Customer Reviews

The Thirteen Problems (Miss Marple Mysteries)

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Picture yourself with a group of friends that include Miss Jane Marple. Sitting around the fire, someone brings up the idea of presenting mysteries that only you know the answer, and the other friends must solve. Guess who wins hands down every time? Yes, that little lady with lace mitts who is knitting little fluffy things.

This is a fine book of short stories and, as usual, Dame Agatha outfoxed me every time. Though Miss Jane publicly disdains outlandish plots ("undetectable poison from an African village"), her creator is sometimes guilty of just that. The very few that left me less than impressed involved entirely too much running around, an outlandish premise, and an overabundance of purple prose.

My hands down favorite was "Death By Drowning" when Dame Agatha shows her superb ability to misdirect. Even with broad hints, I didn't come near the answer. And never be certain that the villain will be punished, at least right away. "The Tuesday Night Club" and "A Christmas Tragedy" each have her particular brand of cleverness stamped clearly throughout.

This would be a wonderful book to have in the guest bedroom, but be sure to read it first!

I'm not generally fond of short stories, but there exceptions: Somerset Maugham, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dorothy Parker... and Agatha Christie. At her best, Agatha Christie's short stories are the equal of any by these more literary writers--and THE THIRTEEN PROBLEMS is very much Agatha Christie at her best. The individual stories are loosely tied together as something of a party game: after dinner each guest is required to present a mystery to which he or she knows the solution and the other guests must puzzle it out. The concept produces a chatty sort format that is both entertaining and perfectly suited to Agatha Christie's demure yet remarkably sharp Miss Marple--who disconcerts the others by inevitably solving the crime.

In addition to Miss Marple, the storytellers include a number of always welcome re-occurring characters such as Mr. and Mrs. Bantry, Miss Marple's nephew Raymond West, and Sir Henry Clithering. Each of the stories is as memorable as anything Christie wrote in novel form, and although you can easily read any of the stories out of sequence the dinner party concept gives the collection a unified quality which nonetheless escapes the more demanding requirements of tackling a full-length novel.

This is the ideal bedside book, for you need read no more than a single story--drop off to sleep--and then return again to the next story at your leisure. At the same time it will satisfy even the most hardcore Christie fans; every one is sure to have their own favorite tale (mine is "The Herb of Death") and serious Christie readers will enjoy spotting plot devices that Christie later elaborated into full-length novels. Very, very enjoyable and highly recommended.

This is by far one of my favorite works by Agatha Christie - a perfect example of the "cozy" mysteries where the detective would solve puzzlers from his/her armchair. The stories all get to show off Miss Marple at her best. The action begins when six people form a "Tuesday Night Club" aimed at solving various crimes that only they know the solution to. Miss Marple asks to join in and rather condescendingly, the other members allow her to participate. Each week, one member narrates a mystery which the others try to solve. Ironically, it is Miss Marple that unerringly leaps to the truth each time while the supposedly more worldly people fail! Her explanation is that having lived in a small village her whole life, she has developed a very good understanding of human nature and is able to see patterns in crimes that leads her to the truth. There is an air of gentle wisdom about Miss Marple that is a refreshing change from Christie's other detective Hercule Poirot who can be insufferably arrogant sometimes. The other nice thing is that while the stories start out as a game, other players soon develop such great respect for Miss Marple's mental abilities that they start coming to her for solutions to unsolved tragedies. Each story is a little gem, full of atmosphere with some pretty puzzling twists. If you like your mysteries more refined and your preferred means of death arsenic in the teacup instead of a gunshot wound to the head, this book is a must-read!

These 13 stories actually form 2 groups; all but one are stories-within-a-story, in which one character reveals a mystery to which he or she knows the solution, and the others are allowed to ask questions and try to solve it. Since the characters' story-telling skills vary, this can be interesting. :) Only the last story, 'Death by Drowning', is a 'live' case. Joan Hickson recorded unabridged narration of all the stories, which are split up over 3 recordings:
- "The Tuesday Club Murders and Other Stories" (TCM)
- "The Blue Geranium and Other Stories" (BG)
- "The Herb of Death and Other Stories" (HD)

The first 6 stories cover one of Raymond West's extended visits to his aunt, Miss Marple, while Sir Henry Clithering is also in the neighbourhood. He, she, and four other guests on the first evening form the 'Tuesday Night Club' (1st story, told by Sir Henry), to see which of the various professions represented has the best chance of solving a mystery. Miss Marple, as hostess, is included as an afterthought - at first. :) One real mystery is why Raymond never quite realizes that he's plain wrong in underestimating his aunt. Given the short format, the characters aren't drawn out at length, but even so, we see signs of a romance progressing between Raymond and Joyce, and that they certainly aren't fooling Jane Marple.

Dr. Pender, local clergyman, sets the 2nd puzzle, 'The Idol House of Astarte' - reader, beware that Christie, as a member of the Detection Club in good standing, never set puzzles requiring a supernatural solution. Raymond West, the writer, tells of a strange Cornish holiday in 'Ingots of Gold' - although he doesn't know the answer, Sir Henry does. Joyce Lampiere, the artist, visited Cornwall more professionally, to find herself painting 'The Bloodstained Pavement'. Miss Marple herself outwits everyone with 'The Thumb Mark of St. Peter'. If you're interested in unabridged recordings or more details about the individual stories, the first 5 appear on the TCM recording, the 6th in BG.

In the 'The Blue Geranium', first installment of the second group of stories, Sir Henry Clithering, staying with Colonel and Mrs. Bantry, is asked to suggest a female 6th dinner guest for the evening. Remembering the Tuesday Club of the previous year, he suggests Jane Marple, and explains to Mrs. Bantry how he knows her. Mrs. Bantry suggests trying her on the Colonel's ghost story ("The Blue Geranium"), since they'd be thankful if she could solve *that*. Afterwards, each of the other attendees, tells a story, albeit each in a different style, beginning with Dr. Lloyd (The Companion) and Sir Henry (The Four Suspects). In 'Never Two Without Three, or, A Christmas Tragedy' (usually known as 'The Christmas Tragedy'), Sir Henry protests that the 3 downtrodden males have been doing all the work, and urges Miss Marple into the breach. Mrs. Bantry, warning everybody that she can't tell a story, turns 'The Herb of Death' into a cross-examination - she tells the very bare bones, but doesn't know how to go on without giving it away. Jane Helier, the ornamental but apparently empty-headed actress, goes last with 'The Affair at the Bungalow'. Again, if you're interested in details / unabridged recording, the first 4 of this group are on BG, while the last 2 and the final story are on the HD recording.

The final story, "Death by Drowning", occurs later in Sir Henry's visit. Learning of a death in the village, Miss Marple not only suspects murder but has identified the killer, and she turns to Sir Henry to ensure that justice is done.

This 1932 collection was also published as THE TUESDAY CLUB MURDERS. Many of the stories have also appeared separately in other collections.

Like THE LABORS OF HERCULES and PARTNERS IN CRIME it is a series of short stories bridged together in an arc. The opening setting is a gathering in St. Mary Mead at Jane Marple's cottage, attended by her nephew writer Raymond West, artist Joyce Lempriere, Sir Henry Clithering - retired Scotlandyard commissioner, Dr. Pender - the local clergyman, and solicitor Mr. Petherick. The group decides to entertain themselves by describing puzzling crimes they have experienced and to challenge the rest of the group to arrive at the solution. The group at first does not plan to include Miss Marple in their game but condescend to do so when she objects. Naturally Aunt Jane arrives at all the answers.

The following year Sir Henry Clithering was visiting his friends the Bantrys (THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY), and mentioned his previous trip to St. Mary Mead and Miss Marple. After dinner that evening another evening of curious problems took place. This time the group included Col. and Mrs. Bantry, Dr. Lloyd, actress Jane Helier as well as Sir Henry and Miss Marple. Again Miss Marple had all the answers, including one to a crime that hadn't happened yet.

The final problem was presented sometime later when Sir Henry was again visiting his friends, the Bantrys. A village girl, the daughter of the local pub owner, had killed herself the night before, sad but of no particular interest to Sir Henry. No interest that is, until Miss Marple arrived to request that Sir Henry investigate the murder, not suicide, of the girl. She even gave Sir Henry the name of the murderer! Sir Henry agreed to look into matter and.....well, read the story

The mysteries are all perfect little Christie gems, challenging the reader (with all the clues tucked in among the red herrings) to solve the crime before Miss Marple. The device of linking the stories in post dinner party conversation is charming. It is wonderful to meet characters that will return in other Miss Marple stories: Raymond West and Joyce Lempriere; Col. and Dolly Bantry; and Sir Henry Clithering.

I'm one of thoes readers who have difficulty sticking with a long and sometimes drawn-out novel. In the busy life style of today it is hard to read a full novel for some people. If you are one of hese, like myself, this is the answer to your need.

I find to read a full novel; I must put it down constantly to do other things. I am ashamed to admit that when I do there is an inodinate problem in picking up the threads of where I left off! By this you can tell I am not an avid reader and one who does not read in bed.

Dame Agatha has solved this mystry for her readers by presenting these thirteen gems that allow the reader the ability to complete one at a time and at their speed and pace.

Out of sufferance to her nephew, the members of the "Tuesday Night Club" agree to permit his elderly aunt, Miss Jane Marple to participate in their challenge to solve the mystery they individually present each week. Only the storyteller, of course knows the answer to their tail of murder, mayhem or just curious tail unsolved by others. It soon becomes clear that contrary to the club member's initial thoughts, this gentle Victorian lady, or is it Edwardian, has more on her mind than knitting. Following the recitation of the individual stories, the club members are astonished at first but soon are full of admiration, forsome with prhaps a little ranker, that the diminutive lady demonstrates shuch prowess in the knowledge of crime and criminals.

As she recounts happenings in her little village of Saint Mary Mead regarding people that the club members do not know, nor are are they likely to want to know, she draws the parallels that assist in the solution of their cases. At first they approach her similarities between their story and those of Miss Marple's with distain. Once she demonstrates that her belief that all people are the same and that crime commiuted in her little English village and that perpertrated in the "City" are one and the same, her listeners begin to see that her little stories are not the fatuitous babblings of a senile senior citizen.

The reader could be taken in as the club members were it not for their knowledge of this marvelous created character of the one and only Agatha Christie, the Queen of Mystery. I say this with the assuance that there are few in the civilized world that have not heard of Dame Agatha and the multitude of books and short stories penned by her over so many years.

A must read for the Christie devotee and to be read again if not already done so.

Originally published as "The Tuesday Club Murders", "The Thirteen Problems" is a collection of Miss Marple stories, mini-mysteries that readers and characters alike are meant to solve. As always, Agatha Christie has a great knack at crafting mysteries that are both ingenious and simple, once solved or explained. "The Thirteen Problems" is a quick read, each story nicely paced and readily solved.

The setup to the collection is a get-together of friends and family for an evening of fun and games. When one guest proposes that each person present a 'problem' for the others to solve, the game is underway. When each little problem is presented, only Miss Marple can see her way through to the solution. These mysteries run the gamut of typical mystery stories, with murder and intrigue at the center of each.

Yet several of the stories in "The Thirteen Problems" are extremely predictable - anyone who has read a fair number of mysteries can spot the answer from the getgo, although there are several that are a bit more puzzling. And at times, the characterization of several key players is stereotypical and rather one-dimensional, an acceptable failing in a short story, but when several stories are collected in one space, it can become rather tiresome. Overall, "The Thirteen Problems" is a delightful read for any Christie fan.

"Miss Marple insinuated herself so quickly into my life that I hardly noticed her arrival," Agatha Christie wrote in her posthumously-published autobiography (1977) about the elderly lady who, next to Belgian super-sleuth Hercule Poirot, quickly became one of her most beloved characters. Somewhat resembling Christie's own grandmother and her friends, although "far more fussy and spinsterish" and "not in any way a picture" of the author's granny, like her, she had a certain gift for prophecy and, "though a cheerful person, she always expected the worst of everyone and everything, and was, with almost frightening accuracy, usually proved right."

Although Christie herself considered Miss Marple her favorite creation - preferred even over the prim and proper Belgian with the many "little grey cells," of whose exploits she occasionally tired and whom she brought back again and again chiefly because of her audience's undying demand - there are only twelve Miss Marple novels and twenty short stories: while no small feat in any other author's body of work, just over one tenth of the lifetime output of the writer justifiedly dubbed The Queen of Crime.

This compilation unites the twenty short stories revolving around St. Mary Mead's elderly village sleuth, beginning with the canon of originally six and, after an expansion for republication in book form, later thirteen stories which, in addition to the novel "A Murder at the Vicarage" (1930) introduced Miss Marple to the world; a series of unsolved problems told by her guests one Tuesday night, to be followed by six further problems narrated during a similar gathering at the home of village squire Colonel Bantry and his wife Dolly, about a year later.

In attendance on those two nights are a number of people who make recurring appearances next to Miss Marple; first and foremost her doting nephew - thriller novelist Raymond West - and retired Scotland Yard Commissioner Sir Henry Clithering, as well as village solicitor Petherick, and of course the Bantrys (who will move center stage, much to their embarrassment, in "A Body in the Library," 1942); furthermore Raymond's new flame, artist Joyce (later reincarnated as his wife Joan), a doctor, a clergyman, and a well-known actress. Of course, all the stories also feature Christie's usual cast of other unique characters, many of whom could just as well figure in one of Miss Marple's "village parallels," those seemingly unimportant events summing up her knowledge of life, on which she unfailingly draws in unmasking even the cleverest killer.

Avid Christie readers will doubtlessly, moreover, recognize individual character types, plot snippets, settings and other features here and there; for Dame Agatha was known to draw repeatedly on devices she found to have worked before, and she tended to use her short stories as mini-laboratories for elements later expanded on in novels. Caveat, lector, of premature conclusions, however, for Christie was equally known to throw in a little extra twist in such cases: what is a real clue in one instance may well be a red herring in another and vice versa, and one story's innocent bystander may easily be the next story's murderer.

The following are the thirteen problems recounted in this collection:

"The Tuesday Night Club:" Sir Henry Clithering opens the evening with the case of a woman's mysterious poisoning by arsenic.

"The Idol House of Astarte:" A man inexplicably dies after a costume party's nightly excursion to a pagan temple.

"Ingots of Gold:" Raymond West tells about a treasure hunt, sunken ships and murder on the Cornish coast.

"The Bloodstained Pavement:" Joyce and the case of a drowned wife in a Cornish watering place called Rathole.

"Motive vs. Opportunity:" Mr. Petherick's tale of a will that mysteriously vanishes from its sealed envelope.

"The Thumb Mark of St. Peter:" Miss Marple's story how she quashed rumors about the sudden death of her niece Mabel's husband.

"The Blue Geranium:" Opening the second round of mysteries, Colonel Bantry's narration about a prophecy involving death and three uncharacteristically blue flowers.

"The Companion:" Two English ladies go on a holiday in Tenerife, but only one returns home alive.

"The Four Suspects:" Sir Henry Clithering's account of the murder of a retired secret agent.

"A Christmas Tragedy:" Having failed to prevent a murder, Miss Marple is all the more eager to unmask the murderer.

"The Herb of Death:" Mrs. Bantry's gifts as a storyteller, a serving of sage and foxglove, and a charming young girl's unexpected death.

"The Affair at the Bungalow:" Double-dealings, charades and mischief on stage and off, just outside of London.

"Death by Drowning:" A village girl "in trouble" finds a desperate solution - or does she?

Also recommended:
Murder at the Vicarage: A Miss Marple Mystery (Agatha Christie Collection)
Agatha Christie: Five Complete Miss Marple Novels (Avenel Suspense Classics)
Miss Marple's Final Cases
Marple Classic Mysteries (Caribbean Mystery/4:50 from Paddington/Moving Finger/Nemesis/At Bertram's Hotel/Murder at Vicarage/Sleeping Murder/They Do It with Mirrors/Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side)
Miss Marple - 3 Feature Length Mysteries (The Body in the Library / A Murder Is Announced / A Pocketful of Rye)
The Mirror Crack'd

In my mind, Doyle's Sherlock Holmes is as good as it gets in the mystery genre. Miss Marple, however, is excellent, too. This volume presents thirteen short mysteries. Most are presented as tales recounted by dinner guests while sitting around the evening fire. The challenge is to see who can tell the most baffling story and who, if anyone, can solve each one. Miss Marple, of course, astounds the others by seeing through each to the solution. Along the way, the reader is treated to a selection of fascinating and enjoyable tales. Some are easy enough for the experienced mystery fan to see through, but all are fun to read nevertheless. THE THIRTEEN PROBLEMS is Agatha Christie at the top of her game and should be a great pleasure for anyone who enjoys a good mystery. I loved it. Highly recommended.

This is one of the best books. Miss Marple is in fantastic form, and the cases are really interesting,especially the one the clergyman narrates. The book is about 13 mysteries each person in a group narrates, and the others have to solve it.But only Miss Marple can solve them.