Publication date: 1964
Summary: When aged, retired Major Palgrave (like the name?) is found dead in his hotel room at a Caribbean resort, everyone chalks it up to heart failure. Everyone knew (tho' they didn't know where they'd heard it) that the old codger had a heart condition. Miss Marple finds it odd that he dies one day after telling her that he has a photograph of a murderer. With the photo came a story Marple couldnt' remember - all Palgrave's stories were a bit boring and unmemorable. What Marple did remember was the abrupt change of subject when other guests, the Hillingdons and the Dysons, arrive. The photograph goes missing and Marple's suspicions are confirmed. Victoria, the Caribbean maid is also curious about a bottle of heart tablets found in Palgrave's medicine cabinet - curious how they turned up after his death. During all of this the Kendalls, Molly and Tim, are trying to keep their new resort successful - hard to do when murder is at your doorstep. Hard to do when Molly keeps wandering about and having blackouts. hard to do when Molly is found holding a bloody kitchen knife whilst standing over a second victim.
Miss Marple is aided by self-made millionaire Jason Rafiel who gives her the soubriquet Nemesis.
Body count: Three people die in very different ways
Detective/Sleuth: Miss Marple
Rating: 3.75 Planter's Punches out of 5
Commentary:
Sunday, February 13, 2011
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Dear Matt,
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you again and doing your book reviews. I read this one on my Christmas break in college and I thought it was an interesting read. First of all I like the fact that Christie decided to set Miss Marple away from the cozy villages and countryhouses in England and have her in a more exotic location. Although I agree with you that Christie does not really describe or give more vivid picture of the West Indies. I like the plot even though there were a few dull spots. Great begining with the Major about to show her the picture. I like some of the characters but they were those you didn't really talk about. For example I like Canon Jeremy Prescott and his sister Joan, I sort of like Esther Walters and Jackson, Rafiel's valet-attendent. I thought Mr. Rafiel was an interesting character even though he is rude and bossing people around but he's ok. I was surprised by the third murder and then the solution. I kind of didn't guess the killer until after that person was revealed I thought it was Dyson or Mr. and Mrs. Hillingdon or even Jackson. Fun book to read. Which of the characters do you like? Also I forgot to mention it is interesting to see African-americans in her works considering that they don't apper in her books alot except for maybe the characters of Mr. Akimbobo and Elizabeth Johnston in Hickory Dickory Dock. Also the character of Senora de Caspearo who you do not see much in the novel but she does give an important clue.
Hope to hear you response.
Cameron
Hard to hear you over the music. What detective should I read now that I've finished the Christie and Doyle Sherlock canons? Who can give Poirot, Marple, and Sherlock a run for their money?
ReplyDeleteCameron - I really enjoyed Victoria, although I'd have loved to have seen more of her. I also think Molly is a very interesting character - Christie really likes these lost young women and Molly's an interesting study. Evelyn Hillingdon is a sympathetic character as well to my mind.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - sorry about the sound, I tried fixing the levels in editing but to no avail. For another mystery writer, I'd go with Dorothy Sayers - her Lord Peter series is great.