The Sittaford Mystery (Miss Marple Mysteries)

by Agatha Christie

In a remote house in the middle of Dartmoor, six shadowy figures huddle around a small table for a seance. Tension rises as the spirits spell out a chilling message: `Captain Trevelyan ...dead ...murder'. Is this black magic or simply a macabre joke? The only way to be certain is to locate Captain Trevelyan. Unfortunately, his home is six miles away and, with snow drifts blocking the roads, someone will have to journey on foot...

• ISBN10: 0312979819
• ISBN13: 9780312979812
• Publish Date: 19 November 2001 (first published March 1971)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 8 February 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Minotaur Books
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 288
• Language: English

Reviews

[Aidan Brack (Mysteries Ahoy)]

Unfortunately while the introduction to the crime is interesting, it turns out to be dressing for a much more pedestrian murder case.

Read my full review at Mysteries Ahoy!

[brokentune]

"Major Burnaby drew on his gum boots, buttoned his overcoat collar round his neck, took from a shelf near the door a hurricane lantern, and cautiously opened the front door of his little bungalow and peered out."

I love this opening paragraph. It sets the scene for one of my favourite cozy mysteries: A small village near Dartmoor - you know, the misty remote parts of Baskerville fame.
Some of the villagers have are gathering for tea and enjoy a game of table-turning, adding a supernatural edge to the already eerie setting.

As the party enjoys the movements of the ouija board, it spells out a name and the party is stunned:

"Supposing something had happened to Captain Trevelyan…
Supposing…"

Anyway, not to take too much away from the ensuing story, there is a murder and a subsequent investigation, and a number of potential culprits. After all, this is Christie mystery.

What makes The Sittaford Mystery stand out for me is that there is lightheartedness and humor in this story which is lacking in some of her other books, and there is a female lead who cracks the confines of her role:

So, one hand she proclaims that:

"One can’t do anything without a man. Men know so much, and are able to get information in so many ways that are simply impossible to women."

And on the other, only a few pages later she takes charge of the investigation:

"‘Well,’ said Emily rising to her feet. ‘It’s about time we went back to the Three Crowns, and I will pack my suitcase and do a short weeping act on Mrs Belling’s shoulder.’

‘Don’t you worry,’ said Mr Enderby rather fatuously. ‘You leave everything to me.’

‘That’s just what I mean to do,’ said Emily with a complete lack of truth. ‘It’s so wonderful to have someone you can really rely on.’ Emily Trefusis was really a very accomplished young woman."

A brilliant read for admirers of the cozy mystery and the classic Christie who-dunnit. I still have to re-read some of the stories that pre-date The Sittaford Mystery (1931) but at the time of writing this one, Christie had already found her forte of setting the story in a confined space and letting psychology drive the story.

Review first posted on BookLikes: http://brokentune.booklikes.com/post/774243/the-sittaford-mystery