The Sittaford Mystery

Rating:
Summary: Christie at her most Compelling!
Review: Having listened to this dramatization of Agatha Chistie's mystery many times over tha last 15 years, I always catch some different nuance each time or remember something small detail I had forgotten. The voices of the actors who perform the dramatization really bring their characters to life and make the mystery extremely engaging. The table turning is absolutely wild and adds significantly to the puzzle of Captain Trevelyan's death. The singlemindedness of Emily in the pursuit of the murderer makes the novel flow smoothly. Her 'use' of the reporter, Charles Enderby, was also a nice touch, especially for the time period it was written in, the 1930's. Inspector Narricott's voice was also well cast and very strong in his role investigating the murder. Also, the setting is excellent for a murder mystery setting, Dartmoor in the dead of winter. I recommend this BBC full cast dramatization to all Agatha Christie fans.

Rating:
Summary: Murder in an isolated house on a wind swept moor
Review: Sittaford House is located in an isolated spot in Dartmoor. Most of the inhabitants of the tiny village are gathered at Sittaford House for an afternoon seance. A 'message from beyond' indicates that Captain Trevelyan has been murdered. The Captain is spending the winter 6 miles away in Exhampton, there is a raging snow storm making the road impassable to the town's only car and there no telephones in the village. The Captain's best friend Major Burnaby decides that he will make the 6 mile trip to see his friend despite the impending blizzard. When he arrives he finds the Captain has been murdered.

Numerous suspects begin to present themselves. The most obvious is the Captain's nephew James who is promptly charged with the crime. James' fiancee Emily arrives on the scene and begins to unearth more possiblities and questions. She is aided by a newspaper reporter who is in the area on another matter. Between them they discover that James is not the only heir who was in the area the night of the murder. They also begin to ask questions about the other inhabitants of Sittaford and discover that a surprising number of them seem to have secrets in their past. In the end all is resolved although this is one of Christie's less convincing solutions.

The setting of a lonely house in Dartmoor is very reminiscent of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, down to the escaped convict hiding in a cave on the moor. The novel also forshadows other works by Christie herself, most notable THE MOUSETRAP. The heroine, Emily Trefusis, has much in common with Lucy Eyelesbarrow (who will appear 20 years later) particularly the problem of choosing between two suitors, one who needs her and one who doesn't.

Rating:
Summary: A TIMELESS MYSTERY WELL READ
Review: True mystery fans may read and reread tales by the doyenne of all mystery writers, Agatha Christie. With the advent of audio books we can now listen and relisten to our favorites. Surely that will be case with "The Sittaford Mystery" superbly read by acclaimed British actor Nathaniel Parker.

In this, the first novel in which Ms. Christie makes use of the supernatural in her plotting, a seance is being held. The six participants enjoy this pastime, they view it as a lark - that is until a spirit spells out m-u-r-d-e-r. The deceased is supposedly Captain Trevelyan. Not only supposedly, but truly as in only a few hours the Captain is found dead.

It was a brutal murder; death was caused by a vicious blow to the head. Jim, Emily Trefusis's fiancé is the prime suspect. It is up to her to clear his name. For help she turns to a retired Inspector, and a very nosy newsman.

Is this trio able to unearth the truth?

- Gail Cooke