Agatha Christie’s Jane Marple is reimagined in clever mini mysteries with a different narrator for each. The cast is an impressive group of narrators, and each is superb. People underestimate Miss Marple—to their detriment; the elderly woman often seen knitting solves murders faster than seasoned detectives. The new collection takes her from St. Mary Mead to Manhattan, the Italian Riviera, and other locales. Two narrators stand out for their nuanced performances. Tanya Reynolds provides American and British accents and a sharp inhale before an agonizing situation in the “The Murdering Sort.” Alex Kingston gives a beleaguered sigh to portray an uppity woman who is complaining about staff, and she increases her pace as a gossip speedily shares news in “Evil in Small Places.” A.L.C. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

07/18/2022

In this disappointing anthology of authorized pastiches featuring Agatha Christie’s Jane Marple, some contributors fail to play fair with readers by not sharing the clues the elderly amateur sleuth relies on, and almost none of the tales effectively display her gifts at understanding human nature. Standing head-and-shoulders above the rest is Lucy Foley’s “Evil in Small Places,” set in the small town of Meon Maltravers, where Miss Marple is visiting an old school friend. Her suspicion that such places may harbor “more terrible things” than in England’s metropolises is borne out the night the community commemorates “the immolation of seventeen Protestant martyrs,” when one person is found fatally stabbed, clutching an ominous threatening note. Lesser efforts include Alyssa Cole’s gimmicky “Miss Marple Takes Manhattan” and Elly Griffith’s “Murder at the Villa Rosa,” in which Miss Marple describes Professor Moriarty as a murderer who was a brilliant loner, a characterization at odds with Conan Doyle’s. Nothing in this volume matches Sophie Hannah’s success in her novels featuring Christie’s other iconic sleuth, Hercule Poirot. (Sept.)

"Each author captures Christie—and Marple—perfectly, while also displaying just a bit of her own unique touch. . . . This new and entertaining collection by some of our favorite writers will hook a new group of readers to the formidable Miss Marple." — Rhys Bowen, Washington Post

“If you feel nostalgic, travel back to a simpler time when polite and proper Miss Marple solved crimes. Twelve legendary mystery writers, including Lucy Foley and Karen McManus, present their short stories starring Miss Marple. This includes ‘Miss Marple’s Christmas’ by Ruth Ware, where she solves a jewel heist at her friend’s Christmas dinner, and ‘A Deadly Wedding Day’ by Dreda Say Mitchell, where Miss Marple arrives as a wedding guest but stays to solve a murder.” — Buzzfeed

"Twelve contemporary authors, all acclaimed crime writers, bring Agatha Christie's beloved Miss Jane Marple to print for the first time in 45 years, beautifully reinvigorating one of mystery fiction's most enduring sleuths. The stories . . . are equally attuned to our heroine's wry sagacity and to her ability to detect evil intent wherever it lurks, including under the mistletoe. A thoroughly entertaining collection for all Christie devotees. Combining the enduring appeal of Miss Marple with some of today's most popular mystery writers could hardly go wrong, and it doesn't here." — Booklist (starred review)

"Readers will be eager to try this anthology as a dozen celebrated crime fiction authors try their hand at writing traditional short stories featuring Christie’s amateur sleuth. As in any collection, some stories stand out, but they all capture the character of the shrewd, always underestimated Miss Marple." — Library Journal

“This highly enjoyable collection…[is] a testament to the enduring power of Christie’s imagination.” — Guardian (UK)

“Marple is the best loved [detective]. Also the most influential. . . . It is Miss Marple who introduced the revolutionary notion that people are essentially the same wherever one goes.”
— Los Angeles Times

“[Marple] conceals a razor-sharp brain behind a white puff of hair, innocent blue eyes, and a pile of knitting. . . . Jane Marple is not nearly as sweet as she looks.” — New York Times

08/01/2022

Twelve female authors from several countries put their own spin on short stories featuring Agatha Christie's amateur sleuth, Miss Jane Marple. Crime fiction readers will recognize big names such as Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley, Val McDermid, and Elly Griffiths. While some stories feature traditional settings such as Ware's "Miss Marple's Christmas" and McDermid's "The Second Murder at the Vicarage," others set the elderly spinster in unexpected territory. Jean Kwok's "The Jade Empress" has her on a cruise ship on the way to Hong Kong, and Alyssa Cole takes her to New York City in "Miss Marple Takes Manhattan." In all the stories, Miss Marple solves cases based on her observations of life and people in the village of St. Mary Mead. VERDICT Readers will be eager to try this anthology as a dozen celebrated crime fiction authors try their hand at writing traditional short stories featuring Christie's amateur sleuth. As in any collection, some stories stand out, but they all capture the character of the shrewd, always underestimated Miss Marple.—Lesa Holstine

Agatha Christie’s Jane Marple is reimagined in clever mini mysteries with a different narrator for each. The cast is an impressive group of narrators, and each is superb. People underestimate Miss Marple—to their detriment; the elderly woman often seen knitting solves murders faster than seasoned detectives. The new collection takes her from St. Mary Mead to Manhattan, the Italian Riviera, and other locales. Two narrators stand out for their nuanced performances. Tanya Reynolds provides American and British accents and a sharp inhale before an agonizing situation in the “The Murdering Sort.” Alex Kingston gives a beleaguered sigh to portray an uppity woman who is complaining about staff, and she increases her pace as a gossip speedily shares news in “Evil in Small Places.” A.L.C. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine