THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY

by Agatha Christie



As I'm trying to whip through Agatha Christie novels to finish out the Anything Agatha Challenge before the end of the year, I thought I'd give Poirot a break and catch up with Miss Marple. The Body in the Library was Christie's first Miss Marple book after a ten year break from the endearing old lady from St. Mary Mead. In this caper, the dead body of a woman no one seems to know is found in the library of Miss Marple's friends, the Bantry's. The police are stumped, but they don't pay attention to the town gossip the way Miss Marple does!

Jane Marple is a fun change from Hercule Poirot. Where Poirot is on the conceited side of intellectual ability, Miss Marple is simply an astute old woman who has learned a lot about human nature over her long years. She not adverse to using gossip as clues and sharing her wealth of knowledge of the townsfolk to assist local law enforcement. The Marple mysteries seem lighter and more amusing than Poirot's, but sometimes that's just the variation a reader is looking for. It was perfect for curling up under the electric blanket and ignoring that snowstorm we had last night!