I don’t know how many things are left out of this recording (as opposed to the original plot) but I know I didn’t feel as if we were missing something. If you’re in the same boat as me and don’t know whether to listen to such a short (90 minutes) version without reading the book first or not, you needn’t worry: I wasn’t familiar with the story either and it didn’t matter.

And it’s very, very far from being dull.Īlthough I’m a big fan of Christie’s novels, Sleeping Murder is one I haven’t had the chance of reading before. When someone’s walking down the stairs, you can literally hear their steps and the stairs creaking. When Gwenda and her fiancé arrive at someone’s house and are about to get out of the car, you can hear the brakes and the car keys turning. For example, when Gwenda and Miss Marple bump into each other in town during a heavy rainstorm, you can actually hear the rain pouring down and how they must have been in a hurry to find a shelter from the rain. It’s almost like watching a film without actually seeing it, if that makes any sense. There’s music and all sorts of sound effects which make it easier for you to imagine what the setting’s like or what the characters are doing at that particular time. And if that wasn’t good enough, I love the fact that it’s not just a bunch of actors reading out their lines either. It lets you listen to a complete performance with at least half a dozen different characters from the comfort of your own home. Do you know what radio dramas remind me of? Going to the theatre or the cinema without all the fuss of actually getting there or having to worry about not being late or finding your seat. Well, this was not the case here.Ī few minutes after starting the tape I realized something. Namely that regular, unabridged audiobooks can be… well, they can be a bit dull, can’t they? A good narrator makes them a lot enjoyable but still, one person reading the lines of a dozen different characters gets a little monotone after a while. If you’ve ever tried audiobooks or at least listened to an audiobook sample before then you’ll understand my problem. Radio dramas, however, are right up my street. I’m still quite new to audiobooks and even though I see why they’re so practical and why so many people love them, I’m still not entirely sure I could ever get used to them or listen to them on a daily basis. Agatha Christie’s Sleeping Murder was the very first radio drama I’ve ever listened to but it definitely won’t be the last.

Miss marple sleeping murder