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bessadams's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
jdcorley's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A delightful ramble, with Marple along from the beginning, and although figuring out the culprit is prety straightforward, Marple's revelations are pretty drab. After a few deft moves in the first few chapters, she doesn't really impress with any of her little hints. The supporting cast, especially Lucy, is charming enough to make up for it, but not quite to the snap of a truly top tier Christie.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
growintogardens's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual harassment, and Sexism
fyre_flies's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Minor: Xenophobia and Sexism
issyd23's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Personally prefer Poirot. 2🚂
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
rbacon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Another Christie classic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
typedtruths's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Murder
phoebemurtagh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Minor: Xenophobia
what_heather_loves's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"'I told you we had met before,' said Miss Marple to Lucy. 'Sir Henry Clithering is his godfather - a very old friend of mine.' 'Would you like to hear, Miss Eyelesbarrow, what my godfather said about her - the first time we met? He described her as just the finest detective God ever made - natural genius cultivated in a suitable soil. He told me never to despise the...er elderly ladies. He said they could usually tell you what might have happened, what ought to have happened, and even what actually did happen! And...they can tell you why it happened. He added that this particular-er-elderly lady - was at the top of the class.''
England, 1957 and travelling by train, Miss Marple's friend Elspeth McGilliCuddy is shocked to witness a man strangling a woman on a passing commuter train from Paddington. Whilst she tells Miss Marple and reports it to the police, no body is found and there's no one to verify what she saw. But Miss Marple believes her friend and enlists the help of experienced and renowned housekeeper, Lucy Eyelesbarrow to start work at nearby Rutherford Hall, which lies close to the railway line. Miss Eyelesbarrow is soon getting to know the Crackenthorpe family, three adult brothers and a sister, a brother-in-law and his son and an elderly and miserly patriarch. When Miss Eyelesbarrow discovers the body of a woman in a barn on the estate, murder is afoot, but who was the woman and why was she killed?
This is classic country house murder with a twist, involving a missing body and a passing train. It sees Miss Marple, grumbling about her age and infirmity, overseeing the investigation carried out by the wonderfully drawn, Mary Poppinsesque Miss Eyelesbarrow, pretending to be her niece. A rather cinematic (it has of course been adapted for both film TV) set-up, all the main characters are fascinating and engaging, with excellent names like Dr Quimper, McGillicuddy and Crackenthorpe. There is surprisingly little of Miss Marple, but intelligent and diligent Miss Eyelesbarrow is a worthy stand-in. There is humour, red herrings, the potential for romance, lovely moments of post-war history (food and drink, tax, job and money struggles) and details of life at Rutherford Hall. There is not, however, much opportunity for readers to test their detection skills, because despite having seen the Geraldine McEwan TV adaptation, I failed to remember or guess whodunit! This is one of the more accessible and enjoyable Marple mysteries, which I read for September's #curiousaboutchristie22
England, 1957 and travelling by train, Miss Marple's friend Elspeth McGilliCuddy is shocked to witness a man strangling a woman on a passing commuter train from Paddington. Whilst she tells Miss Marple and reports it to the police, no body is found and there's no one to verify what she saw. But Miss Marple believes her friend and enlists the help of experienced and renowned housekeeper, Lucy Eyelesbarrow to start work at nearby Rutherford Hall, which lies close to the railway line. Miss Eyelesbarrow is soon getting to know the Crackenthorpe family, three adult brothers and a sister, a brother-in-law and his son and an elderly and miserly patriarch. When Miss Eyelesbarrow discovers the body of a woman in a barn on the estate, murder is afoot, but who was the woman and why was she killed?
This is classic country house murder with a twist, involving a missing body and a passing train. It sees Miss Marple, grumbling about her age and infirmity, overseeing the investigation carried out by the wonderfully drawn, Mary Poppinsesque Miss Eyelesbarrow, pretending to be her niece. A rather cinematic (it has of course been adapted for both film TV) set-up, all the main characters are fascinating and engaging, with excellent names like Dr Quimper, McGillicuddy and Crackenthorpe. There is surprisingly little of Miss Marple, but intelligent and diligent Miss Eyelesbarrow is a worthy stand-in. There is humour, red herrings, the potential for romance, lovely moments of post-war history (food and drink, tax, job and money struggles) and details of life at Rutherford Hall. There is not, however, much opportunity for readers to test their detection skills, because despite having seen the Geraldine McEwan TV adaptation, I failed to remember or guess whodunit! This is one of the more accessible and enjoyable Marple mysteries, which I read for September's #curiousaboutchristie22
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder and Death of parent
thatnerdclaire's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder