Customer Reviews: Read 47 more reviews...
 Miss Marple Solves the Case July 8, 2008
I have been an Agatha Christie fan for years. Ms. Christie's writing style & novels are fantastic as she is truly a master of the mystery genre.
"The Body in the Library" is a wonderful example of Ms. Christie's writing technique. The characters, the plot, and dialogue are all wonderfully developed in "The Body in the Library". And as with most Agatha Christie novels, I am always left guessing who the true killer is until it is revealed at the very end of the novel.
 A Noticeable Dip in Quality June 7, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Miss Marple's second outing seems a trifle tired. The writing appears forced at times, even repetitious, and there is too much foreshadowing. The ending is a long time in coming and stretches credulity. Not a bad book but certainly not in the same league with Agatha Christie's best works.
 I used to like Miss Marple May 6, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
But I found her irritating in this book. Overall I'd summarize it as a rather interesting, if dry, story. I was interested in the basic storyline, but the characters were utterly flat and did very little to peak my interest. I seemed to recall I used to like Agatha Christie, but that was a long time ago, back when I was...younger. I would say her story are okay for a quick, light read, but if you really want depth and good character development, steer clear.
Also, Miss Marple doesn't hold a candle to Poirot!
 WILL SOMEONE LET THE WOMAN SPEAK? April 25, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
What "improvements" have been made for the Black Dog & Leventhal edition? There are already major differences in punctuation, word choices, and scene breaks between the original Collins and Dodd Mead editions of this novel. There are further differences between the Dodd Mead editions republished by Random House/Avenel and the Dodd Mead editions republished by Simon & Shuster/Pocket. There are further additions still in the Signet, Bantam, and Berkley editions. For every publishing house putting out her works, there seem to be a new batch of editors altering Agatha Christie's words and the sound of her voice. What's the matter with these publishers? Whose voice do they think we want to hear when we sit down to a novel by Agatha Christie? And what will she sound like twenty years from now? It's frightening that her estate has failed to see the importance of guarding her words as she wrote them. Please tell me I'm not the only one here who senses that a crime has been committed.
Miss Jane Marple at her Best October 24, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Many Agatha Christie fans love Hercule Poirot and detest Miss Jane Marple. I love them both, and after many re-readings of the Christie canon, I think overall I prefer Miss Marple. "The Body in the Library" is one of the books that nudges me toward the Miss Marple camp.
The plot is one of Christie's best. Characters are above average. The pacing is excellent. The humor sparkles. This is definitely a "fair play" detective story. I don't want to spoil the plot by giving out any clues, but Miss Marple herself states that you shouldn't believe what people say. Even with Miss Marple's warning I let Miss Christie lead me down the garden path.
Agatha Christie is the best, and "The Body in the Library" is one of her best. Read and enjoy.
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