A Murder is Announced
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A Murder is Announced (published in 1950) is a detective novel by Agatha Christie, featuring her detective Miss Marple. It is considered a classic of the genre.
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[edit] Plot
A mysterious invitation excites an entire town: "A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks, at 6:30 p.m. Friends accept this, the only intimation." A host of people show up to play what they assume is a murder game.
A mysterious stranger shows up outside the door just as the lights go off. The door opens and he directs his lighted flashlight at everyone in the room. No one can see his face. Then there are sounds of gun-shots and the assembled party panic. After the lights come up, the frightened party find the stranger lying dead outside the door. Someone has shot at Ms. Letitia Blacklock, the mistress of the house. She is safe but her dress is drenched in blood.
Fearing another murder, Miss Marple is called in to solve the crime.
[edit] Characters
- Miss Marple
- Inspector Craddock
- Letitia Blacklock, middle aged lady of the house
- Dora Bunner, her fluttery childhood friend
- Patrick Simmons, Ms. Blacklock's nephew
- Julia Simmons, Ms. Blacklock's niece
- Mitzi, Ms. Blacklock's Housekeeper and cook
- Phillipa Haymes, a widowed paying guest
- Colonel Easterbrook, blustery old colonel just returned from India
- Mrs Easterbrook, his considerably younger wife
- Mrs Swettenham, elderly lady who dotes on her son
- Edmund Swettenham, cynical young gentleman
- Miss Hinchcliffe, efficient lady farmer
- Miss Murgatroyd, her pleasant but giggly companion
- Bunch Harmon, wife of the local vicar
[edit] Stage and film versions
Adapted for the stage in 1977 by Leslie Darbon. It was acted live for NBC in 1956, and filmed with Joan Hickson as Miss Marple in 1986 (director David Giles). A later version featuring Geraldine McEwan, with radical plot changes, was made in 2005.
