Hide this

Results from Google Books

Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.

At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie
Loading...

At Bertram's Hotel

by Agatha Christie

Series: Miss Marple (11)

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingConversations
1,049103,674 (3.64)11
Loading...
won't like will probably not like will probably like will like will love

Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book.

Showing 1-5 of 10 (next | show all)
London is not really Miss Marple's natural habitat but she seems quite at home in the genteel surroundings of a West End hotel. ( )
  TheoClarke | Oct 29, 2009 |
A classic whodunit mystery but it really dragged. ( )
  yurioujo | Oct 11, 2009 |
At Bertram's Hotel has Miss Jane Marple visiting a quiet but upscale London hotel for a short holiday. Bertram's is known for its perfect service and its appealing old world atmosphere. Even so, Miss Marple is immediately in the midst of a number of mysterious occurrences, including robberies, the disappearance of a hotel guest, and eventually murder. Apparently, even the impeccable Bertram's isn't immune to the nefarious goings-on that seem to follow Miss Marple wherever she turns up.

When it comes to the Miss Marple mysteries, I tend to prefer the stories that take place in Jane Marple's own village of St. Mary Mead, or in a similar cozy setting. The novels that branch out too far from that base (like this one) tend to be a little less successful, I think. Miss M is really at her best in the country village, country house atmosphere. This particular book relies even more than most of Christie's works on improbable relationships and unlikely coincidences to hold the story together.

Still, any Miss Marple is better than no Miss Marple; and I have to say I enjoyed this one quite a bit. I loved the descriptions of the hotel and its workings, and several of the characters (especially Bess Sedgwick, and the wonderfully named Lady Selina Hazy), are very memorable creations. The book is definitely worth reading, but if you're just beginning with Agatha Christie, it might be best to start with one of her earlier works. ( )
1 vote jlshall | Jun 21, 2009 |
I've always had a special place in my heart for Agatha Christie, despite not actually reading many of her books. In fact, I don't think I've read one since elementary school. There's just something about her stories that are classic. I listened to this one, and it was more a radio play than a straight reading, which just made it even more sweet and quaint somehow. There's a very Scooby-Doo like explanation of the events at the end, but it works. ( )
  miyurose | Dec 12, 2008 |
This is one of my favourite Christie novels.

Miss Marple's nephew has paid for her to spend a couple of weeks at her favourite London hotel Bertram's, which has remained marvellously unchanged despite the passing years and the always on the ball Miss Marple, who is enjoying her nostaligic journey wonders why and how this has been achieved. As always Miss Marple's curiosity and interest in others gets her involved in the emotional entanglements of others which inevitably lead to murder. ( )
  riverwillow | Sep 25, 2008 |
Showing 1-5 of 10 (next | show all)
no reviews | add a review
You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.
For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.
Series (with order)
Canonical Title
Original publication date
People/Characters
Important places
Important events
Awards and honors
Epigraph
Dedication
For Harry Smith
because I appreciate the scientific way
he reads my books
First words
In the heart of the West End, there are many quiet pockets, unknown to almost all but taxi drivers who traverse them with expert knowledge, and arrive triumphantly thereby at Park Lane, Berkeley Square or South Audley Street.
Quotations
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Canonical titleAt Bertram's Hotel
Original publication date1965
SeriesMiss Marple (11)
People/CharactersJane Marple, Mr. Humfries, Miss Gorringe, Lady Selina Hazy, Elvira Blake, Lady Bess Sedgwick (show all 11)
Important placesLondon, England, UK, Bertram's Hotel, London, England, UK
DedicationFor Harry Smith because I appreciate the scientific way he reads my books
First wordsIn the heart of the West End, there are many quiet pockets, unknown to almost all but taxi drivers who traverse them with expert knowledge, and arrive triumphantly thereby at Park Lane, Berkeley Square or South Audley Street.
Last words(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Book description

Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0553822438, Hardcover)

Miss Jane Marple is enjoying her stay at London's elegant Bertram's Hotel. But its impeccable, old-world reputation is tarnished by new blood when someone disreputable checks in...

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:02 -0400)

(see all 2 descriptions)

The first test round has been closed. Visit the Open Shelves Classification group for details.

Popular covers

 

Help/FAQs | About | Privacy/Terms | Blog | Contact | LibraryThing.com | APIs | WikiThing | Common Knowledge | 45,644,790 books!