Ingots of Gold by Agatha Christie

Shiver me timbers.

I can hardly believe it’s already June. How is the year halfway over?! Time is zipping by way too fast for my liking. On the bright side, a new month means diving (pun intended) into more Agatha Christie short stories, thanks to the reading challenge hosted by Fanda ClassicLit.

This month's pick is Ingots of Gold from the Thirteen Problems collection, featuring the ever-delightful Miss Marple, even though it's more of a cameo appearance. In this story, it’s Raymond West’s turn to present a mystery to the detective club. If you need a refresher, Raymond is Miss Marple’s nephew and was the host of the club’s very first meeting. He shares a tale from his visit to a friend in Cornwall, a bold adventurer with a keen interest in uncovering sunken treasures. The big buzz in town? A large galleon that supposedly went down nearby, loaded with a massive haul of gold ingots has vanished! This has left many locals perplexed, including Raymond, since the gold was super heavy and nearly impossible to remove from the watery depths. Suspicion soon falls on a cantankerous and shady innkeeper who might be running a cove smuggling operation. Raymond also meets an inspector on the train to Cornwall who has been assigned to this case and as he spends more time in the village, it becomes more difficult to shake off the feeling of impending dread. Something sinister is going on here and Raymond soon finds himself unexpectedly involved with trying to help his friend track down the missing treasure. Toss in few other curious characters, a kidnapping gone awry, drop some red herrings and we’ve got ourselves a good ol’ fashioned Agatha Christie whodunnit mystery. 

True to form, Miss Marple listens quietly before cutting through the fluff with her trademark insight, especially when it comes to gardening. She also keenly points out Raymond’s flair for drama as a writer, which often clouds his judgment. Sometimes the simplest explanation really is the right one. 

While the big reveal at the end isn't particularly memorable, Christie’s storytelling is impeccable. Her ability to craft such a tightly woven mystery within such a compressed narrative space is quite impressive. The story is fast-paced with just enough intrigue to deliver that satisfying dopamine hit before you’re off to the next story.