Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel

Miss Marple is back after fifty years. Lucy Foley is now reviving Agatha Christie's last Miss Marple novel. I'm happy to say that she does this very well.

The year is 1950, and Miss Marple is on holiday at a luxury hotel in the Swiss Alps. Soon a body is discovered, a snowstorm cuts the hotel off from the outside world, and it becomes clear that more than a few guests had reason to want the victim dead.

I haven't read many of the original Christie novels, but that didn't matter. I enjoyed following Miss Marple as she carefully observed and figured things out. This is a real whodunit. Without DNA, cell phones, or modern forensics, the mystery gets solved the old-fashioned way: through keen observation and a deep understanding of people. I loved it.

The atmosphere is wonderful. The snowbound hotel is the perfect stage for a classic locked-room mystery. The cast of colorful & unique characters keeps you guessing, since each of them seems to be hiding something. What impressed me most was the balance. The book has the charm and structure of a classic mystery, but the pacing feels thoroughly contemporary, which kept me turning pages.

Whether you're a longtime Christie fan or, like me, still getting to know Miss Marple, this is a delightful read. Highly recommended.

I went to the Barnes & Noble Union Square author event for this book. Lucy Foley opened up about how she was a huge fan of Agatha Christie and loved her work. Apparently, after reading Murder On The Orient Express when she was very young, she was hooked. She also talked about what it felt like to bring Miss Marple back after 50 years. She mentioned that because Christie's plotting and Miss Marple's personality are so legendary, she spent a lot of time reading her books and structuring the plot twists. The evening was fun, and it completely changed how I view locked-room mysteries. I also walked away wanting to re-read Murder On The Orient Express.