I did think of you, Mara, with the nursery rhyme framing device haha. I guess travelling while wrapped up in lace would get kinda awkward! The old lady carried a capacious handbag and an aged but good quality suitcase reposed by her feet.'

'Crump saw a tall, elderly lady wearing an old-fashioned tweed coat and skirt, a couple of scarves and a small felt hat with a bird's wing. Also nice little character touches that aren't overdone, like how Crump is thought to be an alcoholic when Adele Fortescue 'faints', he's like: 'she needs brandy' and then we see him later enter the room with brandy and two glasses, heh.Īnd we are finally at the point where Miss Marple becomes more like the Miss Marple of the adaptations! From Chapter 13: The opening scene is an example, as Rex Fortescue is dying and all the secretaries are running around trying to work out whether to get a doctor or an ambulance and which doctor would be best, etc. There are so many little details and quite comedic scenes too which I had completely forgotten.

There was an interview with Sophie Hannah I think it was, on the All About Agatha podcast where she spoke about books you read where you can just feel Christie was enjoying herself while writing them, and I really got the feeling during the reread that this was one of them. I think this has been one of my most enjoyable rereads after The Murder at the Vicarage actually. Well, I have to say I loved rereading this one.

Miss marple a pocketful of rye