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!

Nemesis

Moderator1 10 Nov 09 at 12:02 p.m. GMT

Miss Marple is sad to read about the death of Jason Rafiel whom she had 'worked' with two years previously.  His executor contacts her with a proposition that she should investigate a crime as Mr Rafiel requested in his will.  No further details are given but in a letter she receives, written by Rafiel before his death, he suggests she takes a coach tour around Britian's great gardens.  Too intrigued to turn it down, Miss Marple embarks on one of her most interesting, and dangerous, cases.

This was the last Miss Marple novel that Christie wrote - is there any sense that this is to be Jane Marple's last outing?  Could Christie have written it so that Miss Marple clashed once again with Rafiel?

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96 replies

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jane_delawney 07 Dec 09 at 2:11 a.m. GMT

Although I love the title Nemesis (as I love the entire Nemesis motif of this and Caribbean Mystery), I can't help thinking that By the Prickin' of my Thumb would actually have made a great title for this book. There is such an emphasis on the sinister Three Sisters, and at some point Miss Marple even compares them to the Three Witches from Macbeth.

sjoerdbol 25 Dec 09 at 2:05 p.m. GMT

No, because the latest book to be released was sleeping murder, so I think she intended that Sleeping Murder should be the last novel with Marple.

To Jane: I agree, by the pricking of my thumbs is a better title. It sounds more exciting and tense than nemesis. But I think it still is a great book, one of my Marple favorites.

Tommy_A_Jones 25 Dec 09 at 3:30 p.m. GMT

If you don't me voiceing my opinion I think Nemesis is a Much bettedr title for the book as it suggests that Evil hasd tro be thwarted and it jusxt fits the book whereas if you haven't heard of where the title By The Pricking of My Thumbs comes from you would wonder how relevent it is to the book

HeiseiHolmes 15 Jan 10 at 4:14 p.m. GMT

This is such a great book. I especially like any book where Miss Marple is in it for a lot of the time and not just a few parts, because she's so funny (in a good way). I think Nemesis is a better title than the Macbeth one , because it shows the link to Mr Rafiel and also it makes the killer less obvious.

aquaflute 13 Feb 10 at 1:32 a.m. GMT

Although this is not a too complicated case. I think it is extremely powerful. I love the role Marple plays in this novel. This is actually IMO a similar case to Ordeal by Innocence, where solving the crime and murderer doesn't only bring justice, but also give new life to the innocent that got involved in this.

I also love how AC played with the relationship between Rafiel and Marple. It's really funny but I believe if Rafiel was to be alive in this book they might even get married. It's never going to happen that's for sure, but there were potentials and the connection between these two are very charming IMO.

Lone_Wolf 13 Feb 10 at 7:53 p.m. GMT

I've enjoyed the novel more at second read. It often happens with me in regards to the Marple novels.

"Nemesis" is a much better title, IMO. Besides empasising connection to Rafiel, it also underlines a powerful theme that goes though the book - the ruthless power of retribution and justice that is posessed by a seemingly unthreatening old village spinster.

"This was the last Miss Marple novel that Christie wrote - is there any sense that this is to be Jane Marple's last outing?"

I know that this isn't supposed to be Marple's last book, but it actually does make some sense. The emphasis on justice delivered by miss Marple would make a powerful final accord.

Lone_Wolf 14 Feb 10 at 7:46 a.m. GMT

However, many things in the book I've found unsatisfying. First, an unanswered question:

How did miss Barrow and miss Cooke realise that Clotilde had been the murderer? They surely realized it, because they warned miss Marple against drinking her coffee. 

Then, the repetitiveness of the book. Miss Marple, like one amazon.com rewiever pointed out, every ten pages or so meets another authority figure and launches into the same exact story all over again about how she met Mr. Rafiel in the Caribbean and how he died and how he went her on a tour. Also, there's much talking to people who at great length repeat information we already knew from before - dialogue that doesn't add much to either the plot or the characterization, that's somewhat endemic in the Marple books. Pity, since while I don't hate Poirot, I like Marple more as both a person and a literary creation.

So, to sum it all up, I liked the theme and the premise, but the writing was problematic in some places. That's why I enjoyed it on a second read, I guess.

MissQuin 06 Mar 10 at 3:08 p.m. GMT

Has anyone seen the Joan Hickson version of Nemesis? It is so much better than the McEwan version, which was hardly like the book.

In the Hickson version, Clotide? drinks the drugged milk and runs outside. She dies lieing on top of the mount where Verity's buried. I know it wasnt in the book, but it was so well acted and moving.

go_leafs_nation 06 Mar 10 at 3:54 p.m. GMT

Aw, that's unfair to Geraldine and the rest of the gang. Think of all the fun times we have mocking Nemesis because of their efforts to make it as ridiculous as possible. Nuns, Nazis, and lesbians (Oh my!)!

That being said, Hickson's improved on some of the book's flaws, such as a seemingly psychic murderer who, if he/she were normal, would not have killed their second victim. My one complaint is that instead of a boulder attack it was changed into a falling bust- the original method was a far more creative way of bumping someone off.

MissQuin 06 Mar 10 at 4:19 p.m. GMT

Ive no doubt you had plenty to say after the McEwan Nemesis was aired...

It could only have been made worse by having the nun a Judo expert, who kung fu kicks her foes over cliff edges.

Then Appoinment with Death had a slave trafficking nun! What next...? I I think Then There Were Nuns will be the next AC adaptation.

go_leafs_nation 06 Mar 10 at 5:03 p.m. GMT

Yes, the nuns do their magic nun dance and turn the unsuspecting heroine into a nun. Dear God, I can actually see ITV doing that.

Tommy_A_Jones 06 Mar 10 at 5:06 p.m. GMT

I can see how that woulde work, 10 people find themselves in Mr N Other's Holiday Cottage and before they start dieing Bloor or McArthur or someone see when out walking Miss Marple in another Holiday Cottage on Holiday and invite her round for Dinner where one gets Killed and she stays to solve it and the other's Die but she confronts the Murderer before He/She dies but I would like ITV to do Endless Night or Sparkling Cyanide both of which I don't like so I think ITV would improve them.

MissQuin 06 Mar 10 at 8:08 p.m. GMT

Then There Were Nuns is set on a small convent on an isolated island... all of the nun's have dark secrets. They start being killed one by one. They don't suspect anything at first and some think theyre being punished by God.

The actresses playing the nuns are all supiciously glamourous women, who look as though theyve had comsetic surgery and botox.

The producers fear that without any men, female viewers wont watch. So they have an amazingly handsome young priest come and visit the sisters on the island. The priest has his own sinister secret, he was a Nazi spy but has now reformed. He has to work out who killing the Nuns before it's too late. He cant manage to solve it by himself, so uses a special messenger pigeon to send a letter to his Aunt Jane Marple. (How Miss Marple's nephew was German Nazi has no bearing on the plot whatsoever.)

It's a tale of passion, madness and Mass murders! Sponsered by Wella hair care products!

My idea needs some work, but it's pretty terrible, but perhaps not terrible enough for prime time TV..

monkeyjess1999 07 Mar 10 at 1:54 p.m. GMT

what is and then there were nuns and who is your favorite detective miss quin

MissQuin 07 Mar 10 at 2:44 p.m. GMT

Then There Were Nuns is my spoof version of Agatha Christie's Then There Were None. I'm just joking around by writing it on here. Theres been alot of discussions about the TV adaptaions. Marple's Nemesis was remade for TV, but the plot was changed drastically, the 3 main charcaters were switched so that they were nuns! This was very unpopluar!

Also a Nun was added to Poirot Appointment with Death, who never appeared in the book. So theres been alot of jokes about them adding nuns, plus alot of Nazis have been added to the recent Marple adaptations.

Then there were none is an Agatha Christie classic, but it hasnt been remade for film or TV in a long time. There is some fears that TV might turn into into a Miss marple. The books isnt suited to be a Marple, so I wrote a very silly version-with nuns of course...

Favorite detective- well I cant decide between Miss Marple and Poirot. I love them both. I like Mr Harley Quin and Mr Satterwaite as well.

monkeyjess1999 07 Mar 10 at 7:21 p.m. GMT

I like both detectives, too. Did you ever read Murder at the Vicarage? If you did did you like it because I'm reading it write now.

MissQuin 08 Mar 10 at 6:49 p.m. GMT

Yes, I liked the Murder at the Vicarage. I liked the portrayl of village life.

monkeyjess1999 08 Mar 10 at 9:37 p.m. GMT

i think it is good too i like how it is a person who already had an alibi was the murderer i just finished it last night now im reading the murder of roger ackroyd i think its good so far are you reading an agatha christie book?

monkeyjess1999 08 Mar 10 at 11:32 p.m. GMT

Miss Quin

How long have you been reading Agatha Christie books? I only have since about last year. I got interested in it when my mom said she use to have book clubs for the Agatha Christie books. Do you like and then there were none?

AndreaWilkins 09 Mar 10 at 10:31 a.m. GMT

MissQuin you have a wonderful imagination - i've really enjoyed reading through this blog !! Nemesis is one of my favorite Miss Marple stories. I love that i didn't know  "who done it" till the very end, this book always keeps me on the edge of my seat and i love re-reading my most favorites. At one point i felt sorry for Clotilde, and then in awe at how AC brings Miss Marple in to solve the murder and let justice reign.