Book Club

Marple Stories

Christie never intended Miss Marple to rival Poirot in the publics affections, but this spinster sleuth soon proved a hit with the public.  Here's the place to discuss her stories - but beware spoilers!

If you can't find your favourite Miss Marple story, don't worry - more will be added shortly.

Warning: These discussions may contain spoilers!

The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side

Jemma 05 Sep 09 at 12:52 p.m. GMT

In the Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side, Miss Marple faces up to the modern transformation of village life, but finds human nature remains the same. Is this the secret of her timeless appeal, or do you think Miss Marple is at her best in earlier times?

This is the final Christie novel set in an English village. Is she at her best in this setting and how do Miss Marple's adventures in London and the Caribbean compare? Should she always have stayed at home?

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72 replies

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Shiheikaibaa 26 Dec 11 at 6:52 a.m. GMT

I liked the plot sooo much. Also, the motive almost made me go mad. :)) I liked it very much.

murder_is_easy123 16 Oct 11 at 10:12 a.m. GMT

One of the best things about this novel is the way that Miss Marple and Mrs Bantry give a rather tragic view of the evolving world of the 1960s.  And it also shows that Miss Marple is rather a film fan, which I did not know before.  All three films of this are excellent, especially the most recent one with Julia McKenzie, Joanna Lumley and Lindsay Duncan (plus a small cameo from Michele Dotrice!)

Epsilon14 25 Aug 11 at 6:06 a.m. GMT

The first chapter: Very boring. The Development thing is too boring. But 2nd Chapter is a better. 

Tommy_A_Jones 21 Aug 11 at 3:17 p.m. GMT

It is very good, I would give it 9/10

Epsilon14 21 Aug 11 at 5:35 a.m. GMT

Just bought the book last night. Decided to read the book after finding victim 7 (I just did!). Can anyone tell me how the book is as it is my first Marple book?Please dont put any spoilers for me.

popbubble 15 Jul 11 at 5:39 p.m. GMT

what I don't get is that in the version of the film with Julia Mckenzie they changed Ella Zeilensky's name to Ella Blunt for no apparent reason!!! And I think they changed Ardwyck Fenn's name to Vincent Hogg too!!! But I'm not saying that the film is bad! 

Roger_Ackroyd1926 25 Apr 11 at 3:20 a.m. GMT

I'm re-reading this for the first time since 1975, though the story remains familiar to me - I saw the 1980 film when it was first released, and have watched the Joan Hickson TV version two or three times.  Mrs. Christie did a great job here of describig how the passage of time had affected St. Mary Mead and its residents, especially its most famous one.

Tommy_A_Jones 05 Jan 11 at 1:23 p.m. GMT

I can see 3 reasons for the scene

1) To differentiaye it from other versions.

2) To add background colour to the Adaptation

3) To fill some time.

GKCfan 04 Jan 11 at 11:45 p.m. GMT

My guess is that previous versions, like the book, wanted to make people aware of Marina's son, while not stressing him too hard, so as not to make her motive too obvious.  The scene might have been inserted to humanize Marina, for she otherwise might have been too unsympathetic.

poppygirl 04 Jan 11 at 11:38 p.m. GMT

hi im a new member,can someone tell why in one verision of the mirror cracked we didnt the disabled child but in the weeks marple they showed the boy?not that im saying either films werent good,they brillant with very good acting

Tommy_A_Jones 03 Jan 11 at 4:44 p.m. GMT

I liked The Hollow too, I don't think I could have taken much more of last night's The Mirror Crack'd but it would be nice to think we could have more Agatha Christie's done sympatheticly, of thed short stories I can see Sanctuary, Motive Vs Opportunity, Strange Jest and The Curious Case of The Caretaker working well, I liked TheBlue Geranium also.

Lisa_F 03 Jan 11 at 4:17 p.m. GMT

I really enjoyed the version of The Mirror Crack'd last night, i could watch really good Christie classics like that all night...not too sure if my husband could though! i also watched The Hollow a few weeks ago and was really impressed with that.The only dissapointment i had was with the new version of Murder On The Orient on xmas day - i was really looking forward to watching it but found it rather slow....x

Tommy_A_Jones 03 Jan 11 at 3:34 p.m. GMT

I watched The Mirror Crack'd last night and I am afraid I thought the Angela Landesbury version was a bit better, I thought Joanna Lumley was good although I can see elements in her performance which are right I still think in some ways is mis-cast, I thought Dr Haydock was wrongly cast, I would have lied to see the actor play Mrs Badcock's Husband, I think someome like Benjamin Whitrow or olin Baker or Gareth Thomas Would have been better, I know the Changes were slight and unimprtant so that was good, I found the Scene with Wil Young Toe-curlingly awful but   I lied the way The Adaptation left you with the impression the American Assistant was Marina Gregg's Son just like the book does, the book also gives the impression Jason Rudd Killed Marina but I thought that was spelt out too heavily but it did make the Viewer quwestion their own sense of Justice and wether people should be allowed to escape Justice by dieing, maybe at their own hands.

catherinemassey52 03 Jan 11 at 11:52 a.m. GMT

Hiya does anyone know were gossington hall was filmed at. Thank you

MissQuin 12 Oct 10 at 1:51 p.m. GMT

Pongo- There was a scariest moments thread on the TV section. We were discussing which ones scared us. The Hickson ones cropped up alot actually.

Probably because the tone was more serious and most of the acting convincing. http://www.agathachristie.com/forum/have-your-say/television-and-film/favourite-scary-moments/?page=1

knottyceltic 12 Oct 10 at 11:02 a.m. GMT

xrysoula

True.Perhaps I should make myself more clear.What bothered me the most in this story is that, unlike most others, it has no psychological basis whatsoever.Take it from the start:A very wealthy and succesful woman longs to have a child, but is having difficulty in getting pregnant.She adopts, yet finds the role of the adopted mother not quite as fulfilling.Finally,she does get pregnant, and, being aware of that, what does she do?Instead of staying at home and hiring all kinds of doctors to help her make her dream come true,she continues to travel around the world to promote her career!Isn 't there a contradiction?

Not a contradition at all but more of a "parallel" to me.  It parallel's Mrs. Badcock's selfishness at risking another person's health so that she herself can meet a film start with Marena Gregg's selfishness at wanting constant fame over the health and safety of her unborn child.  Both pay for their selfishness in the end.

Pongo 11 Oct 10 at 11:46 p.m. GMT

SPOILERS FOR THE ANGELA LANSBURY FILM VERSION

I recall watching the Angela Lansbury film as a kid when it played on television.  The bit where there is a tight freeze frame as Heather Babcock kisses Marina Gregg backstage scared the living daylights out of me to the point that I can't watch that film now without getting chills. 

MissQuin 07 Oct 10 at 1:48 p.m. GMT

Ive seen The Hickson version of Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side before I'd even read the book. It's been quite a few years ago. But I did miss the very start. I did find it was really slow to get into. It did improve alot though. I think it's actually like the book, because that was quite slow in places.

The film version is really quite different. It's certianly louder and brasher. I did think that Angela Landsbury was like Jessica Fletcher in place of Miss Marple. She's more outgoing, with her mannerisms. When she quoted Lady Of Shallot, she did it in a dramatic way.

Whearas JH she did read it in a touching, thoughtful way. That was close to the story.

In the film version, I liked Elizabeth Taylor as the lead, she was arch then gushy, just like in the book. Her exchanges with lola Brewster, added more. Even though those ween't in the book, they were funny."There's just two things I hate about you Lola- your face!"

 Both endings were sad. I was particually moved by the film version. Overall I'd rate them the same. Both have their good points and their flaws. But for me the book is flawed to, so I think that both versions did an excellent job.

Pongo 07 Oct 10 at 6:19 a.m. GMT

SPOILERS FOR THE JOAN HICKSON ADAPTATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I also want to put in a strong recommendation for the Joan Hickson adaptation. 

It is my understanding that this was the last film of Joan Hickson as Miss Marple.  And, I admit that there are some flaws to the film (such as, for example, the lighting is sometimes very unflattering to Joan Hickson, and I am in the "how did Inspector Craddock become related to Miss Marple when he wasn't in A Murder is Announced?" camp). 

But, the adaptation streamlines the novel in a very economical and effective way (for example, the Giuseppe story line is almost completely cut out). 

Also, there are some truly beautiful moments in the film.  For example, the scene where Miss Marple speaks to Jason Rudd at the end of the film.  Look at Joan Hickson's face, at the way she says that very important word "PERHAPS..."  It is a powerful moment, and it is in that very moment that we see the Nemesis Miss Marple (i.e. the avenging spirit of justice) transform into the Emphatic Miss Marple (when she says "You're right.  It was the only way..."). 

Then, there is the last moment of the film, where the camera lingers on Joan Hickson lovingly, as she quotes the final lines of "The Lady of Shalott".  I marvel at her delivery of the final part "God in His Mercy lend her grace / The Lady of Shalott."  Then, with a slight turn of her head, she asks "More tea, Vicar?".  This is Miss Marple perfectly chrystallized.  She is at once literaray proficient, her mind working at genius pace, and yet she is an old lady who has tea with the village vicar. 

Pongo 07 Oct 10 at 6:07 a.m. GMT

SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The posts on this thread are excellent.  Nothing but the highest quality on the AC boards!

I am on the fence with this book, fluctuating between liking it and not liking it.  For example, I love the sheer ferocity of the motive behind the murder, as well as the balance among AC's treatment of the themes of sadness and loss, old age, the changing landscape of "Old England", and the difficulties of communication. 

However, I find that the plot itself is somewhat easy to solve, and the book does tend to get "overcluttered" with one murder too many during the final 40 pages. 

My comment above notwithstanding, I think that this is the finest example of how a literary work alluded to makes the book even more powerful.  Specifically, AC was absolutely right on the nose with her allusion to "The Lady of Shalott" and the parallels drawn with another major character in this book. 

Also, I really admire how AC took what is in fact a gruesome and tragic backdrop to murder (a woman who wanted a child is devestated because it is born mentally handicapped, and the person who caused the handicap is a sweet, slightly dim lady).  It is disturbing because a character is the subject of hatred and she does not even realize it.  And yet, AC manages to tastefully dress the story with care, by making the tragedy of the loss as almost an inference rather than making it in your face.