The Body in the Library (Miss Marple, #3)

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The Body in the Library (Miss Marple #3)

3.8 of 5 stars 3.80 · rating details · 18,332 ratings · 596 reviews

A young, blond woman is found dead on the floor of Colonel and Mrs. Bantry's library. Nobody seems to know who the woman is, let alone how she wound up murdered in the Bantry's home. Jane Marple is called in and the chase is on.

Hardcover, 191 pages

Published September 1st 2006 by Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers (first published January 1st 1924)

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And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Best Detective/Mystery Series

15th out of 923 books — 868 voters

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11th out of 70 books — 359 voters

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Jun 26, 2012 Kwoomac rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, amateur-sleuth, brit-lit, fast-read, mystery, reviewed, safe-bet

Someone here on Goodreads has a shelf called "cozy mysteries" and I think this is a perfect description of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple series.You can't get much cozier than a tea-drinking elderly spinster in a tiny English village. The Body in the Library is a clever little book. Miss Marple is called in to investigate when her friend finds a dead body (in the library). What I enjoy about Christie is she doesn't take her mysteries too seriously. There's lots of room for humorous little bits. I...more

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May 22, 2011 Maxine Mathew rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: agatha-christie, owned, young-adult, mystery-suspense-thriller, series, second-hand

The people of St. Mary Mead get hold of some juicy gossip when a body of an unknown young blonde woman is found in the library of the respectable Bantrys. As the suspicion falls on Colonel Bantry, Mrs. Bantry calls on Miss Marple to help solve this perplexing case. Investigations performed by Colonel Melchett and Inspector Slack of Radfordshire force lead them to the rich invalid, Conway Jefferson. With the inclusion of Conway Jefferson in the case, the investigation spans to The Majestic Hotel...more The people of St. Mary Mead get hold of some juicy gossip when a body of an unknown young blonde woman is found in the library of the respectable Bantrys. As the suspicion falls on Colonel Bantry, Mrs. Bantry calls on Miss Marple to help solve this perplexing case. Investigations performed by Colonel Melchett and Inspector Slack of Radfordshire force lead them to the rich invalid, Conway Jefferson. With the inclusion of Conway Jefferson in the case, the investigation spans to The Majestic Hotel in the neighbouring county of Glenshire. But as the number of suspects grows, the police seem to have no headway in the case. Maybe the clever but practical mind of Miss Marple is what they need to solve this complex case.

When I read the title of ‘The Body In The Library’, the first thing that popped up into my mind was the boardgame, Cluedo (Have your played it? It's quite fun actually). Maybe it was because of the clichéd setting of the murder in the library of the large house of the Bantrys. Reading the foreword of the author, I think Agatha Christie had the same thing in mind while writing this novel. The Body in the Library is Agatha Christie’s take on the conventional setting of a murder mystery novel. But the ‘conventional’ element of the novel does not prevent it from being ingenious.

The characters of the book were intriguing, especially Mr. Conway Jefferson. Unable to cope up with the death of his children in a plane crash, he keeps his daughter-in-law, Adelaide, and son-in-law, Mark, close to him. This obligation to remain continuously close to him does not only make Mark and Adelaide a little bitter towards him but also makes them feel trapped. Then there is the dead girl’s cousin, Josie who rather than being sad at her cousin’s death is actually angry at her for being dead. Even Mrs Bantry is an interesting character. Instead of being disturbed by the discovery of a dead body in her house, she decides to enjoy the situation. Another unusual thing about the book was the number of detectives working on the case. Surprisingly, the characters of the detectives were exact carbon copies of each other, so much so that I had often difficulty in distinguishing them. Maybe this was intentional as Agatha Christie wanted to show the readers that the all the detectives involved in this case, wholly depended upon the circumstantial and forensic evidence to solve the case. On the contrary, Miss Marple chooses to closely study the characters and habits of the suspects and the victim while trying to find the murderer.

Though I had heard a lot of praise about Agatha Christie before reading this book, but this is the first Agatha Christie I have ever tried. After reading The Body in the Library, I must say that Agatha Christie is truly the Queen of Mysteries. The suspense that she builds up by the end of the novel is almost unbearable. Your hand will continuously twitch to turn to the last chapter to know the murderer. So, now I am ready to gobble up the rest of the Agatha Christie mysteries. It's a good thing that my sister owns almost 50 of them!! (less)

1 like · like · see review

Jun 18, 2012 Bonnie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, classics-modern

This was my first Agatha Christie novel. It's kind of a random one to start with. It's not Murder on the Orient Express or And Then There Were None or any of her other famous works. I chose it purely because I liked the cover. But you know what? I think it was a perfect choice.

Miss Marple is absolutely delightful. No ego, just a keen insight into the human psyche. She's also far more clever than me; I didn't spot the killer until it was too late.

It's almost a quintessential British village life/...more

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Mar 18, 2011 Misha added it · review of another edition

*Maxine's Review*

The people of St. Mary Mead get hold of some juicy gossip when a body of an unknown young blonde woman is found in the library of the respectable Bantrys. As the suspicion falls on Colonel Bantry, Mrs. Bantry calls on Miss Marple to help solve this perplexing case. Investigations performed by Colonel Melchett and Inspector Slack of Radfordshire force lead them to the rich invalid, Conway Jefferson. With the inclusion of Conway Jefferson in the case, the investigation spans to Th...more *Maxine's Review*

The people of St. Mary Mead get hold of some juicy gossip when a body of an unknown young blonde woman is found in the library of the respectable Bantrys. As the suspicion falls on Colonel Bantry, Mrs. Bantry calls on Miss Marple to help solve this perplexing case. Investigations performed by Colonel Melchett and Inspector Slack of Radfordshire force lead them to the rich invalid, Conway Jefferson. With the inclusion of Conway Jefferson in the case, the investigation spans to The Majestic Hotel in the neighbouring county of Glenshire. But as the number of suspects grows, the police seem to have no headway in the case. Maybe the clever but practical mind of Miss Marple is what they need to solve this complex case.

When I read the title of ‘The Body In The Library’, the first thing that popped up into my mind was the boardgame, Cluedo (Have your played it? It's quite fun actually). Maybe it was because of the clichéd setting of the murder in the library of the large house of the Bantrys. Reading the foreword of the author, I think Agatha Christie had the same thing in mind while writing this novel. The Body in the Library is Agatha Christie’s take on the conventional setting of a murder mystery novel. But the ‘conventional’ element of the novel does not prevent it from being ingenious.

The characters of the book were intriguing, especially Mr. Conway Jefferson. Unable to cope up with the death of his children in a plane crash, he keeps his daughter-in-law, Adelaide, and son-in-law, Mark, close to him. This obligation to remain continuously close to him does not only make Mark and Adelaide a little bitter towards him but also makes them feel trapped. Then there is the dead girl’s cousin, Josie who rather than being sad at her cousin’s death is actually angry at her for being dead. Even Mrs Bantry is an interesting character. Instead of being disturbed by the discovery of a dead body in her house, she decides to enjoy the situation. Another unusual thing about the book was the number of detectives working on the case. Surprisingly, the characters of the detectives were exact carbon copies of each other, so much so that I had often difficulty in distinguishing them. Maybe this was intentional as Agatha Christie wanted to show the readers that the all the detectives involved in this case, wholly depended upon the circumstantial and forensic evidence to solve the case. On the contrary, Miss Marple chooses to closely study the characters and habits of the suspects and the victim while trying to find the murderer.

Though I had heard a lot of praise about Agatha Christie before reading this book, but this is the first Agatha Christie I have ever tried. After reading The Body in the Library, I must say that Agatha Christie is truly the Queen of Mysteries. The suspense that she builds up by the end of the novel is almost unbearable. Your hand will continuously twitch to turn to the last chapter to know the murderer. So, now I am ready to gobble up the rest of the Agatha Christie mysteries. It's a good thing that my sister owns almost 50 of them!!
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Jan 06, 2009 Sun rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bookaweek2009

What kind of crime/mystery fan hasn't read Agatha Christie? I confess that I've never picked up a book by the acknowledged Queen of Crime. The only possible reason must be their obvious availability. So obvious that one assumes they will always exist as part of the crime landscape, copies in every library and bookstore, one could not possibly forget to read it. I'd get around to it, one day and today was to be it.

As the title states, the body of a young blonde is found in the library of the Bant...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars

*There's* my Miss Marple! :) I guess by #3, she's found her stride. I think that this was my first Agatha Christie read ever, probably in middle school, which explains my disappointment with The Murder at the Vicarage. Again, though, once it's read once, the mystery isn't so mysterious, but the action (is it action when it's mostly mental?) is entertaining and the recurring characters are starting to flesh out. (Plus, we get to meet the Vicar's little boy!) I don't want to give anything away, bu...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Myonlycookie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries

I'm feeling a little torn with this one. It's Agatha Christie, so I love her easy and clever writing style. I liked this mystery and its solution well enough, but I felt it was a little convoluted.

Basic premise: Mysterious body in a library. Christie deliberately chose a stereotypical murder set up. I really like the idea of experimenting with this.

This was my first Miss Marple book. I've read a bunch of Poirot, and seen the Marple TV series. I'm curious as to if all the Marple books bounce bac...more

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Dec 19, 2012 Kara Jorges rated it 4 of 5 stars

The well-ordered world of Colonel and Mrs. Bantry is turned on its ear one morning when the body of a young woman is found in their library. Neither the Bantrys nor their staff knew the young woman, Ruby Keene, a dance hostess at the nearby Majestic Hotel. Fearing what the whispers in the village will do to her husband’s reputation, Dolly Bantry calls her friend and sleuth, Miss Jane Marple. She and Miss Marple check in to the Majestic Hotel and begin investigating. They meet Conrad Jefferson, a...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Mitch rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Read this little goody in less than a day! My friends all know I'm a loyal fan of Agatha Christie, and when I pick up any of her books I usually devour them quickly. "The Body in the Library" was no different.

The following may or may not contain spoilers.

Small town, rich house full of servants: and BAM! A strange "glamourous" girl is found strangled in the library. She is not known by the residents, so in comes the wise spinster Miss Marple to solve the case! And soon the story unravels about th...more

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Jun 22, 2012 James Parkin rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was the first Christie I read when I was 14, bought from one of those quaint independent bookshops which are fast becoming a thing of the past. It is also one of the few books which, as an adult, I have read more than once.

For an impatient teenager it was good that we got straight into the story, the body being discovered after only a couple of pages. It is very much a classic style Christie, with the body lying in the library of a large country house, the residence of a Squire-type charact...more

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May 07, 2012 Tali rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: christie-mysteries, crime

I gave this Miss Marple novel (the last of this series for me to read) three stars, although really I would've preferred if there was a 3.5 star option.
The plotline is interesting and the original concept is neatly set up - a body is found in the library of a young girl who the house owners don't recognise - but there's something about some of the characters that irritated me. Miss Marple is the same as she ever is and I still liked the Bantrys (the homeowners) and the rest of the residents of...more

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Jun 25, 2011 Cheryl Gatling added it

In this story Colonel and Mrs. Bantry wake up one morning to find a dead body in their library, a blonde girl in evening gown. They have never seen her before, and have no idea how she got there. The case looks unsolvable, but fortunately Mrs. Bantry calls her friend Miss Marple to help figure it out. This was my first Miss Marple. Miss Marple is able to figure out mysteries that stump the professional detectives because she has knowledge of human nature that she has gained living many years in...more

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Dec 05, 2010 Jenni Lou rated it 3 of 5 stars

Agatha Christie‘s The Body in the Library, published in 1942, is a light read, but sprinkled with a variety of unlikable characters, most which can be considered suspects. They are greedy, or indifferent about the murder of the poor young woman found dead in the library of Mr. & Mrs. Bantry.

The story flip-flops between characters. For awhile we follow the Inspector and then we will follow Miss Marple and/or Miss Bantry. This back and forth isn’t necessarily jarring but it seems to slow the a...more Agatha Christie‘s The Body in the Library, published in 1942, is a light read, but sprinkled with a variety of unlikable characters, most which can be considered suspects. They are greedy, or indifferent about the murder of the poor young woman found dead in the library of Mr. & Mrs. Bantry.

The story flip-flops between characters. For awhile we follow the Inspector and then we will follow Miss Marple and/or Miss Bantry. This back and forth isn’t necessarily jarring but it seems to slow the action down. And I often found myself confused because there are just too many characters, and too many similar ones, at that. The police investigators are rather interchangeable, for example. Though there are points of interest, however, one being a man, Conway Jefferson, who lives with both his daughter-in-law and son-in-law. His children, who were married to them, were killed many years back and so he has taken to the two as a kind of surrogate family. In turn, the two eventually become somewhat irritated with their situations, feeling obligated to assume roles they no longer feel comfortable in. I can’t help thinking that this is a more profound and fascinating story. The examination of this splintered, makeshift family. Forget the murder mystery! The real substance lies in the exploration of life going on after death, following the spouses once they have migrated from coping to moving on and how Conway remains clingy and territorial. In fact, the murdered girl was one that this bereaved man chose to show an interest in, taking her on a daughter of his own. He was even about to go through the formalities of adopting her and adjusting his will.

As for the murder mystery itself, I must admit there was a certain predictability about it. I certainly didn’t guess all of the particulars but I did form a somewhat hazy conclusion early on. I suppose I found that strange “family” so interesting because the mystery came out as a dull.

I have only read one other Agatha Christie book–And Then There Were None–and I found that so much fun! I am certain to give her another try at some point because The Body in the Library seems to be one her lesser referenced novels and therefore, one can only assume that she has better stories out there because those are talked about so much more frequently, such as Murder on the Orient Express, or her other Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple mysteries.

I also read that Christie herself regarded The Body in the Library as a parody of sorts, since a body in a library is a most cliché storytelling technique. So I guess she just wanted to see if she could break through the cliché. I don’t know. I didn’t detect a cliché exactly, just a certain boredom. Though perhaps, that’s just the letting itself be known.(less)

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May 31, 2010 Madeline rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: detective-fiction

This was my first foray into the Miss Marple series of Agatha Christie mysteries, and I have to admit first and foremost that this story has one of the best setups I've ever read in a detective novel: one morning Colonel and Mrs Bantry, the owners of a big English country house, are woken by their staff and informed that a dead body is in their library. It's a young blond woman in a cocktail dress, strangled to death and sprawled on the library rug. No one recognizes her, or has any idea how she...more

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Apr 26, 2010 Laurel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-year-of-agatha

I've read this one repeatedly and always seem to come back to it. Partly this is because it actually took more than one reading to get the denouement clear in my mind--it's rather complicated, and at first it wasn't clear to me how the murderer's alibi was meant to work. However, the bigger reason to return to this one over and over is the wealth of fascinating detail about what it meant to be a "lady" in the 1940s and how clothes, makeup, etc. identify one. I could read Miss Marple's analysis o...more I've read this one repeatedly and always seem to come back to it. Partly this is because it actually took more than one reading to get the denouement clear in my mind--it's rather complicated, and at first it wasn't clear to me how the murderer's alibi was meant to work. However, the bigger reason to return to this one over and over is the wealth of fascinating detail about what it meant to be a "lady" in the 1940s and how clothes, makeup, etc. identify one. I could read Miss Marple's analysis of Ruby's wardrobe, nails, and hairstyle all day long--it all seems so glamorous today. Plus, I absolutely love the novels where a woman's perspective on domestic issues comes into play. This couldn't have been a Poirot novel; it just wouldn't have been the same.

Even in 1942 the phrase "body in the library" was a bit of a cliche, and Dame Agatha emphasizes the artificial/theatrical aspect as the various characters exclaim that it's like a novel and simply can't be real. And of course this turns out to be crucial to the plot! I love that she rose to the challenge of taking a melodramatic trope and making it work. "The Body in the Library" is also the title given to one of Ariadne Oliver's novels...I forget where; it was much earlier than this but shows that Dame Agatha had the title in mind for years before she used it. It is just THE perfect cozy-mystery title and she knew it.

So fertile was A.C.'s imagination that she often had multiple ideas for solutions to her mysteries and didn't always decide whodunnit until well into writing the first draft. This novel is a great example--there are several possible solutions that would have worked. Also, I'm reading A.C.'s "Lost Notebooks" right now and was interested to see that an idea she brainstormed about repeatedly was that of "a legless man"--the idea being that he would be the murderer because he could be different heights depending on whether he used prosthetics. She never actually wrote that novel, but I thought of Conway Jefferson when I read it; she did create a paraplegic character even though she didn't use the "heights" idea. So that was a new tidbit to think about in re-reading an old favorite. (less)

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Mar 20, 2010 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Hey, so I read my first Agatha Christie novel. It didn't hurt me any. I was alternately kind of bored and kind of pleased; I was sometimes pleasantly surprised by the depth to which the human condition was plumbed, so to speak, and yet at other times I thought it was all a bit formulaic and shallow. Clearly Ms. Christie is a woman of many facets.

This particular book is a Miss Marple story, which is why I chose it; it would've been nice to see more of Miss Marple herself. Her scenes were my favor...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Elaine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Title: The Body in the Library.

Author: Agatha Christie.

Genre: Classic, Mystery, Murder Mystery, Thriller, Adventure, Historical Fiction.

Plot: Mrs. Bantry is enjoying a lovely dream as the servants make their way about, slowly and routinely waking up the house. But when the calm of the morning is stirred by a surge of activity, sleepy Mrs. Bantry realizes that this morning is far from routine. For, to the maid's horror and the greater shock of Colonel and Mrs. Bantry, the body of a blonde girl dr...more Title: The Body in the Library.

Author: Agatha Christie.

Genre: Classic, Mystery, Murder Mystery, Thriller, Adventure, Historical Fiction.

Plot: Mrs. Bantry is enjoying a lovely dream as the servants make their way about, slowly and routinely waking up the house. But when the calm of the morning is stirred by a surge of activity, sleepy Mrs. Bantry realizes that this morning is far from routine. For, to the maid's horror and the greater shock of Colonel and Mrs. Bantry, the body of a blonde girl dressed in white is found, strangled, in their cozy little library with no clue as to how it got there nor even who the mysterious girl is.

Knowing the social repercussions from this gruesome discovery will break her husband, Mrs. Bantry - a bit overexcitedly - calls for help from the only person she trusts to actually do anything about the trouble; Miss Marple. The amateur but very shrewd lady-sleuth teams up with Superintendent Harper and Sir Henry Clithering, retired from Scotland Yard, and together they hunt up the different puzzle pieces and try to stick them together with a bit of tape and glue. Ms. Marple, however, knows there is a missing piece and when a second body turns up, her suspicions are quickly formed, confirmed and acted upon. But the question remains; who did it?

Likes/Dislikes: This is the 3rd book in the Miss Marple series by Agatha Christie and it is my first Miss Marple book, although I'm quite familiar with the amusing shrewd spinster sleuth from the Masterpiece Theater shows. Anyway, this book is wonderfully and beautifully written, packed with great description, colorful characters and perfectly-timed plot twist- all woven in without making the reader bored to death or overwhelmed by it all. The characters were probably my favorite part, as we followed them along, trying to decide who was the villain and what everyone's secret was. Very well done.

Rating: PG-14 and up, mainly for reading level but also due to content such as two murder victims {not graphic} and some drinking and suggestions that will fly way over most people's heads. A wonderful book!

Date Report Written: January 23, 2013.
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Mar 14, 2013 sabisteb rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hörspiele-einzelne, hörspiele, hörspieleserien, krimi-thriller

Mrs Dolly Bantry von Gossington Hall wird von ihrer Hausangstellten Mary sehr unsanft geweckt: In der Bibliothek liegt eine Leiche. Mrs Bantry ruft natürlich gleich ihre Freundin Miss Marple an. Die Bewohner des Hauses kennen die Tote nicht. Man vermutet, dass die Tote Dinah, die Freundin des Nachbarn Basil Blake, sein könnte, die ist aber noch sehr lebendig.
Letztendlich vermutet man, dass die Tote die Achtzehnjährige Ruby Keene, eine Tänzerin, sein könnte, was ihre Cousine Josephine "Josie" Tu...more Mrs Dolly Bantry von Gossington Hall wird von ihrer Hausangstellten Mary sehr unsanft geweckt: In der Bibliothek liegt eine Leiche. Mrs Bantry ruft natürlich gleich ihre Freundin Miss Marple an. Die Bewohner des Hauses kennen die Tote nicht. Man vermutet, dass die Tote Dinah, die Freundin des Nachbarn Basil Blake, sein könnte, die ist aber noch sehr lebendig.
Letztendlich vermutet man, dass die Tote die Achtzehnjährige Ruby Keene, eine Tänzerin, sein könnte, was ihre Cousine Josephine "Josie" Turner bestätigt.
Ruby Keene war für einen alten Freund der Bantrys, Conway Jefferson, so etwas wie eine Ersatztochter, nachdem seine eigenen beiden Kinder bei einem Flugzeugabsturz ums Leben gekommen waren. Zwar lebt die Witwe seines Sohnes bei ihm, aber da diese sich wieder neu verheiraten will, suchte Conway eine neue Ersatztochter, die er in Ruby fand.
Kurz darauf wird die verbrannte Leiche der sechzehnjährigen Pfadfinderin Pamela Reeves in einem gestohlenen Auto gefunden.
Gibt es eine Verbindung zwischen den beiden toten jungen Frauen?

Überkonstruiert wäre noch milde ausgedrückt und viele Fragen bleiben für mich offen. Warum gerade Pamela? Zufall, Ähnlichkeit oder andere Gründe? Warum dieses Ablenkungsmanöver und vor allem, warum hat sich Conway Jefferson nicht einmal ein Foto der toten Ruby angesehen oder der Toten die letzte Ehre erwiesen, wenn er sie doch so sehr mochte? Da wäre alles sofort aufgeflogen, was sollte das also? Es gab eben neben Josie noch weitere Leute, die sie hätten identifizieren können, warum wurde das nicht gemacht? Warum hat man keine Fingerabdrücke der Toten genommen, das war 1942 sicherlich in UK auch schon üblich? Das ist einfach so unglaublich schlecht konstruiert und ermittelt, dass es schon peinlich ist. Diese Verwechslung ist entweder absolut unglaubwürdig oder es sind sehr viele Fakten in Hörspiel gekürzt worden, die nun zum Verständnis fehlen. Das Motiv ist noch nachvollziehbar, aber warum ext man nicht den reichen alten Mann, bevor er sein Testament ändert sondern zieht diesen Stunt durch?

Ein typisches BBC Hörspiel mit June Whitfield als Miss Marple und auch sonst topp Sprechern in den anderen Rollen. Die Umsetzung ist analog zu den anderen Hörspielen der Reihe, insgesamt ist das Hörspiel aber eigenständig und kann außer der Reihe gehört werden. Leider ist der Fall einfach nur unglaubwürdig und überkonstruiert. Um damals verwendete Ermittlungsmethogen schert sich die Autorin kein wenig, Miss Marple knobelt und die Polizei geht Kaffee trinken und lässt sie mal machen. Was haben die Ermittler überhaupt gemacht, außer die Leiche in einen Sack zu stecken und den Todeszeitpunkt festzustellen? Ich bezweifle im Übrigen, dass die damals den Todeszeitpunkt dermaßen genau bestimmen konnten, aber zu doof waren, Fingerabdrücke zu nehmen. Bei diesen rieisigen Logiklöchern können auch top Sprecher nichts mehr retten.
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Dec 10, 2011 sinta nisfuanna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: misteri-detektif-thriller

Kolonel dan Nyonya Bantry benar-benar terkejut ketika melihat sesosok mayat perempuan muda tergeletak di ruang baca mereka. Berita tentang diketemukan mayat tersebar begitu cepat di dusun kecil, hingga membuat Nyonya Bantry memutuskan untuk meminta Miss Jane Marple untuk membantunya menguak misteri di balik mayat berambut pirang tersebut. Perkara pembunuhan ini kemudian menggiring mereka pada berbagai praduga yang menghubungkan sang korban dengan warisan, intrik, kecurangan, dan perkawinan tak t...more

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Apr 01, 2011 Philip rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First read in 1975, but the story remains fairly fresh in my mind, as I've watched the Joan Hickson TV movie several times.

Only Christie would have dared to have employed such a cliché as a dead body discovered in the library, but she did, and as I recall professed that the novel's opening scene was the best she'd ever written, with Dolly Bantry being awakened from her dream of gardening triumphs to hear a frightened maid exclaim "Oh ma'am, oh ma'am, there's a body in the library!" Unfortunately...more

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Sep 10, 2010 Monica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-book

This is my first Agatha Christie book. I have been informed by many people that I would love Agatha Christie's books. I admit that is true. I started The Body in the Library this morning. Every free moment I had I was reading the book.

How would you react to finding a body in your library? I don't know if I would be as calm as the woman in this book. Mrs. Bantry was thrilled with finding a body in her library. This was her chance to be a sleuth. That is what she was eager for.

The Body in the Libr...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Laura rated it 2 of 5 stars

Warning: Super minor spoilers -

I know this will be blasphemy to some people, but I'm just not a big Agatha Christie fan. I was working on an idea for a detective/mystery novel last month, so everyone encouraged me to read some Christie to get a better feel for the genre.

Maybe this particular novel was just a bad pick, or maybe I just don't care for Miss Marple; I dunno. I was unimpressed, and didn't care about the characters at all. Marple most of all. I mean, considering this series is called...more

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Jun 18, 2013 Glimmerfee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In der Bibliothek von Colonel Bantry wird die Leiche einer jungen Frau gefunden. In einem Punkt ist Mrs. Bantry ganz sicher, ihr Gatte hat mit der Untat nichts zu tun, aber wie konnte die Leiche in ihr Haus gelagen? Kurzentschlossen ruft sie ihre Freundin Miss Marple zur Hilfe um den Mord an der Unbekannten aufzulösen.

Ein typischer Miss-Marple-Krimi, viele Verdächtige, ganz viel englisches Feeling und Raum zum Spekulieren, wer der Täter sein könnte. Ich war mir ganz sicher um die Seite 150 heru...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Mónica Silva rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Opinião no blog http://howtoliveathousandlives.blogsp...

Este é um dos mistérios protagonizados por Miss Marple, a minha personagem favorita celebrizada por Agatha Christie. Contudo, a sua intervenção na estória acaba por ser relegada para segundo plano, estando os inspetores encarregues de entrevistar suspeitos e proceder à investigação propriamente dita. Habituada às idiossincrasias de Miss Marple, confesso que foi uma desilusão esta falta de envolvimento na estória. Por este motivo, não posso...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Noha Basiouny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

كالعادة تقف الترجمة حائلا ثلجيا بين الإثارة والتشويق المميزان لقصص أجاثا كريستي.
لم تكن بهذا السوء بالطبع ولكنها إشارة إلي أفضلية قراءة الروايات الأجنبية بلغتها الأصلية.
ما علينا ... القصة لجريمة قتل تتعقد خيوطها منذ اكتشافها وما أن تلبث الأحداث بالانسياب حتي تكتشف جريمة أخري يتبين ارتباطها بخيط أرفع من الشعرة بالجريمة الأولي.
الآنسة ماربل عجوز عانس تتميز بذكائها وقوة ملاحظتها وكثيرا ما تساعد الشرطة في فك طلاسم القضايا المعقدة وهي بالطبع الشخص الذي سيتسني له حل لغز هذه الجريمة. الكاتبة أكثرت من ال...more
كالعادة تقف الترجمة حائلا ثلجيا بين الإثارة والتشويق المميزان لقصص أجاثا كريستي.
لم تكن بهذا السوء بالطبع ولكنها إشارة إلي أفضلية قراءة الروايات الأجنبية بلغتها الأصلية.
ما علينا ... القصة لجريمة قتل تتعقد خيوطها منذ اكتشافها وما أن تلبث الأحداث بالانسياب حتي تكتشف جريمة أخري يتبين ارتباطها بخيط أرفع من الشعرة بالجريمة الأولي.
الآنسة ماربل عجوز عانس تتميز بذكائها وقوة ملاحظتها وكثيرا ما تساعد الشرطة في فك طلاسم القضايا المعقدة وهي بالطبع الشخص الذي سيتسني له حل لغز هذه الجريمة. الكاتبة أكثرت من الشكوك حول شخصيات كثيرة بل أن هذه الشكوك امتدت حتي ملأت كل فصول الكتاب باستثناء الفصل الأخير حتي أحسست أنه كتر كلام ع الفاضي ثم جاءت الآنسة ماربل وفجرت الحل في آخر فصل من دون سابق توقع أو تلميح حتي لشعرت بغياب بعض التفاصيل التي بدورها تجعل الحل معقولا.
السبب في ذلك أن الكاتبة قد أخفت عن القارئ طريقة تفكير ماربل وربطها الأحداث بعضها ببعض وكأنها في وادي والقارئ في وادي تاني خالص لذلك جاء الحل بتفاصيله المترابطة وكأنه غريب بعض الشئ.
بالأخير تخيلت الآنسة ماربل كأنها ساحر أخرج لتوه أرنبا من القبعة المقلوبة وهي تصيح Voila
وتخيلت القارئ (اللي هو أنا) ينظر إليها في بلاهة غير مستوعب كيف فعلت ذلك ثم ما لبث أن صفق بحدة علي براعتها وهو لسه برضه مش فاهم هي عملت كده إزاي!
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Jul 23, 2011 Kurt rated it 4 of 5 stars

As much as I love Agatha Christie when she writes terrible classist novels and I get to judge her for her faults, I think I love her more when she writes a book that shows that she gets the joke. This is that book - the intentionally melodramatic title is just the first step in what is essentially a murder mystery comedy. A dead blonde appears in the library of an elderly couple, and the wife is immediately swept up in the excitement - yes, of course, it's tragic when someone is murdered, but th...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars

The body of a young woman is found strangled in the Bantry's library one morning. Who is she? Why was she killed? When she is identified as a young dancer at a local resort hotel, the police are mystified. Was a local producer, who is known for wild parties involved? What about the wealthy family the victim was close to? How about the attractive tennis pro? Mrs. Bantry calls in her good friend, elderly Miss Marple to help solve the case.

Agatha Christie creates a great mystery novel this time ar...more

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Dec 14, 2010 Anne rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoy finding an author I like who has written a ton of books. This way whenever I'm in the mood for something familiar, there will always be a new book to turn to. Agatha Christie has written over 30 novels featuring her beloved sleuth Hercule Poirot - and these are the ones I first started reading. This time, however, I turned to Miss Marple - featured in 12 of Christie's novels and a few short story collections. Miss Marple is an elderly spinster with no apparent criminal or detective backg...more

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Dec 08, 2010 Joshua rated it 3 of 5 stars

Overall, I am a big fan of Agatha Christie, but this particular story left me a little confused. I know from what I've read that it was partially meant to be a mockery of the detective fiction genre, but it seemed to go a bit too far to me. (Though I must admit, I was amused when Agatha Christie namechecked herself.) Miss Marple--ordinarily an awesome character I enjoy--seemed so sure of herself, more than normal. I always remember her being exceedingly cautious, eking out the facts slowly and w...more

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Oct 12, 2007 Modbon rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of "cozy" mysteries

Shelves: britishmystery

One of the best (and most typical of her best) of Christie's novels, all of which I have read over the years. I love the Miss Marple mysteries best, followed by the Tommy & Tuppence series. Reading Christie is like eating comfort food...best saved for a cold winter day when you need something to take your mind off the rest of the world. This is wrapped-up-on-the-couch-in-an-afghan reading :)

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About Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, and was occasionally published under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan.

Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller was born in Torquay, Devon, England, U.K., as the youngest of three. The Millers had two other children: Margaret Frary Miller (1879–1950), called Madge, who was eleven years Agatha's senior, and Louis Montant Miller (1880...more

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Books by Agatha Christie

Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poirot, #10)

The Mysterious Affair At Styles (Hercule Poirot #1)

Murder at the Vicarage (Miss Marple, #1)

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Quotes from The Body in the Library

“What I feel is that if one has got to have a murder actually happening in one's house, one might as well enjoy it, if you know what I mean.” — 10 people liked it

“Downstairs in the lounge, by the third pillar from the left, there sits an old lady with a sweet, placid, spinsterish face and a mind that has plumbed the depths of human iniquity and taken it all as in the day's work....where crime is concerned, she's the goods.” — 9 people liked it

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The Body in the Library (Miss Marple #3)

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