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gls_merch's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
itsakt_'s review against another edition
3.5
I've never read any agatha christie before and the story being carried mostly through dialogue was a bit of an adjustment, and my interest started waning about half way through - but the audiobook !!! it hooked me again the narration was so good ~
However,, the constant xenophobia directed at the Jewish refugee and European migrant characters was too much to gloss over. it was pervasive and unnecessary and really put a damper on the whole story
However,, the constant xenophobia directed at the Jewish refugee and European migrant characters was too much to gloss over. it was pervasive and unnecessary and really put a damper on the whole story
pilotwhale's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
thaurisil's review against another edition
4.0
In the little village of Chipping Cleghorn, an advertisement appears in the local Gazette about a murder to be committed. Curious villagers gather expecting a game. All of a sudden, the lights go off, three gunshots are heard. When the lights come back on, a stranger lies dead. For a synopsis see the Wiki page.
This was written in 1950 so I shouldn’t have been surprised, but I was surprised at the number of war references. Most strikingly, Mitzi, a cook working for Letitia Blacklock, is an Eastern European refugee whose family was killed in the war, and is a stereotypical highly strung, sensitive and self-important woman who screams a little too much. There are references to resistance movements, not knowing who your neighbours really are due to effects from the war, a gun as a war souvenir, and the break up of families and destruction of wealth due to the war.
The clues were ingenious. “Letty” and “Lotty” got me – I knew there was something wrong there but decided that Dora Bunner was just being scatterbrained. How wrong I was – it was a key clue if only I’d thought a bit harder! She has clues all over the place, and they’re not even hidden, but I still couldn’t figure out how the crimes were committed.
----
Book: 39 of Christie's novels, 5 of Miss Marple novels
Setting: Village of Chipping Cleghorn
Detective and Companions: Miss Marple, Inspector Craddock, Chief Constable Rydesdale
Crime: An announcement is published in the local village newspaper that a murder is going to be committed. The residents gather for a party, and at the appointed time, lights go off, a gunman appears, shoots at Miss Blacklock, then kill’s himself.
Suspects:
- Letitia Blacklock, owner of Little Paddocks
- Dora Bunner, a muddle-headed friend who stays with her
- Philippa Haymes, a well-bred young Englishwoman living with Letitia
- Mitzi, Little Paddocks’ hysterical Central European cook
- Julia Simmons, Letitia’s second cousin staying temporarily with her
- Patrick Simmons, Julia’s brother
- Mrs Swettenham, a widow
- Edward Swettenham, her son and a writer
- Colonel Easterbrook, a colonel who has returned from India
- Mrs Easterbrook, his relatively younger wife
- Miss Hinchcliffe, a mannish woman
- Miss Murgatroyd, her muddle-headed friend
- Julian Harmon, the vicar
- Bunch Harmon, Julian’s wife and Miss Marple’s friend
I reread this with the Appointments with Agatha group, seven years after reading it the first time. I remembered the killer and the clues (like Lotty vs Letty), and I enjoyed noticing how Agatha Christie had planted the clues and made the mystery actually solvable for us.
This was written in 1950 so I shouldn’t have been surprised, but I was surprised at the number of war references. Most strikingly, Mitzi, a cook working for Letitia Blacklock, is an Eastern European refugee whose family was killed in the war, and is a stereotypical highly strung, sensitive and self-important woman who screams a little too much. There are references to resistance movements, not knowing who your neighbours really are due to effects from the war, a gun as a war souvenir, and the break up of families and destruction of wealth due to the war.
The clues were ingenious. “Letty” and “Lotty” got me – I knew there was something wrong there but decided that Dora Bunner was just being scatterbrained. How wrong I was – it was a key clue if only I’d thought a bit harder! She has clues all over the place, and they’re not even hidden, but I still couldn’t figure out how the crimes were committed.
----
Book: 39 of Christie's novels, 5 of Miss Marple novels
Setting: Village of Chipping Cleghorn
Detective and Companions: Miss Marple, Inspector Craddock, Chief Constable Rydesdale
Crime: An announcement is published in the local village newspaper that a murder is going to be committed. The residents gather for a party, and at the appointed time, lights go off, a gunman appears, shoots at Miss Blacklock, then kill’s himself.
Suspects:
- Letitia Blacklock, owner of Little Paddocks
- Dora Bunner, a muddle-headed friend who stays with her
- Philippa Haymes, a well-bred young Englishwoman living with Letitia
- Mitzi, Little Paddocks’ hysterical Central European cook
- Julia Simmons, Letitia’s second cousin staying temporarily with her
- Patrick Simmons, Julia’s brother
- Mrs Swettenham, a widow
- Edward Swettenham, her son and a writer
- Colonel Easterbrook, a colonel who has returned from India
- Mrs Easterbrook, his relatively younger wife
- Miss Hinchcliffe, a mannish woman
- Miss Murgatroyd, her muddle-headed friend
- Julian Harmon, the vicar
- Bunch Harmon, Julian’s wife and Miss Marple’s friend
I reread this with the Appointments with Agatha group, seven years after reading it the first time. I remembered the killer and the clues (like Lotty vs Letty), and I enjoyed noticing how Agatha Christie had planted the clues and made the mystery actually solvable for us.
leo_glz's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
gab_free_'s review against another edition
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Very Agatha Christie. If you like that, you'll like this!
Content Warnings
Minor: Antisemitism
Like many Agatha Christie stories, her personal antisemitism shows through in a depiction of a Jewish character.cyberslash's review against another edition
I want to like it, but the premise just didn't really interest me all that much. I also feel there are too many characters. When I thought they were done introducing all the characters, they started introducing even more.
juliettesbooks's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0