I always found it a shame that Agatha Christie wrote fewer Marple books than Poirot ones. It's understandable - Christie was chained to her Belgian detective in the same way Conan Doyle was to his Baker Street one. It's also much easier for an internationally famous detective to stumble upon mystery and murder (and the glamourous settings that come with them) than an elderly spinster - however well-connected she might be.
Christie's Miss. Marple books are by no means ignored, but you'd struggle to find anyone calling them her finest. There are no rule-breaking Roger Akroyd writing techniques, nor the exotic suspect list of the Orient Express. The series is instead celebrated for its deceptively simple concepts - the bewilderment of finding a body you don't recognise in your own house, the thrill at seeing a murder happen in a passing train window. The stories themselves, and the sleuth who solves them, seem to matter less.
But Miss. Marple has plenty to offer modern readers, as her novels give us much to consider about perceptions of the elderly, and unmarried women. Here is a woman the world considers pretty much worthless, with only her genteel background giving her access to society at all. She may seem old-fashioned, and one is never sure if her comparisons of horrific crimes to village troubles is an affectation, but her mind is a steel trap - to the confusion of every detective in the land.
I was therefore delighted at the publication of this new anthology of Marple stories, written by some of the most acclaimed current female writers, including Val McDermid and Naomi Alderman. When I saw the list of audiobook readers (a triumph of casting), I knew I had to listen rather than read.
Finally Miss. Jane Marple is getting the attention she deserves.
The Stories
Narrator: Alex Kingston
A story from the author of The Hunting Party. Miss Marple visits a rather snobby old friend and a local opera singer dies. A nice little opener, though probably not the most memorable or mentally taxing. As with my experience of The Hunting Party, it was aggressively 'ok'. Alex Kingston gives an energetic read and is well-suited to the material.
The Second Murder at the Vicarage by Val MacDermid
Narrator Adrian Scarborough
We return to the comfort of St Mary Mead with Val MacDermid - a safe pair of hands. Another murder has happened at the vicarage, to the shock and entertainment of all. McDermid takes a few swift digs at the attitudes to the servant class in the original books, but more-or-less maintains status quo. I've definitely seem that mushroom plot on Midsomer Murders though. Adrian Scarborough is perfect as the perplexed but steady vicar.
Miss. Marple Takes Manhattan by Alyssa Cole
Narrator: Adjoa Andoh
A charming little murder-free story, in which Miss. Marple dips her toe into the Manhattan theatreland (at the insistence of her nephew), and the Manhattan department stores (at the insistence of herself). This book touches on race and McCarthyism, and also shows and older and frailer Miss. Marple than we have seen before. Adjoa Andoh is pure brilliance, but I am professionally tied to her via my job and so it's really not my place to review her. She was the perfect choice for this though.
The Unravelling by Natalie Haynes
Narrator: Imogen Stubbs
The marriage of the wool-shop owner comes under suspicion, but Miss. Marple is there to unravel the problem. I must admit I listened to this one with half an ear, as it didn't immediately grab me. The sound quality is not as crisp (a side effect of my job is instantly recognising a home-studio recording) but this shouldn't be a problem for general listeners. Imogen Stubbs does the best Miss. Marple voice so far.
Miss. Marple's Christmas by Ruth Ware
Narrator: Alison Steadman
A festive little treat, with missing pearls and all the frustrations of having unwanted guests at the holidays. Possibly the best of the mysteries - and it's impossible not to enjoy Alison Steadman, who infuses Mrs. Bantry with a Mrs. Bennet-like despair. I wasn't too keen on the knowing shout-outs to Dorothy L Sayers, but it works well enough. I'd been debating whether to read Ware's The Death of Mrs. Westaway and this has convinced me to try it out.
The Open Mind by Naomi Alderman
Narrator: Johdi May
I was really disappointed by this, as I admire Naomi Alderman and her presence here was a big factor in me buying the book. A 70s setting without factoring in Miss. Marple's 80+ age seems a bizarre choice, and the drug taking and sexual assault at an Oxford University are too gritty for Christie. It felt like Miss. Marple had been shoehorned into an entirely different mystery. Johdi May gave Marple a cautious, dreamy voice that made her sound even less like herself.
The Jade Empress by Jean Kwok
Narrator: Chipo Chung
A classic cruise-ship mystery. Miss. Marple investigates the death of a elderly Chinese man on the ship. The image of Miss. Marple waltzing sedately with the victim is charming, as is the Chinese reverence for the elderly that ties in interestingly with Marple. Some very good work from the narrator - she has a stronger, more mature voice than I recalled. Also, the third Tennant-era Doctor Who actress making an appearance!
A Deadly Wedding Day by Dreda Say Mitchell
Narrator: Cathy Tyson
Miss Marple teams up with an old pal ('the Caribbean Miss. Marple') to solve a murder at a mixed-race wedding, with an oddly vague bride and scheming in-laws. I loved their friendship and would have enjoyed a longer story featuring the pair of them. Cathy Tyson's narration was excellent and really leaned in to the idea of two biddies, from two different backgrounds, gleefully interfering in a wedding.
Murder at the Villa Rosa by Elly Griffiths
Narrator: Ramon Tikaram
I will admit this one didn't grab me at first, but it won me over in the end. Once again we are at an exotic location and once again Miss. Marple has been sent their by her nephew, who is surely sending her on holidays just to annoy her at this point. A charming story about an author desperate to rid himself of his famous detective character. The narrator was unfamiliar to me (IMDB informs me I have seen him in things, just nothing I recall) but gave a smooth performance.
The Murdering Sort by Karen M. McManus
Narrator: Tanya Reynolds
Probably the story I enjoyed the least - I struggled to pay attention throughout. Yet another Raymond connected story, this time his teenage offspring has troubles with her BFF. Tanya Reynolds is a voice I didn't recognise (once again, a reminder that I need to watch Sex Education if I want to know who any younger actor is.)
The Mystery of the Acid Soil by Kate Mosse
Narrator: Celia Imrie
The legendary Celia Imrie is paired with one of the best known authors from the list. This one feels the most 'classic', with Miss. Marple befriending young curates on trains and murder via horticulture.
The Disappearance by Leigh Bardugo
Narrator: Miriam Margolyes
I'd listen to Miriam Margolyes reading horse-racing results to me, so I was super keen for this one. It's going to be the most controversial story on the list, and I'm afraid it didn't work for me. It was a shame to end the collection on a note that felt so utterly out of character. But Miriam Margolyes sold it anyway.
My Overall Thoughts
The mysteries weren't always as tight as they could be, with the short form not allowing for much complexity. As you would expect, the actual mystery writers did best, while the others wisely focused on Miss. Marple herself. I didn't mind this, finding as much joy in Miss Marple's New York shopping trip, or her gossiping with Mrs. Bantry on Christmas day, as in any tightly plotted twisty tale. Still, shout outs to Ruth Ware, Jean Kwok and Dreda Say Mitchell who managed to pull off fairly complex mysteries well.
I would have liked more of the mysteries to be set in less exotic locales, or for the stories to be ordered differently, since at certain points it does look like her nephew Raymond is actively trying to get rid of her.
I think my only disappointment was that I read this back in mid-November. This is a chocolate-box of a book that should be unwrapped on Christmas morning and consumed on boxing day.
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