Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel

Behind The Book:

1. Four narrators tell the story, and Miss Marple has no chapter of her own. How did seeing her only through other people's eyes affect your view of her? Did it make her more or less effective as a detective?

2. Each narrator is initially defined by a label, such as "the famous actress" or "the wealthy wife." How did Foley use those labels to shape-or misdirect-your first impressions? Which character turned out to be most different from the person you initially thought they were?

3. How does Miss Marple's portrayal as a harmless older woman impact her ability to gather information and solve mysteries in the story?

4. How well did Foley capture Agatha Christie's classic sleuth's charm? Did Miss Marple stay true to her roots, or did she seem more modern?

5. A railway isolates the hotel, and a blizzard cuts it off. How did the setting add to the tension? Did the hotel seem like a character itself?

6. Which narrator did you trust most, and which did you trust least? Did your opinion change as the story went on?

7. Did you guess the solution before it was revealed? Looking back, which clues did you miss or misread?

8. Where did you notice Foley's style in her closed-circle thrillers like The Guest List and The Hunting Party, and where did the book feel more like a classic Christie?

9. Several characters have reasons to want revenge or believe someone deserves punishment. Did understanding their motives change how you judged their actions?

10. What does the book suggest about whether the past can ever really be left behind?

11.Where does the book draw the line between justice and revenge?

12. Was the final confrontation satisfying and logical? Did Foley leave too many loose ends, or did Miss Marple resolve everything?