Summary

Agatha Christie’s legendary sleuth Jane Marple returns to solve twelve baffling cases in this brand-new collection penned by a host of acclaimed authors skilled in the fine art of mystery and murder.

Jane Marple is an elderly lady from St. Mary Mead who possesses an uncanny knack for solving even the most perplexing puzzles. Now, for the first time in forty-five years, Agatha Christie’s beloved character returns to the page for an all-new globe-trotting tour of crime and detection. 

Join Marple as she travels through her sleepy English village and around the world. In St. Mary Mead, a Christmas dinner is interrupted by unexpected guests; the Broadway stage in New York City is set for a dangerous improvisation; bad omens surround an untimely death aboard a cruise ship to Hong Kong; and a bestselling writer on holiday in Italy is caught in a nefarious plot. These and other crimes committed in the name of love, jealousy, blackmail, and revenge are ones that only the indomitable Jane Marple can solve. 

Bringing a fresh twist to the hallmarks of a classic Agatha Christie mystery, twelve esteemed writers have captured the sharp wit, unique voice, and droll ingenuity of the deceptively demure detective. A triumphant celebration of Christie’s legacy and essential reading for crime lovers, Marple is a timely reminder of why Jane Marple remains one of the most famous detectives of all time. 

Why I chose to read this book
I loved reading Agatha Christie mysteries when I was younger. I still have her books, all yellowed and falling apart from age but I will cherish them forever. I find the concept of contemporary writers taking on her classic style is super interesting and I couldn’t wait to discover new-to-me authors.

Thoughts & Opinions

Having only read Poirot mysteries from Agatha Christie, I discovered Marple through the twelve new mysteries by these accomplished female authors: Naomi Alderman, Leigh Bardugo, Alyssa Cole, Lucy Foley, Elly Griffiths, Nathalie Haynes, Jean Kwok, Val McDermid, Karen M. McManus, Dreda Say Mitchell, Kate Moss & Ruth Ware.

Out of the twelve authors, I had only read two of them (Alyssa Cole – read my review of When No One is Watching,  and Lucy Foley – read my review of The Paris Apartment). I was therefore delighted to discover new-to-me authors and am looking forward to reading more of their work. 

What I’ve learned about Miss Marple through these short stories is that she is old yet not to be underestimated, she sighs and says “oh dear” quite often, she knits, and last but not least, she twinkles. Most importantly, however, she has a keen eye for detail and regularly finds herself in situations where the worst has happened; murder. Her talents as a super sleuth have earned her quite the reputation and she is frequently called upon for help in such events. 

In no particular order, here were my favorite short stories from Marple: Twelve New Mysteries:

The Jade Empress by Jean Kwok

A Deadly Wedding Day by Dreda Say Mitchell

The Murdering Sort by Karen M. McManus

I also enjoyed Murder at the Villa Rosa by Elly Griffiths although I’m not sure that Miss Marple was absolutely necessary to the story, it seemed more of an afterthought. 

If you’ve never read Christie or some of the authors from this book, it’s a great way to discover Christie’s character Miss Marple, and get a glimpse into each author’s unique writing and storytelling style.