Second part to "The Bloodstained Pavement", 11 Aug 2005
"The Blue Geranium" contains the last six stories of the book "The Thirteen Problems" ("The Blue Geranium", "The Four Suspects", "The Companion", "A Christmas Tragedy", "The Herb of Death" and "The Affair at the Bungalow"). "The Bloodstained Pavement" includes the first seven stories of the book.
You can actually buy an audiobook by Mistery Masters Series from amazon.com that includes both parts and is much cheaper (shipping and handling included, especially if you do not live in UK), by the name of "The Tuesday Club Murders", also read by Joan Hickson, although there's a small problem with the labelling of the cds, which is mostly wrong (the stories are interchanged but in order).
Again, I do wish Amazon would include number of discs, actual length and other information in the audiobooks' reviews, instead of just generally placing the reviews on the book in them.

Detective Inspector Jack Frost is a walking nightmare in a politically-correct world. Caustic, chain- smoking and unkempt, Frost does not suffer fools gladly-- least of all his boss, the nit-picking Superintendent Mullet. Yet Frost still manages to command our respect and sympathy. The award-winning success of the Touch of Frost series on TV, starring David Jason, is testimony to how much this character is loved.

In Winter Frost, the fifth novel to date in the Frost series, a serial killer surfaces in Denton and seems to be a two-headed monster, killing both prostitutes and abducting small girls. Frost has an army of suspects rising from every gutter, from the simpering Charlie Weaver, who loves his mother so much, to the sex- obsessed local dentist and the foul-mouthed taxi driver. As Frost chases up a succession of blind alleys, his own position on the Force hangs in the balance. Will he be able to find the killer before he loses his own job? And will Frost's own cock-eyed attitude towards women--not to mention his tolerance of a plainly intolerable colleague- -mean that he'll miss a vital clue?

Wingfield's quick- fire style must owe something to the years that he worked as a writer for the Carry On films. He's one of the few crime writers who can employ a humour that takes none of the impact from his stunning set pieces of horror. -- Elizabeth McGregor

Second part to "The Bloodstained Pavement", 11 Aug 2005
"The Blue Geranium" contains the last six stories of the book "The Thirteen Problems" ("The Blue Geranium", "The Four Suspects", "The Companion", "A Christmas Tragedy", "The Herb of Death" and "The Affair at the Bungalow"). "The Bloodstained Pavement" includes the first seven stories of the book.
You can actually buy an audiobook by Mistery Masters Series from amazon.com that includes both parts and is much cheaper (shipping and handling included, especially if you do not live in UK), by the name of "The Tuesday Club Murders", also read by Joan Hickson, although there's a small problem with the labelling of the cds, which is mostly wrong (the stories are interchanged but in order).
Again, I do wish Amazon would include number of discs, actual length and other information in the audiobooks' reviews, instead of just generally placing the reviews on the book in them.

Wow!, 04 Nov 2003
Probably the best crime series going. I love Wingfield's books and his usual combination of dark and deadly crime and funny and lovable charecters has once again turned up trumps. From the dispicable Charlie Weaver to the bumbling DC Taffy Morgan, everything to do with this book was a joy to read. The thrilling suspense is a true page turner. Well done Mr Wingfield! Keep 'em coming!

Wonderful Black Humour, 26 Nov 2001
What a marvellous character has been created in the guise of Inspector Frost.I had seen the tv series which is enjoyable but this book was my first authentic taste of the author's true creation.I don't think I have ever laughed so much whilst reading a book.I look forward to reading 'Frost at Christmas'.At Xmas of course!

A fantstic read, 30 Apr 2001
This was the first Frost novel I have read but it makes me want to read all of them! I would recomend this book to anyone. It was fantastic and kept me glued up to the last page.

absolutely brilliant, 18 Apr 2001
As expected Mr Wingfield kept me glued to this book. Here again was the Frost from previous books and he was as entertaining and real as ever. For years now I have waited for a new Frost book and I was not disappointed. Please keep them coming, as I was bitterly disappointed when I finished.

Great as always!, 19 Jul 2000
As with all the other "Frost" books, this was one that, once I had picked it up, I couldn't put down. Having seen "A Touch of Frost" the book was even better and I could appreciate why David Jason was cast in the role. RD Wingfield is a master at his art and I long for more!

Second part to "The Bloodstained Pavement", 11 Aug 2005
"The Blue Geranium" contains the last six stories of the book "The Thirteen Problems" ("The Blue Geranium", "The Four Suspects", "The Companion", "A Christmas Tragedy", "The Herb of Death" and "The Affair at the Bungalow"). "The Bloodstained Pavement" includes the first seven stories of the book.
You can actually buy an audiobook by Mistery Masters Series from amazon.com that includes both parts and is much cheaper (shipping and handling included, especially if you do not live in UK), by the name of "The Tuesday Club Murders", also read by Joan Hickson, although there's a small problem with the labelling of the cds, which is mostly wrong (the stories are interchanged but in order).
Again, I do wish Amazon would include number of discs, actual length and other information in the audiobooks' reviews, instead of just generally placing the reviews on the book in them.

Wow!, 04 Nov 2003
Probably the best crime series going. I love Wingfield's books and his usual combination of dark and deadly crime and funny and lovable charecters has once again turned up trumps. From the dispicable Charlie Weaver to the bumbling DC Taffy Morgan, everything to do with this book was a joy to read. The thrilling suspense is a true page turner. Well done Mr Wingfield! Keep 'em coming!

Wonderful Black Humour, 26 Nov 2001
What a marvellous character has been created in the guise of Inspector Frost.I had seen the tv series which is enjoyable but this book was my first authentic taste of the author's true creation.I don't think I have ever laughed so much whilst reading a book.I look forward to reading 'Frost at Christmas'.At Xmas of course!

A fantstic read, 30 Apr 2001
This was the first Frost novel I have read but it makes me want to read all of them! I would recomend this book to anyone. It was fantastic and kept me glued up to the last page.

absolutely brilliant, 18 Apr 2001
As expected Mr Wingfield kept me glued to this book. Here again was the Frost from previous books and he was as entertaining and real as ever. For years now I have waited for a new Frost book and I was not disappointed. Please keep them coming, as I was bitterly disappointed when I finished.

Great as always!, 19 Jul 2000
As with all the other "Frost" books, this was one that, once I had picked it up, I couldn't put down. Having seen "A Touch of Frost" the book was even better and I could appreciate why David Jason was cast in the role. RD Wingfield is a master at his art and I long for more!

Is the theft St. Winifred's will?, 27 May 2002
Ideally, read all the preceding books in the series, in order, before reading this one. At a minimum, first read #1 (A MORBID TASTE FOR BONES, the story of how St. Winifred's reliquary came to the abbey) to avoid spoiling the end of that book, and THE POTTER'S FIELD, which introduced the Blounts of Longner. If you're interested in an audio edition, check that you're getting the unabridged recording narrated by Stephen Thorne.

In the summer of 1144, Geoffrey de Mandeville - after more than a year of running the Fens as his own private robber kingdom - was shot almost by accident during a siege, and died from the infected wound. His lengthy death gave him no chance to receive absolution - only the Pope could have absolved one guilty of the seizure of the abbey of Ramsey - but Geoffrey's followers did what they could for him, restoring the despoiled abbey to its scattered monks. Thus the abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul receives two guests of their own order from Ramsey - grim subprior Herluin and his appealing assistant Tutilo - asking leave to preach. Ramsey needs money, materials, and labour to undo the damage left by Geoffrey's marauders.

Herluin guided their footsteps to Shrewsbury not only to request assistance, but to recall Sulien Blount of Longner, sometime novice of Ramsey, who was sent home to reconsider his vocation. (See THE POTTER'S FIELD for details.) Cadfael, therefore, accompanies Herluin and his young companion Tutilo to Longner to speak with Sulien - and appeal for the Blounts' generosity toward Ramsey. While Herluin pursues his errand, Cadfael introduces Tutilo to Sulien's dying mother, the formidable Donata, who is more than happy to welcome a bard, even if he's now a novice monk. (Their friendship, brief as it is, is touching.) Young Tutilo is what would now be called a renaissance man, and would be wasted as a monk - if he ever gets that far after meeting the Irish girl Daalny, slave to the Provencal troubadour staying at the abbey guesthouse. Daalny's voice is such as to attract any musician - part of the troubadour's stock in trade. Nevertheless, Tutilo seems passionate enough on Ramsey's behalf.

Unfortunately, someone appears to have been a little *too* enthusiastic for Ramsey's sake - while preparing for a flood, someone stole St. Winifred's relics, and the chief suspects are the brothers of Ramsey. How, after all, could anyone steal the reliquary if the saint didn't *want* to go elsewhere? To further complicate the ensuing dispute over the saint's wishes, the reliquary comes into the hands of Earl Robert "Bossu" Beaumont, a brilliant man with a sly sense of humor who decides to further complicate matters by pointing out that the saint came to rest in *his* care and seems content to stay there. (Robert - who was a real person, incidentally - here makes his debut in the series as a very impressive figure; the crooked back that gave him his nickname doesn't hinder him at all.) Only Brother Cadfael and his confidant Hugh Beringar know just how complicated this situation really is - before a man on the fringes of the quarrel is murdered on a dark night. But was he killed for himself - or because he was mistaken for one of the disputants?

Very nicely ties up some loose ends from THE POTTER'S FIELD, while raking up the old problem of the reliquary very creatively. Robert Bossu alone would be worth the price of admission. :)

One of the most exciting chronicles., 10 Sep 2000
This is one of the best of the Cadfael genre. It combines a scintillating mystery with humour and history. Ellis Peters breathes life in to her characters and it is extremely easy to form a mental picture of them. All the action is centred around Saint Winifred's remains, consequently, there is much scope for 'double entendre', due to the ambiguous nature of the contents of the reliquary (see 'A Morbid Taste for Bones'). The plot moves with greater pace than some of the other novels and there is no place for boredom. However, it would perhaps be wise to read some of the earlier Cadfael stories before this one, if you are a newcomer to the genre, as much of the plot is based on facts known from other books.

Cadfael purloins the show!, 20 Jun 2000
It goes without saying that stealing is one of the sins in life--and with her usual characteristic zeal, author Ellis Peters adds murder to that list!

In "The Holy Thief," the 19th chronicle of Brother Cadfael, Peters continues her top-flight form of the medieval whodunnit and, as usual, her protagonist, the good Benedictine monk, rides to the rescue and solution.

The year is 1144--and still King Stephen and Empress Maud are struggling in an interminable civil war, with no solution in sight. However, that historical fact is mere backdrop--as it usually is--to a more local concern. A renowned earl (Essex) is killed by an arrow, but not before he tries to make amends with Heaven by restoring some of the properties he had earlier "gained." This includes the abbey of Ramsey, a run-down site badly in need of more worldly help. The abbey sends envoys out, and one such envoy arrives in Shrewsbury, at the abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Cadfael's domain. The envoy includes Brother Herluin and his young novice Tutilo, who possesses a great singing voice along with other musical skills. In Shrewsbury is also, as the plot would have it, a beautiful slave girl (also a singer) named Daalny.

Suffice it to say, Peters lays a solid romantic setting. But the rains come, so much so that much of the abbey's possessions, including the holy relics, must be moved to safety. But not so safely after all, as a theft is discovered. And this soon leads to--you have it--a murder.

And Cadfael takes over. Using not only his brilliance, but his skills as the abbey's herbalist, Cadfael wastes no time in carefully solving the crime. Of course, as in all the Cadfael adventures, the murder is solved. The solution rarely comes easily for this ex-crusader, nor should it. Peters does not rush into her novels, which are characterized by logic and sound research.

Peters' very successful series has been adapted to TV, and while the episodes are generally very good, the televised portrayal of both Cadfael and the story line leaves quite a bit to be desired, as good as they are. The books are the better choice. I have never been disappointed and "The Holy Thief" is no exception.

Second part to "The Bloodstained Pavement", 11 Aug 2005
"The Blue Geranium" contains the last six stories of the book "The Thirteen Problems" ("The Blue Geranium", "The Four Suspects", "The Companion", "A Christmas Tragedy", "The Herb of Death" and "The Affair at the Bungalow"). "The Bloodstained Pavement" includes the first seven stories of the book.
You can actually buy an audiobook by Mistery Masters Series from amazon.com that includes both parts and is much cheaper (shipping and handling included, especially if you do not live in UK), by the name of "The Tuesday Club Murders", also read by Joan Hickson, although there's a small problem with the labelling of the cds, which is mostly wrong (the stories are interchanged but in order).
Again, I do wish Amazon would include number of discs, actual length and other information in the audiobooks' reviews, instead of just generally placing the reviews on the book in them.

Wow!, 04 Nov 2003
Probably the best crime series going. I love Wingfield's books and his usual combination of dark and deadly crime and funny and lovable charecters has once again turned up trumps. From the dispicable Charlie Weaver to the bumbling DC Taffy Morgan, everything to do with this book was a joy to read. The thrilling suspense is a true page turner. Well done Mr Wingfield! Keep 'em coming!

Wonderful Black Humour, 26 Nov 2001
What a marvellous character has been created in the guise of Inspector Frost.I had seen the tv series which is enjoyable but this book was my first authentic taste of the author's true creation.I don't think I have ever laughed so much whilst reading a book.I look forward to reading 'Frost at Christmas'.At Xmas of course!

A fantstic read, 30 Apr 2001
This was the first Frost novel I have read but it makes me want to read all of them! I would recomend this book to anyone. It was fantastic and kept me glued up to the last page.

absolutely brilliant, 18 Apr 2001
As expected Mr Wingfield kept me glued to this book. Here again was the Frost from previous books and he was as entertaining and real as ever. For years now I have waited for a new Frost book and I was not disappointed. Please keep them coming, as I was bitterly disappointed when I finished.

Great as always!, 19 Jul 2000
As with all the other "Frost" books, this was one that, once I had picked it up, I couldn't put down. Having seen "A Touch of Frost" the book was even better and I could appreciate why David Jason was cast in the role. RD Wingfield is a master at his art and I long for more!

Is the theft St. Winifred's will?, 27 May 2002
Ideally, read all the preceding books in the series, in order, before reading this one. At a minimum, first read #1 (A MORBID TASTE FOR BONES, the story of how St. Winifred's reliquary came to the abbey) to avoid spoiling the end of that book, and THE POTTER'S FIELD, which introduced the Blounts of Longner. If you're interested in an audio edition, check that you're getting the unabridged recording narrated by Stephen Thorne.

In the summer of 1144, Geoffrey de Mandeville - after more than a year of running the Fens as his own private robber kingdom - was shot almost by accident during a siege, and died from the infected wound. His lengthy death gave him no chance to receive absolution - only the Pope could have absolved one guilty of the seizure of the abbey of Ramsey - but Geoffrey's followers did what they could for him, restoring the despoiled abbey to its scattered monks. Thus the abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul receives two guests of their own order from Ramsey - grim subprior Herluin and his appealing assistant Tutilo - asking leave to preach. Ramsey needs money, materials, and labour to undo the damage left by Geoffrey's marauders.

Herluin guided their footsteps to Shrewsbury not only to request assistance, but to recall Sulien Blount of Longner, sometime novice of Ramsey, who was sent home to reconsider his vocation. (See THE POTTER'S FIELD for details.) Cadfael, therefore, accompanies Herluin and his young companion Tutilo to Longner to speak with Sulien - and appeal for the Blounts' generosity toward Ramsey. While Herluin pursues his errand, Cadfael introduces Tutilo to Sulien's dying mother, the formidable Donata, who is more than happy to welcome a bard, even if he's now a novice monk. (Their friendship, brief as it is, is touching.) Young Tutilo is what would now be called a renaissance man, and would be wasted as a monk - if he ever gets that far after meeting the Irish girl Daalny, slave to the Provencal troubadour staying at the abbey guesthouse. Daalny's voice is such as to attract any musician - part of the troubadour's stock in trade. Nevertheless, Tutilo seems passionate enough on Ramsey's behalf.

Unfortunately, someone appears to have been a little *too* enthusiastic for Ramsey's sake - while preparing for a flood, someone stole St. Winifred's relics, and the chief suspects are the brothers of Ramsey. How, after all, could anyone steal the reliquary if the saint didn't *want* to go elsewhere? To further complicate the ensuing dispute over the saint's wishes, the reliquary comes into the hands of Earl Robert "Bossu" Beaumont, a brilliant man with a sly sense of humor who decides to further complicate matters by pointing out that the saint came to rest in *his* care and seems content to stay there. (Robert - who was a real person, incidentally - here makes his debut in the series as a very impressive figure; the crooked back that gave him his nickname doesn't hinder him at all.) Only Brother Cadfael and his confidant Hugh Beringar know just how complicated this situation really is - before a man on the fringes of the quarrel is murdered on a dark night. But was he killed for himself - or because he was mistaken for one of the disputants?

Very nicely ties up some loose ends from THE POTTER'S FIELD, while raking up the old problem of the reliquary very creatively. Robert Bossu alone would be worth the price of admission. :)

One of the most exciting chronicles., 10 Sep 2000
This is one of the best of the Cadfael genre. It combines a scintillating mystery with humour and history. Ellis Peters breathes life in to her characters and it is extremely easy to form a mental picture of them. All the action is centred around Saint Winifred's remains, consequently, there is much scope for 'double entendre', due to the ambiguous nature of the contents of the reliquary (see 'A Morbid Taste for Bones'). The plot moves with greater pace than some of the other novels and there is no place for boredom. However, it would perhaps be wise to read some of the earlier Cadfael stories before this one, if you are a newcomer to the genre, as much of the plot is based on facts known from other books.

Cadfael purloins the show!, 20 Jun 2000
It goes without saying that stealing is one of the sins in life--and with her usual characteristic zeal, author Ellis Peters adds murder to that list!

In "The Holy Thief," the 19th chronicle of Brother Cadfael, Peters continues her top-flight form of the medieval whodunnit and, as usual, her protagonist, the good Benedictine monk, rides to the rescue and solution.

The year is 1144--and still King Stephen and Empress Maud are struggling in an interminable civil war, with no solution in sight. However, that historical fact is mere backdrop--as it usually is--to a more local concern. A renowned earl (Essex) is killed by an arrow, but not before he tries to make amends with Heaven by restoring some of the properties he had earlier "gained." This includes the abbey of Ramsey, a run-down site badly in need of more worldly help. The abbey sends envoys out, and one such envoy arrives in Shrewsbury, at the abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Cadfael's domain. The envoy includes Brother Herluin and his young novice Tutilo, who possesses a great singing voice along with other musical skills. In Shrewsbury is also, as the plot would have it, a beautiful slave girl (also a singer) named Daalny.

Suffice it to say, Peters lays a solid romantic setting. But the rains come, so much so that much of the abbey's possessions, including the holy relics, must be moved to safety. But not so safely after all, as a theft is discovered. And this soon leads to--you have it--a murder.

And Cadfael takes over. Using not only his brilliance, but his skills as the abbey's herbalist, Cadfael wastes no time in carefully solving the crime. Of course, as in all the Cadfael adventures, the murder is solved. The solution rarely comes easily for this ex-crusader, nor should it. Peters does not rush into her novels, which are characterized by logic and sound research.

Peters' very successful series has been adapted to TV, and while the episodes are generally very good, the televised portrayal of both Cadfael and the story line leaves quite a bit to be desired, as good as they are. The books are the better choice. I have never been disappointed and "The Holy Thief" is no exception.

My favourite Christie book so far., 21 Mar 2008
I loved this book and read it in a few days. If mystery is your thing, I highly recommand you read this book. It is very fun and original. I always try and guess who the murderer could be but this one, I had to keep on changing my mind. In the end I couldn't guess and I just had my suspisions. This book has the most delightful characters and with three murders is is highly entertaining! You should read this book!

Really good book, 25 Oct 2007
This is an enjoyable book, and it is interesting to read about murders happening at a school. It is not perhaps quite as good as most of the other reviews have implied, it is certainly an enjoyable story, but there are better ones.

It is a new school year in an all girls school and things start off fairly typically, until the unpopular games mistress is found shot in the middle of the night. For most of the students, this seems an interesting thing to happen in a school, but when two more murders occur, and one of the students is abducted, everydoy has a sudden sense of fear and it stops being an exciting thing to happen in school and changes to something terrifying.

I found this novel highly enjoyable, but some of the other reviewers are implying that it is a masterpiece and in my opinion it is far from it. Unlike in some of Christie's masterpieces, there is little clever set up of subtle clues and there are barely any clues to use to guess the identity of the murderer and the only real way of finding out was something that one of the mothers saw on the first day of school. The identity of the murderer was a surprise to me.

Despite some of the flaws I have stated, this is still a great book and I reccomend it.

Rich Vintage Christie., 02 May 2005
This is one of my favorite books from Agatha Christie's later years. Her grip of story telling, plotting and planning is still strong. There is some humor in the narrative and amusement is provided by many of the characters.

Agatha Christie tries her hand at the girls' school setting here. Older reader will suspect that she was well-acquainted with similar settings chosen by A A Milne and Dorothy Sayers, and that she had been brought up on the once popular school girl annuals. Of course there needs to be a raison d'être behind the series of murders that occurs at the school and this is well narrated also.

I have mentioned the narration several times. It is an element that helps explain this writer's phenomenal popularity. She gets the timing right. Other writers in this genre produce more elegant prose but somehow fail in this regard.

At this time in her career, Agatha Christie was experimenting with narrative methods. She attempted the "quick scene change" method here, and brings it off with skill and flair. She also, at this time in her career, frequently milked the situation where something was briefly glimpsed in a mirror, or a familiar face briefly glimpsed at a great distance. Watch out for these occurrences as you turn the pages to reach Hercule Poirot's final revelation of just who is the cat among the pigeons.

Stupendous, 07 Dec 2002
This was the first Agatha Chrisie story that I ever read, and although I have now read, listened and watched my way through almost the entire back catalogue, I have yet to find any that is quite as good as this one.

'Cat Among the Pigeons' strikes the right balance between Christie's two main pre-occupations: international intrigue and simple human nature. It is the convergence of two worlds, that of the exclusive, sedate English girls' school and revolution and espionnage in the Middle East.

As well as being a superb whodunnit, this book is also a heart-warming tale of human interaction. Characters are sensitively drawn and the plot, whist not exactly realistic, is not so removed from the realms of possibility as some others. And it is remarkable fast paced. You will not rest until the solution has been revealed.

The advantage of these unabridged HarperCollins audio productions is that you can listen to them on mass. They are perfect for a family evening in. Hugh Fraser is the ideal narrator, with a plethora of different voices to draw upon which competantly bring the tale to life.

In short, you will not regret buying this. It is possibly the best thing Agatha Christie, Queen of Crime, ever wrote.

BUY IT AND READ IT!!!, 23 Oct 2000
This book,I thought,was absoulutely brilliant. I would recommend it to any Agatha Christie fan who hasn't yet read it. As ever Agatha Christie keeps you guessing right until the last few pages,so you can't put the book down until the murderer of the hated sports teacher has been found. The good use of words gives a very sinister feeling... IT'S SUPERB!!!

Second part to "The Bloodstained Pavement", 11 Aug 2005
"The Blue Geranium" contains the last six stories of the book "The Thirteen Problems" ("The Blue Geranium", "The Four Suspects", "The Companion", "A Christmas Tragedy", "The Herb of Death" and "The Affair at the Bungalow"). "The Bloodstained Pavement" includes the first seven stories of the book.
You can actually buy an audiobook by Mistery Masters Series from amazon.com that includes both parts and is much cheaper (shipping and handling included, especially if you do not live in UK), by the name of "The Tuesday Club Murders", also read by Joan Hickson, although there's a small problem with the labelling of the cds, which is mostly wrong (the stories are interchanged but in order).
Again, I do wish Amazon would include number of discs, actual length and other information in the audiobooks' reviews, instead of just generally placing the reviews on the book in them.

Wow!, 04 Nov 2003
Probably the best crime series going. I love Wingfield's books and his usual combination of dark and deadly crime and funny and lovable charecters has once again turned up trumps. From the dispicable Charlie Weaver to the bumbling DC Taffy Morgan, everything to do with this book was a joy to read. The thrilling suspense is a true page turner. Well done Mr Wingfield! Keep 'em coming!

Wonderful Black Humour, 26 Nov 2001
What a marvellous character has been created in the guise of Inspector Frost.I had seen the tv series which is enjoyable but this book was my first authentic taste of the author's true creation.I don't think I have ever laughed so much whilst reading a book.I look forward to reading 'Frost at Christmas'.At Xmas of course!

A fantstic read, 30 Apr 2001
This was the first Frost novel I have read but it makes me want to read all of them! I would recomend this book to anyone. It was fantastic and kept me glued up to the last page.

absolutely brilliant, 18 Apr 2001
As expected Mr Wingfield kept me glued to this book. Here again was the Frost from previous books and he was as entertaining and real as ever. For years now I have waited for a new Frost book and I was not disappointed. Please keep them coming, as I was bitterly disappointed when I finished.

Great as always!, 19 Jul 2000
As with all the other "Frost" books, this was one that, once I had picked it up, I couldn't put down. Having seen "A Touch of Frost" the book was even better and I could appreciate why David Jason was cast in the role. RD Wingfield is a master at his art and I long for more!

Is the theft St. Winifred's will?, 27 May 2002
Ideally, read all the preceding books in the series, in order, before reading this one. At a minimum, first read #1 (A MORBID TASTE FOR BONES, the story of how St. Winifred's reliquary came to the abbey) to avoid spoiling the end of that book, and THE POTTER'S FIELD, which introduced the Blounts of Longner. If you're interested in an audio edition, check that you're getting the unabridged recording narrated by Stephen Thorne.

In the summer of 1144, Geoffrey de Mandeville - after more than a year of running the Fens as his own private robber kingdom - was shot almost by accident during a siege, and died from the infected wound. His lengthy death gave him no chance to receive absolution - only the Pope could have absolved one guilty of the seizure of the abbey of Ramsey - but Geoffrey's followers did what they could for him, restoring the despoiled abbey to its scattered monks. Thus the abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul receives two guests of their own order from Ramsey - grim subprior Herluin and his appealing assistant Tutilo - asking leave to preach. Ramsey needs money, materials, and labour to undo the damage left by Geoffrey's marauders.

Herluin guided their footsteps to Shrewsbury not only to request assistance, but to recall Sulien Blount of Longner, sometime novice of Ramsey, who was sent home to reconsider his vocation. (See THE POTTER'S FIELD for details.) Cadfael, therefore, accompanies Herluin and his young companion Tutilo to Longner to speak with Sulien - and appeal for the Blounts' generosity toward Ramsey. While Herluin pursues his errand, Cadfael introduces Tutilo to Sulien's dying mother, the formidable Donata, who is more than happy to welcome a bard, even if he's now a novice monk. (Their friendship, brief as it is, is touching.) Young Tutilo is what would now be called a renaissance man, and would be wasted as a monk - if he ever gets that far after meeting the Irish girl Daalny, slave to the Provencal troubadour staying at the abbey guesthouse. Daalny's voice is such as to attract any musician - part of the troubadour's stock in trade. Nevertheless, Tutilo seems passionate enough on Ramsey's behalf.

Unfortunately, someone appears to have been a little *too* enthusiastic for Ramsey's sake - while preparing for a flood, someone stole St. Winifred's relics, and the chief suspects are the brothers of Ramsey. How, after all, could anyone steal the reliquary if the saint didn't *want* to go elsewhere? To further complicate the ensuing dispute over the saint's wishes, the reliquary comes into the hands of Earl Robert "Bossu" Beaumont, a brilliant man with a sly sense of humor who decides to further complicate matters by pointing out that the saint came to rest in *his* care and seems content to stay there. (Robert - who was a real person, incidentally - here makes his debut in the series as a very impressive figure; the crooked back that gave him his nickname doesn't hinder him at all.) Only Brother Cadfael and his confidant Hugh Beringar know just how complicated this situation really is - before a man on the fringes of the quarrel is murdered on a dark night. But was he killed for himself - or because he was mistaken for one of the disputants?

Very nicely ties up some loose ends from THE POTTER'S FIELD, while raking up the old problem of the reliquary very creatively. Robert Bossu alone would be worth the price of admission. :)

One of the most exciting chronicles., 10 Sep 2000
This is one of the best of the Cadfael genre. It combines a scintillating mystery with humour and history. Ellis Peters breathes life in to her characters and it is extremely easy to form a mental picture of them. All the action is centred around Saint Winifred's remains, consequently, there is much scope for 'double entendre', due to the ambiguous nature of the contents of the reliquary (see 'A Morbid Taste for Bones'). The plot moves with greater pace than some of the other novels and there is no place for boredom. However, it would perhaps be wise to read some of the earlier Cadfael stories before this one, if you are a newcomer to the genre, as much of the plot is based on facts known from other books.

Cadfael purloins the show!, 20 Jun 2000
It goes without saying that stealing is one of the sins in life--and with her usual characteristic zeal, author Ellis Peters adds murder to that list!

In "The Holy Thief," the 19th chronicle of Brother Cadfael, Peters continues her top-flight form of the medieval whodunnit and, as usual, her protagonist, the good Benedictine monk, rides to the rescue and solution.

The year is 1144--and still King Stephen and Empress Maud are struggling in an interminable civil war, with no solution in sight. However, that historical fact is mere backdrop--as it usually is--to a more local concern. A renowned earl (Essex) is killed by an arrow, but not before he tries to make amends with Heaven by restoring some of the properties he had earlier "gained." This includes the abbey of Ramsey, a run-down site badly in need of more worldly help. The abbey sends envoys out, and one such envoy arrives in Shrewsbury, at the abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Cadfael's domain. The envoy includes Brother Herluin and his young novice Tutilo, who possesses a great singing voice along with other musical skills. In Shrewsbury is also, as the plot would have it, a beautiful slave girl (also a singer) named Daalny.

Suffice it to say, Peters lays a solid romantic setting. But the rains come, so much so that much of the abbey's possessions, including the holy relics, must be moved to safety. But not so safely after all, as a theft is discovered. And this soon leads to--you have it--a murder.

And Cadfael takes over. Using not only his brilliance, but his skills as the abbey's herbalist, Cadfael wastes no time in carefully solving the crime. Of course, as in all the Cadfael adventures, the murder is solved. The solution rarely comes easily for this ex-crusader, nor should it. Peters does not rush into her novels, which are characterized by logic and sound research.

Peters' very successful series has been adapted to TV, and while the episodes are generally very good, the televised portrayal of both Cadfael and the story line leaves quite a bit to be desired, as good as they are. The books are the better choice. I have never been disappointed and "The Holy Thief" is no exception.

My favourite Christie book so far., 21 Mar 2008
I loved this book and read it in a few days. If mystery is your thing, I highly recommand you read this book. It is very fun and original. I always try and guess who the murderer could be but this one, I had to keep on changing my mind. In the end I couldn't guess and I just had my suspisions. This book has the most delightful characters and with three murders is is highly entertaining! You should read this book!

Really good book, 25 Oct 2007
This is an enjoyable book, and it is interesting to read about murders happening at a school. It is not perhaps quite as good as most of the other reviews have implied, it is certainly an enjoyable story, but there are better ones.

It is a new school year in an all girls school and things start off fairly typically, until the unpopular games mistress is found shot in the middle of the night. For most of the students, this seems an interesting thing to happen in a school, but when two more murders occur, and one of the students is abducted, everydoy has a sudden sense of fear and it stops being an exciting thing to happen in school and changes to something terrifying.

I found this novel highly enjoyable, but some of the other reviewers are implying that it is a masterpiece and in my opinion it is far from it. Unlike in some of Christie's masterpieces, there is little clever set up of subtle clues and there are barely any clues to use to guess the identity of the murderer and the only real way of finding out was something that one of the mothers saw on the first day of school. The identity of the murderer was a surprise to me.

Despite some of the flaws I have stated, this is still a great book and I reccomend it.

Rich Vintage Christie., 02 May 2005
This is one of my favorite books from Agatha Christie's later years. Her grip of story telling, plotting and planning is still strong. There is some humor in the narrative and amusement is provided by many of the characters.

Agatha Christie tries her hand at the girls' school setting here. Older reader will suspect that she was well-acquainted with similar settings chosen by A A Milne and Dorothy Sayers, and that she had been brought up on the once popular school girl annuals. Of course there needs to be a raison d'être behind the series of murders that occurs at the school and this is well narrated also.

I have mentioned the narration several times. It is an element that helps explain this writer's phenomenal popularity. She gets the timing right. Other writers in this genre produce more elegant prose but somehow fail in this regard.

At this time in her career, Agatha Christie was experimenting with narrative methods. She attempted the "quick scene change" method here, and brings it off with skill and flair. She also, at this time in her career, frequently milked the situation where something was briefly glimpsed in a mirror, or a familiar face briefly glimpsed at a great distance. Watch out for these occurrences as you turn the pages to reach Hercule Poirot's final revelation of just who is the cat among the pigeons.

Stupendous, 07 Dec 2002
This was the first Agatha Chrisie story that I ever read, and although I have now read, listened and watched my way through almost the entire back catalogue, I have yet to find any that is quite as good as this one.

'Cat Among the Pigeons' strikes the right balance between Christie's two main pre-occupations: international intrigue and simple human nature. It is the convergence of two worlds, that of the exclusive, sedate English girls' school and revolution and espionnage in the Middle East.

As well as being a superb whodunnit, this book is also a heart-warming tale of human interaction. Characters are sensitively drawn and the plot, whist not exactly realistic, is not so removed from the realms of possibility as some others. And it is remarkable fast paced. You will not rest until the solution has been revealed.

The advantage of these unabridged HarperCollins audio productions is that you can listen to them on mass. They are perfect for a family evening in. Hugh Fraser is the ideal narrator, with a plethora of different voices to draw upon which competantly bring the tale to life.

In short, you will not regret buying this. It is possibly the best thing Agatha Christie, Queen of Crime, ever wrote.

BUY IT AND READ IT!!!, 23 Oct 2000
This book,I thought,was absoulutely brilliant. I would recommend it to any Agatha Christie fan who hasn't yet read it. As ever Agatha Christie keeps you guessing right until the last few pages,so you can't put the book down until the murderer of the hated sports teacher has been found. The good use of words gives a very sinister feeling... IT'S SUPERB!!!

Bleak and beautiful, 22 Jan 2008
Agatha Christie is an English prodigy. She is able to transform some banal and particularly obnoxious situation into some kind of normal banality. And Miss Marple is the old spinster she uses most of the time to do this. Urban bleakness will go to Hercule Poirot, the continental and Belgian private eye, the very challenger of Sherlock Holmes. The bleakness of a village where everyone is locked up in set roles they have to play day after day and forever. Let some new character appear and everything is prone to tilt over without even showing what is really happening. Since one cannot get out of his or her role, he or she is going to correct the problem to his or her advantage and without anyone knowing about it. So let's have a smoke screen to cover up in advance what is really happening. Then let's do some surgical operation to get rid of what has to be gotten rid of. And then let's do it and pray for salvation (not to be found out for the criminal, and for that criminal to be sent to the gallows for the reader). Of course Agatha Christie shows how the truth can only be discovered by someone from outside because anyone from inside, including the police, will be blind to small details and will be trapped into blindness by the smoke screen. But the truth can only come from someone who knows exactly what it is to live in a small village. The two people from London cannot discover the truth though they are the only ones to see the real facts. It takes Miss Marple to put the real facts in perspective and then to do the slightly illegal act that will get the wolf out of the wood, using an innocent girl as bait. Miss Marple has a sorry side to her personality: and she is not even sorry about it: "we are not put into this world, Mr Burton, to avoid danger when an innocent fellow-creature's life is at stake". And she forgets that the bait is put in danger by her because the double murderer is quite satisfied by now even if a third person could be sent to the gallows for his crime. And strangely enough she forgets the two young sons of the murderer in the final settlement of the novel. And Agatha Christie adds one charming touch on top of that: she manages to get two marriages arranged in that small village, probably to make us forget that two people were killed there too. And that's the discreet charm of Agatha Christie that is inimitable and will remain so forever I guess.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines


This is a great book, 13 Oct 2007
I really enjoyed this novel, it was a great read. I was certain I had figured out who the murderer was and I hoped I had gotten it wrong because quite often I am able to guess the murderer in Agatha Christie's books, but however this time I was wrong and the true identity was a nice surprise.

Jerry and his sister Joanna move to the countryside for Jerry's health after a serious injury he received during the war. However it seems that this was the wrong place to move to to get a bit of relaxation because when they arrive they discover that a lot of people have been receiving anonymous letters. Soon Mrs Symmington receives an anonymous letter and apparently kills herself as a result. Soon a proper murder occurs and the police find themself in a complicated murder inquiry. It seems the right idea for one of the villagers to call in some help, and Ms Marple comes along. One problem with this book was that Ms Marple only came in in the last few chapters and she is hardly in the chapters that she is in, excluding the chapter where she cleverly reveals all.

This is a highly enjoyable on and I highly reccomend it. One other thing that I might add is that if you like a bit of romance in her books ( agatha christie doesn't usually bother with this in her books ) this book has got some.

Bullseye!, 07 Feb 2006
Agatha Christie's Miss Marple has been tremendously well served by Joan Hickson, first on television and now on CD. This unabridged version of my favourite Marple is excellent; JH makes the most of the various characters and the nuances of the plot. Although 'The Moving Finger', like 'Murder at the Vicarage', has a first person narrator (here the injured pilot Jerry), JH takes this in her stride and really conjures up the atmosphere of the village in the grip of the deadly poison pen. Can Miss Marple intervene to prevent more deaths? Is the Pope a Catholic?

The Moving Finger, 30 Jan 2006
“The Moving Finger” is one of my favourite Agatha Christie books because not only is it a classic whodunit of classic Christie proportions but it’s also an extremely sweet love story with some brilliant characters.

Poor Jerry Burton is a Royal Air Force pilot who has been shot down in action in the Second World War. Ordered to convalesce by his doctor in a quiet countryside backwater he and his sister, Joanna, decide to rent a small cottage in the rural tranquillity of the small village of Lymstock. They soon settle down to the gentle ways of the small village and get to know the local characters; prim and proper Miss Emily Barton (from whom they have rented the cottage) Dr Griffith, shy and devoted to his patients and who seems to have taken a shine to Joanna. Then there’s Dr Griffith’s sister the redoubtable Aimee, hale and hearty and forever trying to organise everyone else. Finally there’s the Symmington family consisting of Richard Symmington the local solicitor, his wife their two sons and their very attractive and young governess Elsie Holland. Mrs Symmington also has a daughter from her first marriage the awkward but somehow charming Megan

All seems to be going well until the Burtons receive a poisonous letter and it would seem that several other of the villagers have also received one or more of these malicious letters. Unfortunately one is sent to Mrs Symmington and it would seem that the contents disturb her so much that shortly after receiving the letter she takes her own life. When shortly after this tragic event the Symmington’s maid is murdered the police are called in and they begin work to find out who is behind the letters.

The local vicar’s wife, Mrs Dane Calthrop also decides to take action and call in an old friend of hers, a petite and frail looking little old lady call Miss Jane Marple.

As I say, not only is the book a classic Christie murder mystery will all the usual ingredients of jealous loves, legacies and social classes but it also has a double love story concerning both Jerry and Joanna Burton. Although the love story seems unlikely and old fashioned when reading it today it still comes over as extremely charming.

Although Miss Marple does appear in the book, she doesn’t pop up until the last couple of chapters so any big fans of hers might be slightly disappointed, but considering the rest of excellent value of the book they have no reason to be so.

Moving Finger, 26 Jul 2005
This book is a departure from her usual in that its not Miss Marple who features as the main lead, but Jerry as main figure is likeable as is his sister with the dual love interests keeping your attention as well as the "crime" a definate step up from the tommy and tuppence paring which in my opinon lacked theses charaters warmth and interest.

Second part to "The Bloodstained Pavement", 11 Aug 2005
"The Blue Geranium" contains the last six stories of the book "The Thirteen Problems" ("The Blue Geranium", "The Four Suspects", "The Companion", "A Christmas Tragedy", "The Herb of Death" and "The Affair at the Bungalow"). "The Bloodstained Pavement" includes the first seven stories of the book.
You can actually buy an audiobook by Mistery Masters Series from amazon.com that includes both parts and is much cheaper (shipping and handling included, especially if you do not live in UK), by the name of "The Tuesday Club Murders", also read by Joan Hickson, although there's a small problem with the labelling of the cds, which is mostly wrong (the stories are interchanged but in order).
Again, I do wish Amazon would include number of discs, actual length and other information in the audiobooks' reviews, instead of just generally placing the reviews on the book in them.

Wow!, 04 Nov 2003
Probably the best crime series going. I love Wingfield's books and his usual combination of dark and deadly crime and funny and lovable charecters has once again turned up trumps. From the dispicable Charlie Weaver to the bumbling DC Taffy Morgan, everything to do with this book was a joy to read. The thrilling suspense is a true page turner. Well done Mr Wingfield! Keep 'em coming!

Wonderful Black Humour, 26 Nov 2001
What a marvellous character has been created in the guise of Inspector Frost.I had seen the tv series which is enjoyable but this book was my first authentic taste of the author's true creation.I don't think I have ever laughed so much whilst reading a book.I look forward to reading 'Frost at Christmas'.At Xmas of course!

A fantstic read, 30 Apr 2001
This was the first Frost novel I have read but it makes me want to read all of them! I would recomend this book to anyone. It was fantastic and kept me glued up to the last page.

absolutely brilliant, 18 Apr 2001
As expected Mr Wingfield kept me glued to this book. Here again was the Frost from previous books and he was as entertaining and real as ever. For years now I have waited for a new Frost book and I was not disappointed. Please keep them coming, as I was bitterly disappointed when I finished.

Great as always!, 19 Jul 2000
As with all the other "Frost" books, this was one that, once I had picked it up, I couldn't put down. Having seen "A Touch of Frost" the book was even better and I could appreciate why David Jason was cast in the role. RD Wingfield is a master at his art and I long for more!

Is the theft St. Winifred's will?, 27 May 2002
Ideally, read all the preceding books in the series, in order, before reading this one. At a minimum, first read #1 (A MORBID TASTE FOR BONES, the story of how St. Winifred's reliquary came to the abbey) to avoid spoiling the end of that book, and THE POTTER'S FIELD, which introduced the Blounts of Longner. If you're interested in an audio edition, check that you're getting the unabridged recording narrated by Stephen Thorne.

In the summer of 1144, Geoffrey de Mandeville - after more than a year of running the Fens as his own private robber kingdom - was shot almost by accident during a siege, and died from the infected wound. His lengthy death gave him no chance to receive absolution - only the Pope could have absolved one guilty of the seizure of the abbey of Ramsey - but Geoffrey's followers did what they could for him, restoring the despoiled abbey to its scattered monks. Thus the abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul receives two guests of their own order from Ramsey - grim subprior Herluin and his appealing assistant Tutilo - asking leave to preach. Ramsey needs money, materials, and labour to undo the damage left by Geoffrey's marauders.

Herluin guided their footsteps to Shrewsbury not only to request assistance, but to recall Sulien Blount of Longner, sometime novice of Ramsey, who was sent home to reconsider his vocation. (See THE POTTER'S FIELD for details.) Cadfael, therefore, accompanies Herluin and his young companion Tutilo to Longner to speak with Sulien - and appeal for the Blounts' generosity toward Ramsey. While Herluin pursues his errand, Cadfael introduces Tutilo to Sulien's dying mother, the formidable Donata, who is more than happy to welcome a bard, even if he's now a novice monk. (Their friendship, brief as it is, is touching.) Young Tutilo is what would now be called a renaissance man, and would be wasted as a monk - if he ever gets that far after meeting the Irish girl Daalny, slave to the Provencal troubadour staying at the abbey guesthouse. Daalny's voice is such as to attract any musician - part of the troubadour's stock in trade. Nevertheless, Tutilo seems passionate enough on Ramsey's behalf.

Unfortunately, someone appears to have been a little *too* enthusiastic for Ramsey's sake - while preparing for a flood, someone stole St. Winifred's relics, and the chief suspects are the brothers of Ramsey. How, after all, could anyone steal the reliquary if the saint didn't *want* to go elsewhere? To further complicate the ensuing dispute over the saint's wishes, the reliquary comes into the hands of Earl Robert "Bossu" Beaumont, a brilliant man with a sly sense of humor who decides to further complicate matters by pointing out that the saint came to rest in *his* care and seems content to stay there. (Robert - who was a real person, incidentally - here makes his debut in the series as a very impressive figure; the crooked back that gave him his nickname doesn't hinder him at all.) Only Brother Cadfael and his confidant Hugh Beringar know just how complicated this situation really is - before a man on the fringes of the quarrel is murdered on a dark night. But was he killed for himself - or because he was mistaken for one of the disputants?

Very nicely ties up some loose ends from THE POTTER'S FIELD, while raking up the old problem of the reliquary very creatively. Robert Bossu alone would be worth the price of admission. :)

One of the most exciting chronicles., 10 Sep 2000
This is one of the best of the Cadfael genre. It combines a scintillating mystery with humour and history. Ellis Peters breathes life in to her characters and it is extremely easy to form a mental picture of them. All the action is centred around Saint Winifred's remains, consequently, there is much scope for 'double entendre', due to the ambiguous nature of the contents of the reliquary (see 'A Morbid Taste for Bones'). The plot moves with greater pace than some of the other novels and there is no place for boredom. However, it would perhaps be wise to read some of the earlier Cadfael stories before this one, if you are a newcomer to the genre, as much of the plot is based on facts known from other books.

Cadfael purloins the show!, 20 Jun 2000
It goes without saying that stealing is one of the sins in life--and with her usual characteristic zeal, author Ellis Peters adds murder to that list!

In "The Holy Thief," the 19th chronicle of Brother Cadfael, Peters continues her top-flight form of the medieval whodunnit and, as usual, her protagonist, the good Benedictine monk, rides to the rescue and solution.

The year is 1144--and still King Stephen and Empress Maud are struggling in an interminable civil war, with no solution in sight. However, that historical fact is mere backdrop--as it usually is--to a more local concern. A renowned earl (Essex) is killed by an arrow, but not before he tries to make amends with Heaven by restoring some of the properties he had earlier "gained." This includes the abbey of Ramsey, a run-down site badly in need of more worldly help. The abbey sends envoys out, and one such envoy arrives in Shrewsbury, at the abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Cadfael's domain. The envoy includes Brother Herluin and his young novice Tutilo, who possesses a great singing voice along with other musical skills. In Shrewsbury is also, as the plot would have it, a beautiful slave girl (also a singer) named Daalny.

Suffice it to say, Peters lays a solid romantic setting. But the rains come, so much so that much of the abbey's possessions, including the holy relics, must be moved to safety. But not so safely after all, as a theft is discovered. And this soon leads to--you have it--a murder.

And Cadfael takes over. Using not only his brilliance, but his skills as the abbey's herbalist, Cadfael wastes no time in carefully solving the crime. Of course, as in all the Cadfael adventures, the murder is solved. The solution rarely comes easily for this ex-crusader, nor should it. Peters does not rush into her novels, which are characterized by logic and sound research.

Peters' very successful series has been adapted to TV, and while the episodes are generally very good, the televised portrayal of both Cadfael and the story line leaves quite a bit to be desired, as good as they are. The books are the better choice. I have never been disappointed and "The Holy Thief" is no exception.

My favourite Christie book so far., 21 Mar 2008
I loved this book and read it in a few days. If mystery is your thing, I highly recommand you read this book. It is very fun and original. I always try and guess who the murderer could be but this one, I had to keep on changing my mind. In the end I couldn't guess and I just had my suspisions. This book has the most delightful characters and with three murders is is highly entertaining! You should read this book!

Really good book, 25 Oct 2007
This is an enjoyable book, and it is interesting to read about murders happening at a school. It is not perhaps quite as good as most of the other reviews have implied, it is certainly an enjoyable story, but there are better ones.

It is a new school year in an all girls school and things start off fairly typically, until the unpopular games mistress is found shot in the middle of the night. For most of the students, this seems an interesting thing to happen in a school, but when two more murders occur, and one of the students is abducted, everydoy has a sudden sense of fear and it stops being an exciting thing to happen in school and changes to something terrifying.

I found this novel highly enjoyable, but some of the other reviewers are implying that it is a masterpiece and in my opinion it is far from it. Unlike in some of Christie's masterpieces, there is little clever set up of subtle clues and there are barely any clues to use to guess the identity of the murderer and the only real way of finding out was something that one of the mothers saw on the first day of school. The identity of the murderer was a surprise to me.

Despite some of the flaws I have stated, this is still a great book and I reccomend it.

Rich Vintage Christie., 02 May 2005
This is one of my favorite books from Agatha Christie's later years. Her grip of story telling, plotting and planning is still strong. There is some humor in the narrative and amusement is provided by many of the characters.

Agatha Christie tries her hand at the girls' school setting here. Older reader will suspect that she was well-acquainted with similar settings chosen by A A Milne and Dorothy Sayers, and that she had been brought up on the once popular school girl annuals. Of course there needs to be a raison d'être behind the series of murders that occurs at the school and this is well narrated also.

I have mentioned the narration several times. It is an element that helps explain this writer's phenomenal popularity. She gets the timing right. Other writers in this genre produce more elegant prose but somehow fail in this regard.

At this time in her career, Agatha Christie was experimenting with narrative methods. She attempted the "quick scene change" method here, and brings it off with skill and flair. She also, at this time in her career, frequently milked the situation where something was briefly glimpsed in a mirror, or a familiar face briefly glimpsed at a great distance. Watch out for these occurrences as you turn the pages to reach Hercule Poirot's final revelation of just who is the cat among the pigeons.

Stupendous, 07 Dec 2002
This was the first Agatha Chrisie story that I ever read, and although I have now read, listened and watched my way through almost the entire back catalogue, I have yet to find any that is quite as good as this one.

'Cat Among the Pigeons' strikes the right balance between Christie's two main pre-occupations: international intrigue and simple human nature. It is the convergence of two worlds, that of the exclusive, sedate English girls' school and revolution and espionnage in the Middle East.

As well as being a superb whodunnit, this book is also a heart-warming tale of human interaction. Characters are sensitively drawn and the plot, whist not exactly realistic, is not so removed from the realms of possibility as some others. And it is remarkable fast paced. You will not rest until the solution has been revealed.

The advantage of these unabridged HarperCollins audio productions is that you can listen to them on mass. They are perfect for a family evening in. Hugh Fraser is the ideal narrator, with a plethora of different voices to draw upon which competantly bring the tale to life.

In short, you will not regret buying this. It is possibly the best thing Agatha Christie, Queen of Crime, ever wrote.

BUY IT AND READ IT!!!, 23 Oct 2000
This book,I thought,was absoulutely brilliant. I would recommend it to any Agatha Christie fan who hasn't yet read it. As ever Agatha Christie keeps you guessing right until the last few pages,so you can't put the book down until the murderer of the hated sports teacher has been found. The good use of words gives a very sinister feeling... IT'S SUPERB!!!

Bleak and beautiful, 22 Jan 2008
Agatha Christie is an English prodigy. She is able to transform some banal and particularly obnoxious situation into some kind of normal banality. And Miss Marple is the old spinster she uses most of the time to do this. Urban bleakness will go to Hercule Poirot, the continental and Belgian private eye, the very challenger of Sherlock Holmes. The bleakness of a village where everyone is locked up in set roles they have to play day after day and forever. Let some new character appear and everything is prone to tilt over without even showing what is really happening. Since one cannot get out of his or her role, he or she is going to correct the problem to his or her advantage and without anyone knowing about it. So let's have a smoke screen to cover up in advance what is really happening. Then let's do some surgical operation to get rid of what has to be gotten rid of. And then let's do it and pray for salvation (not to be found out for the criminal, and for that criminal to be sent to the gallows for the reader). Of course Agatha Christie shows how the truth can only be discovered by someone from outside because anyone from inside, including the police, will be blind to small details and will be trapped into blindness by the smoke screen. But the truth can only come from someone who knows exactly what it is to live in a small village. The two people from London cannot discover the truth though they are the only ones to see the real facts. It takes Miss Marple to put the real facts in perspective and then to do the slightly illegal act that will get the wolf out of the wood, using an innocent girl as bait. Miss Marple has a sorry side to her personality: and she is not even sorry about it: "we are not put into this world, Mr Burton, to avoid danger when an innocent fellow-creature's life is at stake". And she forgets that the bait is put in danger by her because the double murderer is quite satisfied by now even if a third person could be sent to the gallows for his crime. And strangely enough she forgets the two young sons of the murderer in the final settlement of the novel. And Agatha Christie adds one charming touch on top of that: she manages to get two marriages arranged in that small village, probably to make us forget that two people were killed there too. And that's the discreet charm of Agatha Christie that is inimitable and will remain so forever I guess.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines


This is a great book, 13 Oct 2007
I really enjoyed this novel, it was a great read. I was certain I had figured out who the murderer was and I hoped I had gotten it wrong because quite often I am able to guess the murderer in Agatha Christie's books, but however this time I was wrong and the true identity was a nice surprise.

Jerry and his sister Joanna move to the countryside for Jerry's health after a serious injury he received during the war. However it seems that this was the wrong place to move to to get a bit of relaxation because when they arrive they discover that a lot of people have been receiving anonymous letters. Soon Mrs Symmington receives an anonymous letter and apparently kills herself as a result. Soon a proper murder occurs and the police find themself in a complicated murder inquiry. It seems the right idea for one of the villagers to call in some help, and Ms Marple comes along. One problem with this book was that Ms Marple only came in in the last few chapters and she is hardly in the chapters that she is in, excluding the chapter where she cleverly reveals all.

This is a highly enjoyable on and I highly reccomend it. One other thing that I might add is that if you like a bit of romance in her books ( agatha christie doesn't usually bother with this in her books ) this book has got some.

Bullseye!, 07 Feb 2006
Agatha Christie's Miss Marple has been tremendously well served by Joan Hickson, first on television and now on CD. This unabridged version of my favourite Marple is excellent; JH makes the most of the various characters and the nuances of the plot. Although 'The Moving Finger', like 'Murder at the Vicarage', has a first person narrator (here the injured pilot Jerry), JH takes this in her stride and really conjures up the atmosphere of the village in the grip of the deadly poison pen. Can Miss Marple intervene to prevent more deaths? Is the Pope a Catholic?

The Moving Finger, 30 Jan 2006
“The Moving Finger” is one of my favourite Agatha Christie books because not only is it a classic whodunit of classic Christie proportions but it’s also an extremely sweet love story with some brilliant characters.

Poor Jerry Burton is a Royal Air Force pilot who has been shot down in action in the Second World War. Ordered to convalesce by his doctor in a quiet countryside backwater he and his sister, Joanna, decide to rent a small cottage in the rural tranquillity of the small village of Lymstock. They soon settle down to the gentle ways of the small village and get to know the local characters; prim and proper Miss Emily Barton (from whom they have rented the cottage) Dr Griffith, shy and devoted to his patients and who seems to have taken a shine to Joanna. Then there’s Dr Griffith’s sister the redoubtable Aimee, hale and hearty and forever trying to organise everyone else. Finally there’s the Symmington family consisting of Richard Symmington the local solicitor, his wife their two sons and their very attractive and young governess Elsie Holland. Mrs Symmington also has a daughter from her first marriage the awkward but somehow charming Megan

All seems to be going well until the Burtons receive a poisonous letter and it would seem that several other of the villagers have also received one or more of these malicious letters. Unfortunately one is sent to Mrs Symmington and it would seem that the contents disturb her so much that shortly after receiving the letter she takes her own life. When shortly after this tragic event the Symmington’s maid is murdered the police are called in and they begin work to find out who is behind the letters.

The local vicar’s wife, Mrs Dane Calthrop also decides to take action and call in an old friend of hers, a petite and frail looking little old lady call Miss Jane Marple.

As I say, not only is the book a classic Christie murder mystery will all the usual ingredients of jealous loves, legacies and social classes but it also has a double love story concerning both Jerry and Joanna Burton. Although the love story seems unlikely and old fashioned when reading it today it still comes over as extremely charming.

Although Miss Marple does appear in the book, she doesn’t pop up until the last couple of chapters so any big fans of hers might be slightly disappointed, but considering the rest of excellent value of the book they have no reason to be so.

Moving Finger, 26 Jul 2005
This book is a departure from her usual in that its not Miss Marple who features as the main lead, but Jerry as main figure is likeable as is his sister with the dual love interests keeping your attention as well as the "crime" a definate step up from the tommy and tuppence paring which in my opinon lacked theses charaters warmth and interest.

A must for Miss Marpleýs fans, 05 Apr 2005
Miss Marple is my favourite of all of the recurrent Agatha Christie's characters and this collection of nine short stories didn't disappoint me in the least. Of the nine, two do not include the famous sleuth but are rather of a supernatural nature (calling them ghost stories would be a bit too much) and one of the Miss Marple's stories is taken from another book. All nine are very good, some of them among Christie's best plots. I loved the book and I strongly recommend it.

Second part to "The Bloodstained Pavement", 11 Aug 2005
"The Blue Geranium" contains the last six stories of the book "The Thirteen Problems" ("The Blue Geranium", "The Four Suspects", "The Companion", "A Christmas Tragedy", "The Herb of Death" and "The Affair at the Bungalow"). "The Bloodstained Pavement" includes the first seven stories of the book.
You can actually buy an audiobook by Mistery Masters Series from amazon.com that includes both parts and is much cheaper (shipping and handling included, especially if you do not live in UK), by the name of "The Tuesday Club Murders", also read by Joan Hickson, although there's a small problem with the labelling of the cds, which is mostly wrong (the stories are interchanged but in order).
Again, I do wish Amazon would include number of discs, actual length and other information in the audiobooks' reviews, instead of just generally placing the reviews on the book in them.

Wow!, 04 Nov 2003
Probably the best crime series going. I love Wingfield's books and his usual combination of dark and deadly crime and funny and lovable charecters has once again turned up trumps. From the dispicable Charlie Weaver to the bumbling DC Taffy Morgan, everything to do with this book was a joy to read. The thrilling suspense is a true page turner. Well done Mr Wingfield! Keep 'em coming!

Wonderful Black Humour, 26 Nov 2001
What a marvellous character has been created in the guise of Inspector Frost.I had seen the tv series which is enjoyable but this book was my first authentic taste of the author's true creation.I don't think I have ever laughed so much whilst reading a book.I look forward to reading 'Frost at Christmas'.At Xmas of course!

A fantstic read, 30 Apr 2001
This was the first Frost novel I have read but it makes me want to read all of them! I would recomend this book to anyone. It was fantastic and kept me glued up to the last page.

absolutely brilliant, 18 Apr 2001
As expected Mr Wingfield kept me glued to this book. Here again was the Frost from previous books and he was as entertaining and real as ever. For years now I have waited for a new Frost book and I was not disappointed. Please keep them coming, as I was bitterly disappointed when I finished.

Great as always!, 19 Jul 2000
As with all the other "Frost" books, this was one that, once I had picked it up, I couldn't put down. Having seen "A Touch of Frost" the book was even better and I could appreciate why David Jason was cast in the role. RD Wingfield is a master at his art and I long for more!

Is the theft St. Winifred's will?, 27 May 2002
Ideally, read all the preceding books in the series, in order, before reading this one. At a minimum, first read #1 (A MORBID TASTE FOR BONES, the story of how St. Winifred's reliquary came to the abbey) to avoid spoiling the end of that book, and THE POTTER'S FIELD, which introduced the Blounts of Longner. If you're interested in an audio edition, check that you're getting the unabridged recording narrated by Stephen Thorne.

In the summer of 1144, Geoffrey de Mandeville - after more than a year of running the Fens as his own private robber kingdom - was shot almost by accident during a siege, and died from the infected wound. His lengthy death gave him no chance to receive absolution - only the Pope could have absolved one guilty of the seizure of the abbey of Ramsey - but Geoffrey's followers did what they could for him, restoring the despoiled abbey to its scattered monks. Thus the abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul receives two guests of their own order from Ramsey - grim subprior Herluin and his appealing assistant Tutilo - asking leave to preach. Ramsey needs money, materials, and labour to undo the damage left by Geoffrey's marauders.

Herluin guided their footsteps to Shrewsbury not only to request assistance, but to recall Sulien Blount of Longner, sometime novice of Ramsey, who was sent home to reconsider his vocation. (See THE POTTER'S FIELD for details.) Cadfael, therefore, accompanies Herluin and his young companion Tutilo to Longner to speak with Sulien - and appeal for the Blounts' generosity toward Ramsey. While Herluin pursues his errand, Cadfael introduces Tutilo to Sulien's dying mother, the formidable Donata, who is more than happy to welcome a bard, even if he's now a novice monk. (Their friendship, brief as it is, is touching.) Young Tutilo is what would now be called a renaissance man, and would be wasted as a monk - if he ever gets that far after meeting the Irish girl Daalny, slave to the Provencal troubadour staying at the abbey guesthouse. Daalny's voice is such as to attract any musician - part of the troubadour's stock in trade. Nevertheless, Tutilo seems passionate enough on Ramsey's behalf.

Unfortunately, someone appears to have been a little *too* enthusiastic for Ramsey's sake - while preparing for a flood, someone stole St. Winifred's relics, and the chief suspects are the brothers of Ramsey. How, after all, could anyone steal the reliquary if the saint didn't *want* to go elsewhere? To further complicate the ensuing dispute over the saint's wishes, the reliquary comes into the hands of Earl Robert "Bossu" Beaumont, a brilliant man with a sly sense of humor who decides to further complicate matters by pointing out that the saint came to rest in *his* care and seems content to stay there. (Robert - who was a real person, incidentally - here makes his debut in the series as a very impressive figure; the crooked back that gave him his nickname doesn't hinder him at all.) Only Brother Cadfael and his confidant Hugh Beringar know just how complicated this situation really is - before a man on the fringes of the quarrel is murdered on a dark night. But was he killed for himself - or because he was mistaken for one of the disputants?

Very nicely ties up some loose ends from THE POTTER'S FIELD, while raking up the old problem of the reliquary very creatively. Robert Bossu alone would be worth the price of admission. :)

One of the most exciting chronicles., 10 Sep 2000
This is one of the best of the Cadfael genre. It combines a scintillating mystery with humour and history. Ellis Peters breathes life in to her characters and it is extremely easy to form a mental picture of them. All the action is centred around Saint Winifred's remains, consequently, there is much scope for 'double entendre', due to the ambiguous nature of the contents of the reliquary (see 'A Morbid Taste for Bones'). The plot moves with greater pace than some of the other novels and there is no place for boredom. However, it would perhaps be wise to read some of the earlier Cadfael stories before this one, if you are a newcomer to the genre, as much of the plot is based on facts known from other books.

Cadfael purloins the show!, 20 Jun 2000
It goes without saying that stealing is one of the sins in life--and with her usual characteristic zeal, author Ellis Peters adds murder to that list!

In "The Holy Thief," the 19th chronicle of Brother Cadfael, Peters continues her top-flight form of the medieval whodunnit and, as usual, her protagonist, the good Benedictine monk, rides to the rescue and solution.

The year is 1144--and still King Stephen and Empress Maud are struggling in an interminable civil war, with no solution in sight. However, that historical fact is mere backdrop--as it usually is--to a more local concern. A renowned earl (Essex) is killed by an arrow, but not before he tries to make amends with Heaven by restoring some of the properties he had earlier "gained." This includes the abbey of Ramsey, a run-down site badly in need of more worldly help. The abbey sends envoys out, and one such envoy arrives in Shrewsbury, at the abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Cadfael's domain. The envoy includes Brother Herluin and his young novice Tutilo, who possesses a great singing voice along with other musical skills. In Shrewsbury is also, as the plot would have it, a beautiful slave girl (also a singer) named Daalny.

Suffice it to say, Peters lays a solid romantic setting. But the rains come, so much so that much of the abbey's possessions, including the holy relics, must be moved to safety. But not so safely after all, as a theft is discovered. And this soon leads to--you have it--a murder.

And Cadfael takes over. Using not only his brilliance, but his skills as the abbey's herbalist, Cadfael wastes no time in carefully solving the crime. Of course, as in all the Cadfael adventures, the murder is solved. The solution rarely comes easily for this ex-crusader, nor should it. Peters does not rush into her novels, which are characterized by logic and sound research.

Peters' very successful series has been adapted to TV, and while the episodes are generally very good, the televised portrayal of both Cadfael and the story line leaves quite a bit to be desired, as good as they are. The books are the better choice. I have never been disappointed and "The Holy Thief" is no exception.

My favourite Christie book so far., 21 Mar 2008
I loved this book and read it in a few days. If mystery is your thing, I highly recommand you read this book. It is very fun and original. I always try and guess who the murderer could be but this one, I had to keep on changing my mind. In the end I couldn't guess and I just had my suspisions. This book has the most delightful characters and with three murders is is highly entertaining! You should read this book!

Really good book, 25 Oct 2007
This is an enjoyable book, and it is interesting to read about murders happening at a school. It is not perhaps quite as good as most of the other reviews have implied, it is certainly an enjoyable story, but there are better ones.

It is a new school year in an all girls school and things start off fairly typically, until the unpopular games mistress is found shot in the middle of the night. For most of the students, this seems an interesting thing to happen in a school, but when two more murders occur, and one of the students is abducted, everydoy has a sudden sense of fear and it stops being an exciting thing to happen in school and changes to something terrifying.

I found this novel highly enjoyable, but some of the other reviewers are implying that it is a masterpiece and in my opinion it is far from it. Unlike in some of Christie's masterpieces, there is little clever set up of subtle clues and there are barely any clues to use to guess the identity of the murderer and the only real way of finding out was something that one of the mothers saw on the first day of school. The identity of the murderer was a surprise to me.

Despite some of the flaws I have stated, this is still a great book and I reccomend it.

Rich Vintage Christie., 02 May 2005
This is one of my favorite books from Agatha Christie's later years. Her grip of story telling, plotting and planning is still strong. There is some humor in the narrative and amusement is provided by many of the characters.

Agatha Christie tries her hand at the girls' school setting here. Older reader will suspect that she was well-acquainted with similar settings chosen by A A Milne and Dorothy Sayers, and that she had been brought up on the once popular school girl annuals. Of course there needs to be a raison d'être behind the series of murders that occurs at the school and this is well narrated also.

I have mentioned the narration several times. It is an element that helps explain this writer's phenomenal popularity. She gets the timing right. Other writers in this genre produce more elegant prose but somehow fail in this regard.

At this time in her career, Agatha Christie was experimenting with narrative methods. She attempted the "quick scene change" method here, and brings it off with skill and flair. She also, at this time in her career, frequently milked the situation where something was briefly glimpsed in a mirror, or a familiar face briefly glimpsed at a great distance. Watch out for these occurrences as you turn the pages to reach Hercule Poirot's final revelation of just who is the cat among the pigeons.

Stupendous, 07 Dec 2002
This was the first Agatha Chrisie story that I ever read, and although I have now read, listened and watched my way through almost the entire back catalogue, I have yet to find any that is quite as good as this one.

'Cat Among the Pigeons' strikes the right balance between Christie's two main pre-occupations: international intrigue and simple human nature. It is the convergence of two worlds, that of the exclusive, sedate English girls' school and revolution and espionnage in the Middle East.

As well as being a superb whodunnit, this book is also a heart-warming tale of human interaction. Characters are sensitively drawn and the plot, whist not exactly realistic, is not so removed from the realms of possibility as some others. And it is remarkable fast paced. You will not rest until the solution has been revealed.

The advantage of these unabridged HarperCollins audio productions is that you can listen to them on mass. They are perfect for a family evening in. Hugh Fraser is the ideal narrator, with a plethora of different voices to draw upon which competantly bring the tale to life.

In short, you will not regret buying this. It is possibly the best thing Agatha Christie, Queen of Crime, ever wrote.

BUY IT AND READ IT!!!, 23 Oct 2000
This book,I thought,was absoulutely brilliant. I would recommend it to any Agatha Christie fan who hasn't yet read it. As ever Agatha Christie keeps you guessing right until the last few pages,so you can't put the book down until the murderer of the hated sports teacher has been found. The good use of words gives a very sinister feeling... IT'S SUPERB!!!

Bleak and beautiful, 22 Jan 2008
Agatha Christie is an English prodigy. She is able to transform some banal and particularly obnoxious situation into some kind of normal banality. And Miss Marple is the old spinster she uses most of the time to do this. Urban bleakness will go to Hercule Poirot, the continental and Belgian private eye, the very challenger of Sherlock Holmes. The bleakness of a village where everyone is locked up in set roles they have to play day after day and forever. Let some new character appear and everything is prone to tilt over without even showing what is really happening. Since one cannot get out of his or her role, he or she is going to correct the problem to his or her advantage and without anyone knowing about it. So let's have a smoke screen to cover up in advance what is really happening. Then let's do some surgical operation to get rid of what has to be gotten rid of. And then let's do it and pray for salvation (not to be found out for the criminal, and for that criminal to be sent to the gallows for the reader). Of course Agatha Christie shows how the truth can only be discovered by someone from outside because anyone from inside, including the police, will be blind to small details and will be trapped into blindness by the smoke screen. But the truth can only come from someone who knows exactly what it is to live in a small village. The two people from London cannot discover the truth though they are the only ones to see the real facts. It takes Miss Marple to put the real facts in perspective and then to do the slightly illegal act that will get the wolf out of the wood, using an innocent girl as bait. Miss Marple has a sorry side to her personality: and she is not even sorry about it: "we are not put into this world, Mr Burton, to avoid danger when an innocent fellow-creature's life is at stake". And she forgets that the bait is put in danger by her because the double murderer is quite satisfied by now even if a third person could be sent to the gallows for his crime. And strangely enough she forgets the two young sons of the murderer in the final settlement of the novel. And Agatha Christie adds one charming touch on top of that: she manages to get two marriages arranged in that small village, probably to make us forget that two people were killed there too. And that's the discreet charm of Agatha Christie that is inimitable and will remain so forever I guess.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines


This is a great book, 13 Oct 2007
I really enjoyed this novel, it was a great read. I was certain I had figured out who the murderer was and I hoped I had gotten it wrong because quite often I am able to guess the murderer in Agatha Christie's books, but however this time I was wrong and the true identity was a nice surprise.

Jerry and his sister Joanna move to the countryside for Jerry's health after a serious injury he received during the war. However it seems that this was the wrong place to move to to get a bit of relaxation because when they arrive they discover that a lot of people have been receiving anonymous letters. Soon Mrs Symmington receives an anonymous letter and apparently kills herself as a result. Soon a proper murder occurs and the police find themself in a complicated murder inquiry. It seems the right idea for one of the villagers to call in some help, and Ms Marple comes along. One problem with this book was that Ms Marple only came in in the last few chapters and she is hardly in the chapters that she is in, excluding the chapter where she cleverly reveals all.

This is a highly enjoyable on and I highly reccomend it. One other thing that I might add is that if you like a bit of romance in her books ( agatha christie doesn't usually bother with this in her books ) this book has got some.

Bullseye!, 07 Feb 2006
Agatha Christie's Miss Marple has been tremendously well served by Joan Hickson, first on television and now on CD. This unabridged version of my favourite Marple is excellent; JH makes the most of the various characters and the nuances of the plot. Although 'The Moving Finger', like 'Murder at the Vicarage', has a first person narrator (here the injured pilot Jerry), JH takes this in her stride and really conjures up the atmosphere of the village in the grip of the deadly poison pen. Can Miss Marple intervene to prevent more deaths? Is the Pope a Catholic?

The Moving Finger, 30 Jan 2006
“The Moving Finger” is one of my favourite Agatha Christie books because not only is it a classic whodunit of classic Christie proportions but it’s also an extremely sweet love story with some brilliant characters.

Poor Jerry Burton is a Royal Air Force pilot who has been shot down in action in the Second World War. Ordered to convalesce by his doctor in a quiet countryside backwater he and his sister, Joanna, decide to rent a small cottage in the rural tranquillity of the small village of Lymstock. They soon settle down to the gentle ways of the small village and get to know the local characters; prim and proper Miss Emily Barton (from whom they have rented the cottage) Dr Griffith, shy and devoted to his patients and who seems to have taken a shine to Joanna. Then there’s Dr Griffith’s sister the redoubtable Aimee, hale and hearty and forever trying to organise everyone else. Finally there’s the Symmington family consisting of Richard Symmington the local solicitor, his wife their two sons and their very attractive and young governess Elsie Holland. Mrs Symmington also has a daughter from her first marriage the awkward but somehow charming Megan

All seems to be going well until the Burtons receive a poisonous letter and it would seem that several other of the villagers have also received one or more of these malicious letters. Unfortunately one is sent to Mrs Symmington and it would seem that the contents disturb her so much that shortly after receiving the letter she takes her own life. When shortly after this tragic event the Symmington’s maid is murdered the police are called in and they begin work to find out who is behind the letters.

The local vicar’s wife, Mrs Dane Calthrop also decides to take action and call in an old friend of hers, a petite and frail looking little old lady call Miss Jane Marple.

As I say, not only is the book a classic Christie murder mystery will all the usual ingredients of jealous loves, legacies and social classes but it also has a double love story concerning both Jerry and Joanna Burton. Although the love story seems unlikely and old fashioned when reading it today it still comes over as extremely charming.

Although Miss Marple does appear in the book, she doesn’t pop up until the last couple of chapters so any big fans of hers might be slightly disappointed, but considering the rest of excellent value of the book they have no reason to be so.

Moving Finger, 26 Jul 2005
This book is a departure from her usual in that its not Miss Marple who features as the main lead, but Jerry as main figure is likeable as is his sister with the dual love interests keeping your attention as well as the "crime" a definate step up from the tommy and tuppence paring which in my opinon lacked theses charaters warmth and interest.

A must for Miss Marpleýs fans, 05 Apr 2005
Miss Marple is my favourite of all of the recurrent Agatha Christie's characters and this collection of nine short stories didn't disappoint me in the least. Of the nine, two do not include the famous sleuth but are rather of a supernatural nature (calling them ghost stories would be a bit too much) and one of the Miss Marple's stories is taken from another book. All nine are very good, some of them among Christie's best plots. I loved the book and I strongly recommend it.

Open your ears to a private eye., 24 Dec 2004
When our eyes are otherwise occupied, or even closed, and we have a liking for a good thriller or murder mystery, there is nothing better than listening to one or other of the Paul Temple cases reissued from the BBC archives. At least four components account for this. They were written by Francis Durbridge, they were produced by Martyn C Webster, the theme music was "Coronation Scot" by Vivian Ellis, and the part of Steve, Paul Temple's wife, was played for more than twenty years by Marjorie Westbury. Durbridge kept to a reliable formula: a mystery somehow comes to the notice of journalist/writer Paul Temple, and solving it will bring numerous visitors to his Mayfair flat, including Scotland Yard personnel, and involve Paul and his wife Steve in numerous lucky escapes from drowning, bombs, decapitation, kidnapping, poisoning, car crashes and being shot. Sounds absurd? Well, the theme music will somehow carry you willingly and innocently into this elegant but dangerous world and the high production values established by producer Martyn C Webster will stamp it with quality. Much of the magic derives from the work of Marjorie Westbury. This diminutive lady, already in her 60s when "The Geneva" Case" was first broadcast, convinces you that Steve is a vivacious young woman of about half that age. Her every word, and every inflexion will enable you to "see" the scene, "touch" her feelings, and believe in it all.

The case Paul Temple investigates in "The Geneva Mystery" is the apparent death in Geneva of the brother-in-law of a wealthy financier, Maurice Lonsdale. Mr Lonsdale's sister, presumably a widow, becomes increasingly certain that her husband is still alive. The Temples travel to Switzerland, encountering further drama and mystery when crossing the Channel, in a wagon-lit express, and when having a sleigh ride.

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