Misterul De La Sittaford

Agatha Christie is more than the most popular mystery writer of all time. In a career that spans over half a century, her name is synonymous with brilliant deception, ingenious puzzles, and the surprise denouement. By virtually inventing the modern mystery novel she has earned her title as the Queen of Crime.

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Then you're invited to read.THE SITTAFORD MYSTERYM-U Agatha Christie is more than the most popular mystery writer of all time. In a career that spans over half a century, her name is synonymous with brilliant deception, ingenious puzzles, and the surprise denouement. By virtually inventing the modern mystery novel she has earned her title as the Queen of Crime. Then you're invited to read.THE SITTAFORD MYSTERYM-U-R-D-E-R. It began as an innocent parlor game intended to while away the hours on a bitter winter night.But the message that appeared before the amateur occultists at the snowbound Sittaford House was spelled out as loud and clear as a scream. Of course, the notion that they had foretold doom was pure bunk. And the discovery of a corpse was pure coincidence.

If they're to discover the answer to this baffling murder, perhaps they should play again. But a journey into the spirit world could prove terribly dangerous-especially when the killer is lurking in this one.

The Sittaford Mystery is a work of detective fiction by British writer Agatha Christie, first published in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in 1931 under the title of The Murder at Hazelmoor and in UK by the Collins Crime Club on 7 September of the same year under Christie's original title. UK Collins, London, Sep. 1931 US Dodd Mead, New York, 1931 as 'Murder at Hazelmoor' Good Housekeeping, Mar.-Aug. 1931 as 'Murder at Hazelmoor' Plot. In a remote house in the middle of Dartmoor, six shadowy figures huddle around a small round table for a seance. AGATHA CHRISTIE. Misterul de la Sittaford n romnete de Virgil Lefter. Bucureti, 1977 EDITURA UNIVERS Capitolul I VILA SITTAFORD Maiorul Burnaby i trase galoii, i strnse bine gulerul paltonului n jurul gtului i, dup ce lu lanterna de pe etajer, deschise cu grij ua vilei i se strecur afar.

This answer contains spoilersThe boots Emily found in the chimney were Trevelyan's. Burnaby hid them because he was afraid the boots would make the police connect the dots,payThe boots Emily found in the chimney were Trevelyan's. Burnaby hid them because he was afraid the boots would make the police connect the dots,pay attention to the skis(two pairs) and discover the whole thing. Which was exactly what happened after all, but with Emily instead.He shouldn't have left the extra pair of skis at Hazelmoor, that was his mistake.Source: The talk between Emily and Mr. Rycroft in the second to last chapter. Just for maximum confusion, many of Christie's novels have different titles in the British vs.

American editions. What I actually read was entitled Murder at Hazelmoor, but it is aka The Sittaford Mystery. Whatever one calls it, this novel typifies why Dame Agatha is the Mystery Goddess to me. I love many of her contemporaries-Sayers, Marsh, Tay, Wentworth, and esp. Rinehart-but it is rare for them to stump me. I've just been at this game too long; I usually have the solution figured out by th Just for maximum confusion, many of Christie's novels have different titles in the British vs.

American editions. What I actually read was entitled Murder at Hazelmoor, but it is aka The Sittaford Mystery.

Whatever one calls it, this novel typifies why Dame Agatha is the Mystery Goddess to me. I love many of her contemporaries-Sayers, Marsh, Tay, Wentworth, and esp. Rinehart-but it is rare for them to stump me. I've just been at this game too long; I usually have the solution figured out by the half-way point IF the author plays fair. Dame Agatha, however, puts me firmly in my place, and I revere her for it.

She often provides hints to anything up to half a dozen solutions of fiendish ingenuity, and I figure them out.only to have her hit me upside the head with the ONE solution that somehow I didn't see coming!Such is Murder at Hazelmoor. I really thought I had it, and I was really wrong.

However, I don't feel at all 'cheated'; I bow to the superior detective, in this case one of Agatha's charming 'flapper'-type young women amateurs. Emily could be Tuppence's sister, and she's delightful.

The only criticism I have is that I'm not so sure of the motive-all the suspects are in need of money, and the wealthy victim is a skinflint who won't help them, even his relatives. But.I can't help feeling he would have come through with a loan, even if not a gift, for the.one. person of them all for whom he really cared?

I just can't imagine murdering someone really dear to me for money. But then, Dame Agatha always believed the worst about human nature!This isn't one of her best-known novels, but I highly recommend it. Classic Christie, with the clues there but somehow so hard to spot, and an above-average number of red herrings to throw you off! I also love it when she does the 'hat trick' of having an apparently supernatural occurence-in this case a seance that appears to predict a murder-and then provides a solidly real explanation. So, so clever. It's weird for me to dislike Christie books, but this one did nothing for me.

It was a struggle to finish. I think the main issue was that I just found the why behind who murdered an eccentric and misogynistic man (Captain Trevelyan) to be boring due to one of the main character we follow through most of the book.Captain Trevelyan is found murdered after a weird seance tells the group who is holding it that he is dead.

Trevelyan's long time friend and neighbor Major Burnaby goes to his home duri It's weird for me to dislike Christie books, but this one did nothing for me. It was a struggle to finish. I think the main issue was that I just found the why behind who murdered an eccentric and misogynistic man (Captain Trevelyan) to be boring due to one of the main character we follow through most of the book.Captain Trevelyan is found murdered after a weird seance tells the group who is holding it that he is dead. Trevelyan's long time friend and neighbor Major Burnaby goes to his home during a heavy snow and finds Trevelyan dead. Trevelyan's will leaves things to his sister and to his niece and two nephews.

Questions quickly emerge about was it one of Trevelyan's family members that finally did him in for their inheritance.I was more interested when we had Inspector Narricot investigating things. He reminded me a lot of Poirot in his thinking, but the way he acted with people reminded me of Superintendent Battle. When Christie switched over to the fiancee of a man suspected of the murder (Emily) I just didn't care anymore.Christie tried to throw some romance via Emily and two men during the course of the book, but in the end Emily chooses the one who I considered to be a waste. This is a common theme in Christie books though. She always has the bright young thing seemingly throwing her life away on some man that is not perfect since she will bring him up to scratch.I also didn't like how we get the perspective of the person who murdered Trevelyan but with a cheat (you don't know that you are not getting the full picture until the end). Usually it seems so obvious when Christie reveals the who and the why since she props up clues along the way. This book felt very muddled to me.

'Major Burnaby drew on his gum boots, buttoned his overcoat collar round his neck, took from a shelf near the door a hurricane lantern, and cautiously opened the front door of his little bungalow and peered out.' I love this opening paragraph. It sets the scene for one of my favourite cozy mysteries: A small village near Dartmoor - you know, the misty remote parts of Baskerville fame.Some of the villagers have are gathering for tea and enjoy a game of table-turning, adding a supernatural edge to 'Major Burnaby drew on his gum boots, buttoned his overcoat collar round his neck, took from a shelf near the door a hurricane lantern, and cautiously opened the front door of his little bungalow and peered out.' I love this opening paragraph. It sets the scene for one of my favourite cozy mysteries: A small village near Dartmoor - you know, the misty remote parts of Baskerville fame.Some of the villagers have are gathering for tea and enjoy a game of table-turning, adding a supernatural edge to the already eerie setting.As the party enjoys the movements of the ouija board, it spells out a name and the party is stunned:'Supposing something had happened to Captain TrevelyanSupposing'Anyway, not to take too much away from the ensuing story, there is a murder and a subsequent investigation, and a number of potential culprits. After all, this is Christie mystery.What makes The Sittaford Mystery stand out for me is that there is lightheartedness and humor in this story which is lacking in some of her other books, and there is a female lead who cracks the confines of her role:So, one hand she proclaims that:'One can’t do anything without a man. Men know so much, and are able to get information in so many ways that are simply impossible to women.'

And on the other, only a few pages later she takes charge of the investigation:'‘Well,’ said Emily rising to her feet. ‘It’s about time we went back to the Three Crowns, and I will pack my suitcase and do a short weeping act on Mrs Belling’s shoulder.’‘Don’t you worry,’ said Mr Enderby rather fatuously. ‘You leave everything to me.’‘That’s just what I mean to do,’ said Emily with a complete lack of truth.

‘It’s so wonderful to have someone you can really rely on.’ Emily Trefusis was really a very accomplished young woman.' A brilliant read for admirers of the cozy mystery and the classic Christie who-dunnit. I still have to re-read some of the stories that pre-date The Sittaford Mystery (1931) but at the time of writing this one, Christie had already found her forte of setting the story in a confined space and letting psychology drive the story.Review first posted on BookLikes. I actually guessed the killer right! Ah, how wonderful it is to follow your gut right from the start and not let go even as she started throwing in little hints to who else it could be. Overall, this wasn't too thrilling of a mystery since I followed my gut the whole time and didn't sway with it.

Usually, I just go along with mysteries and don't bother trying to formulate too many ideas. Most of my ideas are flexible in mysteries.

This is one of the few I've actually gotten right, another notabl I actually guessed the killer right! Ah, how wonderful it is to follow your gut right from the start and not let go even as she started throwing in little hints to who else it could be.

Overall, this wasn't too thrilling of a mystery since I followed my gut the whole time and didn't sway with it. Usually, I just go along with mysteries and don't bother trying to formulate too many ideas. Most of my ideas are flexible in mysteries. This is one of the few I've actually gotten right, another notable one being. Classic Christie through and through is all I can say on this one. The only complaint I really have is that I wish Christie would stop with the romance. I'm here to read a mystery, not listen to some girl choose between two men.

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!

Anyway, seems like our heroine in this book, a potential long-lost feisty niece of Miss Marple, Emily Trefusis is well-aware of the shapeli 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! 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. During a freak snowstorm, guests at a country house amuse themselves by conducting an impromptu seance. What starts as an innocent game of table-turning, turns genuinely sinister when the spirits spell out that the house's absent owner, Captain Trevelyan, is not only dead, but that he has just been murdered. Hours later the Captain's body is discovered in a neighboring village, slain just as the 'spirits' predicted.

Misterul De La Sittaford Pelicula Completa

So begins Agatha Christie's novel The Sittaford Mystery (published 1931), but pe During a freak snowstorm, guests at a country house amuse themselves by conducting an impromptu seance. What starts as an innocent game of table-turning, turns genuinely sinister when the spirits spell out that the house's absent owner, Captain Trevelyan, is not only dead, but that he has just been murdered. Hours later the Captain's body is discovered in a neighboring village, slain just as the 'spirits' predicted. So begins Agatha Christie's novel The Sittaford Mystery (published 1931), but perhaps better known by its American title The Murder at Hazelmoor.The most obvious suspect is the murdered man's nephew James Pearson, yet virtually no one believes the weak, seemingly harmless young man is capable of such a violent act. Enter Pearson's betrothed, Emily Trefusis, who sets about to prove his innocence.Christie has a special fondness for characters like Emily, and used them in several of her best books from the 1920s.

A penniless orphan, these young ladies must make their way in the world aided only by their wits, sense of adventure, and sheer pluck. Vivacious, adventurous, yet unsentimental and cheerfully cynical, Emily adds considerable energy to the book.The Sittaford Mystery is the 16th title in my personal 'Agatha Christie Project', the object of which is to attempt to read all of her books more or less in chronological order. After the publication of several collections of mostly forgettable short stories (in my opinion), this particular book sees Christie's welcome return to the full length novel. In The Sittaford Mystery, the reader will enjoy her ability to develop her characters, spin an intriguing tale, and create an energetic and fun whodunit of the school of the classic 'Golden Age' British mystery. Vintage Christie.

However, I found it hard to keep all the characters straight in my head and I'm not sure I completely understood who a few of them were, and next I found the reason for the murder pretty lame. Also, the whole murder episode had a pretty unbelievable element in there, too.This novel didn't not have Miss Marple or Poirot but a different, and never again used, Inspector. While he was present in the story, he seemed to do very little in solving the case.On an aside note, I read thi Vintage Christie. However, I found it hard to keep all the characters straight in my head and I'm not sure I completely understood who a few of them were, and next I found the reason for the murder pretty lame. Also, the whole murder episode had a pretty unbelievable element in there, too.This novel didn't not have Miss Marple or Poirot but a different, and never again used, Inspector.

While he was present in the story, he seemed to do very little in solving the case.On an aside note, I read this one years ago - the title 'Murder at Hazelmoor' - from the Agatha Christie book club, which still sits on my shelf. These were the black 'faux' leather books with gold lettering.

Well, in the first paragraph this version omitted a sentence describing the moors as a Xmas card snow covered setting. The paperback I read had it. Two thoughts - just how much other stuff did those book club editions leave out of their stories, and next, why didn't the paperback version say 'Christmas' instead of 'Xmas'? In a small village called Sittaford, most of the residents meet at a house to have a nice evening together. It's winter and heavy snow is falling. The people decide to play a game: table turning. In this game a murder is being announced.

And in fact someone dies, outside of the village, but a resident of Sittaford. At first it appears the culprit is quickly found but a fierce young lady, Emily, starts investigating with a little help from everyone.Short paragraph about the plot. I do love Agath In a small village called Sittaford, most of the residents meet at a house to have a nice evening together. It's winter and heavy snow is falling. The people decide to play a game: table turning. In this game a murder is being announced. And in fact someone dies, outside of the village, but a resident of Sittaford.

At first it appears the culprit is quickly found but a fierce young lady, Emily, starts investigating with a little help from everyone.Short paragraph about the plot. I do love Agatha Christie, especially when it's stories containing her own Characters, e.g. But from time to time it's also nice to read her different crime stories (although I remember one book that was so boring and annoying to read ugh I almost gave up on it).I always try to read between the lines and see if I can make out who the murderer is before it's being revealed. Well, here I didn't see the obvious solution because all characters were described in such a manner that everyone and no one could be the culprit.Moreover I really like to imagine how people back then were so hospitable to just let strangers sleep in their home when the weather didn't allow them to continue traveling or that you could just show up at your friends door and they invite you to drink tea or coffee and really had time for you and weren't too busy with whatever they were doing. Re-reading Agatha Christie in order of publication.This was an extremely pleasant, if not compelling, book. A classic cozy book. I wasn’t crazy about the seance idea, but it served a purpose in the plot and wasn’t overly emphasized.

I fell in love with the characters of Major Burnaby and Emily Trefusis. I didn’t mind the absence of Christie’s famous characters like Poirot or Miss Maple.

I also loved how small and isolated the town of Sittaford was. I wish there were additional books with this Re-reading Agatha Christie in order of publication.This was an extremely pleasant, if not compelling, book. A classic cozy book. I wasn’t crazy about the seance idea, but it served a purpose in the plot and wasn’t overly emphasized. I fell in love with the characters of Major Burnaby and Emily Trefusis. I didn’t mind the absence of Christie’s famous characters like Poirot or Miss Maple. I also loved how small and isolated the town of Sittaford was.

I wish there were additional books with this town and its inhabitants!The majority of the novel was pleasant, if a touch mundane, about life in a small English town. Then in the last few chapters, hidden connections between characters and alibi-breaking secrets reigned down. It was a bit hard to keep track of. Almost everyone suddenly became a suspect and it was a bit annoying. The ending was satisfying, though not personally shocking.Emily Trefusis is a confident and wily woman, who uses her power over man to get her way. There are several gentleman who are lovably old-fashioned and play into her coy proclamations of feminine weakness, and other men who recognize & admire her astuteness. Classic Christie female empowerment, while maintaining a pleasant and charming feel.

It highlighted the challenges facing women on the era, without turning bitter or ugly. There is something very appealing about murder mysteries set in remote English villages under heavy snow. It is more than the Christmas card prettiness and the excuse for roaring fires. There is an expectation that something interesting will happen, like the murder of a rich old Scrooge.The Sittaford Mystery is an absolute Agatha Christie classic.

It has an interesting mix of characters, young and old, plenty of red herrings, and a clever riddle at its heart. The surprising item here is the youn There is something very appealing about murder mysteries set in remote English villages under heavy snow.

It is more than the Christmas card prettiness and the excuse for roaring fires. There is an expectation that something interesting will happen, like the murder of a rich old Scrooge.The Sittaford Mystery is an absolute Agatha Christie classic.

Misterul De La Sittaford Ca

It has an interesting mix of characters, young and old, plenty of red herrings, and a clever riddle at its heart. The surprising item here is the young woman who acts as amateur detective. That can be a difficult character in fiction.

Make her too clever and she breaks social expectations of feminine behaviour; make her too stupid and she is unbelievable. Christie’s solution of having her a brilliant and deliberate manipulator works very well.“You don’t think they are—well—hiding?”Major Burnaby shook his head positively.“Oh! No, nothing of that kind. They’re very sociable—a bit too sociable. I mean, in a little place like Sittaford, you can’t have previous engagements, and when invitations are showered on you it’s a bit awkward. They’re exceedingly kind, hospitable people, but a bit too hospitable for English ideas.”“The Colonial touch,” said the Inspector.

Not Christie's most complex mystery by any means, but a good cosy read I snuggled down into with enjoyment. I've seen a couple of different filmed versions of it, and just in passing let me say that ITV's latest version has almost nothing to do with the original text! Really?) There is no sleuth in chief here, just a young woman determined to stand by her man.There are almost too many characters in this book, which is typical of Christie in the early days. The cast includes a woman Not Christie's most complex mystery by any means, but a good cosy read I snuggled down into with enjoyment. I've seen a couple of different filmed versions of it, and just in passing let me say that ITV's latest version has almost nothing to do with the original text!

Really?) There is no sleuth in chief here, just a young woman determined to stand by her man.There are almost too many characters in this book, which is typical of Christie in the early days. The cast includes a woman with a rather nasty invalid husband, which reminded me of, published nearly 30 years later. Was Christie trying out the character? Rather than the standard house-party mystery we are given a small village cut off by snow, which comes to almost the same thing, as those of the same social class are driven to foregathering for a spot of fun-in this case table-turning (ie a seance, or ouija without a board). A murder is announced, but is it just a joke in poor taste, or was someone 'shoving'?

The Violet subplot rather falls apart at the end in a most unsatisfactory way, but this was relatively early days for the Queen of Crime.The day I started this book I was tired out, and had just had a Youtube soundscape created especially for me: I curled up with this book, a cup of tea, and the soundtrack-bliss! Another fine example of Agatha Christie's clever, imaginative mind. Her portrayal of the insular life and intriguing characters of a small, remote English village was, as usual, very well done.There were plenty of red herrings, suspects, motives and clues. Emily Trefusis was a great character-high-spirited, determined, intelligent and charming. That she used all of her feminine wiles to coerce men into doing whatever she wanted is not a trait I admire in women, but Emily's tactics certainly net Another fine example of Agatha Christie's clever, imaginative mind.

Her portrayal of the insular life and intriguing characters of a small, remote English village was, as usual, very well done.There were plenty of red herrings, suspects, motives and clues. Emily Trefusis was a great character-high-spirited, determined, intelligent and charming. That she used all of her feminine wiles to coerce men into doing whatever she wanted is not a trait I admire in women, but Emily's tactics certainly netted her many valuable clues.Because this book was written in 1931, it was amusing to read about the methods of communication and travel back in those days, especially when one thinks of today's fast-paced technology and instant communication.I did think the motive of the murderer was a little on the weak side. After all, several of the other suspects had equally plausible, if not, stronger motives. But, the beauty of Ms.

Christie's writing is that I did not guess who the real killer was.This was definitely another good read in a long line of classic Christie novels. I finished this Agatha book this morning and I really enjoyed it. As per usual, I had NO idea who the murderer was and was totally surprised by the twist at the end.This was definitely more of a character drive story than one of action. All the characters seemed to be sizing up the others and spent lots of time gossiping about each other.However, without my favs Miss Marple or Poirot this wasn't one of my favorite ACs. I give it 3.5 stars, but round up because this is the queen and she de I finished this Agatha book this morning and I really enjoyed it.

As per usual, I had NO idea who the murderer was and was totally surprised by the twist at the end.This was definitely more of a character drive story than one of action. All the characters seemed to be sizing up the others and spent lots of time gossiping about each other.However, without my favs Miss Marple or Poirot this wasn't one of my favorite ACs. I give it 3.5 stars, but round up because this is the queen and she deserves it!High Fraser was the narrator and he does many of ACs books and he is FANTASTIC. I definitely recommend any of his audiobook narrations. Agatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym, and was occasionally published under the name.Agatha Christie is the best-selling author of all time. She wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in Romance. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and a billion in t Agatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym, and was occasionally published under the name.Agatha Christie is the best-selling author of all time.

She wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in Romance. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, she remains the most-translated individual author, having been translated into at least 103 languages. She is the creator of two of the most enduring figures in crime literature-Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple-and author of The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theatre.Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller was born in Torquay, Devon, England, U.K., as the youngest of three. The Millers had two other children: Margaret Frary Miller (1879–1950), called Madge, who was eleven years Agatha's senior, and Louis Montant Miller (1880–1929), called Monty, ten years older than Agatha.Before marrying and starting a family in London, she had served in a Devon hospital during the First World War, tending to troops coming back from the trenches.

During the First World War, she worked at a hospital as a nurse; later working at a hospital pharmacy, a job that influenced her work, as many of the murders in her books are carried out with poison. During the Second World War, she worked as a pharmacy assistant at University College Hospital, London, acquiring a good knowledge of poisons which feature in many of her novels.Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, came out in 1920. During her first marriage, Agatha published six novels, a collection of short stories, and a number of short stories in magazines.In late 1926, Agatha's husband, Archie, revealed that he was in love with another woman, Nancy Neele, and wanted a divorce. On 8 December 1926 the couple quarreled, and Archie Christie left their house, Styles, in Sunningdale, Berkshire, to spend the weekend with his mistress at Godalming, Surrey. That same evening Agatha disappeared from her home, leaving behind a letter for her secretary saying that she was going to Yorkshire.

Her disappearance caused an outcry from the public, many of whom were admirers of her novels. Despite a massive manhunt, she was not found for eleven days.In 1930, Christie married archaeologist Max Mallowan (Sir Max from 1968) after joining him in an archaeological dig.

Their marriage was especially happy in the early years and remained so until Christie's death in 1976.Christie frequently used familiar settings for her stories. Christie's travels with Mallowan contributed background to several of her novels set in the Middle East. Other novels (such as And Then There Were None) were set in and around Torquay, where she was born. Christie's 1934 novel Murder on the Orient Express was written in the Hotel Pera Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, the southern terminus of the railway. The hotel maintains Christie's room as a memorial to the author. The Greenway Estate in Devon, acquired by the couple as a summer residence in 1938, is now in the care of the National Trust.Christie often stayed at Abney Hall in Cheshire, which was owned by her brother-in-law, James Watts.

She based at least two of her stories on the hall: the short story The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding, and the novel After the Funeral. Abney Hall became Agatha's greatest inspiration for country-house life, with all the servants and grandeur which have been woven into her plots.To honour her many literary works, she was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1956 New Year Honours.

The next year, she became the President of the Detection Club.

Let's get one thing straight: I couldn't possibly care less that these ITV mysteries don't bear any resemblance to the Christie novel. I've never read more than a couple of chapters of an Agatha Christie mystery, and I never intend to.

I don't read.any. mysteries, for that matter, and so the reviewers' constant harping that these adaptations aren't true to the writer's 'vision' carries little weight. What I.do. enjoy are these English murder mysteries adapted for the stage and screen, and I think these ITV mysteries are good fun. Geraldine McEwen is a delight. I have never liked previous interpretations of Miss Marple, where she has come off as nothing but a dried-up, prunish, humourless busybody, but McEwen plays her with an amused twinkle in her eye. That could characterize the entire production.

They're witty and tongue-in-cheek, complete with bad 'special effects' and cheesy music and title credits. The actors appear to be having the time of their lives, and it makes for a fun and fizzy mystery. There are worse ways to spend two hours on a Sunday night. Faithful Shmaithful. If you want Christie, read the book.

If you want a fun evening, you could do far worse than these Marple mysteries.