Saturday, July 31, 2021

A Pocket Full of Rye - Classic Mystery Review

 Goodreads:  A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie

Rating: Really Liked It!
Source: Purchased

Description:  A handful of grain is found in the pocket of a murdered businessman!

Let us explain: Rex Fortescue, king of a financial empire, was sipping tea in his 'counting house' office when he suffered an agonising and sudden death. On later inspection, the pockets of the deceased were found to contain rye grain. What is that all about? It was another incident, this time in the parlour at his home, which confirmed Jane Marple's suspicion that here she was looking at a case of crime by rhyme!

Genre: Mystery - Classic

Why I Picked This Book:  I'm reading all the Miss Marple books and this was the next one on the last.

My Impression:  The one lesson from this book is that I never ever want Miss Marple mad at me.  She has been called an unlikely avenging fury a couple of times (one of which occurs in this book) and here I have no doubt - especially at the end.  

The first body drops pretty early in the book though the investigation doesn't really take off until Miss Marple gets there which is about halfway through.  That's not to say the book is slow prior to that.  There's a lot going on and the primary investigator - Inspector Neel is no fool and I enjoyed seeing his observations as well as getting to know the Fortescue family.  As Inspector Neel observes "they are not pleasant people".  

The mystery is an interesting one and one where not everything is as it seems.  Miss Marple is in fine form from her first appearance to the very end.  This is a strong entertaining mystery and a good one for new Christie fans as well as for long time fans.    

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Of course!  I've already got my next Miss Marple book ready to go!

Would I Recommend this Book?  Definitely!  I think most mystery readers would really enjoy this one.

6 comments:

  1. I just finished a book about Agatha Christie's 11 day disappearance, so of course now I'm obsessed with her. I'm gonna have to get this one. Simple as that.

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  2. You are getting through your Christie books! I would not want her mad at me either.

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  3. I love that Miss Marple was "angry". Sounds like she had cause if the family were unpleasant! I may never get to read her but I do enjoy your thoughts about the books.

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  4. I like Christie, often go back and read again. I've done this over and over again.

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  5. This sounds really good. I have to get back to reading Christie books it's been a long time.

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