They Do It With Mirrors (Heinlein)

''They Do It with Mirrors'' is a detective fiction novel by British writer Agatha Christie, first published in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in 1952 under the title of ''Murder with Mirrors'' and in UK by the Collins Crime Club on 17 November that year under Christie's original title. The US edition retailed at $2.50 and the UK edition at ten shillings and sixpence (10/6). The book features her detective Miss Marple.

Synopsis

While visiting her American school friend Ruth Van Rydock in London, Miss Jane Marple learns that Ruth is seriously concerned for her sister Carrie Louise Serrocold, whose home is Stonygates in England. At Stonygates, besides the impressive but aging Victorian Mansion Carrie Louise lives in, there is a separate building which is an institute for rehabilitating delinquent boys, founded by Carrie Louise's third husband Lewis Serrocold. Miss Marple agrees to visit Stonygates; when she arrives, she finds that several members of the Serrocold family are also visiting the mansion, including Carrie Louise's widowed younger daughter (Mildred Strete), her stepson from her second marriage (Stephen Restarick), and her grandchild by her deceased elder daughter (Gina Hudd), who has brought her American husband (Walter Hudd) to meet the family. Miss Marple also encounters Edgar Lawson, a young man acting as a secretary to Lewis Serrocold; Lawson shows clear signs of paranoid schizophrenia, but this is largely ignored. Miss Marple learns that Carrie Louise has experienced health problems incidental to old age, but is still the sweet, idealistic, and loving person Miss Marple had known when they were at school together.

Christian Gulbrandson, Carrie Louise's stepson from her first marriage and the executor of the vast Gulbrandson Trust, arrives unexpectedly. Lewis Serrocold walks from the train station and meets Christian on the terrace. Miss Marple watches them through her bird-watcher's binoculars, and overhears a few phrases concerning the importance of keeping a problem from Carrie Louise, and that the two men have agreed to seek outside advice. Both men enter for dinner, and afterwards, Christian retires to his room to write letters.

When the rest of the family is gathered in the sitting room after dinner, listening to Stephen playing the piano, Edgar Lawson unexpectedly enters the room with Walter Hudd's revolver, claiming that Lewis is his father and has treated him badly. Lewis guides Edgar into his office; from the other side of the locked door, the family hear Lawson ranting to Lewis, who responds quietly. The lights are also fused at this time, so Walter leaves the sitting room to fix the issue. Shots are heard from inside Lewis' office, and the family tries to break down the door. Another shot, fired some distance away, is heard by a few members of the family as well. When the door to Lewis' office is finally opened, Lewis, who is out of breath, insists Lawson meant no real harm, as the shots Lawson fired merely hit the wall. Lawson collapses in tears and apologies.

Juliet "Jolly" Bellever, housekeeper and companion to Carrie Louise, who had gone out to find the key to Lewis' office, returns and announces that she has discovered Christian Gulbrandson shot dead at his writing desk. She has also already called the police. Lewis proceeds to Christian's room, followed by Carrie Louise and Miss Marple. Stephen's brother Alexis Restarick, who knows nothing of the previous events and is coming to visit Carrie Louise, arrives at the house just before the Police arrive.

Inspector Curry quickly establishes that none of the people from the facility for delinquent boys is involved, nor are any of the servants. Learning from Jolly that there had been paper in Christian's typewriter, Curry interrogates Lewis, who admits he removed the paper for fear his wife should see it. The paper indicates Christian was afraid to tell Carrie Louise something, with the last sentence suggesting she may be being systematically poisoned. Lewis suggests the police analyze his wife's medicine, which is later proved to contain small amounts of arsenic.

Miss Marple comments that most of the family would be pleased if Walter were found to be the killer, but Edgar had Walter's gun at the relevant time period. The Police later find the murder weapon under some music inside the piano bench. Alexis explains that his drive to the house was slowed by the fog, and that what he saw and heard in the fog, such as a shot and the sound of someone running, reminded him of a stage set. Alexis envisions the house as a stage, which causes Miss Marple to begin thinking differently about the murder as well. The next evening, Alexis and one of the delinquents, Ernie Gregg, are killed by a falling stage curtain counterweight.

Miss Marple explains to the police how one person could run from Lewis's study to Christian's room along the terrace in under two minutes (e.g., Lewis Serrocold). Lawson, who really is Lewis' illegitimate son and was only playing the part of a mental patient, spoke as both himself and Lewis, while Lewis killed Christian and returned, out of breath. Lewis had later planted the arsenic and altered Christian's letter himself, to disguise the fact that the real reason for Christian Gulbrandsen's visit was that he had learned that Lewis was embezzling from the Gulbrandsen Trust. Lewis had later killed Alexis and Ernie because he believed they might have witnessed something the night of the murder.

When confronted by the police, Lawson flees the house, jumping into an old boat to cross a lake on the property. The boat begins to sink, so Lewis Serrocold jumps into the lake to rescue his son. Both are caught in the weeds lining the lake and drown before the police can reach them. Carrie Louise, assisted by her daughter Mildred, returns to the house; the two of them had been somewhat estranged, but the incident has caused them to realize how they need each other. In the aftermath, Gina and Walter Hudd have the case explained to them by Miss Marple, then return to the United States together.

Characters

*Miss Marple: an elderly woman with detective skills.
*Ruth Van Rydock: old school friend of Miss Marple, an American socialite.
*Carrie Louise Serrocold: Ruth's younger sister, also a school friend of Miss Marple.
*Lewis Serrocold: Carrie Louise's third husband, once an accountant and now an enthusiast for the charitable treatment of juvenile delinquents.
*Gina Hudd: granddaughter of Carrie Louise from her first marriage. She was born in Italy, moved to England as an infant when her mother died in childbirth. She spent World War II in the US with her aunt Ruth, sent there for safety. Her mother was Pippa, the adopted daughter of Carrie Louise and her first husband, Eric Gulbrandsen.
*Walter Hudd: American husband of Gina.
*Mildred Strete: Pippa's sister and the only child born to Carrie Louise and her first husband, Mr Gulbrandsen. She was widowed a few years before the story begins.
*Juliet Bellever: called Jolly, she is Carrie Louise's secretary and companion since Louise's second marriage.
*Stephen Restarick: son of Carrie Louise's second husband, who has since childhood considered Carrie Louise as a mother and her home as his home, as his father died not long after divorcing Carrie Louise. He loves Gina, and works in the theatre, helping often with the delinquents to stage plays there.
*Alexis Restarick: Steven's older brother who views Carrie Louise affectionately, as his brother does. He loves Gina and also works in the theatre. He is killed at the same time as Ernie, in the theatre.
*Christian Gulbrandsen: son of Carrie Louise's first husband, and half brother to Mildred. He is on the board of the Gulbrandsen family trust, periodically visiting at the house for meetings of the board. He is the first murder victim.
*Edgar Lawson: one of the delinquents, arrived about a month before the story begins (after the last meeting of the board for the Gulbrandsen trust), who is often in the house and on the grounds, and who works closely with Lewis Serrocold.
*Dr Maverick: chief psychiatrist for the juvenile delinquents programme; he views all people as "mental cases".
*Ernie Gregg: one of the delinquents who is active in the theatre work, and is killed for boasting to Gina about what he says he saw the night of the murder. He likely made it up.
*Inspector Curry: leads the police investigation of the first murder, and learns from his superiors of Miss Marple's reputation in solving crimes.
*Detective Sergeant Lake: assists Curry in the investigation at Stonygates.

Title

In the text, Miss Marple says "they do it with mirrors": this is the slang term for the illusions of magicians and of a stage set. It is thinking of that which leads her to looking a new way at the evening of the first murder.

Literary significance and reception

Maurice Richardson of ''The Observer'' of 30 November 1952 summed up thus: "First half is lively and the trick alibi for the murder of the stepson neat enough; there is a marked decline in sprightliness later on, but half a shot is better than no dope."

Robert Barnard said of this novel that its setting was: "Unusual (and not entirely convincing) setting of delinquent's home, full of untrustworthy adolescents and untrustworthy do-gooders. Christie not entirely at home, perhaps because she believes (in Miss Marple's words) that 'young people with a good heredity, and brought up wisely in a good home…they are really…the sort of people a country ''needs''.' Otherwise highly traditional, with houseplans, Marsh-y inquisitions, and second and third murders done most perfunctorily." He summed it up as showing "Definite signs of decline."

Publication history

* 1952, Dodd Mead and Company (New York), 1952, Hardback, 187 pp
* 1952, Collins Crime Club (London), 17 November 1952, Hardback, 192 pp
* 1954, Pocket Books (New York), Paperback, 165 pp
* 1956, Fontana Books (Imprint of HarperCollins), Paperback, 187 pp
* 1966, Ulverscroft Large-print Edition, Hardcover, 224 pp
* 1969, Greenway edition of collected works (William Collins), Hardcover, 223 pp
* 1970, Greenway edition of collected works (Dodd Mead), Hardcover, 223 pp
* 1974, Pan Books, Paperback, 187 pp
* 2005, Marple Facsimile edition (Facsimile of 1952 UK first edition), 7 November 2005, Hardcover,

A condensed version of the novel was first published in the US in ''Cosmopolitan'' magazine in the issue for April 1952 (Volume 132, Number 4) under the title ''Murder With Mirrors'' with illustrations by Joe Bowler. In the UK the novel was first serialised in the weekly magazine ''John Bull'' in six abridged instalments from 26 April (Volume 91, Number 2391) to 31 May 1952 (Volume 91, Number 2396) with illustrations by George Ditton.Holdings at the British Library (Newspapers – Colindale). Shelfmark: NPL LON LD116.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

Several adaptations were made of the book for TV and Film.

Some elements of the story were incorporated into the 1964 film ''Murder Ahoy!'', which starred Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple, along with a token tribute to ''The Mousetrap''. Instead of a sprawling Victorian estate, the delinquent boys are housed on board a retired ship called the ''Battledore'', and they go ashore periodically to commit mischief under the direction of their criminal mastermind. However, the film's plot and characters are otherwise original, so much so that ''They Do It With Mirrors'' is not credited as the film's inspiration.

The novel's first proper adaptation was the 1985 television film ''Murder with Mirrors'' with Sir John Mills as Lewis Serrocold, Bette Davis as Carrie Louise, Tim Roth as Edgar Lawson and Helen Hayes as Miss Marple.

A second adaptation was aired on 29 December 1991 in the BBC series ''Miss Marple'' starring Joan Hickson as Miss Marple, Jean Simmons as Carrie-Louise Serrocold, Joss Ackland as Lewis Serrocold and Faith Brook as Ruth van Rydock. Real-life brothers Jay and Christopher Villiers portray the Restarick brothers. The film was fairly faithful to the novel, but with a few of changes:
* Inspector Curry is replaced by series regulars Chief Inspector Slack and Sergeant Lake.
* Jolly Bellever is removed from the story and some of her actions are given to Mildred, who is not portrayed as being estranged from Carrie-Louise.
* Ruth van Rydock is present at the house when the first murder takes place; instead of having everyone gather to hear Stephen play piano, they're watching an old film of Ruth, Carrie-Louise, and Miss Marple as young women that Ruth has brought to show everyone.
* Alexis survives the attack on his life, meaning that this film (like the 2010 version) has two murders instead of three.
* Lawson attempts to swim across the lake, instead of using a rotted boat (also changed in the 2010 version).

A third adaptation was aired on 1 January 2010 for the fourth season of the ITV series ''Agatha Christie's Marple'', starring Julia McKenzie as Miss Marple, Penelope Wilton as Carrie Louise, Brian Cox as Lewis Serrocold, and Joan Collins as Ruth Van Rydock. This adaptation has several notable changes and additions:
* Alexis Restarick is replaced by Johnny Restarick, Steven's father and Carrie Louise's ex-husband. Rather than arriving after the murder, Johnny arrives near the end of the confrontation between Lawson and Lewis and disarms Lawson, just before Mr Gulbrandsen's murder is revealed.
* While Edgar Lawson's character and role in the murders remains unchanged, his death was changed slightly in two ways - firstly, he is exposed for his involvement in the murders by Miss Marple, rather than confronted by the police, and secondly, he does not use a rotted boat to escape, but swims over the lake (just as in the 1991 version). Lewis' efforts to rescue him remain unchanged.
* Pippa is removed from the story, and Gina becomes Carrie Louise's adopted daughter in this version, rather than her adopted granddaughter.
* Gina's real mother was changed to Katherine Ellsworth, and her death was explained to have been from a hanging, after she was found guilty of committing arsenic poisoning on three counts. Gina discovers this fact and exposes her connection to it, moments before Johnny's death, and how she found it out is revealed, by Miss Marple's investigations, to be the fault of Mildred, who had resented her being given more attention than her.
* While the confrontation scene between Lawson and Lewis still was basis for the first murder and retained certain elements from the original plot, it was modified considerably for the adaptation:
** Everyone, bar Mr Gulbrandsen, goes to the study to witness a dress rehearsal, not to the Great Hall, and so witness in person the confrontation between the two men.
** Lawson's reason for confronting Lewis is changed; he accuses Lewis of spying on him, rather than being his real father.
** Wally is made the initial suspect in the murder, owing to his absence to fix the fuses and the murder weapon being his. The police only begin to look elsewhere, and later to Johnny, when Gina reveals the study has a secret passage that links it to the hallway; Miss Marple explains in her denouement that the passage was merely a red herring, before explaining Lewis' crimes.
* Mr Gulbrandsen is stabbed in the back instead of shot.
* The character of Ernie is elaborated into Whitstable Ernest, a young man serving time for fraud and embezzlement. Ernest helped Lewis with his financial corruption in exchange for rewards such as oysters and alcohol. When Lewis knew that Mr Gulbrandsen was going to expose him, Ernest torched all the records of his actions, which Miss Marple suspected when she smelt petroleum in the secret passage. When Johnny began to question Ernest, Lewis realised the danger he could create and so gave him oysters laced with arsenic; this did not kill him, but merely kept him out of the way. This adaptation, like the 1991 version, had two murders instead of three.

There is a French television production aired in 2013, as part of the television series ''Les Petits Meurtres d'Agatha Christie'' (season two, episode one). The episode is titled "Jeux de glaces", which can mean "Game of Mirrors".

References

External links

''They Do It With Mirrors'' at the official Agatha Christie website''They Do It with Mirrors''
at the Home of Agatha Christie website
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{{DEFAULTSORT:They Do It With Mirrors
1952 British novels
British novels adapted into films
Dodd, Mead & Co. books
Miss Marple novels
British novels adapted into television shows
Novels first published in serial form
Works originally published in Cosmopolitan (magazine)