It could be said that uncovering the truth behind the polished veneer of Bertram’s Hotel is the main story, but in fact there are a few parallel strands in the novel, some more memorable than others.Īs it turns out I completely forgot the storyline about the police investigating a string of heists and robberies, including a daring robbery of the Irish Mail train, that all seem to be the efforts of a well-organised crime syndicate. There is in fact a murder to be solved, but it happens almost 200 pages into the novel and is not the main story. Life is really a One Way Street, isn’t it?”Īt Bertram’s Hotel is unusual in that the mystery here is more “what is wrong” rather than “who did it” – an interesting approach with the downside being the lack of clear focus.
“I learned (what I suppose I really knew already) that one can never go back, that one should not ever try to go back - that the essence of life is going forward. To Miss Marple, with her usual clear-eyed common sense, this miraculous time capsule seems too good to be true. Even the clientele looks like it hasn’t changed much at all since the old days. There, modern amenities and comforts are discreetly hidden behind the cosy old-fashioned exteriors and furnishings, and one may enjoy impeccable service, a proper English breakfast and tea with exquisite muffins and doughnuts that send jam cascading down your chin. Miss Marple’s niece Joan gently warns her that she might be disappointed to see the place changed beyond recognition… but in fact stepping into Bertram’s Hotel feels like stepping back into the Edwardian England.
This time around, she’s off to enjoy a stay at Bertram’s Hotel – an elegant luxury hotel in a quiet pocket of London that had left an indelible impression on Miss Marple when she had stayed there as a young girl of fourteen. Miss Marple is one lucky old lady for having a caring nephew and niece who are constantly devising treats and holidays for their aunt – even if they get inevitably interrupted by crime. One of Christie’s more unusual novels, this later-day Miss Marple mystery has a memorable setting and some interesting ideas, but it’s held back by a lack of focus and its various elements don’t quite gel together.
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