For the love of Sherlock and Miss Marple

Authors A to Z challenge
This month I am going to tackle authors beginning with C and hopefully D too.  We are huge fans of the Sherlock series starring Benedict Cumberbatch and I took my teenage drama queen to visit the Sherlock exhibition at the Museum of London during half term.  She loved every single bit of it and spent time looking with intense interest at everything.  The exhibition starts by walking through a secret door in a bookcase and takes you around walls filled with photo's, paintings, illustration from The Strand magazine and glass cases filled with Sherlockian artefacts.  (We were thrilled to put out bags and coats in locker 221!)

Following our trip, the TDQ was keen to read some Sherlock Holmes stories and I thought I'd join her. She is a voracious reader and so with my challenge in mind we downloaded The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for 99p on my kindle.  I'm sure in the distant past I have read some of the stories before but certainly not since I was a teenager.   

At a young age I began my lifelong love affair with Agatha Christie. I would pick up second hand copies of the books wherever I could and I'm pretty sure that I read all of them over the space of a couple of years.  Back then, I was a huge Poirot fan, but ever since I first saw Joan Hickson as Miss Marple in the 1980's tv series, I've had a huge sleuthing-old-biddy-crush on her. 

For me, these were the most perfect interpretations of the Marple books, with Joan Hickson being the embodiment of the divine Miss M.  My box set of 12 discs are what I turn to when I'm in need of some peace, comfort and escapism.  I love the step back in time to an era that was filled with elegant clothes, charming cottages nestled in quaint country villages and do not get me started on the tea services!  I'm fairly sure that this is where the flame of my love for all things vintage was sparked to life.  To have afternoon tea and hot buttered crumpets on the lawn with Miss Marple is my dream date. Especially if Mr Cumberbatch dropped in for a sniff of sherry and a bit of a gossip. Swoon.

I haven't actually read any Agatha Christie books for about thirty years, so I think it's about time I revisited them.  But where to start?!  I cannot tell you how excited I am about re-reading these well loved books.  I found the book above here on Etsy; I remember this cover so well and Nemesis was one of my favourites. 

Thanks again to Claire from Clarina's Contemplations for inspiring me to take part in her Authors A to Z challenge.  She is way ahead of me on this challenge, but I shall keep plugging on.  You can see how I started the journey in this post. 

Who is the better sleuth though?  Sherlock or Marple?  Who would win in a fight?!  I know who my money's on and she makes a mean pot of tea and knits a darn fine matinee jacket.

Happy World Book Day!

TTFN Galx 
PS This post is hooking up with the All About You linky :)