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Miss Marple #SS 9
The Four Suspects: a Miss Marple Short Story
A doctor who helped bring about the downfall of a secret German criminal organization has retired to England. He confides to Sir Henry Clithering that he is convinced that one or all of the former members will seek revenge. The question for Miss Marple and her friends is, "Did they?" And if so, "Who?"
Librarian's note: this entry relates to the short story, The Four Suspects. Collections and the other stories by the author are located elsewhere on Goodreads. The Miss Marple series includes twelve novels and 20 short stories. Entries for each of the short stories can be found by searching Goodreads for: a Miss Marple Short Story.
Librarian's note: this entry relates to the short story, The Four Suspects. Collections and the other stories by the author are located elsewhere on Goodreads. The Miss Marple series includes twelve novels and 20 short stories. Entries for each of the short stories can be found by searching Goodreads for: a Miss Marple Short Story.
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1930
184 people are currently reading
961 people want to read
About the author
Agatha Christie
5,857 books76.3k followersAgatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, and was occasionally published under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan.
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.
Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.
Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
August 17, 2025
The conversation hovered round undiscovered and unpunished crimes. Everyone in turn vouchsafed their opinion: Colonel Bantry, his plump amiable wife, Jane Helier, Dr Lloyd, and even old Miss Marple. The one person who did not speak was the one best fitted in most people’s opinion to do so. Sir Henry Clithering, ex-Commissioner of Scotland Yard, sat silent, twisting his moustache—or rather stroking it—and half smiling, as though at some inward thought that amused him.
The Four Suspects is the story of unpunished crime Henry Clithering set to the group - or let's face it, to Miss Marple primarily, and then begged her for the solution as he hated the thought of the innocent of the four living under society's suspicions. Miss Marple solves it of course, with help from Mrs. Bantry too.
This story has a pretty good plot and some interesting characters, but, as pointed out at the beginning of the story, it is the secret means of communication between the outside world and the suspect that is really the clincher. Fun story on the whole, especially if you pick the right suspect at the beginning!
‘You say crime goes unpunished; but does it? Unpunished by the law perhaps; but cause and effect works outside the law. To say that every crime brings its own punishment is by way of being a platitude, and yet in my opinion nothing can be truer.’
🌟🌟🌟3/4🌟
[3/4 star for the premise; 3/4 star for the characters; Half a star for the world-building; One star for the plot; 3/4 star for the writing - 3 3/4 stars in total.]
The Four Suspects is the story of unpunished crime Henry Clithering set to the group - or let's face it, to Miss Marple primarily, and then begged her for the solution as he hated the thought of the innocent of the four living under society's suspicions. Miss Marple solves it of course, with help from Mrs. Bantry too.
This story has a pretty good plot and some interesting characters, but, as pointed out at the beginning of the story, it is the secret means of communication between the outside world and the suspect that is really the clincher. Fun story on the whole, especially if you pick the right suspect at the beginning!
‘You say crime goes unpunished; but does it? Unpunished by the law perhaps; but cause and effect works outside the law. To say that every crime brings its own punishment is by way of being a platitude, and yet in my opinion nothing can be truer.’
🌟🌟🌟3/4🌟
[3/4 star for the premise; 3/4 star for the characters; Half a star for the world-building; One star for the plot; 3/4 star for the writing - 3 3/4 stars in total.]
April 22, 2025
Sir Henry Clithering, a member of the Tuesday Night Club, takes his turn and tells a story.
The title refers to a running theme in Agatha Christie's mysteries, where the goal of solving a murder isn't just to punish the guilty but to free the other parties who might be suspects from the suspicion of their friends, neighbors, and loved ones.
Alright. So this one deals with a secret German society that was operating during the war and the man (Dr. Rosen) who brought them to their knees. Rosen told Clithering that it was only a matter of time before they enacted revenge and killed him. When Rosen was found dead from a fall down his stairs, Sir Henry was left with the 4 suspects who lived in the house with the older man.
He never managed to figure out which one of them did it, so who the actual culprit was had always remained a mystery.
Miss Marple and Mrs. Bantry come to his rescue this time around, as both ladies' specialized knowledge of certain things shows Clithering a new way of looking at the situation.
Originally published in The Story-Teller magazine in 1030.
Read as part of the short story collection The Thirteen Problems .
The title refers to a running theme in Agatha Christie's mysteries, where the goal of solving a murder isn't just to punish the guilty but to free the other parties who might be suspects from the suspicion of their friends, neighbors, and loved ones.
Alright. So this one deals with a secret German society that was operating during the war and the man (Dr. Rosen) who brought them to their knees. Rosen told Clithering that it was only a matter of time before they enacted revenge and killed him. When Rosen was found dead from a fall down his stairs, Sir Henry was left with the 4 suspects who lived in the house with the older man.
He never managed to figure out which one of them did it, so who the actual culprit was had always remained a mystery.
Miss Marple and Mrs. Bantry come to his rescue this time around, as both ladies' specialized knowledge of certain things shows Clithering a new way of looking at the situation.
Originally published in The Story-Teller magazine in 1030.
Read as part of the short story collection The Thirteen Problems .
June 16, 2022
2.5 stars. This short story could have be more interesting and thrilling if it were much longer.
January 24, 2026
4 Stars. I was close, but as usual Agatha Christie hides the catch well. It's a story in the Tuesday Night Club vein. We've moved away from gatherings at Jane Marple's house and the original group. Some of the mystery-lovers reappear and for others, that's it! We're at dinner at Gossington Hall. Sir Henry Clithering, formerly of Scotland Yard, discusses "undiscovered" crimes; ones "that no one even knows have been committed." The 19 page story is from, Miss Marple: the Complete Short Stories, of 2011. It first came out in Story-Teller in 1930. Clithering recounts a possible crime involving a man who brought to justice a secret German society, The Schwartze Hand, a crime syndicate like the Camorra in Italy. The man, Dr. Rosen, then retired to rural England but confided to Sir Henry, "They will get me." Within five months he died in a fall. Was it a crime? Only four people were proximate enough to do the deed, his niece, Greta, his servant of 40 years, Gertrud, a local handyman, Dobbs, and Rosen's secretary, Charles Templeton. For the first time Miss Marple has some help - Dolly Bantry has an idea. It's not a bad one. Should we send Dolly a rose as a thank you? (No2020/Ja2026)
December 27, 2020
The Tuesday Night Club members are sitting at a dinner party relating strange and mysterious stories, when the conversation switches to unsolved or undiscovered crimes. The group finally turns to Sir Henry Clithering who is a former Commissioner of Scotland Yard. Do crimes ever go totally unpunished or undetected is the group's main question. Sir Henry gives his answer by telling a story about a murder that had four suspects. All could be guilty....but only one suspect did the deed. The truth of the deed has to come out, or all four suspects will live under the shadow of perceived guilt. Can the Tuesday Night Club ferret out the truth behind Sir Henry's story?
The Four Suspects is the 9th story about the Tuesday Night Club, a group of friends that gather to share stories about crimes or mysterious happenings. One member tells a story....and the others have to figure out the truth. The stories are short with little in the way of character or setting development. This is by design. The stories are meant to be simple, quick one-minute mystery sort of tales.
The Four Suspects was first published in 1930 in the Story-Teller Magazine in the UK and Pictoral Review in the US. It was later included in the short story collection, The 13 Problems.
I listened to an audio book version of this story read by Joan Hickson who played Miss Marple in the television series from 1984-1992. I like listening to the story while I read....makes it more enjoyable to hear the right accents and correct pronunciations of any foreign words or place names. So I listened to Joan read while I read from my HB copy of Miss Marple: the Complete Short Stories.
Another entertaining quick mystery featuring Miss Marple! I'm loving these stories!
On to the next: A Christmas Tragedy!
The Four Suspects is the 9th story about the Tuesday Night Club, a group of friends that gather to share stories about crimes or mysterious happenings. One member tells a story....and the others have to figure out the truth. The stories are short with little in the way of character or setting development. This is by design. The stories are meant to be simple, quick one-minute mystery sort of tales.
The Four Suspects was first published in 1930 in the Story-Teller Magazine in the UK and Pictoral Review in the US. It was later included in the short story collection, The 13 Problems.
I listened to an audio book version of this story read by Joan Hickson who played Miss Marple in the television series from 1984-1992. I like listening to the story while I read....makes it more enjoyable to hear the right accents and correct pronunciations of any foreign words or place names. So I listened to Joan read while I read from my HB copy of Miss Marple: the Complete Short Stories.
Another entertaining quick mystery featuring Miss Marple! I'm loving these stories!
On to the next: A Christmas Tragedy!
January 16, 2023
Just a short story but for me too wordy.
The solution is within the grasp of Miss Marple once she has been appraised of the facts.
I liked the premise. An unsolved murder which on the face of it appears an accident.
It is quickly explained that it was a revenge killing, but the argument here isn’t that the guilty party got away with murder. The point of this story is there were four suspects who will have to live with the suspicion hanging over them, when only one is perhaps responsible.
The crime happens after the victim had set up a new life in a quiet secluded village where strangers would obviously standout. Therefore, the crime can only have been committed by those who were part of the household; the four suspects.
Why though did they wait for five months and what triggered the perpetrator to act that morning?
Happily Miss Marple is on the case.
Worth reading just to see how this amateur sleuth uses her knowledge of life within her own community, as the model for all human behaviour.
Priceless writing, with a satisfying conclusion and a brilliant advert for the Miss Marple series of books.
The solution is within the grasp of Miss Marple once she has been appraised of the facts.
I liked the premise. An unsolved murder which on the face of it appears an accident.
It is quickly explained that it was a revenge killing, but the argument here isn’t that the guilty party got away with murder. The point of this story is there were four suspects who will have to live with the suspicion hanging over them, when only one is perhaps responsible.
The crime happens after the victim had set up a new life in a quiet secluded village where strangers would obviously standout. Therefore, the crime can only have been committed by those who were part of the household; the four suspects.
Why though did they wait for five months and what triggered the perpetrator to act that morning?
Happily Miss Marple is on the case.
Worth reading just to see how this amateur sleuth uses her knowledge of life within her own community, as the model for all human behaviour.
Priceless writing, with a satisfying conclusion and a brilliant advert for the Miss Marple series of books.
September 1, 2023
Colonel and Silly Gantry are back for this one; lovely.
A gentleman falls down the stairs. Police believe it isn't an accident, but can't prove anything. It can only be one of four people, but they are all highly unlikely. If course Miss Marple, with her cynical view of humanity should be able to work it all out.
A gentleman falls down the stairs. Police believe it isn't an accident, but can't prove anything. It can only be one of four people, but they are all highly unlikely. If course Miss Marple, with her cynical view of humanity should be able to work it all out.
December 27, 2023
Quite short, but cleverly done. I think the difference in time probably made things trickier rather than the setup itself. But, still charming.
'But you know, it isn't really guilt that is important--it's innocence. That's the thing that nobody will realize.'
May 21, 2017
Miss Marple. Agatha Christie has the gift of making her feel like a sweet, warm little old lady just through her dialogue. The reader can picture her sitting in a comfy chair with a cuppa nearby. Her hands are always busy with her knitting, but she gives the speaker her complete attention.
In this short story she solved the case without leaving her chair.
In this short story she solved the case without leaving her chair.
November 13, 2014
This Miss Marple short story was first published in 1930. During a conversation between friends and neighbours, Sir Henry Clithering – ex-Commissioner of Scotland Yard – muses on undiscovered and unpunished crimes. He talks about a case of an old gentleman who fell downstairs and broke his neck; or who was pushed? There are four suspects to this crime – the man’s niece, his secretary, an old servant and a handyman/gardener. One is guilty, but three are innocent and yet the suspicion of guilt lies over them all. Of course, Miss Marple, with her knowledge of human nature solves the crime without even leaving the room, as Sir Henry recounts events. This is a really well plotted short story, which perfectly captures Miss Marple ‘s sly humour and delight in comparing suspects to people she has known.
October 21, 2018
An elegant, little whodunit set in the classic Christie style and narrated by the incomparable Joan Hickson as Miss Marple!
My Rating - 4/5
My Rating - 4/5
May 7, 2021
يمثل الكتاب الجزء الثاني من المجموعة القصصية المنشورة باسم (ثلاثة عشر لغزًا)، من سلسلة مس (ماربل). ويحتوي على ست قصص، وهي:-
- الوصيفة أو المرافقة.
- يد الله، واسمها الأصلي (كومة السمك).
- الغاية والوسيلة، واسمها الأصلي (الدافع مقابل فرصة).
- المشبوهون الأربعة
- الغريقة، واسمها الأصلي (الموت غرقًا).
- الزهرة الزرقاء.
أما عن الجزء الأول من المجموعة القصصية، فقد صدر باسم (بقعة الدم) لنفس دار النشر.
- الوصيفة أو المرافقة.
- يد الله، واسمها الأصلي (كومة السمك).
- الغاية والوسيلة، واسمها الأصلي (الدافع مقابل فرصة).
- المشبوهون الأربعة
- الغريقة، واسمها الأصلي (الموت غرقًا).
- الزهرة الزرقاء.
أما عن الجزء الأول من المجموعة القصصية، فقد صدر باسم (بقعة الدم) لنفس دار النشر.
April 13, 2015
There’s always a charm to the Miss Marple stories, a lovely calmness that pervades them even as the vicar is dying of strychnine poisoning in his begonia patch. St Mary’s Mead isn’t the kind of setting which lends itself to heightened melodrama after all. Even in this tale, where Miss Marple finds herself out of St Mary Mead and dining with the great and good for some reason, that charm and calmness are beautifully apparent. A senior policeman relates a curious little mystery and appeals to Miss Marple to help solve it. Of course the solution is the kind of solution you only ever get in detective stories, but then you don’t go to Miss Marple for a taste of bitter reality.
April 10, 2019
"O reputaţie excelentă este prima necesitate a unui escroc!"
January 10, 2021
Is there an important difference between an undiscovered crime and an unsolved crime? Miss Marple says yes, because it is far more difficult for the innocent than the guilty as their life is forever tainted by suspicion. The dinner party at the Bantry’s continues and Sir Henry tells of an unsolved crime from his days at Scotland Yard that was masked to look like an accident when he suspects that it was murder but cannot prove it. A German man is in hiding in a small English village after breaking up an international crime ring. He is accompanied by the four suspects- his niece, a maid/cook, a secretary and a gardener. One day, after several quiet months, the German dies after a fall down the stairs. Sir Henry suspects that one of the four killed him after they received a message from the gang, but who could it be? The secretary received a letter that day from Germany that he destroyed so the dinner guests immediately assume that it is him. But Sir Henry tells him that he was an undercover detective from the Yard. The maid/cook also received a poorly written letter with an invitation to the church social. Finally, the dead man himself received a letter from Germany, seemingly written by a friend, who reminds him that it is not safe and he should be careful. The letter has some strange and random capitalizations. Miss Marple figures out that the capitalizations in the letter are references to several types of dahlias and that the first letter of each type spells out DEATH. The man’s niece recently received a gardening catalog, so she was the guilty party. Brilliant!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2021
In general, a good and entertaining story, told by Sir Henry Clithering. I also like the introduction to the story, which includes a bit of philosophical pondering about unsolved crimes and the effect it might have on innocent people, who are suspected of having committed those crimes.
However, here is the part I do not understand. Sir Henry is retired from Scotland Yard. This story-telling happened rather spontaneously during a dinner party. And yet here is Sir Henry, carrying evidence from an unsolved mystery with him - mail from the day Dr. Rosen died. Of course, once Miss Marple looks at that mail, she is able to figure out who is innocent and who was the murderer.
While otherwise a good story, this circumstance is rather unbelievable.
However, here is the part I do not understand. Sir Henry is retired from Scotland Yard. This story-telling happened rather spontaneously during a dinner party. And yet here is Sir Henry, carrying evidence from an unsolved mystery with him - mail from the day Dr. Rosen died. Of course, once Miss Marple looks at that mail, she is able to figure out who is innocent and who was the murderer.
While otherwise a good story, this circumstance is rather unbelievable.
July 23, 2018
This is a pretty good audiobook Ms. Marple Mystery about a mystery involving four people suspected of murdering an uncle. Will she be able to solve the case? Read and find out for yourself.
If you enjoy mysteries, definitely check it out. It is available at your local library and wherever books are sold.
If you enjoy mysteries, definitely check it out. It is available at your local library and wherever books are sold.
September 25, 2015
Great story but too short for me, I wished the plot was more developped but I enjoyed the moment :)
February 13, 2025
Quite a charming little mystery
Our heroine quite blossoms in the telling of the tale. Her wisdom in the subject of both murder and flowers wins through.
Our heroine quite blossoms in the telling of the tale. Her wisdom in the subject of both murder and flowers wins through.
January 14, 2026
القصة السابعة، «المشتبهون الأربعة»، تُعد من أفضل القصص التي قرأتها ضمن سلسلة نادي الجريمة، وهي من تلك القصص التي تشعرك بأن أغاثا كريستي كانت في كامل وعيها السردي والذهني. الجريمة هنا لا تُبنى على لغز معقّد بقدر ما تُبنى على توزيع ذكي للاشتباه، حيث يقف أربعة أشخاص في دائرة الاتهام، لكل واحد منهم دافع واضح، وحضور منطقي في مسرح الأحداث، ما يجعل استبعاد أي منهم أمرًا غير مريح للقارئ.
القصة تعتمد على النقاش والتحليل أكثر من اعتمادها على المفاجآت، وهذا ما يمنحها قوتها الحقيقية. كريستي تضعك في حالة شك دائم، تجعلك تميل مرة إلى هذا المشتبه، ثم تعود لتتراجع أمام حجة أخرى تبدو أكثر إقناعًا. لا شيء يُقدَّم مجانًا، ولا حل يُفرض قسرًا في النهاية. كل شيء يسير بهدوء، لكن بثقة، حتى تصل إلى كشف يبدو بسيطًا بعد حدوثه، لكنه لم يكن سهل الوصول إليه أثناء القراءة. لهذا السبب تحديدًا، تبقى هذه القصة من أكثر قصص السلسلة إرضاءً، وأكثرها قدرة على شد الذهن دون حاجة إلى ضجيج أو مبالغة
The seventh story, “The Four Suspects,” is among the best I have read in The Tuesday Night Club series, and one that clearly reflects Agatha Christie at her most mentally sharp and narratively aware. The crime is not built on an overly complex puzzle, but rather on a clever distribution of suspicion, where four individuals stand equally under accusation. Each of them has a clear motive and a logical presence within the events, making it uncomfortable for the reader to dismiss any one of them too quickly.
The strength of the story lies in its reliance on discussion and analysis rather than on sudden twists. Christie keeps the reader in a constant state of doubt, guiding them toward one suspect, only to pull them back with an argument that feels even more convincing. Nothing is handed over freely, and the resolution is not forced. Everything unfolds calmly, yet with confidence, until the truth is revealed in a way that seems simple in hindsight, though far from easy during the reading. For this reason, the story remains one of the most satisfying in the series, engaging the mind without the need for noise or exaggeration.
القصة تعتمد على النقاش والتحليل أكثر من اعتمادها على المفاجآت، وهذا ما يمنحها قوتها الحقيقية. كريستي تضعك في حالة شك دائم، تجعلك تميل مرة إلى هذا المشتبه، ثم تعود لتتراجع أمام حجة أخرى تبدو أكثر إقناعًا. لا شيء يُقدَّم مجانًا، ولا حل يُفرض قسرًا في النهاية. كل شيء يسير بهدوء، لكن بثقة، حتى تصل إلى كشف يبدو بسيطًا بعد حدوثه، لكنه لم يكن سهل الوصول إليه أثناء القراءة. لهذا السبب تحديدًا، تبقى هذه القصة من أكثر قصص السلسلة إرضاءً، وأكثرها قدرة على شد الذهن دون حاجة إلى ضجيج أو مبالغة
The seventh story, “The Four Suspects,” is among the best I have read in The Tuesday Night Club series, and one that clearly reflects Agatha Christie at her most mentally sharp and narratively aware. The crime is not built on an overly complex puzzle, but rather on a clever distribution of suspicion, where four individuals stand equally under accusation. Each of them has a clear motive and a logical presence within the events, making it uncomfortable for the reader to dismiss any one of them too quickly.
The strength of the story lies in its reliance on discussion and analysis rather than on sudden twists. Christie keeps the reader in a constant state of doubt, guiding them toward one suspect, only to pull them back with an argument that feels even more convincing. Nothing is handed over freely, and the resolution is not forced. Everything unfolds calmly, yet with confidence, until the truth is revealed in a way that seems simple in hindsight, though far from easy during the reading. For this reason, the story remains one of the most satisfying in the series, engaging the mind without the need for noise or exaggeration.
March 9, 2024
This story captures Agatha Christie's unique style perfectly. At first, everything seems simple, but Christie uses careful details and smart thinking to completely change the story's direction. It's a classic example of how she surprises her readers, proving her mastery in creating intriguing mysteries.
Read
August 12, 2024Immediately googled four suspects explained
June 20, 2024
Escuchado en audio libro mientras cosía en la máquina. Entretenido.
December 22, 2025
Every time the author looks to create a complex caper, the story misses the snap all others have.
October 26, 2020
I love this one and I love Miss Marple. Can’t wait to read more Miss Marple mysteries.
July 24, 2023
Weer heel goed geschreven kort verhaal.
July 29, 2024
Un poco coñazo la verdad💋💋
June 25, 2024
I'm back today with another Agatha Christie mini review. This time Miss Marple and her friends are solving a crime involving "four suspects".
It's Sir Henry Clithering's turn to tell a tale. He tells the tale of an unsolved murder involving a German Spy and the four people that are suspected of killing him. Naturally everyone has a different opinion on who killed him.
This story initially reminded me of The Big Four. Four suspects and involving a spy network. The Big Four was published in 1927 and this story was published in 1930, so maybe The Big Four was a slight influence, or more likely just the backdrop of the war in general.
I liked the mystery and it was no surprise that Miss Marple ended up solving it. As we all know Miss Marple knows so much about village life, and this particular murder takes part in an English village, so of course this was well within Miss Marple's problem solving area. The way the murder gets solved is really interesting. I won't spoil it, but it was interesting.
Another wonderful Miss Marple mystery that I listened to on audio. If you get a chance these mysteries are well worth a listen.
It's Sir Henry Clithering's turn to tell a tale. He tells the tale of an unsolved murder involving a German Spy and the four people that are suspected of killing him. Naturally everyone has a different opinion on who killed him.
This story initially reminded me of The Big Four. Four suspects and involving a spy network. The Big Four was published in 1927 and this story was published in 1930, so maybe The Big Four was a slight influence, or more likely just the backdrop of the war in general.
I liked the mystery and it was no surprise that Miss Marple ended up solving it. As we all know Miss Marple knows so much about village life, and this particular murder takes part in an English village, so of course this was well within Miss Marple's problem solving area. The way the murder gets solved is really interesting. I won't spoil it, but it was interesting.
Another wonderful Miss Marple mystery that I listened to on audio. If you get a chance these mysteries are well worth a listen.
September 8, 2019
Sir Henry regales the dinner party with another murder, this one involved with his job in the secret service. Dr Rosen helped them with a German secret society and took refuge in England. He lives with four others: his niece, his secretary, a German servant, and a local man employed as a gardener. These are the only suspects, and until Sir Henry knows which of them was the murderer he cannot trust any of them and one – the secretary – is one of his own men. In a further complication, the niece Greta is in love with the agent Charles.
Sir Henry even brings along the evidence; the day’s mail.
888
Indeed. International espionage, eh?
Miss Marple cracks it with her esoteric knowledge of people and the meaning of flowers.
3 stars
Sir Henry even brings along the evidence; the day’s mail.
888
‘Of course,’ said Miss Marple, ‘a lot of people are stupid. And stupid people get found out, whatever they do. But there are quite a number of people who aren’t stupid, and one shudders to think of what they might accomplish unless they had very strongly rooted principles.’
Indeed. International espionage, eh?
Miss Marple cracks it with her esoteric knowledge of people and the meaning of flowers.
3 stars
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