Famous film actress Marina Gregg witnesses a murder in her country home, and Miss Marple agrees to investigate.
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Sep 25, 2008
Valerie
rated it: 
One of my favorite Agatha Christie books. The motive behind the murder was so poignant, and I'm a sucker for Tennyson.
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Dec 07, 2008
Jim
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Dec 27, 2008
Phayvanh
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80-year-old Miss Marple is portrayed as too old a lady to go about town on her own, though both she and her doctor know better, and which Inspector Craddock learns himself. Given the conventions of the time, though, she is obliged to accept the household help her nephew Raymond pays for, and not protest. Pity. She could have solved the crime in much less time otherwise.
We are back in St. Mary Mead of Much Benham, but this time, the outside world encroaches in, what with the develo More...
We are back in St. Mary Mead of Much Benham, but this time, the outside world encroaches in, what with the develo More...
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Feb 02, 2012
Cheryl
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"The curse is upon me." A chilling line from "Lady of Shalott" by Alfred Lord Tennyson foreshadows the ending and highlights the plot twist in one of Agatha Christie's best! Published in 1962, THE MIRROR CRACK'D FROM SIDE TO SIDE returns to St. Mary Mead and Miss Marple.
Changes are occurring in the familiar village of Marple's home with a new housing development under-way financed by young couples on the installment plan...there's even a supermarket! Miss Marple's More...
Changes are occurring in the familiar village of Marple's home with a new housing development under-way financed by young couples on the installment plan...there's even a supermarket! Miss Marple's More...
Mar 07, 2011
Laurel
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I debated between 4 and 5 stars because I really wanted 4 1/2. I honestly have no criticism of this excellent mystery except for the fact that I can't mentally reconcile a story about a Hollywood film star with Agatha Christie--completely silly of me, but it just harshes my cozy buzz. ;) She does transplant Marina Gregg to Gossington Hall, classic British estate and perfect site for a murder, so that helps. And, really, Marina could have been any public figure and it would have worked as well; w
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Aug 10, 2010
Meave
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Oh it was good. I mean the mystery was all right, not spectacular, but it didn't end with impending nuptials, and the racism was in line with the period so as to be swallowable--not acceptable, but there weren't references to vile mid-19th-century American political cartoons, which is quite a step up.
All the business with the tabloids and the fashion photographer were great. Reading it now, they make a nice parallel to Miss Marple's comparison of every character to someone else she's More...
All the business with the tabloids and the fashion photographer were great. Reading it now, they make a nice parallel to Miss Marple's comparison of every character to someone else she's More...
Jan 14, 2010
Bernadette
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This book returns to what seems to be a theme for Agatha Christie as it features an actress as a key character. Here actress Marina Gregg has taken up residence at Gossington Hall near St Mary Mead, home of the inquisitive Miss Marple. Gregg and her husband, who is a film director, host a fête for a charitable cause and during the event a select group of people is chosen to meet the movie star. One of these visitors, Heather Badcock, dies soon after meeting Gregg and recounting the story of thei
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Oct 16, 2010
Maninee
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the little village of st.mary mead is disturbed as a renowned hollywood actress come in and settles down in gossington hall. a welcoming party is held at the house(which was also to help st.john's ambulance) and a woman is poisoned at the party. but was the poison really meant for poor heather badcock a common simple villager? and what was that strange expression on marina gregg's face as she was listening to mrs.badcock? miss marple senses that there's more to the mystery than the eye can see,
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Apr 26, 2011
Philip
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First read in 1975 as THE MIRROR CRACK'D - I'm reading the Dodd, Mead edition published in the US in September, 1963 under that title (246 pages).
Not for the first time, a real-life incident was the springboard for a Christie mystery (MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, of course, had its inspiration in the Lindbergh kidnapping). Early in her pregnancy during the second World War, actress Gene Tierney was exposed to measles, which resulted in her child being born with severe birth defects More...
Not for the first time, a real-life incident was the springboard for a Christie mystery (MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, of course, had its inspiration in the Lindbergh kidnapping). Early in her pregnancy during the second World War, actress Gene Tierney was exposed to measles, which resulted in her child being born with severe birth defects More...
Apr 17, 2011
Spuddie
rated it:
One of the later Miss Marple mysteries in which an American movie star, Marina Gregg, and her husband buy Gossington Hall, a local manor house near St. Mary Mead. As they hold a fete to welcome the village to their home, Heather Badcock, one of the organizers, dies--first thought a fit of some sort, later determined to be poison, or at the very least, a massive overdose of a fairly common anti-anxiety medicine that's all the rage among the movie set.
But was the dose meant for Mrs. B More...
But was the dose meant for Mrs. B More...
Aug 10, 2008
George
rated it:
Vintage Agatha Christie Miss Marple tale. As usual, Miss Marple is able to pull together the various clues to solve multiple murders in her village. Good story with multiple story lines: the murders, Miss Marple's health and her irrating caregiver, and the changing character of the village with the new development and people moving in there.
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Aug 03, 2011
Patricia
rated it: 
audio cds, not cassettes
2 stars...I was distracted while listening to this. One reason is that the British accented reader had a difficult time portraying the many American characters. To be fair to the narrator, Mrs. Christie seems to have written her American characters with British speech patterns and rhythms instead of American ones. This may not make sense to anyone but me, but it is recurrs in several of the Christie audiobooks with American characters. In addition, I thought t More...
2 stars...I was distracted while listening to this. One reason is that the British accented reader had a difficult time portraying the many American characters. To be fair to the narrator, Mrs. Christie seems to have written her American characters with British speech patterns and rhythms instead of American ones. This may not make sense to anyone but me, but it is recurrs in several of the Christie audiobooks with American characters. In addition, I thought t More...
Mar 15, 2009
Ray
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A series of murders disturbs the quiet town of St. Mary Mead after a Hollywood actress and her retinue move into Gossington Hall. Christie renders her characters expertly with quick, deft strokes and a keen ear for dialog. And despite the "cozy" atmosphere, the characters have to deal with real-life problems (obnoxious do-gooders, crowded housing developments, the effects of aging and loss of independence, among others) as well as the murderer in their midst. Although the ultimate s
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Apr 24, 2009
Sun
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A woman is poisoned at a reception held by a Hollywood star and her director husband. The police come up empty-handed as to why the woman is murdered. Consequently, they come to believe that the intended victim was the actress herself. But whodunnit?
This is an unusual story as the mystery hinges on a single facial expression. Although Miss Marple 'investigates' there's no actual contact with any of the suspects. All her information is second-hand.
It's easy to see who did More...
This is an unusual story as the mystery hinges on a single facial expression. Although Miss Marple 'investigates' there's no actual contact with any of the suspects. All her information is second-hand.
It's easy to see who did More...
Aug 07, 2009
Mazel
rated it:
Qu'avait vu Marina Gregg ?
Qu'avait-elle vu juste avant la mort de Mrs Babcock ?
Elle regardait fixement le mur, près de l'escalier, et son visage s'était soudain crispé de terreur.
Puis elle s'était ressaisie pour retourner, souriante, à ses invités.
Mrs Babcock avait pris un cocktail... et tout s'était enchaîné très vite.
On avait d'abord cru à un étourdissement, à un malaise cardiaque...
Quelques minutes plus tard, elle é More...
Qu'avait-elle vu juste avant la mort de Mrs Babcock ?
Elle regardait fixement le mur, près de l'escalier, et son visage s'était soudain crispé de terreur.
Puis elle s'était ressaisie pour retourner, souriante, à ses invités.
Mrs Babcock avait pris un cocktail... et tout s'était enchaîné très vite.
On avait d'abord cru à un étourdissement, à un malaise cardiaque...
Quelques minutes plus tard, elle é More...
Jan 24, 2011
Megan
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All of Agatha Christie's books that I have read to date are ingenious, but this one came awfully close to the top for me (somewhere below Elephants Can Remember and somewhere above The Secret of Chimneys). The ending shocked me to the point of dizziness, but that's probably because I'm still not used to a somewhat steady diet of Christie. It was a thoroughly unexpected ending, I'll say that for it, and I defy anyone else to remain unsurprised. (Though I still think a certain red herring was rath
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Jan 03, 2010
Becca
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Yes - I do love agatha christie. I should now read some other stuff. I know. This fall I have decided to revisit my childhood by reading all the Narnia, Wind in the Door, Agatha Christie and Conan Doyle books I loved at a 10 year old. I have found the greatest satisfaction in the Sherlock Holmes and discovered a new appreciation of Miss Marple (I had always abhored (sp?) in favor of Poirot but I see her charms now) . . . the children's series, while still excellent, were written for children
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Nov 24, 2011
Dayna
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Miss Marple is annoyed with the live-in helper her nephew has provided for her. She doesn't want to be treated like a child, even if she is getting old. Then Marina Gregg, the movie star, moves in nearby, a local woman is poisoned and Miss Marple suspects the poison was really meant for Marina Gregg. But who is trying to kill the film star? Could it be her husband, her secretary, the strange photographer, or someone else? Just when you think you've got the answer someone else dies. Can Miss Marp
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Dec 09, 2011
Luke
rated it:
What can i say, even though Miss Marple's the detective in this story, it was definitely fast paced for me. I kept going page thru page since I really want to know why Heather Baddock died and if it really was meant for Marina Gregg. Even though the last chapter where everything was explained seemed a little rushed, it still made a very large twist in my mind, and made so many turns that my train of thought almost fell off its tracks. Definitely a Christie classic that will keep reader's flippin
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May 17, 2011
Sammy
rated it:
In which an attempt is made on a movie star’s life, and no one is asking the right questions.
I’ve always liked this book, but perhaps that’s just because I have an affection for "The Lady of Shallot" – the poem from which the book’s title emanates – and that poem’s eponymous lady, Elaine of Astolat.
Either way, "The Mirror Crack’d" is not too shabby for a ’60s Christie book, with an intriguing murder, some clever misdirection and an enjoyably broad cast More...
I’ve always liked this book, but perhaps that’s just because I have an affection for "The Lady of Shallot" – the poem from which the book’s title emanates – and that poem’s eponymous lady, Elaine of Astolat.
Either way, "The Mirror Crack’d" is not too shabby for a ’60s Christie book, with an intriguing murder, some clever misdirection and an enjoyably broad cast More...
Oct 28, 2008
Katharine
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I grabbed The Mirror Crack'd at a library booksale, thinking "Oh good, an Agatha Christie I haven't read – that'll come in handy when I want some light reading." Last week I wanted some light reading, but as a matter of fact I had read it. Which often happens when you grab Agatha Christies. I didn't mind rereading, though, since I had forgotten the solution to the mystery.
This is a Miss Marple. I used to dislike Miss Marple – she always seems so smug – but she's grown on m More...
This is a Miss Marple. I used to dislike Miss Marple – she always seems so smug – but she's grown on m More...
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Nov 09, 2010
Shelley
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I remember reading this years ago and it was just okay. I used to be a big Agatha Christie fan but I find now that I REALLY REALLY REALLY have to be in the mood to read it. It seems to take forever to get into the story and I am just not that patient anymore. If a book does not catch my interest in the first few pages, I am more likely to put it down. Good story if you can stick with it and the tedium at the beginning. I am probably not going to read another one for a while though.
Jun 15, 2009
Hannah
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Rather than the typical shocker of an ending where Miss Marple points her finger at the most unexpected of suspects, this one is fairly obvious, although the reasoning behind it was interesting. The actual motive was rather disappointing, though; it really could've been so much darker, more tense, more mysterious, but... well. There've been better Christie novels by far, but a Christie mystery is still a Christie mystery, so it's still worth a read, or a flip through at the very least.
May 24, 2010
Steve
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I read a half-dozen or so Agatha Christies so long ago I don't even remember some of the titles. It would be an interesting experiment to re-read them now to see if I could figure out whodunnit any quicker. The thing of it is, if I'm actually slower, I'd never know. That's good.
Susan tells me these belong to a sub-genre they call "tea cozies." Sounds a bit twee, doesn't it? I'm listing them with the more hard-boiled fare by Raymond Chandler to serve as counterweight.
Susan tells me these belong to a sub-genre they call "tea cozies." Sounds a bit twee, doesn't it? I'm listing them with the more hard-boiled fare by Raymond Chandler to serve as counterweight.
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May 22, 2011
Tim
rated it:
Christie is a mastermind at forming these mysteries--I don't know how she does it! The intricacies of suspects and backgrounds in "The Mirror Crack'd" provides page-turner quality and, as in any other works by the Queen of Crime, draws one in to every discussion and ponder. Something about a little old lady from the English countryside, armed with wit and cunning and solving gruesome crimes gives new vigor to the mystery/thriller genre.
Aug 31, 2011
Miss Marple has never been my favorite character. She got on my nerves a bit in this book, but it didn't distract too much from the fantastic mystery. It's really just a collection of interesting conversations with people and no matter how much I read this stuff, Agatha Christie always keeps me guessing. The ending was marvelously simple and satisfying.
Apr 09, 2009
Lynne-marie
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Miss Marple may be getting on in years, but that brain is as sharp as ever and her gossip delivery system is impeccable. When a feted outsider moves into St. Mary Mead, no good can come of it. Nor does it yet Miss Marple solves all with the quietude that never flutters . . . unless seeming to would allay a bureaucratic suspicion! So restful. So restful.
Mar 24, 2009
Serena
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I find the writing stilted and hygienic, but that was Christie's style. I do like the use of Tennyson's poem and the exploration of the discomforts of old age-- a subject that people simply don't write about in thrillers...and the plot was based on the real life story of actress Gene Tierney, which was morbidly fascinating.
Sep 25, 2011
Evangeline
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My first Miss Marple, and possibly my last. I didn't like her. Chapters of her cliched old-lady moaning about 'Change' meant it took ages to get into the actual story, hardly ideal for a 250-page book. And she was pretty smug and not particularly nice to other people.
Marple aside, I actually liked the denouement when we finally got to it. Realistic too, turns out it is based on a real-life occurrence. Some of the red herrings were just far too coincidental, silly and far-fetched tho More...
Marple aside, I actually liked the denouement when we finally got to it. Realistic too, turns out it is based on a real-life occurrence. Some of the red herrings were just far too coincidental, silly and far-fetched tho More...
Feb 12, 2009
Chelsea
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It took me about 100 pages to really get into this one. As usual, I thought that most of the details and subplots were superfluous or just red herrings. Um... turns out I was wrong. Everything I'd dismissed earlier as unimportant came back as quite important. It was a really fun read, especially towards the end!
