La dernière énigme

'Sleeping Murder' keeps rolling around on afternoon BBC television, and I have been drawn into the story twice so far. I don't like Miss Marple, so perhaps that is why I find this a decent story - I can't compare it to the books, and the world's oldest detective only crops up every now and again to explain the plot to the newlywed couple. I love the idea of Gwenda subconsciously buying a house from her past, and the details she uncovers, such as the pattern of the wallpaper in the cupboard and the steps in the garden. The history in the house, and the subsequent family tree research, had me hooked. The 'whodunnit' wasn't exactly taxing - just look for the most dubious character, battling with a bad case of pantomime villain - but the unravelling of the clues kept me interested (just about - at times this felt like an epic, instead of an installment of a detective series). The setting, period detail, and characters were all evocative of a storybook version of an era gone by. Perfect Sunday afternoon fodder.

Currently we are enjoying a spate of Joan Hickson's Miss Marple series on our free to air channel. I have watched the other adaptations of Agatha Christie's novel with Geraldine McEwan and while they were fine performances (story lines got a bit muddled) the JH ones are bringing back the original plots and stories. Only one thing is grating me is that the character of Gwenda supposedly from New Zealand is speaking with the most dreadful "Stryne" (Australian) accent. Good grief, the producers only had to go down to Earls Court and pick out a few Kiwis to hear the difference. Also, I get the picture that Gwenda was from a more refined family ( upper middle class) in which her accent would have been more cultured with a hint of "fush & chips" in it. Other than that I'm very much enjoying JH version.

A slow ponderous tale, the last full-length Miss Marple to be published. It had in fact been written during the forties and Christie had intended it to be published after her death. It has the usual surprise twists and turns that we have come to expect from Dame Agatha, but this substandard television production lacks pace and the invasive music ruins any sense of atmosphere. The acting is equally uninspiring, however, John Moulder-Brown appears to be perfectly cast as the vacuous male lead.

A young woman, Gwenda Reed (Geraldine Alexander) falls in love with a house in England and insists that she and her new husband Giles (John Moulder-Brown) buy it.

As she stands on the stairway, she has a vision of a blond woman dead on the floor below. It doesn't make sense to her. She was sent from India to New Zealand as a child when her mother died to live with relatives. Her father remarried in England, but his wife eventually left him.

She starts renovations, which turn out to be actual features once in the house. She becomes nervous and frightened. When her Giles, who is away, calls and invites her to join him, she does.

It turns out one of his friends is Miss Marple's nephew Raymond (David McAlister) and she is visiting. That night, they all attend a performance of The Duchess of Malfi. During the monologue "Cover her face," she lets out a horrific scream and has to be taken back to the friends' home.

Gwenda confides everything to Miss Marple. Miss Marple believes she probably was in England at one point as a child and in that house. But she urges her not to delve into the past.

Nevertheless, Gwenda and her husband do, interviewing family and past suitors of her stepmother, and the people who worked in the home. Not only is there another murder, but she receives unsettling news about her father.

Excellent story and well done! As an added bonus, the husband reminded me of Brad Pitt! Beautifully photographed and much closer to the actual story than the Geraldine McEwan version with some very chilling scenes - such as the discovery of the wallpaper!

Very enjoyable, well cast, and entertaining.

Giles and his beautiful wife Gwenda return to the UK to settle and build a life. Whilst driving through the sleepy village of Dilmouth, they spot house which Gwenda falls in love with, the couple quickly snap it up. Gwenda has a sense of déjà vu and memories of the house begin to return, small things at first, but one memory is too much to bare, murder!

Sleeping Murder is one of my favorite Agatha Christie novels; it has some really dark elements to it, and it's very captivating with real-life and intriguing characters. I think the production team did an excellent job making it; the characters seem like real people, and nobody is too over the top; the story is not too way out.

There are several scenes that stand out. Firstly, the Duchess of Malfi play, Jacobean drama, is particularly heavy, but those words 'cover her face, mine eyes dazzle; she died young' have such an impact. Gwenda's reaction is wonderfully sincere, and the whole staging of the scene is brilliant. The unveiling of the murderer scene is also brilliant-so creepy and sinister.

It's such a good production, it is very well made. There is lots of tension; they succeeded in creating a definite sense of unease, and the music is really spot on; it fits perfectly. The English countryside looks so beautiful too.

The acting, as always, is spot on; not a single weak link in the chain. Joan Hickson is, as always, bang on the money. John Bennett, Frederick Treves and John Moulder Brown are all great, but I've always thought that Geraldine Alexander brings something extra, her performance is so sincere.

It's a wonderful production, a must for any fan of murder mysteries. Plus there's the added bonus of seeing Jane Marple play the hero.

9/10.