The Agatha Christie Reading Group discussion

This is a very good book, despite being late in Christie's writing career. Certainly rambling a bit, as was often the case in the later books, but a neat little plot and an interesting piece of deduction on Miss M's part.

I just finished reading this book. It was actually the first Miss Marple book I have read. Maybe I should have started with "The Murder at the Vicarage". It was okay. I liked it but it was not one of my favorite Agatha Christie books.

My review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

One of my absolute favourite Agatha Christie novels :) found it rather sad and profound!

I've always loved this book, but rereading it now, I was struck by certain attitudes - particularly those pertaining to rape. Christie was always a sure representation of the mores of her times, but I was hit by the statements (repeated several times) that mothers 'made'' their girls cry rape, and that most rapes are nothing of the sort. No wonder these attitudes can still be found today. Otherwise this book was as remembered, a narrative-driven, incredibly clever character piece - but one with a lot of depth to it, and one or two moments of sincere profundity. A thoughtful portrayal of why love can be the most frightening force on earth...

I think Anne Perry shows the shallowness of the issue of rape in that time period in her books. How people back in 1850's and for a very long time afterward thought women couldnt be raped. She was appalled that people thought that way and she wrote a couple scenarios in her books. A Sudden, Fearful Death and The Silent Cry just to name two. And her hero, Monk and his soon to be wife, Hester, talked about how they felt when people look the other way. One such topic had to do w/a wife being raped or not by her husband. There was no such thing back in the day! Women were property and thought to do as they are told. Thank God we are not treated that way for the most part. But yes, I know it was a shock to some about Agatha Christies reference to rape. But take it in context and remove your mindset for the reality they faced back then. Just food for thought.

This was a very "devil in the details" kind of book. I really enjoyed it more than I thought I would. And the connection w/A Caribbean Mystery, was delightful. I agree about what Anwen said about "A thoughtful portrayal of why love can be the most frightening force on earth..." You hit the nail on the head. This is an intrigue novel in my opinion. And at times felt like And Then There Were None in certain spots. All together it was well written and unexpected at the end. So glad I read this.

Definitely, it's great! (:

Lauren wrote: "I've heard from quite a few people that the narrative in this one is somewhat boring, but I'm actually ok with the slower pace."

I think the problem with "Nemesis" is not the plot nor the characters or even the pace but the writing. Not all of it of course. The book is wordy in many parts and some scenes are too long. I honestly think the scene at the inquest with Joanna and Emlyn Price could have been cut. But overall, the book was good aside from the flaws. But if the book was edited better by her editors, I think Nemesis would have been on the same level as The Pale Horse and Endless Night, as far as her later books are concerned.