Mathew's Blog

My grandmother, of course, had no experience of blogs, but I think she might well have approved of them because they provide a great opportunity for listening. She was herself, without exception, the best listener I have ever known – one of the reasons maybe why she was able to write so many excellent books. For myself, I shall try to learn from her example and listen very carefully as the blog develops, and occasionally contribute myself.

In the meantime, happy blogging!

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The Guessing Game

28 Sep 09 7:32AM

I thought you might be entertained by this little bit of family history.

I remember the year when Nima read us a chapter or two of A Pocket Full of Rye after dinner each night.  It must have been 1953 and I can remember the game as if it were yesterday.  All the family sitting round the drawing-room at Greenway, coffee cups empty on the tray, a little cigar smoke rising from my grandfather's cigar, mauve chintzy covers set on the chairs and a piano in the corner of the room.  Nima sat in a deep chair with a light directly above her and spectacles, a strange butterfly shape, were pushed slightly forward.  After every session, except the first two or three, we were all invited to guess the identity of the murderer.  Was it Adele or Elaine? (poisoning is a woman's weapon perhaps?).  Or, maybe not, because Percival or Lancelot might have done it.  Or what about the sinister Miss Armsbottom or someone of her ilk? 

Two reactions I remember clearly: my grandfather Max usually finished his cigar and went to sleep during the reading, waking up with a start when we were all guessing.  He then consistently and obstinately plumped for the most unlikely and impossible suspect and went to sleep again.  My mother, on the other hand, maintained the solution was, of course, crystal clear to anyone with a grain of intelligence and that the plot was so transparent that it was hardly worth inflicting it on the public.  However, she was not prepared to be more explicit.  There was, of course, a serious purpose behind these highly enjoyable occasions.  Nima was anxious to try out her book on a live audience which enabled her to test its plausibility and its plot.  Needless to say Max and my mother in their wholly different ways guessed correctly and infuriated the rest of us!

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31 comments

allieces 09 Nov 11 at 3:24p.m.

Dear Matthew: Your blog is wonderful---keep up the postings, as they are some last living memories of your wonderful grandmother...thank you!

col_race_1 21 Jul 11 at 3:19a.m.

Dear Matthew Pritchard,
Thank you for sharing this and other stories from your childhood. If you haven't already done so, I would strongly encourgage you to incorporate these stories in your memoirs to be published and thus captured for future generations. Many would find these stories of interest in that they provide both insight into your grandmother's methods and your experiences as a child.

mwald 21 Apr 11 at 12:34a.m.

That is a great story Matthew, I wish that I was able to grow up knowing my grandmother and her telling me stoies but she died before I was born,but your story is a sweet memory that I always thought of."

adamjones 02 Apr 11 at 9:46a.m.

A guessing game is a game in which the object is to guess some kind of information, such as a word, a phrase, a title, or the location of an object.

Many of the games are played co-operatively. In some games some player(s) know the answer, but cannot tell the other(s), instead they must help them to guess it.

thesis help

LittleMissMurder 10 Mar 11 at 2:39a.m.

I wish my family were that fun. It sounds so interesting and intriguing. I absolutely adore mysteries, especially those of your grandmother. It would have been so interesting to try to solve such amazing and complex mysteries. :)

Wildflower 25 Feb 11 at 12:53a.m.

Thank you, Mathew, for sharing such a precious memory with us. What a lovely idea to sit together after dinner for a cozy chapter reading. Much better that clicking on the television!

evs1959morswood 18 Feb 11 at 9:08a.m.

I went to see 'The Verdict' at the New Theatre Cardiff last night. What a wonderful production, I was enthralled with the story and the acting was excellent.

oodelally3 17 Feb 11 at 7:51p.m.

Oh, I love it! More stories like this, please, Mathew!!! (And don't forget to tell us how the name "Nima" came about!)

I just picked up A Pocketful of Rye 2 days ago. :) I've seen the BBC version, but had never read it. And luckily, I've forgotten who the murderer is.

I love this idea--when I finally have children, I'd like to have this little tradition, too. My husband's an avid Holmesian, so we can switch off between the two. :)

durwin1984 08 Feb 11 at 5:02p.m.

Dear Mathew or anyone
Please help
I remember seeing a black and white marple film with Margaret Rutherford which contains the lines 'there is nothing wrong with this woman that can't be cured by linseed oil and cider vinegar. I would love to find this film and get permission to use a clip it on my web site as I grow and press linseed for oil. Any help as to how to achieve this would be gratefully received. I would be happy to show my gratitude by supplying some linseed oil. My site if you would like to visit is www.highbarnoils.co.uk
Thank you
Yours sincerely
Durwin Banks

dannypost 03 Dec 10 at 6:57p.m.

Dear Mathew,


I was wondering: will Postern of Fate ever be re-released in its original version? When the manuscript/tapes went on auction at Sotheby's some years ago, they said the original story differed greatly and was far superior than the one released. That it suffered greatly from poor editing. I would really love for it to be restored, since it is one of Agatha's most criticized novels.

Dan

MarieW 02 Dec 10 at 11:53a.m.

We have once wrote an essay in the school about Agatha Christie's books. This story is so good, that it rewoke some good memories in me from my past. Thank you!

englishriviera 28 Oct 10 at 1:47a.m.

Dear Mr Mathew Prichard,
Thank you very much for sharing with us such family memories!
As next february I will be in Devon for the first time on a short holiday, I am much pleased to read such nice memories about Dame Agatha at Greenway.
I am looking forward to walking down Agatha Christie´s Mile and seeing all the places there.

agathasgreatestfan 03 Oct 10 at 2:13p.m.

I read my first Agatha when I was twelve - "Cat Amongst the Pigeons". Loved Mathew's story, I devour anything about Agatha - and have visted Greenway twice. What an atmosphere and a privelege - favourite thing was seeing the Kimono worn by Clara Miller (Agatha's mother) which appears in a photograph in the autobiography. I really hope Mathew puts some more memories on here.

moefla 24 Sep 10 at 6:27a.m.

I too am delighted to have found this site. I have been an avid reader of Agatha's books ever since I discovered them for myself over 40 years ago. I try to find those books I don't have in the local library including all the DVD's from the TV shows and movies. I finally was able to catch up with the book of plays..excellent! My favourite character has always been Jane Marple, but I am intrigued by Hercule. It's been terrific to find that David Suchet has continued to play this character in the last few years. As for Jane, while I have enjoyed all the actresses that have played her part, Margaret Rutherford, Julia McKenzie and Geraldine McEwan, my favourite is Joan Hickson.

missauburn 30 Aug 10 at 3:23a.m.

I have just found this site. I am an avid reader and have all of Mrs. Christie's books which I re-read over the years and enjoy them over and over again. This is my first blog and I look forward to enjoying the comments. The unexpected joy is learning that Mr. Pritchard himself logs in!!
Of all the movies I have seen I do feel that David Suchet is THE poirot and Jean Hickson was THE only Miss Marple.

LittleMiss 27 Aug 10 at 10:36a.m.

Hi, I'm new to this site and Agatha Christie, but I just got into them at school and I can't stop!
I like a bit of family history!

ElynnKurszewski 20 Aug 10 at 4:45a.m.

August 19,2010 Ive really enjoyed the Agatha Christe web-site newletter that is put on my e-mail web. I do have a concern here about something on this web-site? I would like to have a list of all her books that I can print off from her web-site other wise IM going to half to copy a list of her books off her web-site. can you please help me with this. Thank you Lynn kurszewski

Intibuca 09 Aug 10 at 4:22a.m.

Wondefull! I love Agatha Christie since I was a young girl. I remember Mathew since I read her biography.I have a dream, to visit Greenway some day. Thanks to all for reading.

janule 26 Jul 10 at 4:49p.m.

Dear Mathew
thank you very much for sharing your memories of your grandma... It's really nice to read and know her as a "normal woman", not only the "queen of crime" :-)
I'm the president of Czech Agatha Christie Society - I hope you already have heard about us. We are trying to make the best image of Agatha Christie in our country, building site www.agatha.cz (preparing new version), cooperating with czech AC publisher etc.
I would like to ask you - is it possible to get your signature? Can I send this question to any email - our is agatha@agatha.cz
Thank you very much
Jana Ohnesorg

Kerr52 24 May 10 at 2:58p.m.

i found out.
an early attempt at "grandma".
cheeeers!

Kerr52 22 May 10 at 1:23p.m.

hey g'day!
thank you so much for sharing that wonderful personal experience with us devotees. we visited Greenway in early May and i could see your story in my mind's eye. i remember the room and furnishings and your tale was so vivid.
any more???
cheeeers

hang on. Nima? where did that come from?

slinkycat 01 Mar 10 at 2:36p.m.

I've been an Agatha Christie fan since I was a kid so my son now has seen most of the movies again and again, and listens to audio books whether he wants to or not because I am listening. Now that he's almost 12yo I stop and ask him what he thinks about what someone did or who does he think did it, etc and often get a real thoughtful answer. Her books are so great because they don't overdo the actual crime but go right to the human psychology and characters' habits and actions without being too weird and creepy, so even young people can be pulled into thinking about the story without even realizing it. Thanks for sharing your memories.

AndreaWilkins 24 Feb 10 at 10:07a.m.

I definately enjoyed your recolections - i could almost see the picture of you all in my minds eye. Wonderful, thankyou :)

HeiseiHolmes 28 Jan 10 at 3:43p.m.

This sounds like so much fun. It reminds me of "The Tuesday Night Club", too. I would love to try suh a thing sometime...

Trish46 24 Jan 10 at 1:48p.m.

I enjoyed your reminiscences so much I have always enjoyed AC stories. I have recently enjoyed the Greenway book, such wonderful photographs and background also seeing where Agatha set the plots with name changes.
My daughter has just commenced reading her stories and wonders why she did not do so years ago, in a way I envy her starting out on the books so many to read.
So pleased to have found this site.
I must now start saving to stay at Greenway it would be such fun.

DagaL 22 Jan 10 at 2:12p.m.

Hello,

this is such a nice story/memory. I wish I had a memory like that from my childhood.

I can imagine that the fact that someone would always guess who the murder was could be frustrating but I would assume that also motivating to do better next time :D

Best wishes,
Daga

mr_oliver 24 Dec 09 at 5:10p.m.

Dear Mathew,

Thank you for sharing such a personal story. I throughly enjoyed it.

In many of the books about your grandmother they talk of a bet between her and her sister, Madge, about writing a detective story. Madge said it was not possible to write one without guessing the ending, while your grandmother said she thought it was. The result was The Mysterious Affair at Styles. This is also mentioned in Agatha Christie's An Autobiography.

While different books give variations of this story, none mention whether Madge figured out The Mysterious Affair at Styles.

Did your grandmother ever talk about this? Do you know what really happened - did Madge figure out the ending?

AndreaWilkins 18 Dec 09 at 9:36a.m.

hi i'm new to the site and quite exited at all there is to see and do. I'm having a great time so far and looking forward to the next newsletter! - Wishing all a Happy Christmas xx

zest70pk 25 Nov 09 at 11:21a.m.

Dear Mr. Mathew!

Good Day Sir. I need your help as regard with a comments of your great grandmother about Asia’s mystery writer Ibne Safi during a short stay at Karachi (Pakistan) airport in 1970s. I need it to confirm it wether you have some record of that quote ?
I run a web site www-wadi-e-urdu.com which contains research work on Mr. Ibne Safi. For more details on Ibne Safi, you can see the page titled ibne safi at wikipedia encyclopedia on internet at link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn-e-Safi
Sir, may I have your e-mail address. Dr Ahmed Safi (son of Ibne Safi) also wants to talk to you thru e-mail.
Regards
RASHID ASHRAF
zest70pk@gmail.com
ahmadsafi@gmail.com

S_Sigerson 03 Oct 09 at 12:33a.m.

Yes, it was a lovely story. Thank you for sharing it with us.

hannahdennison 28 Sep 09 at 10:57p.m.

What a wonderful description of an evening spent at Greenway. I really enjoyed this childhood memory!