Mirror Cracked from Side to Side (Miss Marple) [Paperback]

Agatha Christie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 3, 2002 | Series: Miss Marple

Agatha Christie's audacious murder mystery, reissued with a striking new cover designed to appeal to the latest generation of Agatha Christie fans and book lovers. One minute, silly Heather Badcock had been gabbling on at her movie idol, the glamorous Marina Gregg. The next, Heather suffered a massive seizure. But for whom was the deadly poison really intended? Marina's frozen expression suggested she had witnessed something horrific. But, while others searched for material evidence, Jane Marple conducted a very different investigation -- into human nature.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'The pieces finally drop into place with a satisfying click.' Times Literary Supplement 'Agatha Christie deserves her fame.' Times Literary Supplement

About the Author

Agatha Christie was born in Torquay in 1890 and became, quite simply, the best-selling novelist in history. Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, written towards the end of the First World War, introduced us to Hercule Poirot, who was to become the most popular detective in crime fiction since Sherlock Holmes. She is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and another billion in over 100 foreign countries. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 19 plays, and six novels under the name of Mary Westmacott.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins Pb; Masterpiece ed edition (June 3, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0007120982
• ISBN-13: 978-0007120987
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,581,636 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Agatha Christie was born in 1890 and created the detective Hercule Poirot in her debut novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920). She achieved wide popularity with The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926) and produced a total of eighty novels and short-story collections over six decades.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side, March 30, 2002

By 

K. Hill (Windsor, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side (Mass Market Paperback)

This novel features Miss Marple in her very late years. The world around her is changing. This is one of only two Christie novels where I was able to guess the identity of the murderer. It's a very good murder mystery, but it could have been a better Miss Marple mystery. The best parts of the book are when Miss Marple is on the spot. Unfortunately, I almost began to wonder if Miss Marple would be in this novel at all. She left her house no more than three times and was therefore decidedly shoved into the background. The parts without her were rather dull, dry, and far too abundant. I found myself rushing more to see if I'd solved the mystery correctly rather than out of any sense of real enjoyment.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Murder Is Always on the Menu in St. Mary Mead, June 14, 2001

By 

Antoinette Klein (Hoover, Alabama USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mirror Crack'd (Miss Marple Mysteries) (Paperback)

Agatha Christie returns us to St. Mary Mead, Miss Marple's quiet village where much has changed. A new subdivision, young marrieds who buy on the installment plan, and even a supermarket have have invaded the quiet village. Only Miss Marple and her friend Miss Hartnell remain the same, still living in their same homes. Even Col. and Mrs. Bantry's lavish Gossington Hall (the scene of the crime in "The Body in the Library") has changed. After the Colonel's death, Mrs. Bantry put the house up for sale and it has now been purchased by the American film star Marina Gregg and her husband Jason Rudd. The Rudds host a grand reopening of the home to show the villagers the many changes they have made. At the party, a guest dies after drinking a poisoned cocktail. Since the coctail had actually been intended for Marina Gregg, an investigation begins as to why anyone would want to kill her. A frozen stare and facts Miss Marple gathers from movie magazines at the hairdresser's are clues that lead her to solve yet another mystery.

In 1980 this novel was transferred to the big screen with Angela Lansbury in the role of Miss Marple. Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and Kim Novak had the other lead roles in this excellent recreation.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vintage Miss Marple, September 21, 2005

By 

AntiochAndy "antiochandy" (Antioch, CA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Mirror Crack'd (Miss Marple Mysteries) (Paperback)

THE MIRROR CRACK'D finds the quaint village of St. Mary Mead undergoing changes. Besides the charming old village, there is now a supermarket and a modern neighborhood of tract homes. Despite the physical changes taking place in the area, however, human nature remains a constant.

Having taken up residence in the local manor house, movie star Marina Gregg hosts a cocktail party. When one of the neighbor ladies suddenly dies from poison, it appears the fatal concoction might have been meant for Marina.

Aside from Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple is probably my favorite fictional detective. Her quiet way of getting at the truth is always clever and insightful. She's a delightful character, and Christie can be relied on to create a fascinating plot. Despite the seemingly unconnected details, the clues are there if you can just decipher what they mean. The outcome always ties up the loose ends very satisfactorily.

If there's anything to criticize here, it's that our dear old Miss Marple has become so decrepit that she must have a somewhat annoying companion and, since she rarely gets out of her house, her actual presence in the story is more limited than usual. Christie relys on other characters for most of the legwork in this tale and they aren't quite as engaging as Jane Marple. We just don't get the usual clicking knitting needles to the extent that Miss Marple fans have become accustomed.

That minor criticism aside, this is another first-rate Christie whodunit. It isn't my favorite Miss Marple mystery, but it's pretty darn good just the same. If an entertaining muder mystery is what you seek, THE MIRROR CRACK'D will fill the bill. I recommend it highly.