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The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie

"Jerry Burton arrives in Lymstock along with his sister to recover from a bad crash. The peaceful country side, the fresh air and the benevolent families of the village immediately take the brother-sister duo in. Everything seems rather idyllic and rather perfect until an anonymous letter arrives with a spiteful message. The nasty letter is quickly forgotten as a mischievous prank until Jerry discovers that people across the village have been receiving such slanderous letters. The anonymous letters soon become the talk of the town leaving everyone in a tailspin as to who this sick mind could be. Just when the letters are about to be dismissed as nothing more than a prank, the first victim falls. Before the community recovers another one goes down. As the body count rises, everyone's a suspect and anyone could be the next victim. It's a race against time for Jerry to stop the culprit as the next one to fall might well be his own."

The Moving Finger

Now that's a preview which could well end up on the cover of the book. I first read 'The Moving Finger' when I was 13 and once again read it last month although the only thing I remembered about the book was how much I enjoyed reading it the first time. The same feeling took me over once I started reading the book last month. I found the book so engaging that I put aside everything to finish the book in a single sitting. I love Agatha Christie novels for the twists and the turns in the plots and the in depth character studies they offer. As you read the book, you would automatically be able to visualize the characters' personalities, their motives and also attempt to predict their next moves. This investment with characters is probably the most important reason why I couldn't let go off this book until I finished it.

In my blog on Te3n I talked about how vital the plot setting is, for a mystery to work. The rustic setting of Lymstock not only bestows a vintage charm upon the plot but also heightens the suspense when required. All in all I recommend 'The Moving Finger' for it's characters, sub-plots, pace and suspense. It's a fairly small book (less than 200 pages) and really easy on the mind (no complex convoluted theories here). Plus there's a special appearance from Agatha Christie's favorite sleuth Ms. Marple who ensures that justice is duly served. So next time you see it just grab it. I guarantee, you won't be disappointed.

Rated: Time Pass

Until Next Time,

Your Book Lover,
J.J. Chaitanya

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