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The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side
by Agatha Christie
HarperCollins (2007)
Read by Joan Hickson
Unabridged CD Edition
The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side takes readers of Christie back to the setting in
which the dramatic opening of the earlier Christie novel, The Body in the Library
plays out. Gossington Hall is now the residence of a glamorous but troubled actress,
Marina Gregg, but it is as unlucky a residence as ever. This novel is however
decidedly less light-hearted than its predecessor.
The character of Marina Gregg is sadly not enough to support the drama in this novel
and though a central character to the story she is frequently discussed only in the
background as less central characters come to the fore.
The plot of the novel is decent enough - in fact very good, but the real genius in
the story is the intensely personal, yet brilliantly disguised motive of the
murderer.
The novel has a particularly slow start, providing much time for Miss Marple to
reflect disdainfully on encroaching modernity and the spoilage of traditional rural
life - interesting enough material if you like that sort of thing, but perfectly dull
reading otherwise.
The first murder is fascinating - a woman accidentally murdered after drinking a
glass of wine intended for her host - the same Marina Gregg. The dead woman, Heather
Badcock is, or rather was a babbling, insensitive sort - the kind of woman who is
kind and decent and well meaning, but who is unlikely to consider the consequences of
her actions for other people.
The sense of suspense in the novel comes from the realisation that it was Marina
Gregg who was meant to drink the poisoned cup... and then the admission by Gregg
herself that she has received threatening letters. Letters warning her she is about
to die.
Gregg is a rather self-centred and depressive sort, and although quite evidently a
feeling woman she is not the sort of person the reader can warm to. Her feelings are
self-centred, and her miseries frequently the consequence of her own delusional
optimism. Her seemingly kind husband excites some feelings of sympathy, but even his
actions at times appear suspicious, even sinister.
Christie is good at creating characters who might have a strong motive for murdering
the pathetic Marina Gregg - though this does require acceptance of some pretty
extraordinary coincidences. Unfortunately there is very little here in the way of
insight into human nature that is found in the best Christie novels.
The solution to the mystery is really quite excellent, but in getting to the end the
reader must endure some uncharacteristically dull narrative and dialogue from
Christie and if a particularly alert reader alights on the correct solution early on,
the novel carries very little interest subsequently.
This HarperCollins edition is made still more dull by the fact that Joan Hickson's
reading is here particularly flat and colourless.
Litrev rating 2 / 5
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