Just finished "The Moving Finger" by Agatha Christie. This was her 41st book, and was originally published in 1942. Although it's "officially" a "Miss Marple" story, she doesn't appear until 70% of the way through the book, and only plays a very minor role in the story.
Jerry and Joanna Burton, a brother and sister from London, take a country house in quiet Lymstock so Jerry can fully recover from injuries received in a plane crash. Within a week of settling in and meeting their neighbours, an anonymous letter arrives, rudely accusing the two of being lovers, not siblings. They quickly discover that such poison pen letters have been received by many in town, all focusing on a sex theme and none based on truth. Jerry sets out to try to uncover the truth of who is behind the letters, but the situation quickly worsens as an apparent suicide occurs as the result of a letter.
This was one of Agatha Christie's favourites among her own books, and is absolutely excellent. A masterpiece of detective fiction.
Interestingly, Wikipedia says this about it:
Quote:
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This novel is one of two to differ significantly in American editions (the other being "Three Act Tragedy"), both hardcover and paperback. Most American editions of The Moving Finger have been abridged by about 9000 words to remove sections of chapters, and strongly resemble the Collier's serialisation which, mindful of the need to bring the magazine reader into the story quickly, begins without the leisurely introduction to the narrator's back-story that is present in the British edition, and lacks much of the characterisation throughout.
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That's a great pity.