Lucy winds up with (actor John Hannah) Inspector Tom Campell in the Marple series (with Geraldine Ewan) and I love Pam Ferris as Elspeth McGillicuddy ... i loved that in the show. It's my favorite 4:50 tv show. I loved out Inspector, Marple and Lucy worked together.. I need to read the book now!! Love the Comfort Book Club 😊🍂🍁🌻
What a wonderful introduction for the readers who first discovered Agatha Christie through this month’s selection. I was fortunate enough to find her many years ago when I was in the seventh grade and I have read and reread her books throughout the years. While I love them all, Miss Marple is my favorite. I remember still my delight when I first discovered how many books she had written and would be available for me to read. Always wonderful to see you and Donna and I look forward to next month’s selection 💕
One of the best lines ever in a book..."I think, my dear," said Miss Marple "we won't talk anymore about murder during tea. Such an unpleasant subject!" This is my first Agatha Christie novel I have ever read and I can tell you it will not be my last. Thank you Miranda and Donna!
Usually I'm spending my free time painting, crafting or crocheting but after subscribing to your charming channel I've started reading books again. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 4:50 from Paddington. Thank you so much Donna for recommending The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie which will be my next book. I also have Nature Writing for Every Day of the Year in my bedside cabinet. I think dear Lucy shouldn't marry either of them 🤣
Hello Miranda, thank you for a wonderful discussion of 4.50 Paddington! I nodded in agreement with all of the other lovely messages. I am thrilled with March’s choice - Wind in the Willows is on my TBR trolley for this year. Great reading minds think alike. My reading world is fuller, brighter, and richer in diversity through the CBC - thank you! Have a great weekend ahead. Best wishes, Jason
Hello Miranda and Donna, I’ve always found Miss Marple more relatable than Hercule Poirot and his little grey cells. Now living in a small village, I can’t help thinking about her (and chuckling) when I hear a female neighbour gossip behind my hedge, there’s always some kind of « mystery » to solve. But she’s no Miss Marple, unfortunately! Loved the book and the biography. There’s so much more to Agatha Christie, in terms of sociology and humanism, than I was led to believe when I was young. Thank you so much. ❤
When I was a young girl Miss Marple was like a cherished auntie and it was like looking through an old forgotten scrapbook to re read 4.50 from Paddington. It was a favorite then and now. Thank you Miranda and Donna!
Spoiler: to add to my voice comment regarding Lucy’s choice: the last few sentences of the book is a conversation between Jane and the inspector and he says “I wonder who she’ll marry” - And Jane Marple’s reply is “don’t you know?” That really clinched it for me after all of his interest in Lucy and his implied annoyance at the attention she gets from each of the male characters. I guess we’ll never know for sure. How perfect for Christie to leave us a forever mystery. Today’s book club was so enjoyable. I found everyone’s comments so interesting and agree completely that the women characters were all women you’d want to hang out with: loyal, responsible, formidable, independent, etc.
The Comfort Book Club is becoming global with all the wonderful international contributors! I listened to this book via audio and really enjoyed it so much - I loved all the female characters and also thought the two young boys were such fun with their amateur sleuthing! This was a book that I probably wouldn't ordinarily have read so I am delighted to have enjoyed it so much. I have already started The Nonesuch and am also looking forward to The Wind in the Willows! I hope you both loved the treacle tart!
I so enjoyed listening to you and your mum talking about this book, and all the wonderful messages too. This is one of my favourite Miss Marple books. Such a great plot idea and a real surprise ending. I love the female characters and the boys are also so entertaining, the men however are mostly quite a poor bunch in this book! As to who I think Lucy marries… she seems to me to be most attracted to Cedric out of the Crackenthorpe men, however I hope Inspector Craddock may be the lucky man, he does seem interested in Lucy and is much nicer than any of the others! Really looking forward to the next two Comfort Book Club reads, both favourites of mine.
I finally finished the book! My mother, who passed away six years ago, loved Agatha Christie, had many of her books, and read and re-read them as I was growing up and beyond. She tried several times to get me to read them. Did she? Honestly, I can't quite remember if I ever finished one. I remember starting one, decades ago, begrudgingly. I took this as an opportunity, given my mother's love for Christie and my loving your suggestions of Appointment with Venus, The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street, Woolf's A Writer's Diary, and Bedside Companion for Book Lovers. It was a slow start for me and took me forever to get to around page 70. I was determined, though, and I was taken around page 80 and burned through the rest. (It didn't hurt that your video came out, and I wanted to watch it so much but had to finish first!) I was so shocked by the ending! I was sure I knew who the murderer was, but I was so wrong! I told my father I was reading a Christie novel, and he asked if I'd figured out who'd done it. He talked of my mother reading the books and how she always, the first go with the books, tried to figure out who had done it. Oh.... After I finished, I so wished I knew if my mother figured it out or was as shocked as I was. I didn't have a suspicion until the fishbone! I have a feeling she figured it out before I did! I love the fact that you and your mother are able to read and talk about books together! What a wonderful thing! I did find Sharon Kay Penman novels some time ago, passed them on to my parents, and we all read them, loved them, and talked about them. Like those who called and left messages, I loved Lucy. Additionally, I imagine I will read more. I wish I could remember if my mother liked Marple or Poirot more. I know she favored one, but I can't for the life of me remember which or remember why. We still have her books, though. Perhaps I'll be able to tell which were read and re-read more! Thank you for your reading suggestions; thank you both for sharing your love of books and one another with us! My reading life if becoming reinvigorated.
0 seconds ago I loved hearing all the contributions from around the globe! I enjoyed to hear everyone’s love for Lucy. She really is a creature to behold. I liked how you brought up how Emma may be forgotten. Her serenity and own capabilities (especially in the wake of her cantankerous father) make her special in her own right. As Jason said, in a time where women were discouraged from action, Agatha Christie really gives them autonomy while still keeping their feminine wits about them. It gave me much to mull over. Thank you so much Miranda and Donna! ❤️
What a wonderful book club edition, thank you for including my comment. Loved hearing everyone else’s and we all seem to agree that we really want to be a bit like Lucy and we want to hire someone like Lucy 😁 looking forward to the next one! Best wishes to you both x
Thank you so much for your great comment, Eloise! I agree Lucy really is wonderful! And thank you too for your kind support. I really appreciate it! ❤️
Thank you, ladies. I am really pleased with the books we read here and that so many people are willing to share comments. You make it fun in your special way. I will be 55 soon and when I grow up I want to move to England and be your neighbor. Your channel inspires me to keep reading, laughing, and trying new things!
Thank you so much for your lovely comment and support, Deb! I so appreciate both, and I'm really glad you're enjoying the Comfort Book Club books and community! xxx
Such a great book club and I enjoyed everyone's phone messages immensely (although Jason's did make me a bit hungry 😊). I am also a big fan of Lucy's. To me she was a "domestic Mary Poppins" - sweeping in when most needed, effortlessly whipping up fabulous meals and bringing order to the home. She also was very much a modern woman - assessing a need in society and creating a business to meet that need. All while helping to solve a crime and having many men fall in love with her. In terms of her future - Inspector Craddock is my vote. In the last line of the book Miss Marple "twinkled at him" as they were discussing the possibility of "wedding bells" for Lucy. I also developed a fondness for Emma's character and was happy that Miss Marple saw the possibility of a shipboard romance in her future. As we know, Miss Marple is never wrong! Every read and re-read of Agatha Christie reinforces my belief that she was not only a great writer and plotter, but had a deep understanding of human nature. Thank you, Miranda and Donna!💕
Dear Miranda and dear Donna, I loved to read 4:50 from Paddington and it was my first Agatha Christie book and also my first mystery book, because I usually shy away from mysteries, because I'm easily scared. I loved it so much, that I've already ordered more of her books to read them. I liked the beautiful copy from Harper Collins and I'm now especially looking for copies from Harper. Thank you so much for choosing this comfort read and for always introducing your followers to books which are not only great reads, but also very pleasing for the eye! Have a loveky weekend you two!
I loved this discussion. Just when I thought I knew this story too well to learn anything new....🤔 I'm almost ashamed to say I've never really considered Emma much. Lucy is such a sparkly character fizzing with energy and we all want to be her, but it's actually Emma I'm closer to in age and temperament. You're absolutely right. She is marvellously serene and very capable and it's a shame she's overlooked. I no longer shall! I think I have been too influenced by the brilliant Joan Hickson tv adaptation as I just presumed Lucy would marry Brian Eastley. Thank you Miranda and Donna for bringing fresh thought to an old favourite xx
You're not alone! While I can be like Lucy at times, I'm definitely more Emma! Also both in age and temperament.... Even though, if I remember correctly, the doctor said it, Emma was the salt of the earth. It's good to be the salt of the earth! :)
Just discovered your channel and am absolutely loving it 💜 you have inspired me to read Agatha Christie for the first time and I started with this book. I can’t thank you enough for the inspiration as I can tell she will become my new favourite author. I don’t know why I waited so long to read her books! Thank you and best wishes to you both. Your channel is such a joy and a corner of peace and cosiness on UA-cam xx
Thank you so much, Bev! I'm so glad you enjoyed reading along with us this month. You have many treats in store reading Agatha Christie for the first time! xxx
I loved this book and discussion. This book was a great choice, and reminded of my reading sessions in the late sixties at boarding school, Ioved reading Agatha Christie! Agree with all the great comments, the period details are so interesting, and the characters are so well drawn. Lucy and Emma, Miss Marple and the outrageous senior Mr Crackenthorpe! Love that name! Thank you Miranda and Donna💕
Thank you Miranda, Donna and everyone for this discussion. I find it really interesting how Agatha Christie can write about something which, if it were real, would be so devastating and solemn, and yet she removed all or most of the sordid details and wrote whodunnits! Once the nasty business is over, everyone involved seems to get on with their lives while evading suspicion. The focus is never on the shock of finding a corpse for example and how shocking that would be. To me, it makes the other characters in her books seem unreal. I’ve read a lot of Agatha Christie but not once have I come up with the answer. She was so clever and it makes me wonder how she did it. I’m inspired to read more of her books!
Really great discussion. I loved the book. Miss Marple is my favorite sleuth. And I wish I could be a Lucy. Efficient, smart and capable. Thank you both for picking this great book. 📚 👍🤗💕💕
Oh, love The Wind in the Willows! (Re read/listens to it about once a year since childhood) I have never read anything by Georgette Heyer so that will be something new to me. Thank you for hosting the Comfort Book Club, it gives me much joy.
Love your channel and LOVE Agatha Christie! I have read and own everything that she has ever written. My very first read was "After the Funeral" when I was fourteen, on a train, going to see my Grandma in Toronto, and I was hooked!. Also, I was reading an Agatha Christie when I heard she had died!
I enjoy the Comfort Book Club so much. The discussion and input from readers around the world make this a very special place to enjoy our mutual love of books. Thank you, Miranda and Donna , for hosting us every month.
I did enjoy rereading this Agatha Christie, and have always loved Lucy as a character. I’d never really appreciated Emma as a character and her strength until I was older, I hope she ended up with the man she deserved. I’m very excited for March’s choice now as well. Thank you for picking this great book ☺️.
This is a new favorite Agatha Christie novel that I wouldn’t have picked up if it wasn’t for the comfort book club! I absolutely adored the women in this book. Thank you for choosing it!
Sooo lovely to see you and Donna chatting about this, fab comments from people too. Marple is my favourite of Agatha’s sleuths, even if as many of you pointed out, she’s not in them too much. I have been collecting the new Holly Dunn editions and am planning on reading them in order. I must read Lucy’s biography of her. Must, must, must.
Two days after you uploaded the video I was finally able to finish my first read of 4:50 from Paddington - and then watched your video with great delight. One of my favourite characters was Alexander, besides Lucy and Miss Marple herself. Now I think I want to re-watch the adaptation of the book with the legendary Geraldine McEwan. I think they did the scene with the plot twist differently but anyway. Also, I think I will make it my goal to read all of the Miss Marple books now, you quite inspired me, Miranda and Donna. Thank you for that!
Hi, Miranda, thank you both so much for this entertaining 'meeting'. It’s my favourite Miss Marple… like my favourite Poirot is Death on the Nile. I’ll read it in English now, I’ve read it many times in German and even made Lucy’s Mushroom soup. I love the movie with Margret Rutherford, too, but I always miss Lucy…and feel sorry for the hard work of Miss Marple. Lucy was several times my motivator when I had to do chores at home I don’t like… In a time, where being a maid wasn’t popular and women in university either she made a clever choice and didn’t become a maid but a household MANAGER, guiding a big house with homemade food and with time for herself to support Miss Marple and Miss Gillicuddy, saving them from the rumors , that elderly women are hysterical and can’t trust their eyes and mind. I loved the man in the work agency, who’s working on a carpet in the movie and thought, that he needs a Lucy, showing him to organise courses for young people, who can become household managers instead of devote maids. So I combined my thoughts about book and movie.. maybe they’ll even marry, but Lucy needs a free spirit like hers. I enjoyed the voice messages very much, too. Looking forward to your next book of Georgette Heyer. I didn’t get the title of the book and will research. I decided to follow you with your book club, reading everything in English. Never too old (68 in February) to improve… love to you both, Monika❣
Love how Miss Marple always keeps her thoughts or inclinations to herself until she has worked things out!She tantalises us but using expressions such as 'mm...oh I see,yes and we know she is onto something .So very captivating!Such a delight to see "The Comfort Book club" expanding month by month a great and worthy tribute to the hosts!!🤗
Thank you Miranda and Donna for hosting this discussion. This was my first Agatha Christie novel as well. I enjoyed the book, and was very surprised by the ending. The scenes with Lucy and the boys were my favourites!
Thank you, Miranda and Donna. I'm an avid Agatha Christie fan, but haven't read many of her books recently, so it was pleasure to go back to 4:50 from Paddington. I'm currently binge-reading Rex Stout's books with Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin, but I hope to soon go back and binge-read Agatha Christie. A few years ago, my husband and I were in England, and one of the highlights was going to see The Mousetrap, and a nearby memorial to Agatha Christie. Like Donna, I've read The Secret Notebooks and was thrilled to find out how Agatha would spread her jottings about her books in whatever notebook was handy. What some would call unorganized worked for her. Also her background in Mathematics has inspired me. I was a Math major as well and am not organized in my writing methods. But if those traits worked for Agatha, maybe I can hope, as I'm currently writing short mystery stories.
Thank you Miranda and Donna for hosting this lovely discussion! I so enjoyed reading 4.50 from Paddington. As for who Lucy ends up marrying, I think I’m with the caller who voted “neither”! Alexander would make quite a delightful stepson - but perhaps not at the expense of his drip of a father!! I’m looking forward to the discussion on The Nonesuch - one of my very favourite Heyer couples. Thank you - I have recently discovered your channel and I’m enjoying myself so much 😊
I do love these discussions, particularly hearing from new readers of Agatha Christie. I read her avidly as light relief after the rigours of my degree and I’m delighted you have reintroduced me to her. I failed as ever to remember who the murderer was and it never occurred to me that Lucy would actually marry any of them 😂! Now to read Lucy Worsley.
Hi Donna and Miranda. Loved the book and the discussion. I just downloaded Lucy Worsley biography of Christie. You two are so delightful. On a separate note, thank you for your more frequent posts on your channel. You make my day. Sue
I've known of Miss Marple books/videos but just haven't made the time to read or watch them. Your Comfort Book Club gave me the push I needed...thank you! I love Miss Marple! Cool, calm, collected, steady and shrewd. Must have more of her so, I ordered and received Murder at the Vicarage in the mail last week, look forward to reading it soon. Thank you for your excellent videos Miranda and both of you for your book enthusiasm!
I so enjoyed the 4.50 from Paddington. I've not read Agatha Christie since I was a teenager, so it was wonderful to be encouraged to return to the world of Miss Marple. The book was a thoroughly enjoyable read and Christie is certainly a master of the genre. I loved the insights your callers shared about the characters and the setting of the novel. Your Comfort Book Club is just that Miranda. Thanks for all the effort you put into to creating such fabulous content for your channel.
Hello, Miranda and Donna. Thanks for hosting this wonderful discussion for the comfort book club. It is indeed comforting to share a book with readers from all over the world. With 4:50 from Paddington, I have finished rereading all of the Miss Marple novels in 2022. What a wonderful experience it has been. I look forward to next month's discussion, and happy new year to you both.
This was my first Christie novel as well and now I'm making my way through the Miss Marple series. I read it in 2 days. I started as an e-book early one morning in bed, was glued throughout the day and finished the next morning- I hardly wanted to sleep! The story captivated me completely (despite having seen the film based on this novel).
I haven’t read an Agatha Christie in many years. My grandmother read them and got me started on them very early, probably around ten. I went from Nancy Drew to Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. I no longer remembered more than the murder on the train, so I really enjoyed this so much! I listened to the audiobook because the ebook was unavailable. I might do some others this way in the future.
Hello Miranda and Donna. Thank you for a very interesting discussion. This was my first Miss Marple mystery, but not my last. After reading a mystery I always want to do a reread to see which clues I missed and this book was no exception. I, too,loved Lucy but Cedric…really? My guess would have been Bryan. Thanks again and I’m looking forward to my first Georgette Heyer book.
Really enjoyed the video and wonderful discussion. Thank you Miranda and Donna. Sometime I would like you to show us how you read your books (a special chair you find comfortable for reading, etc). I often read in bed and balance book on pillow, etc - not always comfortable. I always look forward to your videos
Hello Miranda and Donna ---- It's ABSOLUTELY LOVELY to spend time with you. . . it brings calmness and peacefulness😔 into my day. I truly enjoy Agatha Christie so I will definitely read the specific selection you discussed in this video. I am already looking forward to your next video. Best Regards To You.
Love this book, one of my favorites also. Really liked Jason's phone message there were so many wonderful food references :) I've just started following your Comfort Book Club and I'm loving it. Found a gently used copy of the Nonesuch to read in February. Thank you Miranda and Donna. You're both such a beautiful treat xoxoxo Lots of hugs and love.
Really enjoyed the discussion..especially regarding Lucy and Emma..the novel brings an evocation of post war Britain..I felt the Joan Hickson adaptation of 4.50 managed to capture that time period as well..thankyou
Thank you Miranda and Donna, and the fantastic contributors, this was such an enjoyable discussion. 4.50 from Paddington was the perfect comfort re-read for me, as I recovered from a bad cold. Everyone's comments chimed with my own responses to the book and its many pleasures, not least those wonderful names to conjure with: Elspeth McGillicuddy, Lucy Eyelesbarrow, the Crackenthorpes. I felt that Agatha Christie was definitely matchmaking Lucy and Cedric - I can imagine the perfect artists' retreat that they could run together with Lucy's good taste and hosting skills, an early precursor to Airbnb on Ibiza!
I love Miss Marple and Agatha Christie! Such a lovely video! If you enjoy jigsaws, there is a wonderful one called The world of Agatha Christie. It is full of all clues and hints to her amazing work. I really enjoyed it. Thank you.
Super book, thoroughly enjoyed it. I suspected the actual culprit half way through the book but loved when he was denounced at the end by Mrs Gillcuddy. Thought Cedric was a red herring as a possible love interest for Lucy, it appeared Miss Marple may have engineered a match with Inspector Craddock. Thank you for the book suggestion, Agatha Christie was a great favourite of my Mum, and after I told my Sister of the Comfort Book Club title, she found Mums 1959 publication. ❤️ Looking forward to a bit of Regency Romance now . X
I read 4:50 from Paddington last January based on one of your recommendation videos and really loved it. Currently enjoying The Mystery of the Blue Train. Thank you for all your recommendations!
I am traveling through Vietnam and Cambodia at the moment and reading 4.50 to Paddington - really enjoying it (again). I actually bought a Vietnamese edition as a souvenir!
Hello Miranda Hello Donna Always a joy reading and rereading a story by Agatha Christie It is not just the brilliant stories It is the reconstruction of a certain period as you have already mentioned Have a wonderful weekend
This was my first Miss Marple story as I’m usually a Poirot girl. I absolutely loved this book. I flew threw it and couldn’t put it down. I have to say though that the person who I most suspected was the killer. I did however suspect Lucy for a short while too!! Ha! I absolutely loved Emma’s gentle spirit. I felt so bad for her at the end. She just wanted some romance from her everyday life. I loved the domestic details as you all pointed out. It sure makes me want to make an apple meringue!
Miranda and Donna this was so enjoyable. I also read 4:50 from Paddington which I am now going to reread after listening to everyone’s take on it. Can’t wait to listen to next months Comfort Book Club’s video. 🌹
SO excited for March's choice! Funnily enough, I read it for the first time two weeks ago and fell in love. I've been collecting (and planning) various copies since! So many beautiful additions out there. Thanks Miranda and Donna for the wonderful Comfort Book Club!
I loved this book, I'd read a few Poirot novels but this was my first Miss Marple. I haven't read Lucy Worsleys book yet but did go to see Lucy discuss Agatha Christie live which was amazing.
I wish I have had time to read along this month... I spent a lot of time on New Year's cleaning 😁 I love the Miss Marple movies so much!!! I adore Margaret Rutherford. I used to watch the movies with my friends in uni. So it brings me back 😃
This was my first time reading A Miss Marple. I enjoyed it. What stuck with me and endeared Miss Marple to me was not only her sharp mind but the descriptions of her "twinkling" with some sly though.
Barbie from Virginia, hello. I am a huge Hercule Poirot fan so really loved having the opportunity to read this novel. She had a real understanding of humankind with all varieties societies having both good and poor characteristics. A surprise ending! Loved it and now will read more of them by this author. I will check out the biography….
I seem to align with the message from Christina of Summerville Massachusett. Normally I always avoid mysterious, but since I adore you, Donna and the international bookclub, I extended myself to try it. This was my first time to read Agatha Christie also and it did surprise me. It's so delightful to hear everyone's perspective. Thank you for these wonderful discussions 😊
Hi Miranda and Donna - I have to agree with Donna that Miranda is a bit of a Lucy Eyelesbarrow herself! As talented as Miranda is I'm sure she would have no problem locating a dead body if need be😊 I'm rather bummed I didn't leave a voicemail because Emma was the character who filled my thoughts the most. I kept playing over and over how the doctor kept commenting on Emma's strengths. It actually turned out to be the "tell" for me. This is my first Agatha Christie....so thank you! As for your question, I think Lucy is too independent and enjoys her freedom too much to marry! Oh I'm so excited about March's CBC read!💚
Haha, thank you very much, Heather! I would certainly rush to Miss Marple's aid should she ever call 😉 😃 I agree Emma was an interesting character! xxx
Thanks for choosing 4.50 from Paddington as the January CBC read, I very much enjoyed reading it again after many years. I've recently watched two different versions on tv and both differ slightly from the book, which is superior to both, with all the characters so well drawn. A lively and interesting discussion.
Just finished my reread of 4:50 from Paddington and I was as shocked by the resolution as the first time 😂 All I remembered from the first read was the train murder itself and the character of Lucy. I always wished Christie had used her more than just once. I hope Emma has her happy ending with or without a husband! As for potential husband for Lucy Cedric, the whole pigsties business with Lucy blushing and he is the only one not to propose to her, he became a challenge to overcome 😀 Thank you Donna and Miranda!
Loved this book as audio version though I had read it decades ago and watched the PBS only 20 years ago! I did love the post-war feel of it and that the ladies were so brilliant. Thanks for suggestion on this book.
Thank you very much for the wonderful discussion! I wanted to thank you, Miranda, for inspiring me to read Agatha Christie. After watching one of your recent vlogs, I borrowed The Murder at the Vicarage from the library. Once I'd started it, I couldn't put it down! And then I saw the book club discussion of 4.50 from Paddington while scrolling down the episodes on your channel, and so read that. Another page-turner! Now I've just watched the discussion and, in answer to your question at the end, about who Lucy might marry, I agree with your last caller, Dawn. I think it'll be Detective Inspector Craddock, too, because of Miss Marple's twinkling at him in the very last sentence of the book. (Personally, I think Lucy has far too much sense to attach herself to either Cedric or Bryan.) Carol
Great review of one of my favorite Marple Novels! Totally illogically, I'm team Bryan. Whatever Joan Hickson as Miss Marple says is good enough for me. : ) I think we've all had enough Cedrics!
I have been watching your videos for only 2 months. But they are so inspiring and helpful for improving my English. Your way of speaking is so clear and pleasant. Are you a teacher? May I ask you if you have ever done Q&A in one of your vlogs? Irmgard xxx
Love the Agatha Christie books. 4:50 to Paddington is one of the favourite Agatha books. The mystery and setting is so brilliant. Loved your review and hearing your thoughts on the book 😊
I'm still reading the book, so I decided not to see the video (although I'm so tempted to do so!) I just wanted to say that I love Donna's cameo, it's so pretty! I'm looking forward to seeing the video once I've completed the book.
I’m so annoyed with myself that I missed being able to send in my voice msg for this mths book club. I love Agatha Christie, I’ve read many of the Miss Marple novels as a child but I think I didn’t really understand them til I saw them as an older child in TV adaptions. (I’ve seen every series/movie made of her Miss Marple stories) I couldn’t get my hands on an actual copy for this mths read, however I did listen to it as an audio book. Im guessing that’s acceptable. I agree with you Miranda re-Emma I too thought her character was lovely and I did feel sorry for her. I never guessed who it was that was the murderer and that’s the talent of Agatha Christie, a true crime writer ♥️
Thank you Miranda and Donna I really enjoyed the book I love your choices ❤ I used to read a lot then life got in the way but since discovering your great channel and book club my love of reading has returned I have read the last 4 books from your monthly comfort book club xxxx
I haven't read much Agatha Christie and not for many years, but watched Lucy Worsley's series on tv and was hooked again - I also bought the beautiful HarperCollins version, that beautiful hardback you showed at the start. Very interesting discission. Have you ever done any Lord Peter Wimsey?
Hello Miranda and Donna, my late Mother once said of a dear friend of mine "well, she certainly keeps you on your toes" and that is exactly how Lucy makes me feel. Along with Miss Quinn from the Miss Read story "No Holly for Miss Quinn" and, to a certain extent, the formidable Mary Poppins, these super efficient, tirelessly energetic, intelligent and capable women have in the past made me try to clean my house from top to bottom, produce a perfectly baked cake as well as a nutritious and tasty supper before reading a bedtime story to the children - interestingly though I am of the "Superwoman" by Shirley Conran era. I wasn't at all pleased to find those same emotions coming to the fore when re-reading the 4:50 From Paddington all these years later. I was born the year before this book was published and I like to imagine that Christie would, as she often did, re-write Lucy's future as a single woman sleuth, just like Jane Marple. Miss Marple had a close friendship with Sir Henry Clithering, who happens to be Dermot Craddock's Godfather. Sir Henry Clithering also features, co-incidentally Donna, in The Thirteen Problems. We will never know, of course, which exactly mimics the unsolved episodes of Christie's own life. Thank you for such a great conversation about this great Comfort Book Club choice. Happy reading, Teresa
Hi Miranda, This is a favourite Miss Marple book for me as well! I just finished reading it in my new William Morrow paperback edition (love the new cover). And now I'm looking forward to watching the discussion with you and Donna. Happy Day! 📚
I rather hope that Lucy goes into the "swinging 60s" on a wave of her exuberance, talent, and self-confidence, that she remains independent and has a rich, beautiful life. Otherwise, like another member of the Comfort Club, I thought a police inspector might be in her future. Loved 450 From Paddington! It's my second favorite Miss Marple...after A Pocket Full of Rye. I have never read any of her short stories, but am hugely anticipating doing so now. Thanks for this wonderful discussion and for all your recommendations.
Hi Miranda and Donna. This was my first Miss Marple book and I loved it, so thank you for the recommendation. I enjoyed the journey of trying to work out what happened to the body? Who the body belonged to? Why it happened? and who the murderer was? It kept me guessing until the last page :)
Hello Miranda and Donna …. I absolutely LOVED “4:50 FROM PADDINGTON” I guessed wrong throughout…the end was such a surprised.. I love the mixed generation of the women too… I read along with the audio and was completely immersed.. Lucy and Inspector Craddock would really be ideal…and I purchased Lucy Worsley’s Biography of AGATHA CHRISTIE… I will read it this weekend.. embarrassing little side note it will be my first Biography..🥰🥰📚
How exciting, Kiki! I loved the Lucy Worsley book and think it’s a great choice! I’m so happy you loved 4:50 from Paddington too. Thank you so much for your kind support. It really means a lot ❤️
I was really struck by the children in this Christie. I don't remember them figuring so predominantly in other Christie mysteries. I love how she uses them for comic relief. And she captures their exuberance and flights of fancy so well, especially how they can dart from one topic and turn on a dime to another. Alexander is apologizing to Stoddart-West for his grandfather's behavior: "He's on a diet or something and that makes him peculiar. He's terribly mean, too. I think it must be a complex of some kind." Stoddart-West said comprehendingly [I can just imagine him nodding sagely here!]:" I had an aunt who kept thinking she was going bankrupt. Really, she had oodles of money. Pathological, the doctor said. Have you got that football, Alex?" You and Donna and the other contributors capture so much of what there is to love about the novel. Everyone's insights are so appreciated! Thank you for this trip down memory lane. I think I'm ready to reread the entire Christie canon!
Thank you so much for your lovely comment and support, as always, Pamela! That's so true - I really enjoyed the children in this book too, and they did provide great comic relief. xxx
Once again I am reminded how much better the book is than the movie! This was a wonderful read and the book that I read it out of also has two more stories that I’ve never heard of, The Mystery of the Blue Train and Death in the Air, and I am looking forward to reading those. (In this book, 4:50 From Paddington is called What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw!) And, because of watching the 2004 movie version of the story and Lucy ending up with the inspector in it, I expected her to end up with the inspector in the book, as well. I have to admit that I wasn’t sure who she was going to marry in the end! Thank you for all your great reading suggestions!!
Ah, that's interesting she ends with the Inspector in one of the film / tv versions - I think from the book it's all much less clear, yes! So glad you enjoyed reading the book! xxx
What a marvelous book, and a terrific discussion. For some reason, my 1980 copy of the book, published by Avenel Books, New York, is titled "What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw!" As far as the likeliest match for Lucy....how about Emma?!
Thanks so much for your support, Bonnie! I'm so glad you enjoyed the book & discussion! Well, another Miss Marple mystery features a female couple, so maybe!! xxx
I LOVE THIS BOOK. It doesnt matter how many times I read it, I never remember all the details. Agatha Christie was sadly quite right to warn us not to accept figures in authority and trust, the amount of doctors and now, sadly policemen in the news for all the wrong reasons.
Hello Miranda and Donna, and all the Comfort Bookclub readers, a belated Happy New Year to you all. This was my first time reading an Agatha Christy novel and my first time with the crafty Mrs Marple. I am very familiar with Hercule Poirot, mostly from movies and TV shows. This was such an enjoyable read and I was throughly surprised at the end. I have to agree with the comments regarding Christy’s empowering older women who are often overlooked by society. I too loved the kinship between the three women and especially between Lucy and Mrs. Marple. I was a bit surprised that as smart as Lucy was, she didn’t leave Rutherford Hall immediately after the round of poisonings. She clearly has a stronger stomach for danger than I. As far as Lucy’s romantic interests go, I also would have liked her to end up with DI Craddock (they would make a great crime solving duo), but my bet is on Brian Eastley because Lucy seemed so attached to Alexander. I enjoyed the comments from the gentleman in New Zealand regarding all the food that was mentioned in the book. Lucy’s cooking sounded quite delectable. Thank you for another charming pick, and I am excited to get started on next month’s book (I’m even more excited for Wind in the Willows as I have just received the same publication from Blackwells recently). Have a lovely month, until we all meet here again in February. Cheers!
Lucy winds up with (actor John Hannah) Inspector Tom Campell in the Marple series (with Geraldine Ewan) and I love Pam Ferris as Elspeth McGillicuddy ... i loved that in the show. It's my favorite 4:50 tv show. I loved out Inspector, Marple and Lucy worked together.. I need to read the book now!! Love the Comfort Book Club 😊🍂🍁🌻
What a wonderful introduction for the readers who first discovered Agatha Christie through this month’s selection. I was fortunate enough to find her many years ago when I was in the seventh grade and I have read and reread her books throughout the years. While I love them all, Miss Marple is my favorite. I remember still my delight when I first discovered how many books she had written and would be available for me to read. Always wonderful to see you and Donna and I look forward to next month’s selection 💕
One of the best lines ever in a book..."I think, my dear," said Miss Marple "we won't talk anymore about murder during tea. Such an unpleasant subject!" This is my first Agatha Christie novel I have ever read and I can tell you it will not be my last. Thank you Miranda and Donna!
Usually I'm spending my free time painting, crafting or crocheting but after subscribing to your charming channel I've started reading books again. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 4:50 from Paddington. Thank you so much Donna for recommending The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie which will be my next book. I also have Nature Writing for Every Day of the Year in my bedside cabinet. I think dear Lucy shouldn't marry either of them 🤣
Love hearing all the wonderful callers accents , tones and views about the characters. Great hive of discussion!
Hello Miranda, thank you for a wonderful discussion of 4.50 Paddington! I nodded in agreement with all of the other lovely messages. I am thrilled with March’s choice - Wind in the Willows is on my TBR trolley for this year. Great reading minds think alike. My reading world is fuller, brighter, and richer in diversity through the CBC - thank you! Have a great weekend ahead. Best wishes, Jason
Thanks so much for your contribution to the discussion as always, Jason! Glad you’re excited about the March pick 😊📚
Hello Miranda and Donna, I’ve always found Miss Marple more relatable than Hercule Poirot and his little grey cells. Now living in a small village, I can’t help thinking about her (and chuckling) when I hear a female neighbour gossip behind my hedge, there’s always some kind of « mystery » to solve. But she’s no Miss Marple, unfortunately! Loved the book and the biography. There’s so much more to Agatha Christie, in terms of sociology and humanism, than I was led to believe when I was young. Thank you so much. ❤
Miss Marple is my favourite too, Nadine! ❤️
When I was a young girl Miss Marple was like a cherished auntie and it was like looking through an old forgotten scrapbook to re read 4.50 from Paddington. It was a favorite then and now. Thank you Miranda and Donna!
Spoiler: to add to my voice comment regarding Lucy’s choice: the last few sentences of the book is a conversation between Jane and the inspector and he says “I wonder who she’ll marry” - And Jane Marple’s reply is “don’t you know?” That really clinched it for me after all of his interest in Lucy and his implied annoyance at the attention she gets from each of the male characters. I guess we’ll never know for sure. How perfect for Christie to leave us a forever mystery. Today’s book club was so enjoyable. I found everyone’s comments so interesting and agree completely that the women characters were all women you’d want to hang out with: loyal, responsible, formidable, independent, etc.
Very true, Dawn! Thanks so much for your fab message!
The Comfort Book Club is becoming global with all the wonderful international contributors! I listened to this book via audio and really enjoyed it so much - I loved all the female characters and also thought the two young boys were such fun with their amateur sleuthing! This was a book that I probably wouldn't ordinarily have read so I am delighted to have enjoyed it so much. I have already started The Nonesuch and am also looking forward to The Wind in the Willows! I hope you both loved the treacle tart!
So glad you enjoyed it, Sue, and yes we did indeed enjoy treacle tarts! 😃
I so enjoyed listening to you and your mum talking about this book, and all the wonderful messages too. This is one of my favourite Miss Marple books. Such a great plot idea and a real surprise ending. I love the female characters and the boys are also so entertaining, the men however are mostly quite a poor bunch in this book! As to who I think Lucy marries… she seems to me to be most attracted to Cedric out of the Crackenthorpe men, however I hope Inspector Craddock may be the lucky man, he does seem interested in Lucy and is much nicer than any of the others! Really looking forward to the next two Comfort Book Club reads, both favourites of mine.
I finally finished the book! My mother, who passed away six years ago, loved Agatha Christie, had many of her books, and read and re-read them as I was growing up and beyond. She tried several times to get me to read them. Did she? Honestly, I can't quite remember if I ever finished one. I remember starting one, decades ago, begrudgingly. I took this as an opportunity, given my mother's love for Christie and my loving your suggestions of Appointment with Venus, The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street, Woolf's A Writer's Diary, and Bedside Companion for Book Lovers. It was a slow start for me and took me forever to get to around page 70. I was determined, though, and I was taken around page 80 and burned through the rest. (It didn't hurt that your video came out, and I wanted to watch it so much but had to finish first!) I was so shocked by the ending! I was sure I knew who the murderer was, but I was so wrong! I told my father I was reading a Christie novel, and he asked if I'd figured out who'd done it. He talked of my mother reading the books and how she always, the first go with the books, tried to figure out who had done it. Oh.... After I finished, I so wished I knew if my mother figured it out or was as shocked as I was. I didn't have a suspicion until the fishbone! I have a feeling she figured it out before I did! I love the fact that you and your mother are able to read and talk about books together! What a wonderful thing! I did find Sharon Kay Penman novels some time ago, passed them on to my parents, and we all read them, loved them, and talked about them. Like those who called and left messages, I loved Lucy. Additionally, I imagine I will read more. I wish I could remember if my mother liked Marple or Poirot more. I know she favored one, but I can't for the life of me remember which or remember why. We still have her books, though. Perhaps I'll be able to tell which were read and re-read more! Thank you for your reading suggestions; thank you both for sharing your love of books and one another with us! My reading life if becoming reinvigorated.
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I loved hearing all the contributions from around the globe! I enjoyed to hear everyone’s love for Lucy. She really is a creature to behold. I liked how you brought up how Emma may be forgotten. Her serenity and own capabilities (especially in the wake of her cantankerous father) make her special in her own right. As Jason said, in a time where women were discouraged from action, Agatha Christie really gives them autonomy while still keeping their feminine wits about them. It gave me much to mull over. Thank you so much Miranda and Donna! ❤️
What a wonderful book club edition, thank you for including my comment. Loved hearing everyone else’s and we all seem to agree that we really want to be a bit like Lucy and we want to hire someone like Lucy 😁 looking forward to the next one! Best wishes to you both x
Thank you so much for your great comment, Eloise! I agree Lucy really is wonderful! And thank you too for your kind support. I really appreciate it! ❤️
Thank you, ladies. I am really pleased with the books we read here and that so many people are willing to share comments. You make it fun in your special way. I will be 55 soon and when I grow up I want to move to England and be your neighbor. Your channel inspires me to keep reading, laughing, and trying new things!
Thank you so much for your lovely comment and support, Deb! I so appreciate both, and I'm really glad you're enjoying the Comfort Book Club books and community! xxx
Such a great book club and I enjoyed everyone's phone messages immensely (although Jason's did make me a bit hungry 😊). I am also a big fan of Lucy's. To me she was a "domestic Mary Poppins" - sweeping in when most needed, effortlessly whipping up fabulous meals and bringing order to the home. She also was very much a modern woman - assessing a need in society and creating a business to meet that need. All while helping to solve a crime and having many men fall in love with her. In terms of her future - Inspector Craddock is my vote. In the last line of the book Miss Marple "twinkled at him" as they were discussing the possibility of "wedding bells" for Lucy. I also developed a fondness for Emma's character and was happy that Miss Marple saw the possibility of a shipboard romance in her future. As we know, Miss Marple is never wrong! Every read and re-read of Agatha Christie reinforces my belief that she was not only a great writer and plotter, but had a deep understanding of human nature. Thank you, Miranda and Donna!💕
So glad you enjoyed the discussion, Nancy! Thank you xxx
The Wind in the Willows is a favourite. 💚 Can't wait for March. 🐸
Dear Miranda and dear Donna,
I loved to read 4:50 from Paddington and it was my first Agatha Christie book and also my first mystery book, because I usually shy away from mysteries, because I'm easily scared. I loved it so much, that I've already ordered more of her books to read them. I liked the beautiful copy from Harper Collins and I'm now especially looking for copies from Harper. Thank you so much for choosing this comfort read and for always introducing your followers to books which are not only great reads, but also very pleasing for the eye! Have a loveky weekend you two!
So glad you enjoyed your first Agatha Christie, Inga! You've got so many good ones in store! ❤️
I loved this discussion. Just when I thought I knew this story too well to learn anything new....🤔 I'm almost ashamed to say I've never really considered Emma much. Lucy is such a sparkly character fizzing with energy and we all want to be her, but it's actually Emma I'm closer to in age and temperament. You're absolutely right. She is marvellously serene and very capable and it's a shame she's overlooked. I no longer shall! I think I have been too influenced by the brilliant Joan Hickson tv adaptation as I just presumed Lucy would marry Brian Eastley. Thank you Miranda and Donna for bringing fresh thought to an old favourite xx
So glad you enjoyed the discussion, Sally! xxx
You're not alone! While I can be like Lucy at times, I'm definitely more Emma! Also both in age and temperament.... Even though, if I remember correctly, the doctor said it, Emma was the salt of the earth. It's good to be the salt of the earth! :)
Just discovered your channel and am absolutely loving it 💜 you have inspired me to read Agatha Christie for the first time and I started with this book. I can’t thank you enough for the inspiration as I can tell she will become my new favourite author. I don’t know why I waited so long to read her books! Thank you and best wishes to you both. Your channel is such a joy and a corner of peace and cosiness on UA-cam xx
Thank you so much, Bev! I'm so glad you enjoyed reading along with us this month. You have many treats in store reading Agatha Christie for the first time! xxx
I loved this book and discussion. This book was a great choice, and reminded of my reading sessions in the late sixties at boarding school, Ioved reading Agatha Christie! Agree with all the great comments, the period details are so interesting, and the characters are so well drawn. Lucy and Emma, Miss Marple and the outrageous senior Mr Crackenthorpe! Love that name!
Thank you Miranda and Donna💕
Thank you Miranda, Donna and everyone for this discussion.
I find it really interesting how Agatha Christie can write about something which, if it were real, would be so devastating and solemn, and yet she removed all or most of the sordid details and wrote whodunnits! Once the nasty business is over, everyone involved seems to get on with their lives while evading suspicion. The focus is never on the shock of finding a corpse for example and how shocking that would be. To me, it makes the other characters in her books seem unreal.
I’ve read a lot of Agatha Christie but not once have I come up with the answer. She was so clever and it makes me wonder how she did it.
I’m inspired to read more of her books!
Really great discussion. I loved the book. Miss Marple is my favorite sleuth. And I wish I could be a Lucy. Efficient, smart and capable. Thank you both for picking this great book. 📚 👍🤗💕💕
So glad you enjoyed the book and the discussion, Diane! Thank you! xxx
Oh, love The Wind in the Willows! (Re read/listens to it about once a year since childhood) I have never read anything by Georgette Heyer so that will be something new to me. Thank you for hosting the Comfort Book Club, it gives me much joy.
Love your channel and LOVE Agatha Christie! I have read and own everything that she has ever written. My very first read was "After the Funeral" when I was fourteen, on a train, going to see my Grandma in Toronto, and I was hooked!. Also, I was reading an Agatha Christie when I heard she had died!
She really was the Queen of Crime! Xxx
Thank you for your wonderful bookclub. A big dose of sunshine.
I enjoy the Comfort Book Club so much. The discussion and input from readers around the world make this a very special place to enjoy our mutual love of books. Thank you, Miranda and Donna , for hosting us every month.
I'm so glad you enjoy it, Rebecca, thank you! ❤️
I did enjoy rereading this Agatha Christie, and have always loved Lucy as a character. I’d never really appreciated Emma as a character and her strength until I was older, I hope she ended up with the man she deserved.
I’m very excited for March’s choice now as well. Thank you for picking this great book ☺️.
This is a new favorite Agatha Christie novel that I wouldn’t have picked up if it wasn’t for the comfort book club! I absolutely adored the women in this book. Thank you for choosing it!
Sooo lovely to see you and Donna chatting about this, fab comments from people too. Marple is my favourite of Agatha’s sleuths, even if as many of you pointed out, she’s not in them too much. I have been collecting the new Holly Dunn editions and am planning on reading them in order. I must read Lucy’s biography of her. Must, must, must.
Thanks Simon! The Lucy Worsley bio is such a great read - highly recommend!
Two days after you uploaded the video I was finally able to finish my first read of 4:50 from Paddington - and then watched your video with great delight. One of my favourite characters was Alexander, besides Lucy and Miss Marple herself. Now I think I want to re-watch the adaptation of the book with the legendary Geraldine McEwan. I think they did the scene with the plot twist differently but anyway. Also, I think I will make it my goal to read all of the Miss Marple books now, you quite inspired me, Miranda and Donna. Thank you for that!
Hi, Miranda, thank you both so much for this entertaining 'meeting'. It’s my favourite Miss Marple… like my favourite Poirot is Death on the Nile. I’ll read it in English now, I’ve read it many times in German and even made Lucy’s Mushroom soup. I love the movie with Margret Rutherford, too, but I always miss Lucy…and feel sorry for the hard work of Miss Marple. Lucy was several times my motivator when I had to do chores at home I don’t like… In a time, where being a maid wasn’t popular and women in university either she made a clever choice and didn’t become a maid but a household MANAGER, guiding a big house with homemade food and with time for herself to support Miss Marple and Miss Gillicuddy, saving them from the rumors , that elderly women are hysterical and can’t trust their eyes and mind. I loved the man in the work agency, who’s working on a carpet in the movie and thought, that he needs a Lucy, showing him to organise courses for young people, who can become household managers instead of devote maids. So I combined my thoughts about book and movie.. maybe they’ll even marry, but Lucy needs a free spirit like hers. I enjoyed the voice messages very much, too. Looking forward to your next book of Georgette Heyer. I didn’t get the title of the book and will research. I decided to follow you with your book club, reading everything in English. Never too old (68 in February) to improve… love to you both, Monika❣
Love how Miss Marple always keeps her thoughts or inclinations to herself until she has worked things out!She tantalises us but using expressions such as 'mm...oh I see,yes and we know she is onto something .So very captivating!Such a delight to see "The Comfort Book club" expanding month by month a great and worthy tribute to the hosts!!🤗
Thank you Julie! xxx
Thank you Miranda and Donna for hosting this discussion. This was my first Agatha Christie novel as well. I enjoyed the book, and was very surprised by the ending. The scenes with Lucy and the boys were my favourites!
I'm so glad you enjoyed your introduction to Christie, Debbie! xxx
Me too.
Thank you, Miranda and Donna. I'm an avid Agatha Christie fan, but haven't read many of her books recently, so it was pleasure to go back to 4:50 from Paddington. I'm currently binge-reading Rex Stout's books with Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin, but I hope to soon go back and binge-read Agatha Christie. A few years ago, my husband and I were in England, and one of the highlights was going to see The Mousetrap, and a nearby memorial to Agatha Christie. Like Donna, I've read The Secret Notebooks and was thrilled to find out how Agatha would spread her jottings about her books in whatever notebook was handy. What some would call unorganized worked for her. Also her background in Mathematics has inspired me. I was a Math major as well and am not organized in my writing methods. But if those traits worked for Agatha, maybe I can hope, as I'm currently writing short mystery stories.
The Nero Wolfe series is a favorite of mine as well. Another armchair detective like our Miss Marple.
Thank you Miranda - I love your videos and so enjoy all of your book choices and discussions. Best wishes to you & your Mum
Thank you so much, Jessie! I'm so glad you enjoy the books, videos and discussions 😊 xxx
Thank you Miranda and Donna for hosting this lovely discussion! I so enjoyed reading 4.50 from Paddington. As for who Lucy ends up marrying, I think I’m with the caller who voted “neither”! Alexander would make quite a delightful stepson - but perhaps not at the expense of his drip of a father!! I’m looking forward to the discussion on The Nonesuch - one of my very favourite Heyer couples. Thank you - I have recently discovered your channel and I’m enjoying myself so much 😊
I do love these discussions, particularly hearing from new readers of Agatha Christie. I read her avidly as light relief after the rigours of my degree and I’m delighted you have reintroduced me to her. I failed as ever to remember who the murderer was and it never occurred to me that Lucy would actually marry any of them 😂! Now to read Lucy Worsley.
Hi Donna and Miranda. Loved the book and the discussion. I just downloaded Lucy Worsley biography of Christie. You two are so delightful. On a separate note, thank you for your more frequent posts on your channel. You make my day. Sue
As usual, Miranda has the most beautiful editions of every book.
I've known of Miss Marple books/videos but just haven't made the time to read or watch them. Your Comfort Book Club gave me the push I needed...thank you! I love Miss Marple! Cool, calm, collected, steady and shrewd. Must have more of her so, I ordered and received Murder at the Vicarage in the mail last week, look forward to reading it soon. Thank you for your excellent videos Miranda and both of you for your book enthusiasm!
Oh I'm so glad! I really like Murder at the Vicarage too! Such a good one! xxx
I loved the comfort book club video! I love you both so much, it's like visiting friends. 🙂💕
Thank you Linda! xxx
I so enjoyed the 4.50 from Paddington. I've not read Agatha Christie since I was a teenager, so it was wonderful to be encouraged to return to the world of Miss Marple. The book was a thoroughly enjoyable read and Christie is certainly a master of the genre. I loved the insights your callers shared about the characters and the setting of the novel. Your Comfort Book Club is just that Miranda. Thanks for all the effort you put into to creating such fabulous content for your channel.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Anne! ❤️
Hello, Miranda and Donna. Thanks for hosting this wonderful discussion for the comfort book club. It is indeed comforting to share a book with readers from all over the world. With 4:50 from Paddington, I have finished rereading all of the Miss Marple novels in 2022. What a wonderful experience it has been. I look forward to next month's discussion, and happy new year to you both.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the discussion Amelia! And how fun to read all the Miss Marple books.
This was my first Christie novel as well and now I'm making my way through the Miss Marple series. I read it in 2 days. I started as an e-book early one morning in bed, was glued throughout the day and finished the next morning- I hardly wanted to sleep! The story captivated me completely (despite having seen the film based on this novel).
So glad you enjoyed it! You have a lot of treats in store! xxx
I haven’t read an Agatha Christie in many years. My grandmother read them and got me started on them very early, probably around ten. I went from Nancy Drew to Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. I no longer remembered more than the murder on the train, so I really enjoyed this so much! I listened to the audiobook because the ebook was unavailable. I might do some others this way in the future.
Hello Miranda and Donna. Thank you for a very interesting discussion. This was my first Miss Marple mystery, but not my last. After reading a mystery I always want to do a reread to see which clues I missed and this book was no exception. I, too,loved Lucy but Cedric…really? My guess would have been Bryan. Thanks again and I’m looking forward to my first Georgette Heyer book.
Really enjoyed the video and wonderful discussion. Thank you Miranda and Donna. Sometime I would like you to show us how you read your books (a special chair you find comfortable for reading, etc). I often read in bed and balance book on pillow, etc - not always comfortable. I always look forward to your videos
We don't do anything special - couch or armchair, or try sitting up in bed! xxx
Hello Miranda and Donna ----
It's ABSOLUTELY LOVELY to spend time with you. . . it brings calmness and peacefulness😔 into my day. I truly enjoy Agatha Christie so I will definitely read the specific selection you discussed in this video. I am already looking forward to your next video. Best Regards To You.
Love this book, one of my favorites also. Really liked Jason's phone message there were so many wonderful food references :) I've just started following your Comfort Book Club and I'm loving it. Found a gently used copy of the Nonesuch to read in February. Thank you Miranda and Donna. You're both such a beautiful treat xoxoxo Lots of hugs and love.
I'm so glad you enjoyed this discussion, Belinda! Thank you. Welcome to the book club! 😊
Really enjoyed the discussion..especially regarding Lucy and Emma..the novel brings an evocation of post war Britain..I felt the Joan Hickson adaptation of 4.50 managed to capture that time period as well..thankyou
Thank you Miranda and Donna, and the fantastic contributors, this was such an enjoyable discussion. 4.50 from Paddington was the perfect comfort re-read for me, as I recovered from a bad cold. Everyone's comments chimed with my own responses to the book and its many pleasures, not least those wonderful names to conjure with: Elspeth McGillicuddy, Lucy Eyelesbarrow, the Crackenthorpes. I felt that Agatha Christie was definitely matchmaking Lucy and Cedric - I can imagine the perfect artists' retreat that they could run together with Lucy's good taste and hosting skills, an early precursor to Airbnb on Ibiza!
So glad you enjoyed the discussion Lindsey - hope you're feeling better! You're right - the characters all had wonderful names! xxx
I've been a long time fan of Agatha Christie & " 4.50 from Paddington " is a good one. My favourite is " Murder at the Vicarage ".
I love Miss Marple and Agatha Christie! Such a lovely video! If you enjoy jigsaws, there is a wonderful one called The world of Agatha Christie. It is full of all clues and hints to her amazing work. I really enjoyed it. Thank you.
Thank you Miranda for this book club special. I enjoyed the discussion and I love your pullover and your mother’s cameo. Have a good day both.
Super book, thoroughly enjoyed it. I suspected the actual culprit half way through the book but loved when he was denounced at the end by Mrs Gillcuddy. Thought Cedric was a red herring as a possible love interest for Lucy, it appeared Miss Marple may have engineered a match with Inspector Craddock. Thank you for the book suggestion, Agatha Christie was a great favourite of my Mum, and after I told my Sister of the Comfort Book Club title, she found Mums 1959 publication. ❤️ Looking forward to a bit of Regency Romance now . X
So glad you enjoyed it, Mhairi! How great to have your mother's copy xxx
I read 4:50 from Paddington last January based on one of your recommendation videos and really loved it. Currently enjoying The Mystery of the Blue Train. Thank you for all your recommendations!
I am traveling through Vietnam and Cambodia at the moment and reading 4.50 to Paddington - really enjoying it (again). I actually bought a Vietnamese edition as a souvenir!
Oh I really must read this book! Subscribed.
Hello Miranda Hello Donna Always a joy reading and rereading a story by Agatha Christie It is not just the brilliant stories It is the reconstruction of a certain period as you have already mentioned Have a wonderful weekend
Hi 👋 Miranda we've just ordered from slightly foxed Wind in the willows For March comfort book club
This was my first Miss Marple story as I’m usually a Poirot girl. I absolutely loved this book. I flew threw it and couldn’t put it down. I have to say though that the person who I most suspected was the killer. I did however suspect Lucy for a short while too!! Ha! I absolutely loved Emma’s gentle spirit. I felt so bad for her at the end. She just wanted some romance from her everyday life. I loved the domestic details as you all pointed out. It sure makes me want to make an apple meringue!
What a wonderful discussion! I so look forward to these CBC videos. Thanks!
Thank you very much! xxx
Miranda and Donna this was so enjoyable. I also read 4:50 from Paddington which I am now going to reread after listening to everyone’s take on it.
Can’t wait to listen to next months Comfort Book Club’s video. 🌹
Thank you for choosing this book. It was my first Agatha Christie novel and I loved it!!!
SO excited for March's choice! Funnily enough, I read it for the first time two weeks ago and fell in love. I've been collecting (and planning) various copies since! So many beautiful additions out there. Thanks Miranda and Donna for the wonderful Comfort Book Club!
*editions
I loved this book, I'd read a few Poirot novels but this was my first Miss Marple. I haven't read Lucy Worsleys book yet but did go to see Lucy discuss Agatha Christie live which was amazing.
I wish I have had time to read along this month... I spent a lot of time on New Year's cleaning 😁 I love the Miss Marple movies so much!!! I adore Margaret Rutherford. I used to watch the movies with my friends in uni. So it brings me back 😃
I love to listen to audiobooks when cleaning 😃
This was my first time reading A Miss Marple. I enjoyed it. What stuck with me and endeared Miss Marple to me was not only her sharp mind but the descriptions of her "twinkling" with some sly though.
Barbie from Virginia, hello. I am a huge Hercule Poirot fan so really loved having the opportunity to read this novel. She had a real understanding of humankind with all varieties societies having both good and poor characteristics. A surprise ending! Loved it and now will read more of them by this author. I will check out the biography….
That's great! So glad you enjoyed your introduction to Miss Marple 😊
I seem to align with the message from Christina of Summerville Massachusett. Normally I always avoid mysterious, but since I adore you, Donna and the international bookclub, I extended myself to try it. This was my first time to read Agatha Christie also and it did surprise me. It's so delightful to hear everyone's perspective. Thank you for these wonderful discussions 😊
Hi Miranda and Donna - I have to agree with Donna that Miranda is a bit of a Lucy Eyelesbarrow herself! As talented as Miranda is I'm sure she would have no problem locating a dead body if need be😊 I'm rather bummed I didn't leave a voicemail because Emma was the character who filled my thoughts the most. I kept playing over and over how the doctor kept commenting on Emma's strengths. It actually turned out to be the "tell" for me. This is my first Agatha Christie....so thank you! As for your question, I think Lucy is too independent and enjoys her freedom too much to marry! Oh I'm so excited about March's CBC read!💚
Haha, thank you very much, Heather! I would certainly rush to Miss Marple's aid should she ever call 😉 😃 I agree Emma was an interesting character! xxx
Thanks for choosing 4.50 from Paddington as the January CBC read, I very much enjoyed reading it again after many years. I've recently watched two different versions on tv and both differ slightly from the book, which is superior to both, with all the characters so well drawn. A lively and interesting discussion.
Just finished my reread of 4:50 from Paddington and I was as shocked by the resolution as the first time 😂
All I remembered from the first read was the train murder itself and the character of Lucy.
I always wished Christie had used her more than just once.
I hope Emma has her happy ending with or without a husband!
As for potential husband for Lucy Cedric, the whole pigsties business with Lucy blushing and he is the only one not to propose to her, he became a challenge to overcome 😀
Thank you Donna and Miranda!
Loved this book as audio version though I had read it decades ago and watched the PBS only 20 years ago! I did love the post-war feel of it and that the ladies were so brilliant. Thanks for suggestion on this book.
😀💕xx thanks Miranda and Donna. I loved the book. Thanks so much for the recommendation.
I’m so glad, Sue!
I really enjoyed this Thanks both of you.
Thank you very much for the wonderful discussion!
I wanted to thank you, Miranda, for inspiring me to read Agatha Christie. After watching one of your recent vlogs, I borrowed The Murder at the Vicarage from the library. Once I'd started it, I couldn't put it down! And then I saw the book club discussion of 4.50 from Paddington while scrolling down the episodes on your channel, and so read that. Another page-turner!
Now I've just watched the discussion and, in answer to your question at the end, about who Lucy might marry, I agree with your last caller, Dawn. I think it'll be Detective Inspector Craddock, too, because of Miss Marple's twinkling at him in the very last sentence of the book. (Personally, I think Lucy has far too much sense to attach herself to either Cedric or Bryan.)
Carol
Thank you so much, Carol! So glad you’re enjoying Agatha Christie! Thanks so much too for your kind support! I really appreciate it! ❤️📚🌹
Great review of one of my favorite Marple Novels! Totally illogically, I'm team Bryan. Whatever Joan Hickson as Miss Marple says is good enough for me. : ) I think we've all had enough Cedrics!
Haha very true! I definitely wouldn't be choosing Cedric either! xxx
I have been watching your videos for only 2 months.
But they are so inspiring and helpful for improving my English.
Your way of speaking is so clear and pleasant.
Are you a teacher?
May I ask you if you have ever done Q&A in one of your vlogs?
Irmgard xxx
Great book review as always. I look forward to Jason’s comments so much he’s just part of the reviews now.
Love the Agatha Christie books. 4:50 to Paddington is one of the favourite Agatha books. The mystery and setting is so brilliant. Loved your review and hearing your thoughts on the book 😊
So glad you enjoyed the discussion, thank you!
@@MirandaMills your welcome. Can't wait to watch more of your videos
I'm still reading the book, so I decided not to see the video (although I'm so tempted to do so!) I just wanted to say that I love Donna's cameo, it's so pretty! I'm looking forward to seeing the video once I've completed the book.
I’m so annoyed with myself that I missed being able to send in my voice msg for this mths book club. I love Agatha Christie, I’ve read many of the Miss Marple novels as a child but I think I didn’t really understand them til I saw them as an older child in TV adaptions. (I’ve seen every series/movie made of her Miss Marple stories) I couldn’t get my hands on an actual copy for this mths read, however I did listen to it as an audio book. Im guessing that’s acceptable. I agree with you Miranda re-Emma I too thought her character was lovely and I did feel sorry for her. I never guessed who it was that was the murderer and that’s the talent of Agatha Christie, a true crime writer ♥️
Thank you Miranda and Donna I really enjoyed the book I love your choices ❤ I used to read a lot then life got in the way but since discovering your great channel and book club my love of reading has returned I have read the last 4 books from your monthly comfort book club xxxx
That's wonderful! I'm so glad ❤️
I have only watched the Joan Hickson DVD which i really enjoyed so maybe i should treat myself to the book.
Definitely!
I haven't read much Agatha Christie and not for many years, but watched Lucy Worsley's series on tv and was hooked again - I also bought the beautiful HarperCollins version, that beautiful hardback you showed at the start. Very interesting discission. Have you ever done any Lord Peter Wimsey?
Hello Miranda and Donna, my late Mother once said of a dear friend of mine "well, she certainly keeps you on your toes" and that is exactly how Lucy makes me feel. Along with Miss Quinn from the Miss Read story "No Holly for Miss Quinn" and, to a certain extent, the formidable Mary Poppins,
these super efficient, tirelessly energetic, intelligent and capable women have in the past made me try to clean my house from top to bottom, produce a perfectly baked cake as well as a nutritious and tasty supper before reading a bedtime story to the children - interestingly though I am of the "Superwoman" by Shirley Conran era. I wasn't at all pleased to find those same emotions coming to the fore when re-reading the 4:50 From Paddington all these years later. I was born the year before this book was published and I like to imagine that Christie would, as she often did, re-write Lucy's future as a single woman sleuth, just like Jane Marple. Miss Marple had a close friendship with Sir Henry Clithering, who happens to be Dermot Craddock's Godfather. Sir Henry Clithering also features, co-incidentally Donna, in The Thirteen Problems. We will never know, of course, which exactly mimics the unsolved episodes of Christie's own life. Thank you for such a great conversation about this great Comfort Book Club choice. Happy reading, Teresa
Always so interesting to read your thoughts, Teresa! Lucy could definitely be a cousin of Miss Quinn and Mary Poppins! Xxx
Hi Miranda, This is a favourite Miss Marple book for me as well! I just finished reading it in my new William Morrow paperback edition (love the new cover). And now I'm looking forward to watching the discussion with you and Donna. Happy Day! 📚
Thanks so much! Hope you enjoy the discussion xxx
@@MirandaMills Loved all the comments and the discussion of this wonderful book. Thank U!
I rather hope that Lucy goes into the "swinging 60s" on a wave of her exuberance, talent, and self-confidence, that she remains independent and has a rich, beautiful life. Otherwise, like another member of the Comfort Club, I thought a police inspector might be in her future. Loved 450 From Paddington! It's my second favorite Miss Marple...after A Pocket Full of Rye. I have never read any of her short stories, but am hugely anticipating doing so now. Thanks for this wonderful discussion and for all your recommendations.
It's fun to picture her in the swinging 60s! So glad you enjoyed the book, and yes the short stories are wonderful! xxx
Hi Miranda and Donna. This was my first Miss Marple book and I loved it, so thank you for the recommendation. I enjoyed the journey of trying to work out what happened to the body? Who the body belonged to? Why it happened? and who the murderer was? It kept me guessing until the last page :)
Hello Miranda and Donna …. I absolutely LOVED “4:50 FROM PADDINGTON” I guessed wrong throughout…the end was such a surprised.. I love the mixed generation of the women too… I read along with the audio and was completely immersed.. Lucy and Inspector Craddock would really be ideal…and I purchased Lucy Worsley’s Biography of AGATHA CHRISTIE… I will read it this weekend.. embarrassing little side note it will be my first Biography..🥰🥰📚
How exciting, Kiki! I loved the Lucy Worsley book and think it’s a great choice! I’m so happy you loved 4:50 from Paddington too. Thank you so much for your kind support. It really means a lot ❤️
one of my favourite books❤❤❤
Same! 😄
I was really struck by the children in this Christie. I don't remember them figuring so predominantly in other Christie mysteries. I love how she uses them for comic relief. And she captures their exuberance and flights of fancy so well, especially how they can dart from one topic and turn on a dime to another. Alexander is apologizing to Stoddart-West for his grandfather's behavior: "He's on a diet or something and that makes him peculiar. He's terribly mean, too. I think it must be a complex of some kind." Stoddart-West said comprehendingly [I can just imagine him nodding sagely here!]:" I had an aunt who kept thinking she was going bankrupt. Really, she had oodles of money. Pathological, the doctor said. Have you got that football, Alex?" You and Donna and the other contributors capture so much of what there is to love about the novel. Everyone's insights are so appreciated! Thank you for this trip down memory lane. I think I'm ready to reread the entire Christie canon!
Thank you so much for your lovely comment and support, as always, Pamela! That's so true - I really enjoyed the children in this book too, and they did provide great comic relief. xxx
Once again I am reminded how much better the book is than the movie! This was a wonderful read and the book that I read it out of also has two more stories that I’ve never heard of, The Mystery of the Blue Train and Death in the Air, and I am looking forward to reading those. (In this book, 4:50 From Paddington is called What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw!) And, because of watching the 2004 movie version of the story and Lucy ending up with the inspector in it, I expected her to end up with the inspector in the book, as well. I have to admit that I wasn’t sure who she was going to marry in the end! Thank you for all your great reading suggestions!!
Ah, that's interesting she ends with the Inspector in one of the film / tv versions - I think from the book it's all much less clear, yes! So glad you enjoyed reading the book! xxx
I read the novel and then watched the Film, they did make quite a few changes which I did not really like. Loved your video as always.
What a marvelous book, and a terrific discussion. For some reason, my 1980 copy of the book, published by Avenel Books, New York, is titled "What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw!" As far as the likeliest match for Lucy....how about Emma?!
Thanks so much for your support, Bonnie! I'm so glad you enjoyed the book & discussion! Well, another Miss Marple mystery features a female couple, so maybe!! xxx
I so enjoy the Comfort Book Club. You inspire me to pick up books that I would often be unaware of otherwise.
I'm so happy to hear that, Jessica! Thank you so much for your lovely support ❤️
I LOVE THIS BOOK.
It doesnt matter how many times I read it, I never remember all the details. Agatha Christie was sadly quite right to warn us not to accept figures in authority and trust, the amount of doctors and now, sadly policemen in the news for all the wrong reasons.
Hello Miranda and Donna, and all the Comfort Bookclub readers, a belated Happy New Year to you all. This was my first time reading an Agatha Christy novel and my first time with the crafty Mrs Marple. I am very familiar with Hercule Poirot, mostly from movies and TV shows. This was such an enjoyable read and I was throughly surprised at the end. I have to agree with the comments regarding Christy’s empowering older women who are often overlooked by society. I too loved the kinship between the three women and especially between Lucy and Mrs. Marple. I was a bit surprised that as smart as Lucy was, she didn’t leave Rutherford Hall immediately after the round of poisonings. She clearly has a stronger stomach for danger than I. As far as Lucy’s romantic interests go, I also would have liked her to end up with DI Craddock (they would make a great crime solving duo), but my bet is on Brian Eastley because Lucy seemed so attached to Alexander. I enjoyed the comments from the gentleman in New Zealand regarding all the food that was mentioned in the book. Lucy’s cooking sounded quite delectable. Thank you for another charming pick, and I am excited to get started on next month’s book (I’m even more excited for Wind in the Willows as I have just received the same publication from Blackwells recently). Have a lovely month, until we all meet here again in February. Cheers!
Thanks so much, Cori for your very kind support! It’s so very appreciated.I I loved all the food mentions as well! Happy February reading!❤📚xx