“Marple: Twelve New Mysteries” - Naomi Alderman et all

 

🌹It was with mixed excitement and trepidation that I scooped up this new anthology of Marple stories written by an impressive group of authors. I worried whether these writers (fabulous though I know several to be), would be able to fully inhabit the world of the beloved Miss Jane Marple? Ultimately, I overcame my concerns because who would pass up a chance to revisit St. Mary Mead?

🌹 While I fully expected each author to put their own mark on the stories, I was pleasantly surprised by how true most remained to the essential nature of the character. I highly recommend this anthology to fans of Miss Marple. This collection of short stories is the closest we will come to a secret trove of Aunt Agatha’s original Marples being uncovered. 

🌹Here, too, people who don’t know Miss Marple, regard her as a relic of the Victorian era who is unaccustomed to scandal and mayhem … if only they knew the half of it. Several stories nod to this classic Christie set up which I love. 

🌹 My favorite was Lucy Foley’s “Evil in Small Places”. Foley perfectly captures the keen observer Jane, who is always several steps ahead of everyone else, who are then astonished by her calm revelations. I particularly enjoyed her interactions with the flabbergasted police.

🌹 You’ll see many familiar characters - the Vicar and his wife Griselda, Miss Marple’s doting nephew Raymond, Mrs. Bantry of Gossington Hall, and even Inch and his reliable taxi! Some of the stories take Jane to new destinations such as NYC, while others add a touch of diversity and some more modern thoughts for Jane that still rang true to her essential character.

🌹  Ruth Ware‘s story and “Deadly Wedding Day” were somewhat disappointing; the plot wasn’t all that original in the former, and the latter was nonsensical. While some of the stories did underwhelm, I still thoroughly enjoyed the chance to revisit Miss Marple in all of the cases.