Saturday, August 27, 2011

Miss Marple's Lost Mystery

John Curran, longtime literary adviser to Agatha Christie's estate, has discovered a previously unseen story in Agatha Christie's notebooks. It is entitled "The Case of the Caretaker's Wife", and it has been published online. It seems that a version of this story appeared in the short story collection, "Miss Marple's Final Cases and Two Other Stories." The name of that story was simply "The Case of the Caretaker." But the plot of "The Case of the Caretaker's Wife" is also similar to the one in "Endless Night", a full length novel by Agatha Christie. The exciting thing for me is that this particular story has been lost for fifty years and is just now being seen for the first time.

Click here to read it at Daily Mail.

As a lifelong Agatha Christie fan, this is big news for me. I know some of my followers, Clarissa Draper in particular, are also fans of Christie.

The story is flawed in some ways. The POV is not well controlled. It was fairly obvious where the story was going, yet, when it got there, it felt contrived and far fetched. It was easy for me to overlook these issues. After all, it's Agatha Christie. And this is obviously something she wrote and then put aside -- most likely weaving it into two other stories that were more fully worked out. I doubt she ever intended for anyone to read this. It's as much of an inside look into her writing process as it is anything else. But with that said, I thoroughly enjoyed this lost story from the Queen of Cozy -- despite its flaws.

The story in the Daily Mail is extracted from John Curran's upcoming book: "Agatha Christie’s Murder In The Making" which will be published by HarperCollins on September 1, for £20. However, Amazon lists it as being available on November 22, 2011. It can be preordered.

What author would you like to discover an unseen manuscript for? By the way, I had planned to post this on Monday, but I'm so excited about the Agatha Christie news that I couldn't wait. So, technically, this is Monday's post. Barring any emergencies, my next post will be Wednesday the 31st. Thanks.

And now for something completely different. 

I know it's scary but try to watch the whole thing.
And is that Gene Hackman at the table?

16 comments:

Luanne G. Smith said...

I hate to admit this, but I've never read anything by Agatha Christie. I know, how lame. Even my son has read Murder on the Orient Express. I'm going to have to pick one up soon. I've read that she is the highest selling author of all time, selling somewhere in the billions of books.

Ha! Glad I watched to the end of the video. Funny.

Doralynn Kennedy said...

Hi L.G., a lot of people haven't read her, but like you said, she's the highest selling author of all time. When you pick her up, I recommend a Miss Marple... though I love Poirot... maybe Murder at the Vicarage. I love that one, but I also love Sleeping Murder -- which was Miss Marple's last case.

The video took me by surprise. Funny is right. Very clever.

DEZMOND said...

I've read at least ten of her books as a teen, but I do have a friend who has her fan site and adores her :) Agatha is extremely popular among readers in my country even today. I loved Poirot shows and films on TV in the past too. Especially with Peter Ustinov as Poirot :)

Doralynn Kennedy said...

Hi DEZMOND, I loved Peter Ustinov. I didn't think he was the best Poirot, but I loved him in Murder on the Nile. I watch those old Poirot shows whenever they're on. I'm glad Agatha Christie is still popular in your country. I think she will always have fans. I've watched several Miss Marple movies this weekend. Christie didn't like her, but I love the old Margaret Rutherford movies.

MorningAJ said...

I remember being devastated when Ellis Peters died. I wish the Cadfael series had gone on forever.

Doralynn Kennedy said...

MorningAJ, I've got to check the Cadfael series out. It sounds like something I'd love. Thanks for mentioning it.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the link! I've read all of AC's novels and shorts but I don't think I read the 'wife' one. Thanks.

Doralynn Kennedy said...

Hi Clarissa, my pleasure. The 'wife' one is new. It's been lost for 50 years... so cool that it's been found and is now available.

Laila Knight said...

I do love mysteries. I really should get more into reading them. An Agatha Christie find. How exiting!

Doralynn Kennedy said...

Thanks Laila. I was really excited by the news. If you decide to try out a Christie, try Murder at the Vicarage or Sleeping Murder... two of my favorites.

msmariah said...

Agatha Christie was just so brilliant. I used to really enjoy the Miss Marple mysteries on PBS.

I would like to discover a lost manuscript by one of the classic authors. Something from another time.

Doralynn Kennedy said...

Hi MsMariah, she was brilliant. I always look for those Miss Marple mysteries on PBS. I like Inspector Lewis and Inspector Lynley too. PBS has some other good programs too.

It would be so cool to find some lost manuscript for Jane Austen or Charlotte Bronte or Arthur Conan Doyle.

Anonymous said...

Now that was pretty darn funny. Thanks for the clip. I'm still laughing.

Doralynn Kennedy said...

Glad you enjoyed that Stephen. I thought it was pretty darn funny too! I think I'll go watch it again.

Unknown said...

I never read her...but I did watch the TV shows.

The clips is brill!

Onwards
Michelle

Doralynn Kennedy said...

The TV shows are great... but the books are better.

Glad you enjoyed the clip!