Three Blind Mice (St. Martin's Minotaur Mysteries) [Mass Market Paperback]

Agatha Christie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 14, 2001 | Series: St. Martin's Minotaur Mysteries

A blinding snowstorm--and a homicidal maniac--traps a small party of friends in an isolated estate. Out of this deceptively simple set-up, Agatha Christie fashioned one of her most ingenious puzzlers, which, in turn, would provide the basis for The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in history. From this classic title novella to the deliciously clever gems on its tail (solved to perfection by Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple), this rare collection of murder most foul showcases the intimtable Christie at her inventive best, proving her reputation as "the champion deceiver of our time." (The New York Times)

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books (October 14, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312979762
• ISBN-13: 978-0312979768
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #928,534 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #74 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Authors, A-Z > ( C ) > Christie, Agatha

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:

5.0 out of 5 stars Agatha Chirstie does nothing by halves, May 31, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Three Blind Mice and Other Stories (Paperback)

I am a fourteen year old fan from Malaysia. I graduated from the 'Secret Seven' to 'Nancy Drew' over a few years, and when I became bored with and outgrew Carolyn Keene's novels, my mother suggested reading Agathe Christie. (Agatha who? I asked, and I had thought only 'old fogies' read Agatha Christie). Was i wrong! I read the 'Mousetrap' (recently renamed 'Three Blind Mice') once and i loved it. I recommend it to almost everyone I know. i think that anyone above the age of twleve can read it. (this is nothing compared to the violence on tv nowadays. trust me on this.) It provides nonstop suspense, excitement, and even some homour. The characters are warm and vividly described. What more can be said? Buy only a copy, and i'm sure you won't have enough to go around the house! And if you can, watch the play at St. Thomas theatre in London. I begged my mother to take me to it and it was just as good, if not better, than the story. If you need an introduction the queen of detective fiction, read 'Three blind mice nad other stories'. You'll be enthralled by the magnifient author, who has the famous ability of doing nothing by halves.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Of More Interest to Established Fans than Newcomers, May 24, 2003

By 

Gary F. Taylor "GFT" (Biloxi, MS USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Three Blind Mice (St. Martin's Minotaur Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Unlike the superior short story collection TUESDAY CLUB MURDERS, which unifies its stories via various stylistic devices and a single detective (Miss Marple), THREE BLIND MICE AND OTHER STORIES presents a mixed bag in terms of both quality and leading characters. And simply stated, although many of the stories here have their charms, most of the titles here are not among the best of her short fiction. The collection does contain three stories that offer Christie at her stylistic and plot-twisting best: "The Case of the Perfect Maid," featuring Jane Marple, and "Third Floor Flat" and "The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly," both featuring Hercule Poirot. Indeed, the first of the three is as fine as anything Christie ever wrote in any form, a cleverly crafted tale of a maid unjustly accused of theft that Christie expertly guides through a number of unexpected turns to a completely unexpected conclusion. But such titles as "Strange Jest," "Tape-Measure Murder," "The Case of the Caretaker," "Four and Twenty Blackbirds," and "The Love Detectives" are utterly transparent at worst, minor works at best.

The centerpiece of the collection, of course, is "Three Blind Mice." This rather long story--more of a novella than a short--caused quite a stir among mystery readers when it debuted, and it would go on to considerably greater fame when Christie adapted it to the stage as THE MOUSETRAP, which has the distinction of being the single longest running play in theatrical history. But whatever its merits on the stage, and in spite of one of Christie's more startling plot turns, the style of the piece is decidedly melodramatic, artificial, and now and then down right clunky. This is a collection more likely to appeal to determined Christie fans, particularly those who are interested in tracing out Christie's unique ability to reconstruct the plots of her minor short stories into considerably more successful full-length works. While the stories here are certainly readable (and considerably more interesting than the short fiction of such Christie contemporaries as Dorothy Sayers, whose style was less at home in short story format), this is not a collection I would greatly recommend to new fans. Such readers would do better to select THE TUESDAY CLUB MURDERS.

--GFT (Amazon Reviewer)--

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Three Blind Mice, November 18, 2004

By 

Hammie "Ham" (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Three Blind Mice (St. Martin's Minotaur Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book, full of mysteries, would be great for those who enjoy page-turners. Out of five stars I would rate this book a four, because, it really kept me intrigued. I also liked how there is always a twist to things; even if someone seems like they fit the profile for the criminal, there is always another possibility.

The first (and main,) story, Three Blind Mice, all starts when a blinding snow storm hits, trapping Molly and her husband in their newly started guesthouse with the four occupants of the rooms, stranded. With a homicidal maniac on the loose, its only a matter of time before the maniac is revealed...

The other eight stories are all thrillers, full of clever criminals, and sneaky crimes. Some of the titles include "Tape Measure Murder" and, "The Case of the Perfect Maid." Miss Marple, an elderly woman, has deep explanations for almost every problem that occurs in her "peaceful" town of St. Mary Mead. Hercule Poirot; the other detective; gets down to the point with ease and confidence.

I enjoyed the tension and suspense in this book. While being short, the stories still gave enough context behind the characters, so that you still feel like you get to know them. I liked how these stories really cut to the chase, in that there wasn't anything in the story that didn't serve a purpose; no unnecessary parts as there sometimes is in other stories.

Over all, I would definitely recommend this book to all. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. Not once did I grow bored of this book. Three Blind Mice is full of brilliant disguises, clever plans, rich explanations, great dialogue, and overall delight.