As the nights draw in, there is nothing like a good old fashioned murder mystery to keep the grey matter ticking over.

The English can lay claim to being the undoubted kings, or should I say, queens of sleuthing with Agatha Christie still proving as popular today as she was when she put pen to paper back in the 1920s. Her redoubtable Miss Marple is her best-known and subtly frustrating creation. Having routinely outwitted a host of police inspectors during her lengthy crime fighting career, it was with much anticipation that the Henderson Hall audience awaited The Centralian Players and Miss M's latest assignment.

A Murder is Announced is stock Christie fare, but does benefit from one of the most intriguing scripts, revolving around fake identities, missing millions and murder.

The well-dressed and well-lit stage promised much. Despite this, the play stuttered into life and was afflicted by some disappointingly one-dimensional character interpretations. As the first act wore on, the piece gathered much needed pace which was routinely stalled by over-long scene changes.

The arrival of the deliciously steely police detective (Steve Barker) injected zip and zeal as he and Miss M began their uneasy collaboration to reveal a genuinely suspenseful dénouement.

As the villain of the piece, Wendy Gardner ran expertly through the full gamut of character possibilities. In contrast to her calculating menace, Wendy Read gave an oddly amusing yet sincere portrayal as the pitiful Dora. Much needed light relief was on hand courtesy of Diana Booth as the maniacal Mitzi.

Fleur Wright