Motive v. Opportunity - Agatha Christie

-

AUTHOR: Agatha Christie

SERIES: Miss Marple, Short Story #5
GENRE: Cozy Mystery.
RATING: 3.5 stars.

A good story that is easy to deduce but fun to read.

Petherick’s turn this time to narrate the mystery. (I laughed at how Miss Marple warns him very clearly right at the start not to narrate anything with legal wrangles!😄) The story involves a man who is possibly being cheated by a spiritualist. Unlike what you would assume, the mystery isn’t about revealing the true nature of this medium but about understanding why his will was blank.

I liked the title and how well it suited the mystery. Even the backstory that leads to the events is interesting. The mystery itself was quite guessable, even though Christie tries her best to put across red herrings within the limited page-space she has. I still liked it enough, not just because my guess was right but also because it springs sensibly from the story. I just wish the writing would have presented a greater challenge – there are so many clues scattered throughout that the deduction is facile.

This story is part of the Miss Marple short story collection, The Thirteen Problems.

Comments

Post a Comment

Explore more posts from this blog:

A Million Ways: Stories of Motherhood - Various - ★★★.¾

-
Image
AUTHORS: Various GENRE: Anthology RATING: 3.85 stars. In a Nutshell: Loved this anthology of stories pertaining to mothers and motherhood. You don’t need to be a mother to love it. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one." - Jill Churchill The above quote sets off this anthology of twelve stories, all of which are about mothers. You might assume that such a theme would get repetitive too soon. Yes, there were certain themes in common, primarily connected to love (or the lack thereof.) Regardless, each story still feels distinct from each other in terms of content and hence the book doesn’t get boring. A good short story for me is one that keeps me invested from start to end regardless of its length. And this is what happened to me for most of the stories in this collection. The tales aren’t limited to stories about pregnancy or new motherhood. Rather, we get to see single mothers and stepmothers, dedicated mothers and disgruntled mothers...
Read More»

Good Omens - Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman - ★★★★.½

-
Image
AUTHORS: Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman GENRE: Comic Dark Fantasy, Satire. RATING: 4.5 stars. In a Nutshell: Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett – such a writing pair-up ought to deliver, right? Brilliant, humorous, original, thought-provoking, and memorable.  Story Synopsis: As per a prophecy written by Agnes Nutter, a 17th century witch, the world is due to end next Saturday. Two people, or rather, two beings – one ethereal and one occult – aren’t happy about this. Aziraphale the angel and Crowley the demon have lived in Earth since ages, and have grown fond of it and its quirky denizens, despite their flaws. They are ready to go against their superiors and stop the upcoming Armageddon. However, with the Antichrist, the Them and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse already stirring things up, and the planet’s last two witch-finders getting ready for a fight, the going is quite complicated. Add to this some weird planetary shifts and zoological incidents, and you will begin to wo...
Read More»

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring - Patrick Horvath - ★★★★

-
Image
AUTHOR: Patrick Horvath SERIES: Beneath the Trees Compilation #2 GENRE: Horror Graphic Novel PUBLICATION DATE: July 21, 2026 RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: A sequel to the acclaimed horror graphic comic series. Excellent plot and character development, though both might be difficult to gauge for readers who pick up this book without reading the earlier one. Even darker than the first, but thankfully, not more gory. A great continuation, but not for those looking for justifications or closure. Has potential for a sequel. Must be read in series order. Recommended! Plot Preview: Many years after the horrifying events that plagued the small town of Woodbrook, Samantha Strong, now popular as the local hero who saved the townsfolk from a serial killer, still runs her shop. In the nearby city, Monica Brewer has spent the same period looking for information about her missing brother who vanished eight years ago without a trace. When she receives an anonymous tip with his possible location, sh...
Read More»

The Language of Love and Other Stories - Nancy Christie - ★★★★

-
Image
  AUTHOR:  Nancy Christie GENRE: Short Story Collection PUBLICATION DATE: February 4, 2025 RATING: 3.9 stars. In a Nutshell: A delightful short story collection focussing on all aspects of love. Yes, “love”, not “romance”! Interesting plots, multiple emotions, steady paced, beautiful endings ranging from sweet to bittersweet. Not corny or mushy as you might assume. Much recommended! I had misjudged this short story collection on initial glance, dismissing it as being cheesy romance tales. ( Very hasty and judgemental of me, I admit. No offence intended to readers of the genre. It is just that I no longer enjoy such stories .) As the cover gave me romance vibes, I almost decided that this is not for me. But then, the title made me pause, bringing to my mind the fabulous "The Five Love Languages of Children" by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell – probably the only self-help/inspirational book I've read that I found authentic and practical. I wondered if the "language...
Read More»

Anatomy of an Alibi - Ashley Elston - ★★★.½

-
Image
AUTHOR: Ashley Elston GENRE: Mystery-Thriller PUBLICATION DATE: January 13, 2026 RATING: 3.5 stars In a Nutshell: A mystery-thriller built around what comprises an alibi. Fast-paced but convoluted plot, plenty of twists, somewhat flat characters. Gripping enough for the most part but the final resolution is a disappointment. Recommended to thriller fans. Plot Preview: Camille Bayliss lives a charmed life at least on the surface. But she is desperate to find proof that will help her become free of her marriage to Ben. She believes she has made the perfect plan when she ropes in Aubrey Price to dress up as Camille and roam around town for twelve hours while Camille focusses on her agenda of finding the truth about Ben. Except that Ben turns up murdered the next morning. Both Camille and Aubrey need a good alibi, but only one of them has it. The story comes to us mostly in the first-person perspectives of Aubrey, Camille, and Hank – Ben’s business partner at his law firm. I had enjoyed th...
Read More»