I've read some Agatha Christie in the past and watched Marple on TV but I've never read a Marple story by Agatha Christie. I choose this book based on some of my favourite authors writing stories for the anthology and I was not disappointed.

This series of short stories was the perfect way to make me want to read Miss Marple written by Agatha Christie. I loved that although the stories were written by different authors they portrayed Jane Marple exactly as I remember her.

An excellent choice for Agatha Christie fans and for those who are new to Christie's writing.

Absolutely loved this book. I wondered at first if was possible for anyone to live up to the wonderful legacy of Agatha Christie but I needn't have worried - the stories are excellent and make great bedtime reading! It's also interesting to see each writer's take on Miss Marple.

A super collection of Marple stories. Some definitely better than the others but overall hugely enjoyable and great to dip in / out of. Previously being more of a Poirot fan, I've found a new love of the Marple books,.

A fabulous selection of short stories. I admit I haven't read any of the Miss Marple books but feel this has given me the perfect taste. A fab mix of writers, some adding their own twist and others sticking to 'ones roots'.

I loved the premise of this collection of short stories and they did not disappoint. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

A collection of delightful short stories featuring the classic character of Miss Marple.

I am a huge fan of Jane Marple both in the written form and on screen dramas and was intrigued to read these contemporary spin on the classic sleuth.

And what a joy I mean nothing could live up to the original tales but these authors captured the essence of Jane and was lovely to read and spot the familiar characters along the way and experiance the character of Miss Marple written in the unique style of the authors.

A real treat.

A thoroughly enjoyable collection of pocket-sized Miss Marple mysteries by a wonderful group of authors. Each one has a different approach, the settings- from St Mary Mead to Italy to New England- are richly described, and Miss Marple is as spritely and quick-witted as ever.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A wonderful collection of short stories all with a similar under tone, yet so wonderfully different. All of these authors are fantastic in their own right and to read a collection of them was a fabulous treat. Many thanks to all of the authors and the publisher for the ARC to this widely anticipated and publicised compendium.

I was excited about reading this collection of short stories featuring Miss Marple, but…

Yes, all the stories suffer due to their brevity. It’s difficult to connect fully with any of the characters and/or plot when the whole thing is over and done with so quickly. However, with the calibre of the writers involved, I thought they would offer more than pedestrian fanfic.

If the point is to showcase the authors and make you want to purchase one of their other books, then it was a futile exercise. In fact, I will be steadfastly avoiding a couple of authors featured here in the future.

There were a couple of stories which worked for me: Lucy Foley’s Evil in Small Places featured some excellent descriptions and a well-thought out mystery which made sense and could actually be solved by the reader. It was, however, very very short. I also enjoyed Elly Griffiths Murder at the Villa Rosa. She made her mystery a little less traditional and made the most of the Italian setting. Ruth Ware’s Miss Marple’s Christmas included talk of Dorothy Sayers which gave her a bonus point. (Although, does this make her story fanfic within a fanfic? Mmm…)

Other than that, most of the stories were ho-hum and plodded along.

I’m not sure if I’d recommend anyone rush out and purchase this collection, to be honest. 3 out of 5

Each of the twelve stories felt true to Miss Marple: her eccentricity, her keen observation and her excellent ability to solve mysteries. But each had the author’s stamp on them too which made it a hugely refreshing collection.

I loved them all and will definitely be dipping in and out of this to re-read the short stories. Hugely inspiring and highly entertaining. So, so clever!

I am not a lover of short stories, they are just getting interesting when the story ends. However I was sucked in by the title of these, as all things Marple will always attract me.
I did find them to be slightly irritating, it was as if the various authors had focussed on just one element of Jane Marple, to the exclusion of other facets of her persona, that was so beautifully managed by Agatha Christie herself..
So whilst a reasonably good read, it was not really for me .

This was an engrossing selection of stories. I liked how each writer depicted Miss Marple with their own twist. My personal favourite is the story with Miss Marple and Dolly Bantry but I won’t spoil it.

This is a really enjoyable collection of twelve short stories, which feature the great Jane Marple, who was a detective created by the legendary Agatha Christie. Each story is written by a modern day crime/mystery writer, most of which are some of my favourite authors, and some were new to me.

We have Naomi Alderman, Leigh Bardugo, Alyssa Cole, Lucy Foley, Elly Griffiths, Natalie Haynes, Jean Kwok, Val McDermid, Karen M. McManus, Dreda Say Mitchell, Kate Mosse and Ruth Ware.

I thoroughly enjoyed all of the stories brought forth by these wonderful authors, and each one of them was wonderful and unique in their own way.

I liked the fact that I could tuck into each story whenever I wanted, in any order that I wanted, and I found that these stories were great for night time reading. Much like tucking into my favourite snacks, I could feast on a small amount each time, and be left satisfied and eager to come back the next day for some more.

Highly recommended!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

I enjoyed reading the different Marple-esque stories. Some where better than others (in one there isn't even really a mystery to solve which was disapointing), but none stood out as great new finds. An okay read.

This is a really enjoyable collection of short stories. I have never been fully convinced by Agatha Christie's own short story writing. They seemed to consistently end up weaker than her novels. Yet if any of her characters suit the format, it's Jane Marple, something which Christie reckoned as much herself. The stories presented in this book each present Miss Marple rather faithfully as she finds herself in a range of contrasting circumstances, yet always bringing the same wit and charm, and of course everything dark and mysterious must relate back to some aspect of her village life.

I think I could have done with less of her nephew, Raymond West. He seems to constantly feature and it jars that he seems to constantly underestimate his aunt despite all the evidence shoved in his face. Better editing across the collection could have been beneficial here.

As someone who typically reads about one Christie book every month, I found that this slots amongst her own works well. Squint at points and you could be reading an original. My mind will occasionally try to recall a Christie mystery that I read recently before I remember that it was something from this collection. To be mistaken for a master is high praise!

Reviewed on 'Mrs Peabody Investigates' in October as follows:

"I loved this collection of twelve brand-new Miss Marple stories, written by a talented group of crime writers from all around the world: Naomi Alderman, Leigh Bardugo, Alyssa Cole, Lucy Foley, Elly Griffiths, Natalie Haynes, Jean Kwok, Val McDermid, Karen M. McManus, Dreda Say Mitchell, Kate Mosse, and Ruth Ware.

According to a Guardian piece on Marple, the authors were given some ground rules before they started writing: “Firstly, the stories had to be set within the period covered by Agatha Christie’s own Miss Marple fiction. They could draw on characters and situations that occurred in any of the Marple novels and short stories, but weren’t allowed to incorporate characters or events from any of Christie’s non-Marple books, nor to invent any backstory upon which Christie herself had not touched.”

That said, there was still plenty of scope for the authors to have fun, with Miss Marple solving crimes everywhere from a friend’s front garden to Italy, Manhattan and Singapore. Each of the stories captures the essence of Miss Marple’s keen intellect and sharp eye, and finds a balance between paying homage to Christie’s crime icon and taking her to new places."

A collection of new Marple stories, told by a range of authors, that offers a new perspective on one of Agatha Christie's most beloved super sleuths. Below I'll give a break down of each short story and my overall feelings.

Evil In Small Places By Lucy Foley - Marple takes a detour to visit an old school friend and becomes embroiled in the mysterious murder of a former French singer. Because of course she does. A great closed circle mystery that has a very distinct beginning, middle and end. Is it entirely original? No. Is the killer really obvious? Yes. However this still retains that nostalgic feel of a good Christie story, and Marple is as sharp as ever. 3/5.

The Second Murder at the Vicarage by Val McDermid - There's been another murder at the vicarage. This one felt very cheeky, filled with all of Marple's wit and charm as she takes down the local constabulary and the vicar as she deduces who the killer is. However, it was also extremely short and lacked any of Christie's trademark huge cast of red herrings. 3/5.

Miss Marple Takes Manhattan by Alyssa Cole - Miss Marple winds up seeing the bright lights of New York with her nephew and niece. I wasn't a fan of this one. It felt very out of character, nothing like a Marple story, and also there was no plot to speak of. 2/5.

The Unravelling by Natalie Haynes - A new farm hand lies dead, and a woman stands accused. But why does she have no motive? I love Natalie Haynes writing, but at first I found this incredibly dull. However as everything starts to pull together, and a sprinkle of mythology is placed into Marple's reasoning, I ended up pleasantly surprised. 3/5.

Miss Marple's Christmas by Ruth Ware - It all gets a bit meta as Marple investigates a case of missing pearls, where the culprit may have taken inspiration from some detective stories. I liked this one a lot. It's clever and works well as a short story, with a simple mystery that's easily wrapped up yet still feels satisfying. Again it also has a touch of the nostalgia to it. 4/5.

The Open Mind by Naomi Alderman - Miss Marple gets invited to an Oxford dinner where she meets a particularly obnoxious scholar. This was just a bit bland overall, and not helped by my dislike of books about academia. The mystery elements felt a bit pointless. 2/5.

The Jade Empress by Jean Kwok - There's a murderer aboard The Jade Empress, and the death is steeped in Chinese superstitions. I liked this one, although on reflection it's not entirely memorable. I liked the broadening of cultural references but it probably could have gone further. The mystery was well thought out, but thr ending does let it down a bit. 3.5/5.

A Deadly Wedding Day by Dreda Say Mitchell - Marple enlists the help of Miss Bella to get to the bottom of a murder at a wedding reception. This one was, easily one of my favourites. It's a well thought out and executed mystery, and the addition of Miss Bella brings out Miss Marple's best observational skills. 4/5

Murder at the Villa Rosa by Elly Griffiths - An author escapes to a picturesque Italian gateway to get some inspiration, and meets some very interesting people, including a certain Jane Marple. This felt very different in style to the others in the collection as Miss Marple is a secondary character although I liked the overall idea. 3.5/5.

The Murdering Sort by Karen M. McManus - Miss Marple's precocious relative takes up the family mantle as a friend's grandfather is murdered. This was another story that centered a main character that wasn't Miss Marple, however unlike the previous tale I found this one quite endearing, and more of an homage - a passing of the torch. It reminded me a lot of Enola Holmes. 4/5.

The Mystery Of The Acid Soil by Kate Mosse - Miss Marple encounters a stranger on a train, and becomes caught up in a young woman's disappearance. This one was incredibly slow moving, and not all that engaging. Forgettable. 2/5.

The Disappearance by Leigh Bardugo - When a groom goes missing a week before his wedding, Miss Marple is tasked with tracking him down. I really enjoyed this one, and it felt fitting to have it last as Miss Marple comes full circle and returns to the scene of her first murder investigation at Gossington Hall. The ending genuinely took me by surprise in a good way. 4/5.

Overall this is a great collection of stories, taking Miss Marple all over the world while managing to maintain that sense of Christie's classic writing style and characterisation. I really hope they do a Poirot collection in the future.

If you have spent any time at all around my blog, or social media feeds, you will certainly be aware that the Queen of Crime Agatha Christie is one of my favourite authors. Poirot has always been my first love, but taking part in the #ReadChristie2022 reading challenge this year has made me spend a little more time with the estimable Miss Jane Marple, and I have been won over by the deceptively gentle ways that hide one of the sharpest brains of her era.

The idea of a brand new collection of Miss Marple stories by some of the finest crime authors of the current age was an intriguing prospect, and although I did approach this book with some trepidation, as a newly confirmed fan of the Christie original, I have to say that I have been very impressed with the result.

Some of these tales have Miss Marple on her international travels (funded by her nephew Raymond, of course), some have her visiting friends (with a good sprinkling of familiar faces from the original stories), and some have her observing her neighbours (and the new development) with a shrewd eye in her beloved St Mary Mead. Each one is entertaining in its own way. For me, some of the authors capture the essence of Miss Marple better that others, but I have really enjoyed seeing how they have interpreted what it is that makes a Marple story so captivating, and each one beautifully mixes the feel of a Christie mystery while carrying their own stamp at the same time. 

My personal favourites are The Second Murder at the Vicarage by Val McDermid, Miss Marple's Christmas by Ruth Ware, The Mystery of the Acid Soil by Kate Mosse, and The Disappearance by Leigh Bardugo, which make perfect Marple stories in the way Christie intended, with Miss Marple's twinkling character and intelligence coming across wonderfully. Ruth Ware also wins the Dolly Bantry Award for her delicious portrayal of one of my favourite of Jane Marple's friends - absolutely spot on Ruth!

Interestingly, there are two stories here which are great fun and offer the chance for very interesting spin-offs should the chance arise. The first is Dreda Say Mitchell's A Deadly Wedding Day, which introduces the fabulous Miss Bella from St Honoré; and the second is The Murdering Sort by Karen M. McManus with Raymond's granddaughter Nicola West. I am so ready for more Miss Bella, preferably solving crimes on her home turf in the Caribbean, and Nicola West makes a grand apprentice for Miss Marple, ready and willing to absorb all her wisdom and solve her own crimes in a Nancy Drew sort of way. I have my fingers crossed that we may see more of these characters in the future.

I read this book as my October choice for the #ReadChristie2022 reading challenge. As usual, I also listened along to the marvellous audio book which features the voice talents of some fine narrators. I highly recommend a listen if you get the chance.

These stories were entertaining and the perfect length to peruse over with a cuppa. I particularly enjoyed the stories by Lucy Foley, Karen M. McManus and Ruth Ware.

Full review will be posted as soon as possible and I'll add links to our blog as well.

I would like to thank the publisher HarperCollins and netgalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.