Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Agatha Christie and Dr. Who

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie: An episode of Dr. Who from series 4, The Unicorn and the Wasp, which features Agatha Christie, reminded me that I'd never read any Agatha Christie -- ever. So I thought I'd remedy that. I liked the title of this one, so I chose it as my first Christie novel. I liked it, and I loved Miss Marple -- she's a sharp one. The maid finds a dead body in the library of some friends of Miss Marple; no one knows who she is but of course the friend talks Miss Marple into helping her find the killer. I knew who the murderer was as soon as I met the person, but then Christie would say something and I'd think, "Oh, this character is a red herring." Then I'd be back to thinking I was right in the first place. I liked that -- the feeling that I was possibly wrong about who the killer was.

6 comments:

Emily said...

All of Christie's books do that. If you have a hankering for more, I suggest that you read the other Miss Marple books, N or M (or the other Tommy & Tuppence Beresford books), or - for a bit of the darker side of her writing - Mr. Harley Quinn.

Marshamlow said...

I enjoy the Miss Marple books too. I like how she says that everyone is the same everywhere. This person reminds her of another person she knows etc. Like there are three personality types in the world. I am a Miss Marple personality I hope.

Kathy said...

Emily: Thanks for the suggestions -- I'll definitely try that.

Marsha: I liked that too -- nobody can ever be surprising to Miss Marple -- she always has a village equivalent of the personality.

nutmeg said...

You had me thinking there Katya! I couldn't remember reading an Agatha Christie myself until it came back to me that I read Ten Little Niggers (very politically incorrect!) in High School. I don't think that is a Miss Marple though.

BabelBabe said...

i forgot about N or M, I have to revisit the Tommy and Tuppence books.

and here in the sates, it's always been Ten Little Indians : )

Kathy said...

I was familiar with the title Ten Little Indians -- had not heard the other -- I thought maybe it was a book I hadn't heard of.