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nellym27's review against another edition
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
One of my favourite Agatha Christie novels; I loved it!
Rereading this I was struck again by how much I enjoy this book - which somewhat surprised me as I never hear anyone talking about it. It’s a compelling mystery which is funny and charming and has all the elements you want from a Miss Marple novel - Marple at her best, being supportive and lovable whilst remaining shrewd and cynical, cameos from a few of the regular characters including Dolly Bantry, and moments of humour. The writing is also lovely with some beautiful quotes from Marple.
It’s a good mystery which is pretty horrifying. The two Miss Marple novels I’ve just (re)read have been some of the most disturbing in the Christie canon which I think goes against what one might expect, considering that Miss Marple novels are considered “cozy.” I will say that the ending sweeps over it quite quickly - not allowing the horror to truly seep in until later.
Rereading this I was struck again by how much I enjoy this book - which somewhat surprised me as I never hear anyone talking about it. It’s a compelling mystery which is funny and charming and has all the elements you want from a Miss Marple novel - Marple at her best, being supportive and lovable whilst remaining shrewd and cynical, cameos from a few of the regular characters including Dolly Bantry, and moments of humour. The writing is also lovely with some beautiful quotes from Marple.
It’s a good mystery which is pretty horrifying. The two Miss Marple novels I’ve just (re)read have been some of the most disturbing in the Christie canon which I think goes against what one might expect, considering that Miss Marple novels are considered “cozy.” I will say that the ending sweeps over it quite quickly - not allowing the horror to truly seep in until later.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Incest