Rating: 
Summary: a classic revisited
Review: Ahhh. This is more like! A mystery reader/fan must, every now and then, return to the books of the great Dame Agatha. Yet, it becomes harder and harder to find one that perhaps hasn't been read for a while. It's important also, not to get sucked into a recently read title now masquerading under a new name. I'm sure that at some time in my past, I've read The Murder at Hazelmoor, but not recently enough to have given the subsequently-named The Sittaford Mystery a familiar aura. S'wonderful, indeed. No one captured the thirties quite so eloquently as did Christie, and this book is a prime example of her art. There is no Miss Marple or Hercule Poiret in this episode, however. Rather we have an intrepid young woman named Emily Trefusis, who has the misfortune to be engaged to the nephew of a man who is found murdered, after his death had been exposed by a 'table turning.' This is a version of the Ouija Board, which was enormously popular in the first decades of the 20th century. Captain Trevelyan, who was rather fond of money, had been prevailed upon to let out his own Sittaford House to a widow and her daughter, apparently just arrived from South Africa. Never married, the Captain had few heirs: one sister and the three children of another, now deceased. It is James Pearson, one of this latter group, who has captured the fair Emily, and finds himself in jail under suspicion of having done in his uncle. Emily knows better, however, and with the aid and assistance of a live-wire newspaper reporter, Charles Enderby, sets out to prove his innocence. Emily and Charles quite put in me mind of Tommy and Tuppence with their humorous bantering. (Perhaps they were the inspiration for Dame Agatha, as well.) The prevalence and importance of trains and their schedules take one back to that time when almost no one owned an auto of their own, and walking twelve miles (round-trip, to be sure) for a visit was hardly any kind of bother at all. If one was fit, that is. Village life along the moors is captured perfectly, along with the various eccentrics who reside there. It's a cracking good puzzle, with all the clues neatly laid out for the intrepid sleuth. A visit to Agatha Christie's England is good for us all every now and then. I'm looking forward to the next one!
Rating:
Summary: a classic revisited
Review: Ahhh. This is more like! A mystery reader/fan must, every now and then, return to the books of the great Dame Agatha. Yet, it becomes harder and harder to find one that perhaps hasn't been read for a while. It's important also, not to get sucked into a recently read title now masquerading under a new name. I'm sure that at some time in my past, I've read The Murder at Hazelmoor, but not recently enough to have given the subsequently-named The Sittaford Mystery a familiar aura. S'wonderful, indeed. No one captured the thirties quite so eloquently as did Christie, and this book is a prime example of her art. There is no Miss Marple or Hercule Poiret in this episode, however. Rather we have an intrepid young woman named Emily Trefusis, who has the misfortune to be engaged to the nephew of a man who is found murdered, after his death had been exposed by a 'table turning.' This is a version of the Ouija Board, which was enormously popular in the first decades of the 20th century. Captain Trevelyan, who was rather fond of money, had been prevailed upon to let out his own Sittaford House to a widow and her daughter, apparently just arrived from South Africa. Never married, the Captain had few heirs: one sister and the three children of another, now deceased. It is James Pearson, one of this latter group, who has captured the fair Emily, and finds himself in jail under suspicion of having done in his uncle. Emily knows better, however, and with the aid and assistance of a live-wire newspaper reporter, Charles Enderby, sets out to prove his innocence. Emily and Charles quite put in me mind of Tommy and Tuppence with their humorous bantering. (Perhaps they were the inspiration for Dame Agatha, as well.) The prevalence and importance of trains and their schedules take one back to that time when almost no one owned an auto of their own, and walking twelve miles (round-trip, to be sure) for a visit was hardly any kind of bother at all. If one was fit, that is. Village life along the moors is captured perfectly, along with the various eccentrics who reside there. It's a cracking good puzzle, with all the clues neatly laid out for the intrepid sleuth. A visit to Agatha Christie's England is good for us all every now and then. I'm looking forward to the next one!
Rating: 
Summary: Spiritless
Review: Even the Queen of Crime turned out an occasional clinker, and while this particular novel is not actually down-right bad it certainly isn't particularly good. The premise is interesting: a snowbound group of friends amuse themselves with a "psychic" game of table-tapping, during which they receive a message from the spirits that a friend has been murdered. And so he has--but Christie does not follow her very original-sounding premise with an equally original story; she instead very blatantly recycles a plot twist from an earlier work that most Christie fans (and probably a lot of newcomers as well) will spot almost immediately. Moreover, the novel feels leaden, completely lacking in the sense of fun and puzzlement with which Christie endowed her finest works. Fans determined to read everything by their favorite writer will no doubt wish to read it, but others would do better select an entirely different title.
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: A game of Tommy Rot (table turning)becomes horrifyingly true
Review: It was a thrilling book that kept you wanting more.Once you get past the beginning you can't put it down.The characters were realistic and the story was believable.There's enough information for you to guess the killer but it's not obvious.I would recommend this book to mystery lovers.
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: 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 Classic Mystery Tale
Review: This is a classic mystery novel.This book has everything. A Great setting,great characters,and the perfect season. this is a gripping and wonderful Christie classic.
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
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
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