Paddington 16.50

Es gibt eine Zeugin für den Mord, doch keine Leiche - wo kein Opfer, da kein Täter. So nimmt denn auch keiner die Aussage ernst, die eine nette ältere Dame über den Mord in einem vorbeifahrenden Zug macht - bis auf die unverwüstliche Miss Marple...

I love returning to Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple books for the nostalgia of the thirties - an era where my grandparents were only in their teens and early twenties. I also love that the stories take me back to watching the TV series as a child and wondering just what would await the clever Miss Jane Marple.At this point, I already know the stories inside out and I know ‘who-dunnit’ but it doesn’t matter - the stories still hold my attention and draw me in for a short period. The 4:50 to Paddington is no exception, I love the story and the complexities behind it which show easily why Agatha Christie is still revered today as the Queen of Mystery…Christie's writing style draws you into the events as they unfold. From the sight of a woman losing her life to the hands of a mysterious man from the viewpoint of a traveller on another train to the eccentric family where money comes before loyalty and love - we are there along for the journey. It’s one many of us now will have no personal knowledge of to fall back on, but for me, I can practically smell the fabric of the seats on the train and the smell of the smoke as the trains go fast on their journey thanks to trips with my Dad as a child. I’m captivated from the get-go and it never fades.Her characters are larger than life but also ones you could imagine encountering in that time period, from the nosy wait staff to doctors who actually do house calls, and more. I love each and every new (or now rather familiar) face you encounter as the mystery begins to unfurl. The web Christie wove to bring the story together is detailed and you can easily get drawn into thinking one person is the culprit because she cleverly leads the reader away from the truth. The 4:50 from Paddington has stood the test of time, from its first publication in the late 50s till now and I loved returning to it, and was so glad to have briefly forgotten the ending so it was all the more enjoyable.…. and for once, it wasn’t Miss Marple herself visiting somewhere that seemed to lure Death to come a-calling. She really was cursed with trouble.