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Leonard Clement along with his wife Griselda run the vicarage in sleepy village St Mary Mead. A hamlet that barely classifies as a town, all people know everyone else's business, and the vicar is looked to for guidance on all matters, religious or not. The case begins as Colonel Lucius Protheroe meets with Clement to discuss a pressing matter. Yet, before Clement can join Protheroe in his study, he finds the Colonel murdered there.
As in Christie's cases featuring Poirot, the police assigned to this case appear to be inept at best. All of the old women in St Mary Mead believe that they can solve the crime better than the inspectors can. No meddling spinster has much to offer Clement on this cases except for his neighbor, the witty Jane Marple. Miss Marple immediately declares that she has seven suspects, but she is pretty sure she knows whodunit. As in many modern cases featuring private eyes, the police do not appreciate Marple getting in their way, and beg her off the case. Yet, she has eyes and ears everywhere, and early on it is obvious that Miss Marple will solve the case while the police are slugging through basic evidence.
Unlike the sophisticated Poirot, Miss Marple appears as anyone's neighbor. She is a sweet older woman yet feisty and would be interesting to get to know. Whereas Poirot exercises his little gray cells, Miss Marple snoops around, her main objective to provide safety to the village that she lives in. A forerunner to today's cozy mysteries, Miss Marple appears to provide an easy reading contrast to Poirot's cases which have me thinking throughout.
A voracious mystery reader, I did enjoy Miss Marple as a change because she could be any citizen who desires to solve a mystery. As expected she does reach the case's conclusion before the police, who are at a collective wit's end. Dame Christie is still the standard bearer for all modern mystery writers, and while I prefer Hercule Poirot, I have a feeling I will be revisiting Miss Marple as well. 3.75 stars.
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Original Publication Year 1930.
Abstract: Debut of Miss Jane Marple, village busybody who applies human nature to crimes. Colonel Protheroe, magistrate universally despised, was shot in his study, unheard. His wife Anne admits newly arrived artist Lawrence Redding is an old flame, and both confess to murder. The local inspector and Jane sort through to the truth.
Characters: Miss Jane Marple, Inspector Slack, Lawrence Redding, Len Clement
The Murder At The Vicarage (Miss Marple #1), Agatha ChristieOriginal Publication Year 1930.
Abstract: Debut of Miss Jane Marple, village busybody who applies human nature to crimes. Colonel Protheroe, magistrate universally despised, was shot in his study, unheard. His wife Anne admits newly arrived artist Lawrence Redding is an old flame, and both confess to murder. The local inspector and Jane sort through to the truth.
Characters: Miss Jane Marple, Inspector Slack, Lawrence Redding, Len Clement, Griselda Clement, Colonel Protheroe, Anne Protheroe, Lettice Protheroe, Dr. Haydock, Mrs. LeStrange, Dr. Stone, Gladys Cram, Dennis Clement, Mary, a maid, Hawes.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و پنجم ماه نوامبر سال1993میلادی
عنوان: قتل در خانه کشیش، نویسنده: آگاتا کریستی؛ مترجم: فرزانه طاهری، تهران، طرح نو، سال1372؛ چاپ دوم سال1387، در372ص، شابک9789644890895؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان بریتانیا - سده20م
عنوان سه: قتل در خانه کشیش، نویسنده: آگاتا کریستی؛ مترجم مجتبی عبدالله نژاد، نشر تهران، کتاب هرمس، کتابهای کارآگاه، سال1388؛ در307ص؛ شابک9789643635756؛
کشیش «لئونارد کلمنت»، راوی رویدادهای ناگواری است، که در «سنت ماری مید» روی می‌دهند، و باعث مرگ یکی از اهالی روستا یعنی «کلنل پروترو» می‌شود؛ «کلنل پروترو»، در «سنت ماری مید» شخص منفوری است، و حتی مرد محترمی مثل «لئونارد کلمنت» اعتراف می‌کند، که (هرکس کلنل پروترو را بکشد، به همه دنیا لطف بزرگی کرده)؛ حرف‌های درگوشی مردم آبادی، محور گفتگوی مهمانی چای، در اتاق پذیرایی خانه کشیش است؛ یکی از مهمانان هم «دوشیزه مارپل» است، ...؛ «قتل در خانه کشیش»، نخستین ماجراهای «دوشیزه مارپل»، و نخستین تصویری است که از روستای محبوب «سنت ماری مید» ارائه می‌شود؛ «کریستی» در زندگینامه اش نگاشته (قتل در خانه کشیش، در سال1930میلادی انتشار یافت؛ ولی یادم نمی‌آید کی، کجا یا چطور آن را نوشتم، یا اصلا چرا دست به نگارش آن زدم، یا چه عاملی باعث خلق شخصیت داستانی جدیدی مثل «دوشیزه مارپل» شد، و چرا چنین کسی را به عنوان کارآگاه انتخاب کردم)؛ روانشاد «کریستی» گفته، (دنبال آفریتش رقیبی برای «پوآرو» نبوده، و در ابتدا قصد نداشته اند داستانهای دیگری با حضور «دوشیزه مارپل» بنویسند)؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 22/04/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 02/02/1401هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
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But beyond that, this is really just a fabulous example of Agatha Christie at her best.
This was my first time reading (actually listening) The Murder at the Vicarage and I was blown away by how enjoyable it was. Especially considering I've read a ton of her books and pretty much knew what to expect out of her mysteries.
I knew I didn't know who did it, but I swear I thought I knew who didn't do it!
I was (as always) dead wrong.
So the gist is that the town Vicar gets caught u
Miss Marple's 1st book!
But beyond that, this is really just a fabulous example of Agatha Christie at her best.
This was my first time reading (actually listening) The Murder at the Vicarage and I was blown away by how enjoyable it was. Especially considering I've read a ton of her books and pretty much knew what to expect out of her mysteries.
I knew I didn't know who did it, but I swear I thought I knew who didn't do it!
I was (as always) dead wrong.
So the gist is that the town Vicar gets caught up in a murder mystery that happens in his home while he's out visiting a sick parishioner.
Whodunnit?
Well, if the police can't figure it out, just leave it to the nosey little old lady who lives around the corner...
Joan Hickson narrated the audiobook I listened to, and she was fabulous.
Highly recommended!
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For many, this will be too on-the-nose or over-simplified when it comes to the layout at approach of Miss Marple's investigation. Though she's responsible for solving it, she's not the main character. The vicar tells us the story of what happened to the deceased, and he interacts with the detectives investigating the crime. Another priest is nearly murdered, but he's not very well liked, so it's okay, right? Some think so... but not all the 'little old biddies' (how the book refers to them) are in agreement. The gossip is out of control in this book, but I adored it for what it was -- a clever plot technique to reveal clues and keep us guessing. Add in the very peculiar marriages between the different priests and their wives, and it's baffling what life was like a century ago. But I'd give nearly anything to be part of it.
What appeals to me most in these Marple novels is how she drops a few thoughts, then scatters around. She leaves mysterious notes for someone to come see her, then won't reveal everything she's thinking. She teases us. But it's as much fun as it is frustrating. She knows, but she's not 100% certain how... so she won't say it all at once until she's got every nasty little detail ferreted out.
The poor vicar suffers in this one as the murder happens in his house -- everyone is up in his business. We know it can't be him or his wife, but wow do they look suspicious. Add in the side-stories and you've got one easy read. It just makes me smile to absorb these quaint settings and stories. I think even though this is the last in my April Agatha Christie Readathon, I am going to keep reading one a month this year.
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Having read this less than 4 years I was surprised at how little I remembered of the book. Is it age or just the fact that in the intervening years I have read a large number of detective mystery stories. I'm plumping for the latter option. 😊
This book, the first with Miss Marple, is set entirely within St Mary Mead, in fact the vast majority is within 100 yards of The Vicarage, and guess who happens to live next door ? Yes, thats right, the redoubt 2021 English Mysteries - Miss Marple Group Read
Having read this less than 4 years I was surprised at how little I remembered of the book. Is it age or just the fact that in the intervening years I have read a large number of detective mystery stories. I'm plumping for the latter option. 😊
This book, the first with Miss Marple, is set entirely within St Mary Mead, in fact the vast majority is within 100 yards of The Vicarage, and guess who happens to live next door ? Yes, thats right, the redoubtable Miss Marple.
This book sees Miss Marple bring all her knowledge of humanity to bear to solve the crime, obviously with a little help from Colonel Meltchet.
I originally gave this book 4 stars , but am seriously considering upping to 5 stars. I shall ponder.
2017 Reading the Detectives - Miss Marple Group Read
What a marvellous book, I had forgotten how enjoyable it is to read Agatha Christie's books. I read this many years ago but only remembered the Joan Hickson TV adaptation, and even then I didn't guess who did it prior to the denouement. Every time Miss Marple is mentioned I just see Joan Hickson (not Geraldine McEwan, nor Angela Lansbury, nor Margaret Rutherford, nor Julia McKenzie), always Joan Hickson, I can see her hesitating and saying "oh well" in a self deprecating manner as she does in the book.
Anyway enough on actresses, the book, was excellent and has spurred me on to read more Marples.
Agatha Christie's Murder at the Vicarage was my first Miss Marple. Now that I've had her I can say with knowledge born of experience, she ain't half bad!
The characters are dapper dandies and old teetotaler biddies. High manners and speech abound, aside from the occasional parlor maid, flatfoot, or old age pensioner. These sort of tea cozy mysteries are just a little too quaint, even for me...and I've read all of James Herriot.
Murder at the Vicarage has some clever misdirecti
Murder most proper.Agatha Christie's Murder at the Vicarage was my first Miss Marple. Now that I've had her I can say with knowledge born of experience, she ain't half bad!
The characters are dapper dandies and old teetotaler biddies. High manners and speech abound, aside from the occasional parlor maid, flatfoot, or old age pensioner. These sort of tea cozy mysteries are just a little too quaint, even for me...and I've read all of James Herriot.
Murder at the Vicarage has some clever misdirection. The murder is plausible, the details creditable and the solving of it all rewardingly confounding. The writing style is somewhat reminiscent of PG Wodehouse. He and Agatha were contemporaries, living through and writing within the same era, and I believe admired each other's work on some level. I tally this as a positive as I am a big Wodehouse fan. His work is light-handed, making for airy reading. The same can be said here. Mostly stress-free, highly enjoyable stuff that won't tax one's emotions too deeply.
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Murder at the Vicarage tells the story of well, a murder in the vicarage. St Mary Mead is a sleep town where not much happens. However, the ladie
Fiddledesticks! How could you not enjoy a book where the word fiddledesticks is used. I'm a fan of Agatha Christie. I read her a lot when I was much, much younger. But I don't remember most of the books I read. So every now and then I plan to pick up one of her books and indulge. And what a better place to start that the first in the Miss Marple series.Murder at the Vicarage tells the story of well, a murder in the vicarage. St Mary Mead is a sleep town where not much happens. However, the ladies of the town know everyone's business and it's routinely gossiped about. Leonard Clement is the vicar and his wife Griselda, well, let's just say she's not much of the lady of the vicarage house. She doesn't cook, doesn't clean, drives her husband mad, but she loves Len and he truly loves her despite the big age gap of the two. Anyway, Len returns to vicarage one night after being called away to find none other than Colonel Protheroe, dead. Murdered. I doubt many of the townsfolk are upset by this news as Colonel Protheroe was not well liked and was quite mean. But seems there are quite a number of people who might have wanted him dead. So murder...enter some bumbling police who provide great entertainment but no chance of solving this crime. But luckily, there is Miss Marple, with her keen eye, well, that comes along with being a nosy busy body. Miss Marple is quite sharp and along with the vicar, she works to solve this crime.
What a wonderful story. I grabbed the audio and the narrator, Richard E. Grant, did an awesome job. I loved his narration and can still hear the voice of the vicar in my head. I liked the characters of Len Clement and his wife Griselda. I'm happy these two appear again in later Miss Marple books. But I had to knock it just a bit (hence 4 stars). It was so predictable, I guessed early on what happened. Though, it did not take away my enjoyment of this read. Also, there were a lot of characters to keep track of. And if I'm going to be totally honest....I prefer Poirot over Marple. But an entertaining read and great audio narration. I look forward to my next Christie book and more narrations by Mr. Grant. A quick, fun read for any Agatha Christie fan.
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BOOK 33 :- AUGUST 2021
4.25 STARS
"The young people think the old people are fools — but the old people know the young people are fools."
Agatha Christie is one of my favorite authors and her books are a comfort read for me when I want to distance myself away from my usual fantasy reads. Up to this point, I have been a bigger fan of Poirot and Miss Marple books were okay! This is my third book in the Miss Marple series that I read and is actually the book that in
This Review ✍️ Blog 📖 Twitter 🐦 Instagram 📷 Support me ☕"The young people think the old people are fools — but the old people know the young people are fools."
Agatha Christie is one of my favorite authors and her books are a comfort read for me when I want to distance myself away from my usual fantasy reads. Up to this point, I have been a bigger fan of Poirot and Miss Marple books were okay! This is my third book in the Miss Marple series that I read and is actually the book that introduces her!
There is a certain formula in the books I read by Agatha and I think it was missing here! I think the main problem here is that Marple is supposed to be the hero of the story but she is absent for the most of it, she is not a detective, the main character narrating the story is also not a detective which makes the whole thing a bit disjointed and sounds less professional than Poirot books!
"There is no detective in England equal to a spinster lady of uncertain age with plenty of time on her hands."
Usually characters are explored more thoroughly in the books I read, now I don't know where does this fall between all her published books but I think Agatha was still developing as a writer then. This was published in 1930 and I think every time I read her books, it feels like going through a time machine and discovering a whole new (or old?) world!
The plot itself is not very special, it is a typical case of a whodunit where things initially looks like one thing and then grow to involve everyone and closes with us finding the real culprit! To be fair, I still got the rush I get whenever the last chapters reveal everything but in this particular book I think it was not enough to make up for the whole book!
"I often wonder why the whole world is so prone to generalise. Generalisations are seldom if ever true and are usually utterly inaccurate."
Summary: Another good book by Chritstie which is the introduction of Miss Marple, the book seemed choppy at many points and I did not connect to the characters as much as I wanted but overall, it was still a satisfying read!
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It was certainly an interesting look at Jane Marple as she appeared for the first time and really as a lesser character. The main character and story teller was the Vicar, an apparently honest and caring man if a little too serious and unemotional at times. None of which prevented him being in the
I am amazed I have not read this before. Or maybe I have but it was so long ago I have forgotten. Anyway it was really good, as good if not better than any of the other Miss Marple stories I have read.It was certainly an interesting look at Jane Marple as she appeared for the first time and really as a lesser character. The main character and story teller was the Vicar, an apparently honest and caring man if a little too serious and unemotional at times. None of which prevented him being in the running as a suspect. Christie managed to make me suspect almost everyone except the eventual culprits.
No one was fooling Miss Marple though, but she kept her suspicions very close to her chest and did not declare them until every fact had fallen into place. She was a pleasure to watch as she let people assume she was a foolish old woman while actually pegging everyone's characters and behaviours very accurately. Very little gets past her!
I love the rural English setting of these novels and the fact that they are so well written. A very pleasant way to spend a few reading hours.
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No, let me get this out of the way, the book wasn't bad. It was entertaining enough and while I was pretty sure I knew who did it (I was right), I couldn't figure out how it was done. (view spoiler)[While we're on this topic, the clues were there, it felt like I must have missed a vital one somewhere because I sat there feeling like it wasn't exactly a "fair play" mystery upon the reveal. (hide spoiler)] That said, I just couldn't really get into it. It took me over a week to read (and Christie's books usually take me about two to three days) and the only character aspect I really enjoyed was the vicar and his wife's interactions.
This was just one of those books that I finished because I kind of felt like I had to and in the end it wasn't a bad read, it's not really one I can endorse... which is a bit sad. It's also the same way about A Murder Is Announced (the only other Marple book I've read, though I did not review it).
There was one really good thing about this book though. It may have had the absolute best quote I've read in one of Christie's novels. While I like her as an author, I don't particularly find her quotable, but this is certainly an exception:
"I was thinking," I said, "that when my time comes, I should be sorry if the only plea I had to offer was that of justice. Because it might mean that only justice would be meted out to me..."
Very nice.
3/5 stars.
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Not only is this a masterfully plotted story, but it introd
This first Miss Marple mystery is deceptively gentle, with much of the story narrated by the mild mannered vicar. When he returns to the vicarage to find the body of Colonel Protheroe shot in his study, the vicar becomes involved in the murder investigation, aided by his neighbour Miss Marple. There is a wonderful list of suspects, motives and false trails along the way, until Jane Marple untangles the threads and makes everything clear.Not only is this a masterfully plotted story, but it introduces us to St Mary Mead and a cast of characters who will become familiar friends in later books. There are surly housemaids, ne'er do well poachers, gossipy old ladies and crotchety old men in abundance. As Miss Marple is keen to point out, you can see all of life quite well in a small village and nobody understands the undercurrents of life quite like she does. Wonderful fun, well written and utterly delightful, if you have never tried this series, this first book is a great place to start.
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There are faults - too many characters (some very similar) and the characterisation of Miss M is very uneven - she is a right old bat at the start, but by the halfway point she is the amateur sleuth I love. The trademark fluffiness hides great powers of observation and deduction.
Like 
there is a lot more humour in this novel than
There are faults - too many characters (some very similar) and the characterisation of Miss M is very uneven - she is a right old bat at the start, but by the halfway point she is the amateur sleuth I love. The trademark fluffiness hides great powers of observation and deduction.
Like there is a lot more humour in this novel than most of her later ones. And an awareness of social issues. Ms Christie puts these words in one of her character's mouths;
"We think with horror now of the days when we burnt witches. I believe the day will come when we will shudder to think that we ever hanged criminals."
Read with the Reading the Detectives group and most highly recommended!
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In the first place, Agatha Christie writes about a colonel's death and the small town's vicar who tries to discover the murderer's identity. Most of the characters will at some point of the novel be suspected of being the wanted murderer, but the reader should expect the final reveal to be somehow unpredictable. I thought I had figured out who the killer was halfway through the novel, but the outcome was ... I could not have been more wrong. And it would indeed be surprising if anyone else was as smart as Miss Marple in the quest of figuring out the identity of the culprit. However, this also caused another one of this book's weak spots: Although it is only 270 pages long, it dragged on for the second half, as nearly no new information were added and the investigators were more or less left groping in the dark.
Agatha Christie writes about very different characters trying to live in a small town where nothing ever happens - until this highly disliked man is murdered at the vicarage. As the novel is written from the first-person-perspective of the vicar, Leonard Clement, the reader has to rely on his observations, which made it even harder to guess the outcome of the murder mystery. After all, the author managed to write complicated and confusing murder mysteries with nearly no loose ends, however, something else fell by the wayside: the characters. With nearly no character development or interesting relationships present, it is hardly possible to get invested into the plot itself, and with Miss Marple being only a side character, the most interesting part of the novel was ignored for most of the time.
My first Miss Marple novel, my second Agatha Christie novel, and still no fan of her works. I guess I'll be staying faithful to Sherlock Holmes!
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It was overall a good plot though not a novel one. The setting is a small village in England where life is slow and stagnant. In such a small village, it is not surprising that everybody knows everybod
It was difficult to rate this book. I wanted to do more justice to Agatha Christie and her brilliant mind, but my conscience nags at me; it tells me that in honesty I was not drawn into the story as I normally do when I read her novels. So here I'm divided and trying to justice to her and me both.It was overall a good plot though not a novel one. The setting is a small village in England where life is slow and stagnant. In such a small village, it is not surprising that everybody knows everybody's business. Gossip mongers and story creators are all too common in such a closed community. In this setting, Agatha Christie brings in some interesting set of characters - old spinsters, widows, eccentric, spirited, and manipulative men and women. As always, her characters are a vibrant lot.
This is the first time that we are introduced to Christie's celebrated lady detective - the old Miss Jane Marple. Miss Marple who has made it her hobby to observe human nature rarely misses out on the important happenings in St. Mary Mead. She is sharp-witted and shrewd, and although she is no professional, it is no easy matter to delude her.
Having read books of the Poirot series, it was surprising for me to be introduced to a strikingly different detective (if I may use that word for Miss Marple). Whereas Poirot is an uncommonly brilliant detective, Miss Maple is more ordinary and reachable. In contrast to the strict professionalism demonstrated in Poirot, here is an ordinary old lady with her powers of observation and a decent deductive mind who solves a murder mystery which the local police fail to solve. What is interesting here is that she doesn't do anything actively to gather evidence; she only acts upon the evidence that was gathered and thrown her way by others.
At the onset, the story held my interest. I generally enjoyed the presentation of the incidents and characters in a tightly woven plotline. There is a fair amount of suspense from the point of murder that takes place at the Vicarage. Incident characters and events served as red herrings so the reader wouldn't guess the criminal before being revealed. All was good until I got to the end. With many twists and turns, the truth when revealed was quite the ordinary. I guessed it way before and was quite firm on my conviction until the author quite deliberately created confusion. That's what I call cheating. :)
It was odd how suddenly Miss Marple shines. When all the avenues of finding the murderer are exhausted, she comes forward and sums up methodically how the crime was planned and committed as if she had been in confidence with the criminals and being party to the crime. I found this brilliant summing up a little too good to be true. To begin with, the story is told by the Vicar. For most of the part, he plays the armature detective alongside the police inspectors. They gather evidence and all are passed to Miss Marple through the Vicar. Even medical evidence fails but Miss Marple saves the day. I'm sorry but that didn't quite agree with me.
Nevertheless, I cannot say I didn't enjoy the story. That is something you can't say when it comes to an Agatha Christie murder mystery. But to speak the truth, this work didn't rise to my expectation. I wasn't entirely drawn in. I think I was at the beginning, but slowly and especially toward the end, I lost my enthusiasm. The ending was a slap in my face and I still can feel the pain. It is sad to say this, but in truth, I was somewhat disappointed.
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The first Miss Marple mystery. The usual red herrings and mechanical Christie plot. This early Miss Marple is more acerbic and less endearing.
Of Agatha Christie - "The champion deceiver of our time." - New York Times
"A right clever one, this." - Jay Schutt "Oh, what a tangled web we weave...when first we practice to deceive." - Sir Walter Scott
Of Agatha Christie - "The champion deceiver of our time." - New York Times
"A right clever one, this." - Jay Schutt ...more
I have been told that "A Murder Is Announced' is a good read by a GR friend, so that will be my next Agatha Christie reading foray. 😊
I found this to be humorous…Mary is the curmudgeonly cook employed by the vicar and his wife:
• '…During all this, Mary had been extracting eyes from potatoes with such energy that they had been flying around the kitchen like hailstones. At this moment one hit me in the eye and caused a momentary pause in the conversation.' 😅
Anyhoo it was nice to just settle down with this book with the expectation in the beginning of the book that since a murder had just occurred, nothing terribly bad would happen after that, and so it was a nice quiet gentle read. Nothing to ruffle my feathers. Sometimes we all need that kind of read. Nothing earth shattering…just something to pleasantly while away the time. 3.5 stars for me. 😊
Review:
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A slow but delightful s
Murder at the Vicarage is the first Miss Marple book to be written and published. Within the sleepy small village of St Mary Mead murder arrives when Colonel Protheroe, a much disliked prominent member of society is found dead in the study of Vicar, Reverend Clement's study. Told through a first person narrative of Rev Clement, we observe and bumble along with the vicar the progress of the investigation to discovery of the murderer(s) through the deductions of Miss Marple.A slow but delightful story in which we view how Miss Marple's superior powers of deductive reasoning is initially overlooked by the police, but not the reader as the vicar often draws our attention to his knowledge of Miss Marple's sleuthing abilities. This affords the reader some superiority over the police as we have some insider information to not judge a person (old woman) by their appearance.
Within the story I particular enjoyed the way today's readers able to draw parallels between our society and human behaviour and that witnessed and described by Miss Marple in Post War Britain. I also enjoyed the subtle comedy which winds throughout the story in Rev Clement's storytelling. Overall reading this book had a been lovely way to spend to couple of days.
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There's the vicar, who, as the local sounding board, can indulge his newly discovered amateur sleuthing hobby. He is frequently accosted by several of the old cats, as the local busybodies are lovingly dubbed by the younger generation. And of course, we cannot forget Colonel Protheroe: most respected magistrate, as well as most d
All appearances point to St. Mary Mead being the usual English small town. It has its share of colorful inhabitants, but for the most part it's a rather peaceful place.There's the vicar, who, as the local sounding board, can indulge his newly discovered amateur sleuthing hobby. He is frequently accosted by several of the old cats, as the local busybodies are lovingly dubbed by the younger generation. And of course, we cannot forget Colonel Protheroe: most respected magistrate, as well as most despised person in town.
It is in fact the latter's murder, that rouses the town from its peaceful slumber, setting loose a sudden and unexpected chain of events.
Even though I was a big fan of Dame Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot series in high school, I have somehow never got around to reading any of her books featuring Miss Marple. So what better time to tackle them, than a lengthy Christmas break? I mean, who doesn't like a dash of crime with their afternoon tea?
Unlike the Hercule Poirot series, where the famous detective is generally sought out to help investigate the murder, Miss Marple is hardly ever requested for a consult. As a matter of fact, she is generally lumped together with the 'old cats', although the vicar does admit that she at least has a sense of humor.
I loved getting reacquainted with the author's typical mysteries, where I never guess the perpetrator, although I enjoy pondering the problem. I was also pleasantly surprised to discover an excellent sense of humor to go with her numerous memorable one liners.
There is no detective in England equal to a spinster lady of uncertain age with plenty of time on her hands."Was bad language used?" asked Colonel Melchett.
"It depends on what you call bad language."
"Could you understand it?" I asked.
"Of course I could understand it."
"Then it couldn't have been bad language," I said.
Mrs. Price Ridley looked at me suspiciously.
"A refined lady," I explained, "is naturally unacquainted with bad language.""What are you doing this afternoon, Griselda?"
"My duty," said Griselda. "My duty as the Vicaress. Tea and scandal at four thirty."
Score: 3.4/5
Objectively speaking, there was nothing special in the story, but it was incredibly entertaining. I can't wait to read the following books in the series.
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Review of book 2: The Thirteen Problems
Review of book 3: The Body in the Library
Review of book 4: The Moving Finger
Also, for such a short book it took me ages to read it. Mostly, because I was very busy.
But also because I was so bored.
It seems that last time I read it, I've enjoyed it more. But this time around there was just too much "going around the bush" and "useless plot twists" for my liking.
I still enjoyed it, but not as much as I enjoy some of her
Turned out that this was a re-read. Like with many of Agatha's books, as I read tons of them a few years back and can't remember which ones I did read.Also, for such a short book it took me ages to read it. Mostly, because I was very busy.
But also because I was so bored.
It seems that last time I read it, I've enjoyed it more. But this time around there was just too much "going around the bush" and "useless plot twists" for my liking.
I still enjoyed it, but not as much as I enjoy some of her other works.
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Our protagonist, the Vicar, is married to a woman half his age and is always a little suspicious that she may be looking at other men. He's the long-suffering clergyman of the town - all the little old ladies come to him with their troubles and gossip - including the incredibly sharp Jane Marple.
Nothing even happens in the sleepy little town
Agatha Christie could have called this book a comedy as easily as she called it a mystery. She is so funny! This book had me chuckling from beginning to end.Our protagonist, the Vicar, is married to a woman half his age and is always a little suspicious that she may be looking at other men. He's the long-suffering clergyman of the town - all the little old ladies come to him with their troubles and gossip - including the incredibly sharp Jane Marple.
Nothing even happens in the sleepy little town of St. Mary Mead, so when Colonel Protheroe (an annoying and widely disliked man) is murdered by gunshot to the head, the whole town is in an uproar. It seems that no one is free from suspicion.
Affairs, thievery, clandestine meetings, jilted lovers...good thing snoopy Miss Marple is there to keep an eye on everyone and steer the misguided police and Vicar to the correct verdict.
Christie has a good way of bringing characters to life, filling them with quirks and speech patterns that make them spring off the page. From nosy Miss Marple, to the well-intentioned Vicar, the all-business-let's-get-this-over-with Inspector Slack, the pretending-to-be-an-idiot-beautiful-but-soulless Lettice, Christie paints a vivid portrait of country life.
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Enjoy and Be Blessed
It's no mystery that I am no aficionado of Miss Marple's, but with Murder at the Vicarage, her very first adventure, I found myself gradually warming toward her in a way I didn't expect. This happened, I believe, because in this novel Miss Marple is no
"My dear young man, you underestimate the detective instinct of village life. In St. Mary Mead every one knows your most intimate affairs. There is no detective in England equal to a spinster lady of uncertain age with plenty of time on her hands."It's no mystery that I am no aficionado of Miss Marple's, but with Murder at the Vicarage, her very first adventure, I found myself gradually warming toward her in a way I didn't expect. This happened, I believe, because in this novel Miss Marple is no different from the multitude of gossip old ladies inhabiting the peaceful country village of St Mar Mead, except that she is, uncannily, way more brilliant than sharp than any of them. She is a busybody through and through, the kind of woman who constantly keeps an eye on the window to see who comes and who goes, the neighbour everyone would hate and dream of killing. She is a complete and utter pain in the neck–unless you need her to solve some homicide.
What else can I say? Just another regular, plain day in regular, plain St. Mary Mead.
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Yes? I inquired.
She used to say, 'The young people think the old people are fools--but the old people know the young people are fools!'" (PG. 282)
This was such a fun read and had so many twists and turns that I never saw the killer coming. The killer thought they were smart and would have gotten away with it but no one accounted for the nosy old lady next door. Miss Marple is quirky and f
"I remember a saying of my Great Aunt Fanny's. I was sixteen at the time and thought it particularly foolish.Yes? I inquired.
She used to say, 'The young people think the old people are fools--but the old people know the young people are fools!'" (PG. 282)
This was such a fun read and had so many twists and turns that I never saw the killer coming. The killer thought they were smart and would have gotten away with it but no one accounted for the nosy old lady next door. Miss Marple is quirky and funny and witty without making anyone feel beneath her.
This was an enjoyable read. Agatha Christie created these characters that we can relate to which always make the storytelling so much better.
Highly recommend.
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Agatha Christie is the best-selling author of all time. She wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in Romance. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and a billion in t
Agatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, and was occasionally published under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan.Agatha Christie is the best-selling author of all time. She wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in Romance. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, she remains the most-translated individual author, having been translated into at least 103 languages. She is the creator of two of the most enduring figures in crime literature-Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple-and author of The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theatre.
Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller was born in Torquay, Devon, England, U.K., as the youngest of three. The Millers had two other children: Margaret Frary Miller (1879–1950), called Madge, who was eleven years Agatha's senior, and Louis Montant Miller (1880–1929), called Monty, ten years older than Agatha.
Before marrying and starting a family in London, she had served in a Devon hospital during the First World War, tending to troops coming back from the trenches. During the First World War, she worked at a hospital as a nurse; later working at a hospital pharmacy, a job that influenced her work, as many of the murders in her books are carried out with poison. During the Second World War, she worked as a pharmacy assistant at University College Hospital, London, acquiring a good knowledge of poisons which feature in many of her novels.
Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, came out in 1920. During her first marriage, Agatha published six novels, a collection of short stories, and a number of short stories in magazines.
In late 1926, Agatha's husband, Archie, revealed that he was in love with another woman, Nancy Neele, and wanted a divorce. On 8 December 1926 the couple quarreled, and Archie Christie left their house, Styles, in Sunningdale, Berkshire, to spend the weekend with his mistress at Godalming, Surrey. That same evening Agatha disappeared from her home, leaving behind a letter for her secretary saying that she was going to Yorkshire. Her disappearance caused an outcry from the public, many of whom were admirers of her novels. Despite a massive manhunt, she was not found for eleven days.
In 1930, Christie married archaeologist Max Mallowan (Sir Max from 1968) after joining him in an archaeological dig. Their marriage was especially happy in the early years and remained so until Christie's death in 1976.
Christie frequently used familiar settings for her stories. Christie's travels with Mallowan contributed background to several of her novels set in the Middle East. Other novels (such as And Then There Were None) were set in and around Torquay, where she was born. Christie's 1934 novel Murder on the Orient Express was written in the Hotel Pera Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, the southern terminus of the railway. The hotel maintains Christie's room as a memorial to the author. The Greenway Estate in Devon, acquired by the couple as a summer residence in 1938, is now in the care of the National Trust.
Christie often stayed at Abney Hall in Cheshire, which was owned by her brother-in-law, James Watts. She based at least two of her stories on the hall: the short story The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding, and the novel After the Funeral. Abney Hall became Agatha's greatest inspiration for country-house life, with all the servants and grandeur which have been woven into her plots.
To honour her many literary works, she was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1956 New Year Honours. The next year, she became the President of the Detection Club.
Wikipedia entry for Agatha Christie
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