Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Bertram's is the best! October 26, 2002
I am 11 and I loved this book! I read it in 1 day and I am the slowest reader in the world! The end is a complete suprise and it kept me guessing the entire way through. Miss Marple does and excellent job on finding outthe murder! This is a perfect book!!!
Marple tackles hard crime June 6, 2002
First, let me correct a misaprehension. This is NOT the first Miss Marple book. I don't understand where that notion came from, but it isn't right. The first Miss Marple book written by Ms Christie was "Murder at The Vicarage", and the second was "The Body in the Library". I believe this one was nearer the end, not the beginning, or Marple's sleuthing career. This is certainly one of my faourite Marple books (second only to "A Caribbean Mystery") The plot is great, a somewhat change of style for what Christie would normally pit Marple's wits against, yet it is refreshing and works well. The climax is brilliant. The plot is complex, involving, intriguing, exciting, and the solution believeable, and also a slight surprise. Strong characterisation, and an excellent and somewhat refreshing plot, make this one of the best Miss Marple books, and also one of Christie's best novels. (altough there are so many under that category, calling a book "one of her best" has become slightly ambiguous)
 Miss Marple Ages December 9, 2000
In a nod to the lifestyle in her earlier books, Miss Marple takes at a vacation at a hotel that perfectly reproduces pre-war life. Too good to be true? The aging detective's still sharp eyes help the police to sort this complex mystery. Perhaps not the strongest Miss Marple, but with many of the elements that made her a great character.
 Ok, but not one of my Marple favorites. December 6, 2000
Miss Marple goes on vacation to stay at Bertram's Hotel. If you were thinking she was going to have some kind of adventure like she did in _A Caribbean Mystery_ or _Nemesis_ while she was on vacation, think again. If you enjoy Miss Marple because she comes up with these wacky village parallels, you are going to be disappointed. There aren't many here. A large part of the detecting is done my Chief Inspector Davy. Miss Marple is merely a side character in this one -- she really isn't super involved except when Davy talks to her during his investigations. She is more a "witness" than a sleuth. Granted, by this point she is rather old, so at least Christie keeps her doing things within her capabilities! The description of the hotel are great, and the premise of the plot had some nice possibilities but I don't think this was as well mapped out as some of the other Agatha Christie mysteries. If you are a long time reader, you are going to guess whodunit fairly quickly. Overall, it's ok, but not one of the best. The Miss Marple short stories (ex: Thirteen Problems) are better.
Applause! June 21, 2000
At Bertram's Hotel is a most delightful mystery. It sucks you in, and won't let you go (as all Agatha Christie's books tend to do!). The plot, which is centered around Bertram's Hotel, is spooky, mysterious, and lavishly well written.
|
