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socorrobaptista's review
4.0
A triste história de um assassinato que Miss Marple não pôde impedir. Uma boa leitura.
hjrey's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
I made her promise not to go out on the balcony; I said I’d had a dream. That impressed her—one can do a lot with superstition sometimes.
About: This is a short novella of Miss Marple recounting a murder she wishes she could have prevented one Christmas. I listened to it as an audiobook and it lasted only 40 mins so it's a very quick listen.
Thoughts
I think I’m turning into a Marple stan. There's such a cosy atmosphere in the Miss Marple stories. It wasn't as Christmassy as it could have been but overall I enjoyed this. Even that the murder has long taken place and this is a retrospective narration, there is still tension and mystery. Which is surprising really as the murderer is told to you and yet Agatha Christie manages to stow doubt in the inevitable. And while it does have a similarity to one of Christie’s more famous works, there was enough originality to hold my interest.
comefromaway's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Loved it!
This is the first Miss Marple I have read and won’t be the last! What a clever story, especially for such a short book!
This is the first Miss Marple I have read and won’t be the last! What a clever story, especially for such a short book!
albrunton's review against another edition
5.0
A perfect short murder mystery (though I'd have liked more Christmas references....
cdelorenzo's review against another edition
3.0
"-(...). Nos hallamos reunidos seis personas, tres representantes de cada sexo, y yo protesto en nombre de los caballeros. Esta noche hemos contado tres historias, una cada uno de nosotros. Protesto porque las señoras no cumplen con su parte.
-¡Oh! -exclamó la señora Bantry indignada-. Estoy segura de que hemos cumplido. Hemos escuchado con toda atención, adoptando la actitud más femenina, la de no querer exhibirnos ante las candilejas.
-Es una excusa excelente -replicó don Henry-, pero no sirve. ¡Y eso que tiene un buen precedente en Las mil y una noches!".
-¡Oh! -exclamó la señora Bantry indignada-. Estoy segura de que hemos cumplido. Hemos escuchado con toda atención, adoptando la actitud más femenina, la de no querer exhibirnos ante las candilejas.
-Es una excusa excelente -replicó don Henry-, pero no sirve. ¡Y eso que tiene un buen precedente en Las mil y una noches!".
littlegreycells1234's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
octavia_cade's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
2.0
I couldn't really get into this one. I understand that, when you've written as many mystery stories as Christie has, some of the tropes will get used over and over. I feel as if I've read the twist about the body several times already from her, so it's hardly much of a surprise when that same narrative trick pops up yet again.
Maybe the tragedy here is that Christie ate a little too much of the brandy butter with her plum pudding, and wrote this, half-drunk, on Christmas evening. That would explain the repetition.
Maybe the tragedy here is that Christie ate a little too much of the brandy butter with her plum pudding, and wrote this, half-drunk, on Christmas evening. That would explain the repetition.
eternalscout's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
4.75