Agatha Christie, Sleeping Murder (1976)

This cosy mystery begins when young, newly married Gwenda Reed from New Zealand is house hunting in Britain. Before long she has bought the perfect village idyl and is busy decorating and gardening. But why does she feel she knows the house far too well? Gwenda grows scared and insecure but does not understand anything until she meets Miss Marple after a frightening theatre experience. A line from The Duchess of Malfi makes her remember a childhood experience which has been forgotten for eighteen years.

“´And then it happened – like a bolt from the blue – when he said those words - ´ She repeated them in a low, quivering voice: ´Cover her face – mine eyes dazzle – she died young.´

´Again I stood there on the stairs looking through the banister down the hall, and I saw her lying there. With her arms extended – dead.´”

Miss Marple explains to her that she must have stayed in the house as a child and fears that the murder which begins to resurface in Gwenda´s memory has really taken place. The young couple are ready to embark on a murder hunt, but is it such a good idea to try to solve a case where the murderer has felt safe for many years? Miss Marple makes up her mind to stay close just in case …

This may be Miss Marple´s last case, but the appealing old woman is in great shape. This is cozy crime with a good plot, interesting characters and a characteristic, British village environment. So there were many good reasons to pick this one up in the library – perhaps also because I feel indebted to Agatha Christie for the first part of my little story “The Visitor.”

Agatha Christie, Hun døde ung. Miss Marples sidste sag (1976)
Denne hyggelige og stemningsfulde krimi begynder med at unge, nygifte Gwenda Reed er på jagt efter det perfekte hus. Inden længe har hun købt den helt rigtige landsby-idyl og er i fuld gang med at indrette hus og have. Men hvordan kan det være, hun hele tiden føler, hun kender det hele lidt for godt? Gwenda bliver bange og usikker, men forstår ingenting, før hun møder Miss Marple efter en uhyggelig teateroplevelse. En replik fra Hertuginden af Malfi får hende til at huske en barndomsoplevelse, som har været gemt godt væk i atten år.

”´Og så kom det – som et lyn fra en klar himmel – da han sagde de ord -´ Hun gentog dem med sagte, dirrende stemme: ´Tildæk hendes ansigt – mine øjne blændes – hun døde ung.´

´Jeg stod igen dér på trappen og så gennem gelænderet ned i hall´en, og jeg så hende ligge dér. Med udbredte arme – død.´”

Miss Marple forklarer hende, at hun må have opholdt sig i huset som barn, og frygter at det mord, der så småt begynder at dukke op i Gwendas hukommelse, virkelig har fundet sted. Det unge par er straks klar til at kaste sig ud i en forbryderjagt, men er det nu så klogt at give sig til at opklare en sag, når morderen i mange år har følt sig sikker? Miss Marple beslutter sig i hvert fald for at holde sig lige i nærheden for en sikkerheds skyld.

Denne bog er måske nok Miss Marples sidste sag, men den hyggelige, gamle dame er absolut i topform. Dette er hyggekrimi med et godt plot, levende personer og et karakteristisk, britisk landsbymiljø. Derfor røg den med i tasken under mit seneste biblioteksbesøg – og måske også fordi jeg vedkender mig, at bogen inspirerede mig til første del af min egen historie: ”Gæsten.”