From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

A Caribbean Mystery (Miss Marple, #9)

Agatha Christie

Start date: August 1, 2017

Finish date: August 31, 2017

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What Members Thought

Jul 18, 2017 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This mystery sees Miss Marple relocated from her usual setting, of villages and vicarages, and deposited on a Caribbean holiday by nephew Raymond. The preceding winter had seen Miss Marple suffering from pneumonia and, with sunshine advised to aid her recovery, she is treated to a stay at the Golden Palm Hotel in St Honore, Trinidad. The hotel has been taking over by a young couple, Molly and Tim Kendal, who are keen to keep returning guests happy and ‘make a go’ of it.

Among the guests are the ...more

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Jan 29, 2014 Christine PNW rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: vintage-women

I read this one for the "overseas travel" square because it gets Miss Marple out of St. Mary's Mead on a long vacation to the sunny climes of the West Indies. As is often the case with Christie, the reader must, rather uncomfortably, wade through some casual racism/colonialism/sexism to enjoy the mystery.

I don't think that this is one of Christie's best, though. Her mysteries often rely strongly on coincidence, but this one takes the use of coincidence to a whole new level of ridiculously unbel ...more

19 likes · Like · see review

Jul 13, 2013 Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore rated it liked it

Shelves: murder, detective, mystery, miss-marple, series, british, agatha-christie

Book 9 in the Miss Marple Challenge. Old Major Palgrave liked to regale others with stories of his past―his time in Kenya, India, experience with a tiger, and one which he knew of through an acquaintance, of a murderer. His listeners unfortunately didn’t find his tales quite so interesting as he did himself and one listener in particular, a fellow guest at a hotel in the Caribbean was lost in her own thoughts while hearing what the Major said only in fits and snatches. And when he was about to s Book 9 in the Miss Marple Challenge. Old Major Palgrave liked to regale others with stories of his past―his time in Kenya, India, experience with a tiger, and one which he knew of through an acquaintance, of a murderer. His listeners unfortunately didn’t find his tales quite so interesting as he did himself and one listener in particular, a fellow guest at a hotel in the Caribbean was lost in her own thoughts while hearing what the Major said only in fits and snatches. And when he was about to show her a picture of the murderer, something stopped him from doing so. But when the Major ends up dead the very next morning, this particular listener, Miss Marple who is in the West Indies where her nephew Raymond West has sent her for a vacation has to try to remember all she heard. For although his death appears natural, Miss Marple isn’t quite satisfied. Her suspicions are soon proved right when another body is found. But what had the Major’s story been about? And who made him stop midway? Miss Marple has to try and remember as much as she can of what the Major told her while looking into fellow guests at the hotel. What makes this case particularly difficult for her is that she is so far from home, and from the people who usually take her opinion seriously, Sir Henry Clithering and Inspector Craddock among them. But she does find help in old Mr Rafiel, a rather crotchety but wealthy gentlemen staying in one of the bungalows at the hotel. He doesn’t have much of an opinion of old ladies but once he begins to really converse with Miss Marple, and realises she has brains, his attitude changes and he jumps in to help solve the mystery.

This was one I’d read before and remembered the solution to pretty well but there were a few elements that I had forgotten. It doesn’t have as many plot twists or red-herrings as some of AC’s others (though there are the complexities and twists of human relationships). The confusion she tries to create about whether the murderer is a man or woman doesn’t really work, because while Miss Marple may not have heard all of the Major’s story, the reader has (read it, that is). (It has a few non-PC bits as well.) The puzzle, though, isn’t a very easy one to solve. Part of the main storyline reminded me a little of an old Hollywood film―I won’t say which or it will spoil the plot. This wasn’t among my favourite Miss Marple books but I did quite enjoy reading it. Three and a half stars. ...more

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Aug 09, 2018 Kavita rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mystery

This is one of the last few mysteries featuring Miss Marple. In A Caribbean Mystery, the elderly lady finds murder and mystery in the, wait for it, Caribbean Islands! Good old nephew Raymond has paid for a trip to the holiday destination for his aunt and expects her to keep out of mischief. But Raymond should have known better.

In conversation with an old retired major, Miss Marple first comes across talk of a murder. Like the rest of the guests, she has already written off the major as a bore a ...more

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Mar 12, 2021 Grisette rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 3rd-pers-narration, my-kind-of-detective-thriller

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
4 stars

⏳ [Re-read project #10 of 2024, 1st proper review, rating maintained]

==================

🔹️ Number of death/s: 3
🔹️ Motive for the crime: Money
🔹️ Method of crime: Poison (1), Knife stabbing (1), Drowning (1)
🔹️ Main location: West Indies
🔹️ Notable element: Several recycled concepts used by AC in previous stories (e.g. Triangle at Rhodes, Peril at End House, Murder is Easy) subverted into different angles here, but with gaslighting remaining the central concept.
🔹️ Book type: Novel, Miss Marple

4 stars

⏳ [Re-read project #10 of 2024, 1st proper review, rating maintained]

==================

🔹️ Number of death/s: 3
🔹️ Motive for the crime: Money
🔹️ Method of crime: Poison (1), Knife stabbing (1), Drowning (1)
🔹️ Main location: West Indies
🔹️ Notable element: Several recycled concepts used by AC in previous stories (e.g. Triangle at Rhodes, Peril at End House, Murder is Easy) subverted into different angles here, but with gaslighting remaining the central concept.
🔹️ Book type: Novel, Miss Marple
🔹️ Reference to SH: None

==================

This book is probably amongst the very last Miss Marple stories that I tackled on because somehow I tended to focus on her British adventures most. However, it features amongst my favourite of hers. And re-reading it now in 2024 reconfirmed it.

Of course, the whole book feels now very dated, but I loved how AC carefully painted the atmosphere in St. Honoré island. Each character was spectacularly brought to life. And so many life truths shared among the pages! It spoke greatly of AC's own life experienced wiseness that she channelled via Miss Marple and Mr Rafiel.

The puzzle itself was enticing, although strewn with the inevitable red herrings. Mr Rafiel was right, one ought to stick to one's first insights, leaving aside the smokescreens, coincidental, unfortunate or otherwise. And if one did just that, the culprit's identity became evident early on.

I think that this book, along with the future Nemesis, are the ones where Miss Marple does the most physical actions during an investigation. It might seem uncharacteristic for the usually frail lady (impression conceived from the initial The Thirteen Problems that kickstarted her adventures) and hence discountenance some Marple readers, but I think it fit the hidden strength she has in her which is prompted by her thirst for justice to prevail. Hence, I hotly recommend this book to get further insights into Miss Marple's mind.

#readchristie2024, 1960s ...more

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Jul 24, 2015 Ellen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mystery-cozy, mystery-sleuth, my-favorites, christie, miss-marple

A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie.

Miss Marple is recuperating from pneumonia in the West Indies. Among those touring on this excursion is Mr. Rafiel, who although an invalid has no difficulty in expressing his thoughts in a resounding manner. It appears that Mr. Rafiel has developed a respectful attitude towards Miss Marple especially regarding her skills of deduction when an occasion arises. And an occasion has certainly arisen with the death of Major Palgrave.

This is one of my favorite Mi ...more

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Jul 11, 2021 Sarah G rated it liked it

3.5* if I could. Very readable and lots of Miss M, slightly spoiled by some cringe stuck-in-its-time moments.

1 like · Like · see review

Aug 20, 2017 Ellie Oberth rated it it was amazing

I am re-reading the Miss Marple books for a challenge. I am amazed at Christie's writing skills yet again. The way she turns a phrase... the puzzle she puts together... these mysteries are timeless. ...more

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