Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
They Do It with Mirrors
They Do It with Mirrors is a mystery novel by British writer Agatha Christie, first published in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in 1952 under the title of Murder with Mirrors and in UK by the Collins Crime Club on 17 November that year under Christie's original title. The US edition retailed at $2.50 and the UK edition at ten shillings and sixpence (10/6). The book features her detective Miss Marple.
While visiting her American school friend Ruth Van Rydock in London, Miss Jane Marple learns that Ruth is seriously concerned for her sister Carrie Louise Serrocold, whose home is Stonygates, an aging English Victorian Mansion. Carrie Louise's third husband, Lewis, an enthusiast for the charitable treatment of juvenile delinquents, runs a facility in a neighbouring building for rehabilitating delinquent boys.
Miss Marple agrees to visit. When she arrives, she finds that several members of the Serrocold family are also visiting, including Carrie Louise's widowed and estranged younger daughter (Mildred Strete), her stepson from her second marriage (Stephen Restarick), and her granddaughter (Gina Hudd) who has brought with her her American husband (Walter Hudd). Also present are Juliet "Jolly" Bellever, housekeeper and companion to Carrie Louise, and Edgar Lawson, young secretary to Lewis Serrocold, who appears to be showing clear signs of paranoid schizophrenia. Miss Marple learns that Carrie Louise has experienced some health problems, but is still the sweet, idealistic, and loving person that she had known when they were friends at school.
Christian Gulbrandson, Carrie Louise's stepson from her first marriage and the executor of the vast Gulbrandson Trust, arrives unexpectedly. Lewis Serrocold talks to Christian on the terrace. Miss Marple watches them through her bird-watcher's binoculars, and overhears them discussing the importance of keeping a problem from Carrie Louise, and of the need to seek outside advice. Both men appear for dinner, after which Christian retires to his room to write letters.
When the rest of the family is gathered in the sitting room listening to Stephen playing the piano, Edgar Lawson unexpectedly enters with Walter Hudd's revolver, claiming that Lewis is his father and has treated him badly. The solicitous Lewis guides Edgar into his office; from the other side of the locked door, the family hear Lawson ranting to Lewis, who responds calmly. The lights fuse, leaving the room in darkness and Walter leaves to try to find the fuse box. Shots are heard from inside Lewis's office, and the family try to break down the door. Another shot, some distance away, is also heard by some members of the family. When the door to the office is finally opened, Lewis, out of breath, insists that Lawson meant no real harm, as the shots he had fired merely hit the wall. Lawson collapses in tears, and apologises.
Jolly Bellever, who had left to find the key to Lewis's office, returns and announces that she has discovered Christian Gulbrandson shot dead at his writing desk. Lewis proceeds to Christian's room, followed by Carrie Louise and Miss Marple. Stephen's brother Alexis Restarick, who knows nothing of the previous events and is coming to visit Carrie Louise, arrives at the house just before the police arrive.
Inspector Curry quickly establishes that none of the people from the facility for delinquent boys is involved, nor any of the servants. Learning from Jolly that there had been paper in Christian's typewriter, Curry interrogates Lewis, who admits he removed the sheet for fear his wife should see it. The typed text suggesrts that Christian was afraid to tell Carrie Louise something, with the last sentence suggesting she may be being systematically poisoned. Lewis suggests the police analyze his wife's medicine, which is later proved to contain small amounts of arsenic.
Miss Marple comments that most of the family would be pleased if the outsider Walter were found to be the killer, but Edgar had had Walter's gun at the relevant time. The police later find the murder weapon inside the piano stool. Alexis explains that his drive to the house was slowed by the fog, and that what he saw and heard in the fog – a shot and the sound of someone running – reminded him of a stage set. His experience causes Miss Marple to begin thinking differently about the murder. The next evening, Alexis and one of the delinquents, Ernie Gregg, are killed by a falling stage curtain counterweight.
Hub AI
They Do It with Mirrors AI simulator
(@They Do It with Mirrors_simulator)
They Do It with Mirrors
They Do It with Mirrors is a mystery novel by British writer Agatha Christie, first published in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in 1952 under the title of Murder with Mirrors and in UK by the Collins Crime Club on 17 November that year under Christie's original title. The US edition retailed at $2.50 and the UK edition at ten shillings and sixpence (10/6). The book features her detective Miss Marple.
While visiting her American school friend Ruth Van Rydock in London, Miss Jane Marple learns that Ruth is seriously concerned for her sister Carrie Louise Serrocold, whose home is Stonygates, an aging English Victorian Mansion. Carrie Louise's third husband, Lewis, an enthusiast for the charitable treatment of juvenile delinquents, runs a facility in a neighbouring building for rehabilitating delinquent boys.
Miss Marple agrees to visit. When she arrives, she finds that several members of the Serrocold family are also visiting, including Carrie Louise's widowed and estranged younger daughter (Mildred Strete), her stepson from her second marriage (Stephen Restarick), and her granddaughter (Gina Hudd) who has brought with her her American husband (Walter Hudd). Also present are Juliet "Jolly" Bellever, housekeeper and companion to Carrie Louise, and Edgar Lawson, young secretary to Lewis Serrocold, who appears to be showing clear signs of paranoid schizophrenia. Miss Marple learns that Carrie Louise has experienced some health problems, but is still the sweet, idealistic, and loving person that she had known when they were friends at school.
Christian Gulbrandson, Carrie Louise's stepson from her first marriage and the executor of the vast Gulbrandson Trust, arrives unexpectedly. Lewis Serrocold talks to Christian on the terrace. Miss Marple watches them through her bird-watcher's binoculars, and overhears them discussing the importance of keeping a problem from Carrie Louise, and of the need to seek outside advice. Both men appear for dinner, after which Christian retires to his room to write letters.
When the rest of the family is gathered in the sitting room listening to Stephen playing the piano, Edgar Lawson unexpectedly enters with Walter Hudd's revolver, claiming that Lewis is his father and has treated him badly. The solicitous Lewis guides Edgar into his office; from the other side of the locked door, the family hear Lawson ranting to Lewis, who responds calmly. The lights fuse, leaving the room in darkness and Walter leaves to try to find the fuse box. Shots are heard from inside Lewis's office, and the family try to break down the door. Another shot, some distance away, is also heard by some members of the family. When the door to the office is finally opened, Lewis, out of breath, insists that Lawson meant no real harm, as the shots he had fired merely hit the wall. Lawson collapses in tears, and apologises.
Jolly Bellever, who had left to find the key to Lewis's office, returns and announces that she has discovered Christian Gulbrandson shot dead at his writing desk. Lewis proceeds to Christian's room, followed by Carrie Louise and Miss Marple. Stephen's brother Alexis Restarick, who knows nothing of the previous events and is coming to visit Carrie Louise, arrives at the house just before the police arrive.
Inspector Curry quickly establishes that none of the people from the facility for delinquent boys is involved, nor any of the servants. Learning from Jolly that there had been paper in Christian's typewriter, Curry interrogates Lewis, who admits he removed the sheet for fear his wife should see it. The typed text suggesrts that Christian was afraid to tell Carrie Louise something, with the last sentence suggesting she may be being systematically poisoned. Lewis suggests the police analyze his wife's medicine, which is later proved to contain small amounts of arsenic.
Miss Marple comments that most of the family would be pleased if the outsider Walter were found to be the killer, but Edgar had had Walter's gun at the relevant time. The police later find the murder weapon inside the piano stool. Alexis explains that his drive to the house was slowed by the fog, and that what he saw and heard in the fog – a shot and the sound of someone running – reminded him of a stage set. His experience causes Miss Marple to begin thinking differently about the murder. The next evening, Alexis and one of the delinquents, Ernie Gregg, are killed by a falling stage curtain counterweight.