When the Marple anthology was announced, I was really excited. A collection of short stories featuring Agatha Christie’s famous detective by popular (read bestselling) international authors seemed like a real treat. The collection boasted of names such as Ruth Ware, Val McDermid, Kate Mosse and Jean Kwok (loved Girl in Translation) among others. So naturally I was hooked. Without much ado, I gifted the book to myself on my birthday last year.
Midway through the book, however, I realized that it was NOT quite the treat it had promised to be. While a few of the stories were okay, there were some that were bizarre. It transported Miss Marple into situations that were not only unbelievable but completely out of context with her character and values. The stories also seemed hurriedly put together and did not have pack the same punch as an Agatha Christie story would have. I can’t imagine Miss Marple turning a blind eye to a criminal act and covering up for a friend. I guess I'm a Christie purist.
It was then that I realized that it is not difficult to replicate an author’s style or give her characters a new lease of life. What is difficult, however, is to see the world through her eyes, acquire her keen insight into human nature. That is where the Marple anthology fell flat.
If you are planning to read it, make sure you are well acquainted with all the Miss Marple novels first. Read this in the context of her other work.
