A Caribbean Mystery

Title: A Caribbean Mystery

Author: Agatha Christie

Published in: 1964

Date read: Not yet read

Score: /5

Genre:

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"A Caribbean Mystery," published in 1964, is a classic mystery novel by Agatha Christie that features her beloved elderly sleuth, Miss Jane Marple. The story is a departure from her usual English village setting, placing her in a seemingly idyllic, yet surprisingly dangerous, tropical paradise.

The story begins with a weary Miss Marple, suffering from a bout of ill health, being sent on a relaxing Caribbean vacation to the Golden Palm Hotel on the island of St. Honoré by her nephew, Raymond West. Surrounded by the vibrant beauty of the island, she initially enjoys the change of scenery, but her sharp mind remains alert.

Her natural curiosity is piqued by the other guests at the hotel, a diverse and eccentric group of characters. One in particular, an elderly and talkative Major Palgrave, is a font of stories. During a conversation, he begins to tell Miss Marple a story about a murderer he once knew, and as he points out who the killer is in a photograph, he suddenly stops and becomes flustered, changing the subject.

The very next morning, Major Palgrave is found dead in his bed from what is initially diagnosed as a heart attack. However, Miss Marple's suspicions are immediately aroused. She believes that the Major was not just a bore but was on the verge of exposing a killer, and that he was silenced. Her first clue is a seemingly insignificant detail: a new bottle of medicine for a supposed heart condition that he was known not to have.

With the help of Mr. Rafiel, a wealthy and cynical invalid also staying at the hotel, Miss Marple begins her own quiet investigation. She notices the subtle shifts in behaviour of the hotel's guests, listens to conversations others would dismiss as trivial, and pieces together the hidden lives and secret motives of everyone on the island. The suspects include a troubled war veteran, a seemingly happily married couple with a violent past, and a pair of birdwatchers.

As Miss Marple digs deeper, a second murder occurs, confirming her fears and revealing the ruthless nature of the killer. She must use her vast knowledge of human nature and her "little grey cells" to solve the mystery and expose the murderer before they can strike again.

The novel is a clever and atmospheric mystery that explores themes of appearance versus reality and the dark secrets that can lurk beneath a beautiful surface. The climax sees Miss Marple, with her trademark quiet cunning, gather the suspects and lay out the irrefutable evidence, bringing a surprising and satisfying conclusion to the tropical terror.

Comments:

Books that we've read by Agatha Christie (8):
The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot, #1) (1920), The Secret Adversary (Tommy and Tuppence Mysteries, #1) (1922), The Murder on the Links (Hercule Poirot #2) (1923), The Man in the Brown Suit (Colonel Race, #1) (1924), The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Hercule Poirot, #4) (1926), The Murder at the Vicarage (Miss Marple #1) (1930), The Thirteen Problems (Miss Marple, #1) (1932), And Then There Were None (1939)