Mark Pghfan’s Comments (group member since Mar 06, 2014)

Mark Pghfan’s comments from the The Parlor PI's group.

Again, this is very early Christie, and her idea of Gladys probably changed. Or maybe it was just a different Gladys?

I have seen it. Jane Horrocks is amazing!

Here is our third of four stories for the month, The Case of the Perfect Maid. Here, Miss M's maid Edna is worried about her friend Gladys, who has been fired from her position at the Misses Skinner's, new residents of St. Mary Mead. A brooch was lost (and surprisingly found again) and then a plate got broken. To replace Gladys, there came a perfect paragon, Mary Higgins, who does everything better than Gladys and at lower wages! Miss M suspects a problem, though, and when a grand robbery occurs in the building of flats where the sisters live, things happen!

By the way, toward the end, Miss M refers to a "back switch". Any idea of what that is?

Tina, the motive is quite obscure and I wonder how Miss Marple happened on it.

Yes, NicoleG. The title sure gave the whole thing away! As far as the pin in the tunic, it was surely specialized knowledge that it was a dressmakers pin. Who would know that?

Our second story of the month is also a very early Miss Marple. Set probably before her first novel, Murder at the Vicarage. A wealthy lady is murderer, strangled by a very thin belt (the story says). The wealthy lady has a poor, apparently long-suffering husband, who will benefit monetarily from the death. Colonel Melchett and Inspector Slack also appear in the story, and it looks lit it may be the first appearance of Slack, as Melchett tells him to interview Miss M.

Endeavor is on Sunday evenings, here in Pittsburgh.

I'm reading something called A Nice Class of Corpse, by Simon Brett. Though written in 1986, it has a golden age, timeless feel to it. Set in an English boarding house for genteel people and with the first outing of a detective, a middle aged widow. I'm enjoying it enormously and think we might like it for a read sometime. The detective is a Mrs. Melita Pargeter, who is quite interesting all on her own. Anybody read any Simon Brett?

I'm way behind on the Midsomers. It did certainly change with the second Barnaby. I haven't got to the one where they have a baby or even the latest sidekick.

The next story is Tape Measure Murder, and I will start it up on Sunday.

The Betty Martin thing seemed to be a little obscure for anyone but an old lady in England.

Thunderstorms started up last night about eight and heavy rain for a long time. Still thundering this morning!

Pretty warm here in Pittsburgh, around 90 for a few days. But terribly humid.

I guess no one was old enough (certainly not me) to have heard of "all my eye and Betty Martin". Though I probably would have thought of the very old stamps being valuable.

Uncle Mathew comes off as just eccentric, according to Miss M, but really, wasn't he just incredibly stupid in dealing with his money and passing it on? I'd hate to have something like what he did to be the last thing I did in life!

Hello, all! Here is our first story for the month of July, and easy read of just 12 pages. Miss M is introduced to Charmain Stroud and Edward Rossiter, by actress Jane Helier, whom you might remember from some of the stories in The Tuesday Night Club. Charmain and Edward are in love and also hoping to benefit from the estate of their great-great uncle Mathew. He was apparently very wealthy and also a man of strange, mischievousness. He is dropping hints to the couple supposedly to help them find the booty, but they are not good at figuring out the hints. So they go to Miss M for help. What do you all think of the story?

Yes, Nicole. We are looking at four Miss Marple stories, one a week, through July. "Strange Jest", "Tape-Measure Murder", "The Case of the Caretaker", and "The Case of the Perfect Maid". I plan to host, if that is fine with y'all. Looking to start July 1st, with Strange Jest.

This is the only one on my Kindle, so I assume we've discussed it here: English Tea Mystery.


I think we did Trick or Treat Murder recently, the one that dealt with the arsonist. I also think we did Candy Corn Murder.

There is one about 8 years ago called the Wicked Witch Murder, which doesn't sound familiar and I don't think we read it.

There is a new on coming in September, but probably in hardback at that point.

Nicole, yes, I was a bit surprised by Mary's comment as well. I understand family devotion, but there should be limits!

September works for me as well.

I heard of the Agatha Raisin movies, but haven't seen any. I just ordered the first DVD from Netflix, so I will see. Our group did read one of the books long ago. I think it was the very first, of which I guess there are now dozens.

Clearly, the previous owner had a lot of secrets, and many more, I expect!

I was laughing at the end when all of the conman suspects ended up at the breakfast table.

And no ghost. Just as well.