Korte verhalen zijn niet altijd mijn ding, maar zoals ze hier zijn samengevoegd in een mooi verband geniet ik er enorm van. Miss Marple blijft nog altijd haar bekoring houden, ook na de zoveelste herlees sessie ( )

A group of people exchanging mystery stories at night, trying to figure out what took place, seemed quite interesting to me.

I find it hard to satisfy myself 100% with story collections - there will always be a few stories I enjoy more than others. This book is a good read, all things considered. Every story has a unique plot and interesting characters. It keeps you guessing until the end and is a great way to pass time.

Even though I like the character of Miss Marple, I don’t like short stories. I’m discovering that Agatha Christie is also not really my thing. The interactions between the friends were enjoyable, but the mysteries weren't. I could not focus on most of them because my mind wandered. I think I prefer longer books that allow me to really get into the characters and the story. Not only that, but I also prefer to take my time solving the mystery, instead of being rushed.

A story should allow me to enjoy the journey rather than being abruptly dropped off at the end. Shorter stories often rush the plot, making it difficult for readers to appreciate the characters and the story.

It was my first time reading Miss Marple, so I was a little disappointed. ( )

The Thirteen Problems is the first short story collection featuring Miss Marple and introduce an interesting cast of characters that all come together to test their wits for solving crime. The first six stories are set at a dinner party where each guest presents a crime and the others take turns guessing who did it. The next six are set at a different dinner party with some new guests, following the same format of each guest presenting their crime. And the final story sees Miss Marple seek out one of the guests, Sir Henry, a former Scotland Yard Commissioner to relay her fears about a local murder and ask for his help to pass the information on to the police.

I was surprised to find I quite enjoyed the short stories - short stories can often be pretty hit or miss, but the dinner party format worked really well to allow readers to get to know the characters while still keeping it interesting and fast paced.

Miss Marple is hilarious. I loved reading Christie's foreword;

Miss Marple has some faint affinity with my own grandmother, also a pink and white pretty old lady who, although having led the most sheltered and Victorian of lives, nevertheless always appeared to be intimately acquainted with all the depths of human depravity. One could be made to feel incredibly naïve and credulous by her reproachful remark: “But did you believe what they said to you? You shouldn’t do that. I never do!”

Christie, Agatha. Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (Miss Marple Mysteries) . HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

But I liked the other characters too - Jane Helier, Mrs Bantry and Sir Henry were my favourites. Not all the plots were fantastic but overall they were pretty good and I had fun trying to solve the crime myself.

My favourites were 1.10: The Christmas Tragedy and 1.12: The Affair at the Bungalow. Least enjoyable, 1.2: The House of Astarte.

Full reviews are below with individual story rating. For the whole collection though, 4 stars.

1.1: THE TUESDAY NIGHT CLUB ****

The first Miss Marple short story begins with Raymond West (Miss Marple's nephew) hosting a gathering of friends consisting of; artist Joyce Lempriere, former Scotland Yard commissioner, Sir Henry Clithering, local clergyman, Dr Pender and solicitor, Mr Petherick. While discussing the concept of unsolved murders and who would be best at solving them, Joyce suggests they start a club - a Tuesday Night Club where they will discuss a crime and offer their opinions of who did it and why.

The first crime is offered up by Sir Henry who recounts a case of a husband and wife who sit down for dinner with their housekeeper, only to have one member of the party wind up dead.

I really enjoyed this. I love the idea of the club and I loved how Miss Marple operates.

Miss Marple is clearly a total troll.

“One moment,” said Sir Henry. “Miss Marple has not yet spoken.” Miss Marple was shaking her head sadly. “Dear, dear,” she said. “I have dropped another stitch. I have been so interested in the story. A sad case, a very sad case. It reminds me of old Mr. Hargraves who lived up at the Mount.

Christie, Agatha. Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (Miss Marple Mysteries) (p. 13). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

Total troll for sure. She's as sharp as a tack - there's no way she's not playing them. I loved it. I also rated Sir Henry's pun. I love a good pun.

“I know just the sort of thing you mean, dear,” said Miss Marple. “For instance Mrs. Carruthers had a very strange experience yesterday morning. She bought two gills of picked shrimps at Elliot’s. She called at two other shops and when she got home she found she had not got the shrimps with her. She went back to the two shops she had visited but these shrimps had completely disappeared. Now that seems to me very remarkable.” “A very fishy story,” said Sir Henry Clithering gravely.

Christie, Agatha. Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (Miss Marple Mysteries) (p. 3). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

I can't say I guessed the culprit but I look forward to future Miss Marple stories. 4 stars.

1.2: THE IDOL HOUSE OF ASTARTE **

I didn't like this one much. Dr Pender recounts a house party he attended in his youth where his host was stabbed to death - even though no one was near him. I did like that Miss Marple is showing everyone up though. 2 stars.

1.3: INGOTS OF GOLD ****

This time, it's Raymond's turn to tell a story. He recounts a trip to Cornwell where he met a new friend, John Newman - who was planning an expedition to a shipwreck for Spanish gold. But things take a turn for the worst when they get mixed up in an ongoing case of stolen gold bullion.

I enjoyed this one. I only guessed some of the answers (I totally guessed that Newman was a fraud and stole the gold bullion. I just also thought he was actually working with Kelvin - not just framing him.) but I had fun finding out the rest. I was pretty impressed by the idea of the tyre! Using it to frame Kelvin by taking it off one lorry and then putting it on the other to drive with and then taking it back. That was some extra level genius right there.

Raymond reminds me of Hastings. Too confident in his own opinions. On the other hand at least his isn't mean to his elderly aunt. But I do love Miss Marple. She's a total troll. I love how she gets caught up in her knitting - like oh I'm not paying attention dear but if you were, you'd totally know the answer like I do. It's especially amusing to see her and Raymond interact.

“Well, go on, Aunt Jane; haven’t you got anything to say?”
“In a minute, dear,” said Miss Marple. “I am afraid I have counted wrong. Two purl, three plain, slip one, two purl—yes, that’s right. What did you say, dear?”
“What is your opinion?”
“You wouldn’t like my opinion, dear. Young people never do, I notice. It is better to say nothing.”
“Nonsense, Aunt Jane; out with it.”

Christie, Agatha. Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (Miss Marple Mysteries) (p. 47). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

But I also really love how she relates everything back to her experiences or gossip to explain how she knows stuff. Overall a very enjoyable story. 4 stars.

1.4: THE BLOODSTAINED PAVEMENT ***

The artist, Joyce is up next. One day while painting, she overhears a conversation between a man, Denis, his wife, Margery and an old friend, Carol who decide to go bathing to refresh themselves of the heat. Later after the couple return, Joyce believes she sees bloodstains on the pavement. And then a few days later she reads a curious article in the newspaper of a woman named Margery who was married to a Denis who was killed while bathing just a little further down the coast.

Like the last story, I guessed parts and missed others. I guessed that Denis and Carol were on together and killed Margery - and that Carol changed into Margery's clothes. I didn't guess that they were serial killers. Or that the benefit of killing the wives was the insurance money rather than the wives being rich or something of the sort. I didn't understand the bit about the bloodstains though. The bathing suit having blood made sense. The bloodstains disappearing didn't. If it was raining or something maybe. But since it was hot and dry how did they disappear? Or how the Captain fitted into things. Did he play a part I missed? Or was he just there?

I liked that Miss Marple caught the bit about the changing outfits. But the whole thing was left feeling somewhat unfinished. 3 stars.

1.5: MOTIVE V. OPPORTUNITY ****

Mr Petherick tells of a rich client who was devastated by the loss of his son and then granddaughter. He takes in his nieces and nephew and loves them but never gets over the heartbreak of losing the rest of his family. He writes a will to leave his estate equally to all three but comes to rethink that when he makes the acquaintance of a medium Mrs Spragg and her husband. But although Mr Petherick witnesses the client sign a new will, when it's read, he can only find a blank piece of paper.

Hey I totally guessed this one. Disappearing ink indeed! Except the guilty party. I thought it would've been the niece, Mary, rather than the brother in law via the housekeeper. Miss Marple does it again. Leaving the other participants to bite her dust. Poor things, they can't catch a break. 4 stars.

1.6: THE THUMBMARK OF ST. PETER ***

It's Miss Marple's turn to lay out a crime. She doesn't give them much time to deliberate though because I don't think anyone else could've gotten it without medical knowledge.

So Miss Marple goes to visit her niece, Mabel whose husband just died. But although there's no proof, the town in under the belief Mabel killed him, so Miss Marple undertakes an investigation to find out what really happened.

I guessed none of this. Nothing at all. Too technical. But I did enjoy how Miss Marple recounted her investigation and came to her conclusions. 3 stars.

1.7: THE BLUE GERANIUM ****

Miss Marple is invited by Sir Henry to dinner with Colonel Bantry and his wife. Having heard of Miss Marple's problem solving abilities, Colonel Bantry relates his ghost story - the murder of the wife of a friend.

I liked this one. Like most of the Miss Marple stories, I guessed parts and completely missed others. I more or less figured out that the primroses were being turned blue - but not how that was accomplished. I completely missed the smelling salts as the weapon of choice. I guessed the fortune teller was a fraud - but got the person behind the fraud wrong - I thought it was Jean or the other nurse, Nurse Carstairs - not the current sensible one, Nurse Copling. I love how Miss Marple interacts with others, it's quite amusing. Fun story, 4 stars.

1.8: THE COMPANION ****

Wow I'm good. I guessed all of this. The drowning, the change of identities, the change of clothes, the faking of her own death and being the next of kin to inherit. Go me.

Dr Lloyd remembers moving overseas and coming across two women, one of whom dies while out swimming one day. I like this the best so far - because it's always a winner when I can pick the who, the how and the why. 4 stars.

1.9: THE FOUR SUSPECTS ****

Sir Henry discusses a case that haunts him - the murder of an old German spy and the four people he suspects of murdering him. I was only slightly on the right track with this one. I was kind of thinking the daughter but not with any conviction. I did guess there was something off about the letter and the fact that Honesty has a capital H but I didn't actually see DEATH written there.

There were heaps of good quotes in this one. This gem.

“Of course,” said Miss Marple, “a lot of people are stupid. And stupid people get found out, whatever they do. But there are quite a number of people who aren’t stupid, and one shudders to think of what they might accomplish unless they had very strongly rooted principles.”

Christie, Agatha. Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (Miss Marple Mysteries) (p. 135). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

Miss Marple is rather brutal for such a kindly old lady. I totally rate it. And I love how low Miss Marple's opinion is of humanity. I'm also rather fond of Sir Henry ribbing Miss Marple for her crime solving prowess. It reminds me of Inspector Jape needling Poirot. It's hilarious.

And this. Seriously the woman's a troll.



Well written and very enjoyable. 4.5 stars, rounded up.

1.10: A CHRISTMAS TRAGEDY *****

Miss Marple comes to the party with another story, this time about the Sanders. Marple was positive that Mr Sanders was going to kill his wife, but upon her death, Marple finds Sanders has an alibi that not even she can disprove.

Ooh this was good. I like Marple's crimes because they always lay out her reasoning and her reasoning is sublime. I guessed none of this. I bow to Marple's smarts. 5 stars.

1.11: THE HERB OF DEATH ***

Mrs Bantry's turn to tell a story. Her and the Colonel were staying at a friend's house with a group. After dinner one night, all of the guests ended up ill and one person dies.

I like Mrs Bantry. (I'm looking forward to reading a Body in the Library if she's in it.) And I loved the way she told it and then let everyone ask questions to reach their conclusions. 3 stars.

1.12: THE AFFAIR AT THE BUNGALOW *****

Jane Helier, the famous actress, takes to the stage to recount a crime that happened to a "friend". I loved that the whole dinner party believe Jane to friend in question. And then the crime. A mistresses' house is robbed and her precious jewellery is stolen.

This one was hilarious. Jane. Jane is perfection. She's so utterly ridiculous but surprisingly shrewd at times.

“Jane!” gasped Mrs. Bantry. “Did you engineer this story you’ve been telling us?” Jane nodded.

Christie, Agatha. Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (Miss Marple Mysteries) (pp. 208-209). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

Mrs. Bantry sat down and groaned. “Oh! my poor head. And all the time—Jane Helier, you deceitful girl! Telling us that story the way you did!” “I am a good actress,” said Jane complacently. “I always have been, whatever people choose to say. I didn’t give myself away once, did I?”

Christie, Agatha. Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (Miss Marple Mysteries) (p. 209). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

And I loved that she gets to the end and is just like hmm.

“So you all give it up,” said Jane thoughtfully. “That’s very interesting.” She leaned back in her chair and began to polish her nails rather absentmindedly. “Well,” said Mrs. Bantry. “Come on, Jane. What is the solution?” “The solution?” “Yes. What really happened?” Jane stared at her. “I haven’t the least idea.” “What?” “I’ve always wondered. I thought you were all so clever one of you would be able to tell me.”

Christie, Agatha. Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (Miss Marple Mysteries) (pp. 204-205). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

Lmfao.

Ah Jane. The only thing better was Miss Marple's conclusion and her insistence that women should stick together. Or perhaps Jane's thought that she better not go into a life of crime because you never know when you're going to run into a Miss Marple.

My favourite Miss Marple story so far. 5 stars.

1.13: DEATH BY DROWNING ***

When local girl, Rose Emmott, is found drowned, the whole town is in an uproar. Rose was having relations with out of towner, Rex Sandford and had recently discovered she was pregnant. Except Rex was already engaged and while willing to pay, he was not willing to marry her. So he becomes the number one suspect.

But Miss Marple has a feeling she knows who did it - and it's not Rex Sandford. Unwilling to talk directly to the police for fear of being dismissed as a delusional woman - she instead takes her fears to Sir Henry Clithering who is more than willing to back a Marple feeling.

I liked this one, but I didn't love it. My favourite part was Sir Henry deciding to back his belief in Miss Marple. I did like that Sir Henry took point, but the crime itself was bland. And I guessed none of it which was another point against. It was alright, just nothing special. 3 stars. ( )

4.5 stars

A personal favorite of mine from AC. ( )

Book on CD performed by Joan Hickson
3***

Alternate title: The Tuesday Murder Club

This is a collection of short stories. The Tuesday Murder Club is a group of friends, including Miss Jane Marple, who regularly meet and take turns relating an interesting murder case they are aware of, but without revealing the culprit. The club members try to guess who committed the crime. Of course, Miss Marple is always right.

Some of the stories were more intricate and entertaining than others. One was a complete ruse, the storyteller actually laying out a crime that person was contemplating committing, rather than one that had taken place.

In all cases, after the story is told by one member, the other club members take turns giving their best guess, along with the clues that led them to those results. Miss Marple is always last and always clearly outlines how they have been taken in by red herrings, and missed one or two vital clues. After a couple of them I got tired of Miss Marple always saying, “Well, of course, I recall a similar case in my village,” and then showing how this clue or the other clue confirmed her suspicions. But that is always a danger when reading a short story collection in one sitting.

The audiobook I listened to was performed by Joan Hickson, who played Miss Marple in twelve of the BBC television adaptations. The sequence of stories on the audiobook, however, differed from the sequence in the print version I had. But they were all there and the order they were read did nothing to alter my enjoyment. ( )