The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side (Miss Marple, #9) in Reading the Detectives

Jun 07, 2017 Susan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This Miss Marple novel is set in St Mary Mead, but it is a village that has seen changes. Miss Marple’s old friend, Dolly Bantry, has sold Gossington Hall and moved into the East Lodge, while ‘the Development’ – a new housing estate, encroaches on the very outskirts of the village. There is even a supermarket, which is viewed with suspicion by elderly ladies, who enjoy shopping as a form of social interaction and are not necessarily in a rush to hurl items into a basket. Miss Marple is more elde This Miss Marple novel is set in St Mary Mead, but it is a village that has seen changes. Miss Marple’s old friend, Dolly Bantry, has sold Gossington Hall and moved into the East Lodge, while ‘the Development’ – a new housing estate, encroaches on the very outskirts of the village. There is even a supermarket, which is viewed with suspicion by elderly ladies, who enjoy shopping as a form of social interaction and are not necessarily in a rush to hurl items into a basket. Miss Marple is more elderly in this novel and has a ‘daily’ in young Cherry Baker, from the ‘Development,’ and has the bossy Miss Knight staying in the house as she has been unwell. Although Miss Marple knows that Miss Knight is meant as a kindness by her ever supportive nephew, Raymond West, she bristles under her attentions and is always finding errands to send her on to regain her freedom.

One day, having slipped away from Miss Knight’s careful ministrations, she ventures into the Development and has fall, being gathered up and taken in by the voluble Heather Badcock. Mrs Badcock tells her a long story about when she met the movie actress, Marine Gregg, who is now living at Gossington Hall. The story revolves around an escapade when she was younger and left her sick bed to go to a fete where Miss Gregg was presiding in order to get her autograph. She tells this story again some days later to Miss Gregg herself at another fete, this time at Gossington Hall. To everyone’s surprise, shortly after meeting Miss Gregg, Heather Badcock collapses and dies. Mrs Bantry is quick to inform Miss Marple, telling her that, while she unfolded her story, Marina Gregg looked frozen in shock – much like the Lady of Shalott…

It is obvious that Miss Marple needs an interest and so she is keen to learn all she can about the murder; even going as far as gathering up an armful of gossipy film magazines from the hairdresser. When her godson, Dermot Craddock, arrives to investigate, he keeps her informed and it is, of course, Miss Marple who untangles the mystery. For who should murder a perfectly innocent, well meaning, if somewhat nosy, middle-aged woman? Was the real victim meant to be Marina Gregg and, if so, is she in danger? This is a really enjoyable mystery. There is an excellent cast of characters, including the glamorous Marina Gregg, who both takes to her bed and has hysterics with enjoyable frequency. You feel that Agatha Christie really enjoyed writing this and she combines the changing, more modern landscape (this was published in 1962) with the traditional, village mystery, very cleverly. ...more

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Jun 17, 2017 Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british, agatha-christie, miss-marple, mystery, village, murder

Book 8 for the Miss Marple Challenge. This one takes us back to St Mary Mead but what a different St Mary Mead it is. No long the quiet, quaint country village, many changes have taken place. The old country homes sold, a new “development” with new inhabitants, a department store, and even a film studio close by. The older residents of St Mary Mead―Miss Marple among them―try to come to terms with and adapt to the changes, thankful for what is left of the old life. But Miss Marple soon realises, Book 8 for the Miss Marple Challenge. This one takes us back to St Mary Mead but what a different St Mary Mead it is. No long the quiet, quaint country village, many changes have taken place. The old country homes sold, a new “development” with new inhabitants, a department store, and even a film studio close by. The older residents of St Mary Mead―Miss Marple among them―try to come to terms with and adapt to the changes, thankful for what is left of the old life. But Miss Marple soon realises, however much things might change, human beings and human nature remain pretty much the same. Her skills and knowledge are once again put to the test when Mrs Badcock, literally falls down dead at Gossington Hall (the former residence of the Bantrys where the “body in the library” was found”. But Heather Badcock was a nice though talkative woman to whom no one could have intended any harm. It soon turns out that the intended victim may have been the actress Marina Gregg who with her husband Jason Rudd, now live at Gossington Hall. The case once again finds its way to Craddock, now Chief Inspector, who reports straight to “headquarters” as he calls it―Aunt Jane’s home. With him undertaking the more active parts of the investigation, and with help from her current domestic, Cherry Baker, Miss Marple tries to put together what really happened, at the same time trying to contend with Miss Knight, a nurse/companion placed in her home by her nephew Raymond West who insists on treating poor Miss Marple as an “old dear” who mustn’t have any excitement.

This was a Marple book I hadn’t read before but I had seen an adaptation (with Elizabeth Taylor) long ago so did remember whodunit. But still, the puzzle is once again complicated though an element of it is similar to what one has seen in AC’s books (at least two others, with Miss Marple in one of them). Despite this, she would have (had I not remembered the answer) thrown me off-track quite successfully. There are unexpected coincidences and more deaths along the way (I did find myself thinking of Midsomer Murders and how there seemed bodies aplenty there, always). But nothing can mislead Miss Marple for long, for though she may be older and frailer, her mind is as sharp as ever. This was an enjoyable read for me both for the puzzle itself as well as the social commentary that it includes. Four and a half stars.
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Jul 28, 2018 Kavita rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, uk

Another quintessential Marple mystery! A well-meaning but interfering and self-centred woman from the development near St Mary's Mead falls dead at a party given by Marina Gregg. The American actress has taken the old Bantry house on rent and is trying to make a go of it in English village life with the party.

Thus Mrs. Bantry is invited to the party and sees Heather Badcock dying. The question soon arises whether she was the intended victim? Mrs. Bantry wonders if Jane Marple needs to be consult ...more

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Jul 22, 2017 Damaskcat rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: miss-marple

Gossington Hall - where the body was discovered in the library in a previous Miss Marple story - is now the home of film star Marina Gregg. When she opens the newly refurbished house for a local fete the villagers are curious to see how the house looks now.

One of the locals is poisoned at the reception Marina Gregg holds for the local pillars of the community and it seems clear to many that the film star herself could have been the intended target. Miss Marple has to rely on the excellent testim ...more

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