Miss Marple: Book 2
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Liked It “I listened to this on three double cassettes, read by Joan Hickson who played Miss Marple in the BBC series. Thirteen short stories featuring Miss Jane Marple” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “Agatha Christie’s “The Thirteen Problems” did not draw me in quite as much as her other books. This a more of a book of short, chapter-length mystery stories and I found it hard to focus on the story for the book’s setting was a gathering of friends one Tuesday night, all speaking at once,...” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“Agatha Christie’s “The Thirteen Problems” did not draw me in quite as much as her other books. This a more of a book of short, chapter-length mystery stories and I found it hard to focus on the story for the book’s setting was a gathering of friends one Tuesday night, all speaking at once, interrupting the actual mystery story for me. It was a bit hard to know what was going on at any one time. However, I did like one of the stories- “Motive v. Opportunity”, mainly because I could follow it. It was about a man’s will, and how several suspects had either a motive, but no opportunity, or an opportunity but no motive, to get at the will and erase it from existence completely because they wanted something from it or the man. I found the moment at which the blank will was produced was especially exciting: “ ‘Two months later, Mr. Simon Clode died…When the sealed envelope containing the will was opened it was found to contain a blank sheet of paper’” (65). The solution to the mystery was especially intriguing to me. “…The pen [with which the will was written with] was filled with what is commonly known as Evanescent Ink-a solution of starch in water to which a few drops of iodine have been added. This makes a deep blue-black fluid, but the writing disappears entirely in four or five days” (69).
Ella P wrote this review 5 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Overall, I did not like this book very much, but I would recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries yet doesn’t have the time to read them all in one go (short stories…).”
“The mysteries themselves may have been different, but too often the telling of it was similar. Perhaps I shouldn't have read them all at once. Certainly lowered my esteem of Miss Marple.”
Cheryl L wrote this review Monday, September 28 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“I listened to this on three double cassettes, read by Joan Hickson who played Miss Marple in the BBC series. Thirteen short stories featuring Miss Jane Marple”
Catherine R wrote this review Sunday, August 30 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I always enjoy Miss Marple mysteries, but I must say I resented her for not telling me what happened with the picked shrimp. I was waiting for them to make their appearance the entire collection, and they never did.
PhoenixFalls wrote this review Sunday, August 16 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
This collection of short stories also has some issues. First, the short story is simply not the proper format for a mystery -- there is only time to lay out the facts, and either the reader immediately spots the essential clue and is bored the rest of the time, or the reader doesn't and is completely taken by surprise. In this case, I spotted nearly all of the clues as soon as they were mentioned, so the mysteries weren't very hard.
Second, there were some formatting challenges to this collection which I don't think were quite dealt with properly. The first six stories take place sequentially at a dinner party; then the next six stories take place sequentially at a dinner party a year later; then the final story takes place some indetermined time later than that. Knowing that now, I see clearly how that is demarcated in the text, but without some larger formatting help (for instance, the first six stories in a part one, the next six in a part two, then the final in an epilogue or something similar) I was thrown when the jumps happened.
But those challenges aside, I can't dislike an Agatha Christie novel (or collection of stories) so I have to give this three stars.”
0 of 1 members found this review helpful“I am a big fan of mystery and crime novels, especially Agatha Christie. I really enjoyed this book, lots of short little stories within to keep you interested.”
Siochain wrote this review Friday, August 7 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Jen M 3 out of 5 stars Review: Miss Jane Marple attends a dinner party during which each guest tells a mystery they know of (and know the solution to) in an attempt to stump their fellow dinner party guests. As always, innocent Miss Marple is always able to figure it out, the wise old lady!
Author, Author Shelf wrote this review Monday, July 6 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Definitely a fun, short read, ideal for people who have never tried Agatha Christie before and/or are looking for a book that can be read in segments without losing track of a larger story. Although all the stories are told within the context of two dinner parties, each story stands on its own, making it more like a series of short stories, each 15-20 pages long. Great for folks that seem to only grab reading time in small snippets.
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“The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie
Jen M wrote this review Monday, June 29 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Rating: 3.5 stars (rounded down to 3)
Review: Miss Jane Marple attends a dinner party during which each guest tells a mystery they know of (and know the solution to) in an attempt to stump their fellow dinner party guests. As always, innocent Miss Marple is always able to figure it out, the wise old lady!
Definitely a fun, short read, ideal for people who have never tried Agatha Christie before and/or are looking for a book that can be read in segments without losing track of a larger story. Although all the stories are told within the context of two dinner parties, each story stands on its own, making it more like a series of short stories, each 15-20 pages long. Great for folks that seem to only grab reading time in small snippets.”0 of 1 members found this review helpful“Thriteen Miss Marple gems from the incomparable Dame Christie--need I say more?”
Christine S wrote this review Wednesday, January 7 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
0 of 1 members found this review helpful“I've gotten into Christie lately, but this one was strange because I'd never read anything else censored around Miss Marple so I was kindof lost.”
Alex F wrote this review Thursday, July 10 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No![Anu [Wont be in for 2 years maybe i might come on weekends ]](http://shelfari-userimages.s3.amazonaws.com/usr1707670633781335031176057.jpg)
0 of 1 members found this review helpful“A gr8 collection of stories is this.”
Anu [Wont be in for 2 years maybe i might come on weekends ] wrote this review Monday, May 26 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
