The Sittaford mystery

Author: Agatha Christie 

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Original publication date: September 7, 1931

Book description: 

M-U-R-D-E-R. It began as an innocent parlor game intended to while away the hours on a bitter winter night.

But the message that appeared before the amateur occultists at the snowbound Sittaford House was spelled out as loud and clear as a scream. Of course, the notion that they had foretold doom was pure bunk. Wasn't it? And the discovery of a corpse was pure coincidence. Wasn't it? If they're to discover the answer to this baffling murder, perhaps they should play again. But a journey into the spirit world could prove terribly dangerous-especially when the killer is lurking in this one.

Thoughts:

It all starts off with a group of friends having a few laughs on a snowy afternoon. While they are playing a mystic game, they get the message from the spirits that a man has been murdered. but it is all laughs, right? When the man is indeed found murder, the big question is what happened? Is there a supernatural or just foul play?

As in most of her books, we start to see hints here and here. But there are several people in that room or not who had at least a benefit from the man's death. We discover how the man killed was not exactly kind and giving, but he had wronged a few people. The thing is who did it?

No Marple or Poirot in this one. Instead, Emily Trefusis is our plucky heroine. As per her standard with female heroines, she's a smart, attractive, sharp young female character.

Emily is determined to get her fiancée, James Pearson, out of jail. He's accused of murder - but Emily knows there's no way he could have done it. "Jim is a frightful idiot. But he doesn't murder people.”

It is a very entertaining story. There are clues to every possible suspect but not one more guilty than the rest until the big reveal. I still enjoy my time with this type of plot twists. 

It is a nice cozy type book. We have a few snips of comedy, family drama, a few mentions of romance and mystery. It hs a bit of everything. 

You can reread it and try to piece together the big reveal with the hindsight of the big reveal but still, it is built in a way that makes it hard to reach a 100% sure conclusion when everyone seems to have a motive!

I am catching up. 

AC pending book reviews 4/6

For now, that is all see you later.

Stay safe!