Nemesis

Clever spinster and sleuth Miss Jane Marple is at her sharpest in this classic Agatha Christie novel. "Nemesis" is defined as an adversary or competitor, but as this production unfolds in the hands of the impeccable cast led by June Whitfield, the listener is encouraged to consider that perhaps the title is actually a clue. Miss Marple must unravel a decades-old crime with no clues, hardly any suspects, and nothing concrete to go on. This dramatization is excellent in every facet as it captures the world of proper spinsters, as well as the peculiarities of English villages and the folks who inhabit them. The vocal characterizations are crisp and distinctive, reinforcing at every turn the appropriateness of this story to the audio format. M.R.E. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine

Joan Hickson is indisputably the best actress to have portrayed Miss Jane Marple on stage or on television. Hickson reads with all the spirit and energy of her character, speeding along at the famous spinster's pace. But the words often come out sounding slurred or garbled, as though the tongue is not as nimble as the mind. This story, in which Miss Marple goes on a garden tour, sleuthing and snooping at the behest of a deceased acquaintance, loses something to Hickson's rapid reading and strained articulation. S.E.S. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine