Recently Cath at Read-Warbler read The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie. This is a book of thirteen short stories featuring Miss Marple; almost all of them were published before The Murder at the Vicarage, the first full-length novel with Miss Marple. I had never read the book, but finally I realized that I had all the stories in Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories. So last night I started reading them.
I have only read four stories so far, all from The Thirteen Problems. An alternate title for that book was The Tuesday Club Murders.
"The Tuesday Night Club"
This story sets up the premise for the rest of the stories in the book (I presume). Five people meet at Miss Marple's house: her nephew Raymond West, a well-known author; Joyce Lemprière, an artist; Dr. Pender, a clergyman; Mr. Petherick, a solicitor; and my favorite, Sir Henry Clithering, a retired Commissioner of Scotland Yard. They decide to form a club to discuss unsolved mysteries, and plan to meet every Tuesday, and proceed to discuss a case described by Sir Henry, about the poisoning of a man's wife. I had no clue who the culprit was, but I learned from reading that one that I needed to pay attention to the information about every person involved with the case to even have a chance.
One very interesting thing about this first story was the description of Miss Marple:
"Miss Marple wore a black brocade dress, very much pinched in round the waist. Mechlin lace was arranged in a cascade down the front of the bodice. She had on black mittens, and a black lace cap surmounted the piled-up masses of her snowy hair. She was knitting – something white and soft and fleecy."
Except for the knitting, that is not at all how I picture Miss Marple and I don't think that later books describe her that way. So possibly Christie's vision of Miss Marple changed over time?
"The Idol House of Astarte"
The second story is set at a country house in Dartmoor, and centers around a house party, complete with a fancy dress party. This story is spooky and creepy. The clergyman, Mr. Pender, tells the story. I did guess the solution to that one.
"Ingots of Gold"
The third story is told by Raymond West, Miss Marple's nephew. He once visited a man who lived in a town on the western coast of Cornwall. The coastal area was known for shipwrecks and lost treasures to be salvaged, and this man was planning to recover some bullion. I guessed the solution to this one too, but Miss Marple's solution explained it better than I could. The story was a bit too complex to be a fun read.
"The Bloodstained Pavement"
The fourth story, told by the artist, Joyce Lemprière, was the most fun, possibly because I could not figure it out. It is set in a different town along the coast of Cornwall, and was another spooky one with a lot of atmosphere.
So, I have read four interesting stories that were first published in book form in The Thirteens Problems. I will be reading all the stories in Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories throughout the summer, spacing them out between some of my 20 Books of Summer.
22 comments:
I think Christie's vision of Miss Marple must've altered because she sounds quite different in later books. My idea of her is always Joan Hickson and I don't remember seeing her in a lace cap unless my memory is not serving me well. I'm just coming to the end of 'Marple' the new volume of Miss Marple stories by various modern authors. Several have got her spot-on but most are just slightly out. Enjoyable stories but not really Miss Marple. I now have the Mid-Summer collection of AC stories to read from the library... it's turning into an Agatha Christie summer! Not exactly a problem.
What an excellent choice for SSW, Tracy! I like the Miss Marple stories a lot. And what's really interesting is exactly what Cath says; she changes over time. In the early stories and the first novel, she's not nearly as sympathetic as she is later.
Can you knit with mittens on?
I've always preferred Agatha Christie's Miss Marple novels and short stories to Poirot. I have this collection and read it years ago. But, I might reread it again at some point.
Cath, I am glad that seeing your mention of The Thirteen Problems motivated me to read this book. The perfect short stories for right now, for me. I am passing on the new volume of Miss Marple stories by other authors for now. I usually don't like one author's characters done by other authors. But maybe someday.
Margot, I remember when I read The Murder at the Vicarage I was surprised at the descriptions of Miss Marple, that people in the village did not seem to like her. Then as I moved through the series, that changed.
Patti, good question. I was picturing thin lacy gloves when I read that, and you could knit with those, although why would you want to? On the other hand, I did find some mention (and photographs) of mittens being fingerless, but more so in the 1800s than the 1900s.
That is interesting, George. When I was younger I preferred Miss Marple, then I stopped reading Christie at all for a long while, and when I started reading her books again, I liked Poirot best. But I am enjoying reading more of the Miss Marple now, and I only have the last four novels in the series left to read now.
Of course you can knit with mittens on. Just not very well.
Hi Tracy, I have read Christie's Poirot stories but have wanted to read Miss Marple too. I was planning to start with Murder at the Vicarage but these short short stories are the earliest and maybe that is a better way to begin. Thanks for letting us know.
Jerry, I cannot knit well with or without mittens, but that is another story. I enjoyed learning to knit.
Kathy, Murder at the Vicarage is a very good book, I think it is still my favorite of the Miss Marple books that I have read. But it is different from the others. Often Miss Marple does not show up until later in the book, which can be disconcerting. I will be interested to hear what you think of the Miss Marple stories or novels.
I'm not a huge reader of short stories, but I think I would actually like this collection.
Lark, I am relatively new to short stories, I read them when I was in my late teens and early twenties, then ignored them for several decades.
I often especially enjoy short stories when they have a character I have gotten to know via a long series. Thus the Miss Marple ones work well for me. The Hercule Poirot short stories are good too, I love that Hastings narrates them (usually?). Unfortunately, having seen them all in TV adaptations, I know how they end.
This article includes some info and illustrations of Victorian ladies' "mitts":
https://vintagedancer.com/victorian/ladies-victorian-gloves/
Thanks, Marty, for the link. Those illustrations of the mitts are perfect. They do show the fingers not covered by the mitts, and they could be worn while knitting.
This includes 1930's dresses for elderly women, and some of them seem as if they could be Miss Marple! https://vintagedancer.com/1930s/1930s-mature-women-fashion-mrs-clothing/
So, what made you give up on short stories? Sorry if I'm forgetting a previous explanation.
Marty, I agree with you, some of the women in those pictures of clothing from the 1930s look like they could be Miss Marple. Thanks again for the link. That is an interesting site.
Todd, I really don't know. I remember reading short stories, probably from paperback anthologies, by Theodore Sturgeon and Harlan Ellison. I think it was my first husband that introduced me to science fiction stories. But after that, why I quit and never went back, I don't know. I do know for a while I had a prejudice that short stories could not have the depth I wanted or interest. And I am glad that I changed my mind.
I think my husband would enjoy this book. We prefer short stories when we are listening to an audiobook while traveling.
Deb, I can see why short stories would be good for listening to while traveling. And these stories would be a good choice. Thanks for the comment.
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