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Net als al haar dorpsgenoten vindt miss Marple het reuze spannend als er een filmster in het dorp komt wonen. Iedereen verheugt zich erop de beroemde Marina Gregg te ontmoeten. Maar dan wordt een van Marina's vurigste bewonderaarsters vergiftigd. En omdat de politie ervan uitgaat dat het vergif voor Marina zelf bedoeld was (en dat de moordenaar het niet bij een poging zal laten) wordt er niemand bij haar toegelaten. Behalve miss Marple.

Bespreking

Excellent example of a good detective story

Having more than enough of the patronizing attentions of her live-in companion, Miss Knight, Jane Marple decides to go out for a stroll. While exploring the newest intrusion of suburban expansion called "The Development," the old spinster slips on some loose stones and takes a tumble. Heather Badcock, one of the new residents, helps Miss Marple and invites in her for a nice cup of tea to recover from the shock. There she learns that Mrs. Badcock is a big fan of film diva Marina Gregg and that therefore overjoyed to be invited to Gossington Hall in St. Mary Mead, the new residence of her idol. Big is Jane's surprise when she learns a few days later that Heather got killed during a benefit for a local hospital at Gossington Hall.

The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side was written in 1962 and is a great example of the ingenuity of Agatha Christie. Without the burden of numerous side stories, Agatha succeeds is drawing the setting of a murder mystery that not only quite convincing, but also extremely fair. For the experienced detective reader it is possible to catch the killer before a third of the story is told, there is even a very clear hint on the first few pages. It is just the challenge to not let Agatha change your mind before Mrs. Marple explains what at the end is so terribly obvious.

Trivia: the motive of the murder is based upon a tragic accident in the life of actress Gene Tierney (I cannot explain further, because that would ruin the story).

This story is clearly one of the reasons why Agatha Christie is still rightfully known as the Queen of Crime.