A Caribbean Mystery (Miss Marple) by Agatha Christie

Publication Date: November 16, 1954

Length: 240 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆

WHY I CHOSE THIS BOOK:

I'm a sucker for covers with palm trees, sun, and cruise ships. It just says summer and relaxation and if you throw in a mystery it makes it even better! This book has sat in my TBR pile on my Kindle for years. I just kept thinking I'd read it on a beach vacation and never did. So I decided I was going to just read it already, beach or no beach. 

This was my first Miss Marple book and some reviews said I shouldn't read this one first, that her earlier ones were better. I don't have anything to compare it with so I plan to read the first Miss Marple book soon to see whether or not I agree. This book was a cute, light fun read and after And Then There Were None, I wasn't sure what to expect. That book freaked me out! Miss Marple is so cute and charming and laid back that I'd classify her as a character more of the cozy mystery genre. 

SUMMARY:

In this story, our heroine is trying to just relax and bask in the glory of her trip to the tropics, courtesy of her nephew, Raymond.  She is patiently listening to an elderly man, Major Palgrave, tell her about life and drone on with his uninteresting personal stories. He mentions that he possesses a photograph of a murderer and although this is interesting, until he dies suddenly, Miss Marple isn't too concerned. Her suspicions are aroused because she finds his death to be odd considering it happened so unexpectedly. Consulting the local doctor only increases her awareness that things aren't as they seem. And everyone thinks they remember the Major having health issues, such as high blood pressure, but as no one at the hotel enjoyed his company, there weren't many that called him friend enough to be sure. 

When a hotel worker is killed, the patrons begin to reassess their time on the island and some leave. Miss Marple previously befriended several couples at the hotel, the Hillingdons, the Dysons, and the Kendals, who are running the establishment. All colorful guests with their own secrets make for serious sleuthing on the part of Miss Maple to identify whether or not they would have turned on the Major, the hotel worker, or each other. Eventually one of them becomes the third victim. It is obvious to Miss Marple that the deaths are definitely not random events. She sets her mind to carefully examining the clues in order to solve the case. Working through the physical as well as the psychological evidence requires patience and tenacity and she is just the lady for the job.

WHAT I LIKED:

Miss Marple is charming in that grandmotherly way and I really enjoy stories where the character is elderly and sharp as a tack, but others don't realize it. When she solves the riddle and everyone is enlightened as to her true intellect it is satisfying. For this reason alone I will continue reading more of the Miss Marple series starting with the first book. I have a feeling she is going to grow on me!

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

I admit I'm still adjusting to Christie's style. She likes a lot of dialogue it seems and we work through a lot of the internal musings of Miss Marple, the doctor, and some minor characters. The chapters are very short, as is the book, so she does pack a lot into 200 or so pages. Because she is such an icon in the mystery genre I'm still willing to continue trying different selections of hers to see which ones I really enjoy. This one was probably a 6 out 10 on a scale of excitement for me and although it wasn't as good as And Then There Were None, I can appreciate that the character of Jane Marple exudes a different style entirely. It flows a bit slower, more thoughtfully, and isn't given to shock value. Rather the information is revealed bit by bit as we journey with her mind. 

RECOMMEND OR NOT?  Yes, it's worth it. The setting and characters make up for any major flaws and if you like Agatha Christie type books you'll enjoy this one. 

 

Finish It or Forget It?

 

I can be a bit obsessive. It's hard for me to just give up on something I've vowed to do. Take this blog. I started it for fun because I love reading and discussing books. Being a busy Mom and teacher there isn't a lot of time to meet up for book clubs so I thought I'd join a challenge and post my reviews. Originally I thought I'd post 3-4 times a week but life got in the way. Now I average 2 times a week and I've had to be okay with that. It's not easy for someone who doesn't believe in procrastinating or making excuses. But sometimes just okay has to be enough. We aren't robots after all.

Which brings me to today's reading topic. To finish a book or let it go? That is the question. And it's interesting how this has changed over the years since I bought a Kindle. As I said in my last opinion post, e-readers are amazing! So many books at your fingertips. You don't ever have to enter a library or bookstore to get what you want. You don't have to wait for someone to finish a book before downloading your own copy. It seems like there is no down side. Well I'm here to tell you for someone like me, the problem comes into play when I realize how many choices there are. I want to read everything by everyone. And even when I narrow it down to a few books I still have a very long list. So now when I start a book I have paid for or borrowed from the online library I feel like I should finish it. But if I start and it just isn't holding my attention sufficiently, there is always another one waiting. Unlike going to the library and borrowing books, you have so many options. Why waste your time slogging through a book you don't love? Why torture yourself with reading something you aren't totally looking forward to at the end of the day? Isn't reading supposed to be fun??

Well...yes...and no. What I mean is, reading a book to its conclusion isn't fun every second unless it is just a true favorite. And how many true favorites does one read in a lifetime? I can think of a handful of novels or history books that I'd re-read just because I love them so much. Most books are good, but not great. So to say you only continue reading when you love it is very subjective. Do I quit on page 50 because it's starting to drag a bit? If I've read half and enjoyed it do I stop because it's gotten less exciting? What if the action picks up later? What if I didn't give it enough time? These are the things that go through my mind....obsessive. 

My conclusion is that everyone has to have their threshold. If reading is to rack up total number of books then you probably won't relate to stopping when it gets boring. Some readers I know will stick with a book to the bitter end just to check it off their Goodreads list. I get it. But doesn't that require discipline instead of pleasure? Or is the pleasure in saying, "I read that book....ALL of it!" 

I've noticed that the longer a book is the more I have this problem. Sometimes you have to stop reading really long books for awhile. Take a break. Mix it up. Alternate those 700 page novels with an Agatha Christie mystery. Or maybe continue the novel a few chapters at a time, but stop for a few days and read a shorter book in between. Then go back to your longer book again. I get a new appreciation for concentrating on dense material when I've let my mind rest with something light. 

I also notice that how much effort I've put into a book makes a difference. If I've already read about a third of the book I'm likely to soldier on even if I'm not just loving it. At 50 percent it's usually a done deal. Less than 20 percent I'll quit because, like a honeymoon dating period, if you already are forcing yourself after that short of a time to continue, it's not looking good. 

Another thing to consider is the author. Some authors I'll give more of a chance because I've already read and enjoyed their other books. Surely I'll like all of them, right? It's often hit or miss though because not every book by the same person is as riveting. Suffice it to say all of this is a personal choice but no one should feel compelled to finish every single book they begin.

Where do you fall on the spectrum? Do you finish everything you read? Why or why not? Can you live with yourself if a book has to go in the "not completed" pile?

Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March

Publication Date:  November 10, 2020

Length:  400 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐☆☆☆

WHY I CHOSE THIS BOOK:

I was intrigued enough to read this book based on the title and cover alone. I have only found one historical fiction mystery set in this time period and location prior to this novel and I loved that one. It was Anne Perry's Christmas mystery A Christmas Garland.  It is a rare find for those who love books set during the British rule of India. When I ran across this book I was so excited to see another author tackling this era. Even more so because this author grew up in India and has the cultural background to write authentically about that part of the world. She would definitely be able to add details others might not. Unfortunately, about halfway through it just ran out of steam and I disappointingly found myself skimming just to finish it. A bit of a letdown to say the least. I will try to summarize the main points and explain but the truth is that I grew bored of the characters and it just didn't hold my attention.

SUMMARY:

Captain James (Jim) Agnihotri is convalescing from injuries sustained in battle. The year is 1892 and he is in a military hospital unsure what to do beyond healing and recuperating. He comes across a news article about two young women who fell to their death from a university clock tower. He has always been partial to Sherlock Holmes mysteries and this tragedy intrigues him due to its shocking and unusual nature as well as the fact that no person of interest has been charged with the crime. He befriends the husband and brother, Adi, of the two women who died and is asked to help with the case. He meets Diana, another of Adi's sisters, and is enchanted with her. Because Jim is half Indian and half English he knows their relationship will never progress beyond friendship but nevertheless he is drawn to her and it seems she is drawn to him. Both Adi and Diana are grieving for their relatives and angry that the case is being presented as suicide. 

Jim, often with Diana and Adi's assistance, begins to unravel the clues known so far. An argument witnessed just prior to the death of the women, the medical reports of the bodies, and strange occurrences happening at the home of the family begin to convince him there is more to the story than originally thought. As he gets to know the family intimately he starts to believe there are secrets that are being kept which will lead to the killer. And that not everyone involved wants the world to know the truth. 

WHAT I LIKED:

Lest I leave the impression that this book has zero good qualities, there are some positive points. It has a solid beginning, believable dialogue and setting as well as an intriguing mystery plot to start it off. In fact, I finished it two weeks ago and hesitated to write this review because I was torn whether to just skip a review or go ahead and write about it, knowing the enthusiasm just wasn't there. But I decided to remember you can't just discuss books you absolutely love and that the tepid ones need to be honestly discussed as well. And tepid is what comes to mind when I think about this book. 

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

After a strong beginning it just sort of starts to drag. The mystery is still interesting and the characters have authentic interactions but it felt like there just wasn't enough happening to hold my interest. Scenes felt repeated and moments of action were too few and far between. Sometimes the family discussions were downright boring and seemed to go nowhere. Being a history buff and loving the time period, I wanted to know more about Bombay and the people, culture, and mores. Often I'd read whole sections and forget it was even set in the past. The conclusion was dragged out and anti-climactic. 

RECOMMEND OR NOT? Unfortunately, this one is a no....

There is a sequel to the story and the author has plans to continue with several more. I love to read series books and wish this one had grabbed my attention more. Normally I'd want to see what is happening with the characters and continue but if I'm honest I probably won't pick up the next one. I'm always willing to give authors a second chance though so if she decides to start a different series with a new angle I'd probably give it a whirl. But for now, Jim and Diana will have to go on without me!