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Sunday, September 15, 2013

4:50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie

Title: 4:50 From Paddington
Author: Agatha Christie
Number of pages read: 90/217

The current setting of my novel is 1950s England just before Christmas. Miss Marple has enlisted the help of young Lucy Eyelsbarrow to investigate the portion of the railroad which Miss Marple suspects is where they will find the body of the murder victim. Lucy sets up post as a maid in Rutherford Hall on the outskirts of Brackhampton, the town closest to the railroad. Rutherford Hall is a vast mansion described as "a miniature Windsor castle". The house is guarded by large iron gates and a gravel sweep path covered in weeds and lined with rhododendrons leads to the stone steps in front of the front door. It is the midst of winter and it is very chilly. There has been no mention of snow; only frost.

So far the novel is quite interesting. I was a bit surprised when I found out Miss Marple, the main character and famous fictional detective, was an old lady but I guess that's what makes Agatha Christie's work so unique. The focus on a main character has shifted three times thus far. It started out as Mrs McGillicuddy but she has now faded far into the background, then it was Miss Marple who I assume will still play a key role in the story but recently a new character, Lucy Eyelsbarrow, was introduced and now seems to be the centre of attention. It's not exactly multi-perspective like Jodi Picoult's books because the novel is still narrated in 3rd person but similar to that.

1 comment:

  1. That book seems interesting, and I might read it sometime. (-:

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