2023 Re-Read
This is my favourite Agatha Christie novel, pure and simple. Why, you ask? Well, first and foremost, Jane Marple. Miss Marple, who has plumbed the depths of human wickedness by paying attention to events in her small village. Who dithers and fusses to conceal the sharp intellect that lurks within her. I'd love to know her backstory—why she never married, what was her family background, what kept her in her tiny community. She is enigmatic and rather fascinating.
My second reason to love this novel is Dolly Bantry. I have to love a woman who says, if there's going to be a murder in my house, I'm going to enjoy it. I can see myself doing the exact same thing, although maybe slightly more quietly. She's good hearted, determined to solve the murder, especially so when she realizes that her husband will be gossiped about and snubbed despite his innocence.
I was also pleased to get a peek at Griselda, the pastor's wife, another of my favourite female characters in Christie's work. She knows she's not an appropriate wife, but she loves her husband and her child, so she doesn't let the parish opinions and politics worry her overmuch.
As per usual, I didn't remember the details of the crime. It was fun to see it play out all over again. I'm bumping up my rating to five stars as a result.
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