You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
mysterious
fast-paced
Ouija boards! A snowy village scene! Dead guy! Girl detective manipulates her boring boyfriend (lead suspect) and a slightly less boring reporter! No one is what they seem and yes, they ARE all related! Scotland Yard gets mentioned! Old guys are grumpy! Classic.
Not her best but full of charm and a sense of humour I feel people don't usually appreciate in Christie's (earlier) work. A comfort read.
Some of Christie's mysteries have these vibe that she didn't know who the murderer was going to be until the last two chapters of the book, then she shoehorns in some new fact that somehow proves the murderer. Honestly, this book was so meandering, with multiple narrators. It felt very disjointed.
A winter mystery is perfect for those wintery days where a solstice is around the corner, a new year is beginning, etc.
When I first got into this book, I needed to prevent myself from calling it "The Sit-Upon Mystery." Sit-Upon is a Victorian-Era word for backside, isn't it? Could a woman complain, "That man had his eyes upon my sit-upon! Police! Arrest him!"
Anyway, seems like our heroine in this book, a potential long-lost feisty niece of Miss Marple, Emily Trefusis is well-aware of the shapeliness of her sit-upon, and she is aware that she looks fantastic. She's that fortunate sort of young lady who uses her wiles and wits regardless of the circumstances, and she uses all resources that come her way. And always, for people like Emily, her resources include gallant men of all ages who want to be impressive, and they want her to be with them, etc. Emily agrees that these men can, why not!, go ahead and put yourself through multiple inconveniences, how impressive! And the gullible menfolk help her solve the mystery.
Was I surprised by the ending? Of course I was. Mystery stories make no sense to me. But Huzzah for Emily and her decision to marry an idiot, I guess.
When I first got into this book, I needed to prevent myself from calling it "The Sit-Upon Mystery." Sit-Upon is a Victorian-Era word for backside, isn't it? Could a woman complain, "That man had his eyes upon my sit-upon! Police! Arrest him!"
Anyway, seems like our heroine in this book, a potential long-lost feisty niece of Miss Marple, Emily Trefusis is well-aware of the shapeliness of her sit-upon, and she is aware that she looks fantastic. She's that fortunate sort of young lady who uses her wiles and wits regardless of the circumstances, and she uses all resources that come her way. And always, for people like Emily, her resources include gallant men of all ages who want to be impressive, and they want her to be with them, etc. Emily agrees that these men can, why not!, go ahead and put yourself through multiple inconveniences, how impressive! And the gullible menfolk help her solve the mystery.
Was I surprised by the ending? Of course I was. Mystery stories make no sense to me. But Huzzah for Emily and her decision to marry an idiot, I guess.
While at a get together a ouji board is being used and after a while predicts that Captain Trevalyan’s death. His buddy, Major Burnaby, while not believing in such nonsense, gets a bad feeling and decides to set off the 6 mile walk through a snowstorm to check on his friend. When he gets there and can’t get in, he rallies the troops -- a cop and Trevalyan’s man servant. He is found bludgeoned. There are no end of suspicious characters. Mrs. and Miss Willet who are renting Trevalyan’s house. Some of Trevalyan’s relatives who need money. The man servant. It takes a young woman, Emily, who is engaged to Trevalyan’s oldest nephew (he’s been arrested) to help sort it all out.
Good mystery. All the clues are there. Still I had trouble spotting Burnaby, and I didn’t really suspect him skiing there. Really enjoyable even without some of Christie’s famous detectives.
Good mystery. All the clues are there. Still I had trouble spotting Burnaby, and I didn’t really suspect him skiing there. Really enjoyable even without some of Christie’s famous detectives.