Reviews

At Bertram's Hotel: A Miss Marple Mystery by Agatha Christie

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lovecor3's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

My first Agatha Christie! Probably an odd place to start but for whatever reason it called to me.

The setting descriptions were by far and away the highlight of this book - as it should be with somewhere like Bertram's being the main focus. Christie's writing was so evocative and let me envision the hotel so clearly! And her characters were well written with little eccentricities and quirks to humanise them.

I don't know how to comment on the mystery since I've watched all the TV Marples many times and already knew who the murderer was - I really enjoyed the stuff with poor Canon Pennyfather, especially his perspective, but dismantling a national crime syndicate felt a bit... grand for what I expected from a Marple. Perhaps that's on me, since it's my first.

For more stars it needed more Miss Marple, I think.

Listened to on audiobook.

nitemarehippygirl's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

rebeccasreadingrambles's review against another edition

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5.0

One of my favorite Agatha Christie novels!

The way Miss Marple describes Bertram's Hotel; the same as it had been in her childhood and bringing back wonderful feelings and memories...this is how I felt reading this book again (and all AC books truly). It also cracks me up that the hotel has "special prices" for older ladies so they can set the scene for old British society for the travelers.

Spoiler

It almost seems like that desription was a hint to the readers, now that I have finished it; the hotel really was a set stage, but for something much more sinister and truly brilliant.

I've read a lot of modern cozy mysteries, but none of the characters trumps Miss Marple. She is the original nosy civilian and she does an amazing job of solving crimes simply by observation. But unlike

Spoiler

Bertram's Hotel, this novel is not too good to be true. I did not suspect Bess at all and I CERTAINLY didn't think she would confess to save her daughter. Miss Blake did seem pretty tricky and it all made came together in the end.

It was so interesting and tricky and so many red-herrings. I loved it. This is my second reading and I didn't remember at all what the ending was like.