Miss Marple's American Friends: They Do It With Mirrors | 1952

(image from here)

"You've got a nose for that sort of thing. You always had. You've always been a sweet innocent-looking creature, Jane, and all the time underneath nothing has ever surprised you, you always believe the worst." -Ruth Van Rydock, They Do It With Mirrors, p. 14

The Sum of It:
We are back with Miss Marple for a second time this week. This time, our favorite Jane is meeting up with an old school friend from sort of back-in-the-day study abroad situation in Europe. This American friend, Ruth Van Rydock, and Jane spend most of their catch-up discussing Ruth's increasing concern for her sister, Carrie Louise's wellbeing. Ruth can't put her finger on what's up with Carrie-Louise, just that something is amiss and will Jane please be a dear and help her get to the bottom of it? You know Miss Marple can't resist some investigating, so she goes along with Ruth's suggested ruse of Miss Marple being super poor and needing some R&R at her wealthy friend's home.

So Miss Marple heads to Stonygates, which serves not only as the home of Carrie-Louise, her third husband, Lewis Serrocold, and their vast assortment of family members (more on that momentarily), but also a kind of rehabilitation hospital/work house for youths with a criminal past. Carrie-Louise has a history of husbands with a penchant for bettering society. Her first husband, an older Swedish gentleman named Gulbrandsen, was big into charity. Her middle husband was fun-loving Johnnie Restarick who ran off with a Yugoslavian (gasp!), leaving Carrie-Louise and her vast fortune from dearly departed Gulbrandsen free to marry current hubby Lewis and take up good deeds once again (so. many. husbands.) If you think the husband situation is complicated, don't even get me started on the children and grandchildren: adopted, natural, in-law, and step-children all alike find a home with Carrie-Louise and Lewis. Child of note is Carrie-Louise's stepson, Christian Gulbrandsen. Christian, who serves on the board of trustees of the Gulbrandsen Trust (from which Stonygates receives its funding) drops by the house unexpectedly with a vague need to talk to Lewis about something important, and asking people how Carrie-Louise's health is these days #suspiciousness.

The evening's post-dinner activities get dicey when one of the troubled youths shows up demanding to talk to Lewis Serrocold, cornering him in the study, locking the door, shouting threats, and ultimately firing shots wildly. The assembled family members are stunned that the youth, Edgar, would turn so violent, but are shocked further when housekeeper Miss Bellever announces that Christian Gulbrandsen has been shot dead in his bedroom upstairs! The family and investigating officer Inspector Curry are mystified as to who would have had an opportunity to shoot Christian, since everyone was captivated by the Edgar/Lewis drama, and the rest of the troubled youths were accounted for in their rooms for the night. Was someone able to slip away? Miss Marple believes some sort of conjuring trick might just be the answer.

The YOA Treatment:
They Do It With Mirrors is a good example of Miss Marple's ability to make, and keep, friends. In many of her books we see Miss Marple able to work her way into the trust and hearts of those involved with whatever crime she's low-key investigating. Police officers typically dismiss her at first (and are often annoyed by her pointed questions), but she always earns their respect by the end. Suspects and family members of victims are also hesitant to open up to the old lady who happens to be on the scene, and yet by Miss Marple's denouement, wouldn't trust anyone else with their secrets. If you're lucky enough to be Miss Marple's friend, you will stay such for life. Many times throughout Mirrors, Miss Marple reminiscences on the fact that although she hasn't seen Carrie-Louise for some time, they always stay in touch with letters and "cards at Christmas." When Carrie-Louise needed her most (even though she didn't know it right away!), Jane Marple was there. We see this kind of loyalty in Poirot as well (I mean, he does keep Hastings around way longer than you would assume he would...), but, in my opinion, it's Miss Marple that wins the gold medal for friendship.

-A.