pocket Full of Rye (1953) Agatha Christie (Miss Marple) This is one of the stories that has always stuck with me–probably because of the rye mentioned in the title. Rex Fortescue dies in his office, and the police immediately suspect murder. “I gather you don’t think it was natural death,” he said dryly. “Not […]
They Do It With Mirrors (1952) Agatha Christie (Miss Marple) Something about this book has never quite worked for me. I never quite feel I have a handle on anything, and some of the characters melt into each other. The mystery itself is interesting, but getting to the solution just felt a little off. The […]
Murder Is Announced (1950) Agatha Christie (Miss Marple) A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6: 30 p.m. Friends please accept this, the only intimation. This is post WWII story, and there are so many bits regarding that I love. “You know the Fuel Office won’t […]
Thirteen Problems (1932) Agatha Christie (Miss Marple) The Tuesday Night Club (1927) The Idol House of Astarte (1928) Ingots of Gold (1928) The Blood-Stained Pavement (1928) Motive versus Opportunity (1928) The Thumb Mark of St. Peter (1928) The Blue Geranium (1929) A Christmas Tragedy (1930) The Companion (1930) The Herb of Death (1930) The Four […]
The Moving Finger (1942) Agatha Christie (Miss Marple) This is the third Miss Marple mystery, and one I’ve reread multiple times, yet this time through I picked up some things I’d not noticed before. Which isn’t unusual, but is fascinating, as things I have learned elsewhere shine a different light upon things I’ve read before. […]
The Body in the Library (1942) Agatha Christie (Miss Marple) The second Miss Marple book has both Miss Marple and Sir Henry Clithering. One of the things I always loved Agatha Christie books is how descriptive they can be. The gay, laughing expression on his face was wiped off as though by a sponge from […]
The Murder at the Vicarage (1930) Agatha Christie (Miss Marple) This is the first Miss Marple novel. I’d somehow forgotten that it’s told from the point of view of the vicar, and Miss Marple is only a secondary character–even if she does solve the mystery. Miss Marple is a white-haired old lady with a gentle, […]
At Bertram’s Hotel (1965) Agatha Christie (Miss Marple) I’m not sure what it is that makes this story feel so weak compared to the others, but it is. Miss Marple gets a vacation to Bertram’s Hotel, but something just isn’t quite right there. “But how can that pay you?” “It’s a question of atmosphere… Strangers […]