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Popular Detective magazine, May 1947.
They Do It With Mirrors (published in 1952) is a detective fiction novel by Agatha Christie, featuring her detective Miss Marple. 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...
Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes Detective fiction is a branch of crime fiction that centers upon the investigation of a crime, usually murder, by a detective, either professional or amateur. ...
A novel (from French nouvelle Italian novella, new) is an extended, generally fictional narrative, typically in prose. ...
Agatha Mary Clarissa, Lady Mallowan, DBE (15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976), also known as Dame Agatha Christie, was an English crime fiction writer. ...
This article does not cite its references or sources. ...
Joan Hickson as Miss Marple Jane Marple, usually known as Miss Marple, is a fictional character appearing in 12 Agatha Christie crime novels. ...
Plot summary
Ruth Van Rydock, Carrie Louise Serrocold and Jane Marple were all friends together at the same school long before the story opens. Now Ruth, in one of her swift visits, feels something is very wrong at Stonygates, where the Serrocolds live, with some kind of evil directed at Carrie Louise. She asks Jane to help, and Jane agrees to see what she can find out.
Stonygates is the name of a Victorian monstrosity with added wings and outbuildings. It presently serves as home for juvenile delinquent boys – along with a number of psychiatrists and other staff. At night the boys are confined to their own quarters and the family has the central block, where they reside, to themselves. This portion of Stonygates contains the Great Hall, library and kitchen along one side, with a guest quarters, dining room, main hall with its staircase, and a study opposite. The latter rooms have a terrace outside, running the length of the building. The setup of rooms becomes important to the story.
Carrie Louise is delighted to have Jane for a visit. Carrie Louise and her latest husband, Lewis Serrocold, run the establishment. Lewis has always been overenthusiastic about causes – and rejuvenation of his juvenile charges happens to be one he's fascinated by. Mr. Serrocold feels he can remold, remake, and remodel these boys into young men who will really contribute to society rather than taking from it as has been their wont.
Others living permanently at Stonygates include Juliet Bellever, a long time companion, caretaker and friend of Carrie Louise, Gina and Walter Hudd, and Mildred Strete, Carrie's plain daughter by one of her marriages. Gina is Carrie's granddaughter (her mother was adopted before Mildred was born) and Gina's husband Walter is an American. Stephen Restarick, who teaches the boys acting and stagecraft, is also usually present, even though not part of the actual family. He's obviously in love with Gina.
Christian Gulbrandsen, a member of the Board and related to Mildred, comes on an unexpected visit to see Lewis, and everyone assumes he's come to discuss some kind of Board business. After dinner he retires to the guest room in the central block to type a letter (they had no computers in those days!) while the others congregate in the Great Hall. Shortly afterwards, a fuse is blown and Walter goes to repair it, being handy at all things electrical.
Then a rather strange, paranoid boy named Edgar Lawson comes to confront Lewis Serrocold, screaming that Lewis is his real father. Edgar and Lewis go into Lewis' study and Edgar locks the door behind him. In the dimness, with the lack of light from the blown fuse, all are intent primarily on listening to what's happening behind the locked door. Evidently Edgar has secured a pistol – and he fires it. Everyone except Carrie Louise is concerned that Edgar has shot Mr. Serrocold, but when the door is finally opened, Edgar is in tears, and although there are bullet holes in the wall, Lewis Serrocold is fine. However, Christian Gulbrandsen is dead. He's been shot while sitting at his typewriter.
At that point, Alex Restarick arrives. Alex is Stephen's brother, also associated with the stage, and the most likely suspect since the police who come to investigate find an unaccounted period of time between his arrival in the car and his appearance in the Great Hall.
Mirrors – used by conjurors, and stage scenery – which looks great from the front but is obviously something else from the rear, brings Miss Jane Marple to the realization of how Christian's murder was accomplished. In a confusing mix of embezzlement, attempted poisoning and faked evidence, the murderer is at last discovered – only to die saving his accomplice before he can be brought to trial.
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations Adapted as Murder with Mirrors in 1985 for television, and again in 1992 for BBC, starring Joan Hickson. Murder with Mirrors is a 1985 TV movie based on an Agatha Christie mystery novel set in a Youth detention centre run by a charitable American educationalist in England. ...
1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Media:rofl. ...
The British Broadcasting Corporation, usually known as the BBC (and also informally known as the Beeb or Auntie) is one of the largest broadcasting corporations in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the UK alone and with a budget of more than £4 billion. ...
Joan Hickson played Miss Marple in the popular BBC TV series Joan Hickson OBE (August 5, 1906 – October 17, 1998) was an English actress of theatre, film and television, who achieved fame in her old age playing Agatha Christies Miss Marple. ...
Some elements of the plot were also incorporated into the 1964 film Murder Ahoy!, starring Margaret Rutherford - along with a token tribute to The Mousetrap. Instead of a sprawling Victorian estate, the delinquent boys are housed on board a retired ship called the Battledore, and they go ashore periodically to commit mischief under the direction of their criminal mastermind. Apart from these elements, however, this film is not based on any of Christie's works. 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ...
Murder Ahoy! is the last of four films, made by MGM. Unlike the previous three that were very loosely based on novels by Agatha Christie, this one was not and it employs an original screenplay. ...
Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple Dame Margaret Rutherford, DBE (May 11, 1892 – May 22, 1972) was a British character actress who first came to prominence following World War II in the film adaptations of Noel Cowards Blithe Spirit, and Oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest. ...
St. ...
External links - http://www.all-about-agatha-christie.com/they-do-it-with-mirrors.html
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