The Murder at the Vicarage

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Mystery / Christie, Agatha	4-week checkout	Due 05-18-2024
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Mystery / Christie, Agatha	4-week checkout	Due 04-27-2024

Originally published: London : Collins, 1930.
AThe murder of Colonel Protheroe -- shot through the head -- is a shock to everyone in St Mary Mead, though hardly an unpleasant one. Now even the vicar, who had declared that killing the detested Protheroe would be 'doing the world at large a favour,' is a suspect -- the Colonel has been dispatched in the clergyman's study, no less. But the picturesque English village of St Mary Mead is overpopulated with suspects. There is of course the faithless Mrs Protheroe; and there is of course her young lover -- an artist, to boot.Perhaps more surprising than the revelation of the murderer is the detective who will crack the case: 'a white-haired old lady with a gentle, appealing manner.' Miss Jane Marple has arrived on the scene, and crime literature's private men's club of great detectives will never be the same.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Meet Miss Marple submitted by camelsamba on August 18, 2016, 3:04pm I enjoyed the plot. Clues emerge slowly and somewhat organically. Things we suspect might be the breakthrough turn out to be insignificant. People are complex. What I didn't enjoy, however, were the attitudes about women. Not sure if they're just a reflection of the time / setting, or a biting my commentary of the inanity of those attitudes. Either way, I did mentally cringe at times and this lowered my overall rating of the book.

I was surprised that the vicar was the narrator of this book when it was listed as first in the Miss Marple "series." My suspicion is that Miss Marple only became developed as a leading character later on, once Christie realized the power of someone who "is a student of human nature" (might be a misquote). Having just finished this book – my 2nd Christie this year – I'm interested to learn more about the overall arch of Christie's writing career.

Marple submitted by kathscot on August 16, 2017, 9:53am A convoluted and satisfying murder mystery. Interesting to see the other villagers' views of Miss Marple.

classic submitted by bec on August 7, 2018, 9:52am Great, thorny characters, and a fun look at Christie's version of rural English village life.