A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie Narrator: Richard E. Grant
Series: Miss Marple #7
Published by HarperAudio on March 26, 2013 (first published November 9, 1953)
Source: Purchased
Genres: Vintage Mystery
Length: 6 hrs 51 mins
Pages: 277
Format: Audiobook
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Rex Fortescue, king of a financial empire, was sipping tea in his "counting house" when he suffered an agonizing and sudden death. On later inspection, the pockets of the deceased were found to contain traces of cereals.
Yet, it was the incident in the parlor that confirmed Miss Marple's suspicion that here she was looking at a case of crime by rhyme....
I never appreciated Miss Marple when I was younger. Poirot is flashier, Tommy and Tuppence are funner, Miss Marple is calm and quiet. She’s also a brilliant observer and is more than capable of telling the detective on a case everything he is missing and who the killer is.
This time around, Miss Marple enter the case because a young maid she trained, Gladys Martin, had been found strangled in the garden of the house where she worked. A couple other members of the household have also been killed, Rex Fortescue and his wife. Thankfully, Inspector Neele knows of Miss Marple’s reputation and is willing to accept her help with the case, even if he does sometimes think she might be batty.
Rex Fortescue is a ruthless business man with questionable practices. We’ve got a household full of suspects, several red herrings, and plenty of misdirection. Miss Marple sees through it all though. The plot was well-done, as usual with Christie, and the characters were enjoyable.
I’ve been reading a lot of Christie this year. I do almost always enjoy them.
About Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English crime novelist, short story writer and playwright. She is best known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around her fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world’s longest-running play, a murder mystery, The Mousetrap, and six romances under the name Mary Westmacott. In 1971 she was elevated to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her contribution to literature.
I must admit to not having really explored the works of Agatha Christie and when I hear the name the first thing I think of is Poirot. Thank you for putting Miss Marple out there as an alternative and a character I might well enjoy.
Poirot is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea.