At long last, we return to our Marples – and joyfully, one of my very favorites. At Bertram’s Hotel is, in my opinion, one of the peak Miss Marple novels. There’s an element of coziness to it, perhaps because it involves more known characters and setting. Instead of a Caribbean resort or a rich man’s estate, Miss Marple is ensconced in a comfortable hotel, straight out of time. Christie does a wonderful job creating that sense of comfy nostalgia, and it’s probably the most unique element of the novel. So, of course, it’s what I’d like to inspect – how exactly does she create that cozy atmosphere?

A multi-threaded plot…

It all starts with the plot structure. At Bertram’s Hotel has a greater set of parallel threads than other Miss Marple novels, bouncing between Miss Marple, the police, Elvira Blake, Canon Pennyfather, and the hotel staff. This creates a sense of life happening, continuously, almost like a serial show rather than a murder mystery. And it allows us to watch Miss Marple stumble across information, instead of having to track it down after the fact.

The story follows three major threads: Miss Marple’s experience at Bertram’s, Elvira’s escapades around London, and the police investigation of a series of daring robberies. Because these start out totally unconnected, we get to take delight in Miss Marple’s domestic affairs. When we switch to Elvira’s plot, the vibe is more one of innocent mischief, not serious crime. And the police storyline, though it intersects with Bertram’s, seems mostly removed from any of Miss Marple’s interactions. This creates a kind of halo around the experience of Bertram’s Hotel itself.

The narration also contributes to this sense of relative comfort. Switching back and forth between protagonists gives us a closer connection to each. We get to experience the thoughts and joys of each character, directly “from the horse’s mouth.” Going directly into each character’s thoughts obviates the need for close inspection of statements. Instead, we get to think about the psychology of the events we observe, and try to put the pieces together. As a reader, it’s a bit less of a stressful structure – one that’s enabled by a relatively late death in the plot.

…with a delayed death

While At Bertram’s Hotel is a murder mystery, the death happens relatively late in the novel, adding to that overall cozy vibe. This story structure means that we get to ride along with Miss Marple as she takes in all the relevant clues in advance. But because the crime is as yet unknown, it almost forces a reader into relaxing into the read. And then, once the crime occurs, it’s a relatively quick solve and resolution – in many ways, a flipped murder mystery.

As a reader, I found that this structure took away the feeling of time pressure. Instead of rushing to solve a murder to prevent a miscarriage of justice, I got to enjoy the coziness of the hotel, of Miss Marple’s vacation. I was transported into the luxury of a stay at a premier spot in a global city, with every possible care taken for your comfort. And then, when the time came, it was relatively quick to put together established facts to solve the crime.

A competent police force…

A lot of this is enabled by the highly competent Chief Inspector Davy, our police protagonist. When the police are so competent, Miss Marple gets to focus on her strengths – observation and intuition – rather than trying to persuade random hotel staff to give her clues. Miss Marple simply watches and waits, tallying up all the oddities she sees and piecing them into a picture. And when she’s got it, she can simply hand it off to Davy – no surprise traps required here!

It helps, too, that Miss Marple has an “easy in” with the police. Because she knows Canon Pennyfather – and because Inspector Davy is quite sharp – she very easily fits into the investigation. Inspector Davy almost uses her as a consultant, taking her opinion and folding it in with his own. Christie takes great care to write them as partners and equals – Davy needs no reference to Sir Henry to figure out Miss Marple’s worth. And it’s this comfort and confidence in the police that contributes to a sense of physical safety, and associated coziness.

…and a deep-dive into the setting

Finally, Christie’s descriptions of the hotel itself go a long way towards imparting comfort. The descriptions of the American rooms, the multi-height chairs, the perfectly poached eggs – all designed to enable contentment. Every time I close At Bertram’s Hotel I find myself wishing, just once, for such a complete hospitality experience. For staff that care deeply about your well-being; for chefs that can cook anything, on-demand; for a place where someone has thought about each possible aspect of comfort and allowed for the broadest and most inclusive definition. At Bertram’s, it would seem, every problem has been pre-solved. It’s almost like reading about Lucy Eyelesbarrow again…

—

At Bertram’s Hotel is one of my personal favorite Miss Marples. It’s the book I go back to most often; the audiobook I listen to when stressed. And for me, a major reason is this cozy vibe, this sense of comfort and care. Bertram’s is an impossibly cozy setting, a place where everyone knows everyone and you, personally, are cared for. It may, per the book, be literally impossible – but it’s still once of my favorite mystery escapes. So you can rest assured that I’ll be looking for that cozy vibe as we get into the adaptations next week…

Until then, stay cozy, and stay curious!