Nemesis [Mass Market Paperback]

Agatha Christie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1992

Nemesis -- one who inflicts retribution or justice -- seems an odd name for an elderly rather frail woman. But not if that old lady is the formidable Miss Jane Marple. Soon after the death of financier Rafiel, the man who called her by that name, Miss Marple is summoned by his solicitors, A letter from the grave sends her on a baffling quest -- to investigate an unidentified crime.

Editorial Reviews

Review

‘The old charm is still there and a good deal of the old magic in plotting, too.’ Best Sellers‘Miss Marple was an old lady now, knowing that a scent for evil was still, in the evening of her days, her peculiar gift.’ Times Literary Supplement --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

About the Author

By Agatha Christie, Read by Joan Hickson

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins (Mm) (April 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061003263
• ISBN-13: 978-0061003264
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,964,113 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

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Miss Marple Solves Mystery at Request of Deceased Friend, June 16, 2001

By 

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

This review is from: Nemesis (Miss Marple Mysteries) (Paperback)

Readers met Jason Rafiel in "A Caribbean Mystery" and may recall his high opinion of Miss Marple's knowlegdge of evil and her sense of justice. When Mr. Rafiel grows too ill to set a terible injustice right, he leaves that duty to Miss Marple in his will along with a bequest of twenty thousand pounds. Miss Marple agrees to do what she can but is puzzled since she is given no information. Knowing Mr. Rafiel as she does, however, she knows he will guide her if only from the grave. And guide he does. A few days after agreeing to do his biding, she receives a letter from the Famous Homes and Gardens of Great Britain confirming her reservation on one of their tours as a gift from Mr. Rafiel. Realizing this is the lead she was waiting for, she sets out on the tour relying only on her own keen observations and the belief that Mr. Rafiel will give her more assistance along the way. That he does, as she is led through a maze of adventure and danger to solve mysteries both old and new.

Most interesting among the characters in this book are three elderly sisters who own a beautiful 18th century house. Because they had received a letter from their friend Jason Rafiel informing them that his friend Jane Marple would be on the tour, they invite her to be their guest while she is in Jocelyn St. Mary. Just as in "A Caribbean Mystery" Mr. Rafiel proves to be a worthy ally and Jane Marple more than lives up to his opinion of her and proves herself worthy of the pet name "Nemesis" he had bestowed on her.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Verity means truth....., July 6, 2005

By 

Jeanne Tassotto (Trapped in the Midwest) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nemesis (Miss Marple Mysteries) (Paperback)

and Miss Marple is seeking the truth about the long ago tragic death of a young woman named Verity.

While on vacation last year Jane Marple had met fellow traveler Jason Rafiel. Together they solved a crime (CARIBBEAN MYSTERY) and then passed out of each other's lives - or so Miss Marple thought. She was quite surprised to find that he had left her a bequest in his will. She was even more surprised to find what the bequest was amd what Mr. Rafiel requested that she do. It seemed that his only son had been charged with the murder of a young woman years before, a young woman named Verity, and Mr. Rafiel wanted to truth of come out once and for all.

Soon Miss Marple was on the trail of this long ago crime, set to act in the role that Mr. Rafiel had cast her, the role of 'Nemesis' - bringer of justice. Her task is further complicated by the vagueness of her instructions. Mr. Rafiel has not given her more than the barest of clues as to what he wants her to accomplish or to who is enemy or ally on her quest.

As always with a Christie novel the clues are all there for the reader to follow but the plot twists and turns to challenge the reader to arrive at the solution ahead of Miss Marple.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Mystery Within A Mystery., July 2, 2005

By 

Nik "mystery fan" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nemesis (Miss Marple Mysteries) (Paperback)

A.C. is a master of deception. I'm always left dumbfounded by the ending of every book of hers-until this one. (I was 80% sure of the conclusion before the last chapter). But that does not take away from this exhilarating read. The plot was ingenious: Miss Marple receives a letter from the deceased Mr Raphiel(a fellow traveller in A Carribean Mystery). He makes her a proposition of sorts to help him uncover some sort of injustice (at least that is what she deduces from what she's reading). Raphiel's lawyers, equally clueless, meet with her and discuss her prospective reward if she meets the demand of late Raphiel. This meeting is followed by an itinerary and other info from a house and gardens tour co. that Raphiel has made reservations for Miss Marple to take part in. Miss Marple is still clueless as to what she is to be in search of. After being on tour for just a few short days, Miss Marple starts acquiring clues that sets her on a path(albeit w/ twists and turns along the way) of finding answers. The A.C, fan is in for a real treat w/ this one. Miss Marple is as sharp and quick witted as ever, making for a faster pace. The characters are well developed as well. I urge any and all to read this!