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BBC Radio 4 Marple
A Murder is Announced
'A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29, at Little Paddocks, at 6:30pm. Friends please accept this, the only intimation.'
Nestled among the usual notices about dogs for sale and appeals for domestic help, the startling entry in the personal column of the Chipping Cleghorn Gazette has the entire village agog with curiosity. Is it a game? And who is meant to attend.
The mistress of Little Paddocks, Letitia Blacklock, is also taken completely by surprise. Suspecting her nephew of a practical joke, she's sure of one thing: half the village will be converging on the house expecting a glass of sherry.
Sure enough, the evening sees a crowd of residents standing expectantly in the drawing-room. Then the clock strikes the half-hour, the lights go out, and three gunshots ring in the dark. When the lights go back on, the promised murder has been committed. Can Miss Marple work out what has happened and why?
One of Agatha Christie's most intriguing mysteries is dramatised with a full cast including Ian Lavender and Jamie Glover. It was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 9 August to 6 September 1999.
2 CDs. 2 hrs 20 mins.
Nestled among the usual notices about dogs for sale and appeals for domestic help, the startling entry in the personal column of the Chipping Cleghorn Gazette has the entire village agog with curiosity. Is it a game? And who is meant to attend.
The mistress of Little Paddocks, Letitia Blacklock, is also taken completely by surprise. Suspecting her nephew of a practical joke, she's sure of one thing: half the village will be converging on the house expecting a glass of sherry.
Sure enough, the evening sees a crowd of residents standing expectantly in the drawing-room. Then the clock strikes the half-hour, the lights go out, and three gunshots ring in the dark. When the lights go back on, the promised murder has been committed. Can Miss Marple work out what has happened and why?
One of Agatha Christie's most intriguing mysteries is dramatised with a full cast including Ian Lavender and Jamie Glover. It was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 9 August to 6 September 1999.
2 CDs. 2 hrs 20 mins.
3 pages, Audio CD
First published January 1, 1999
41 people want to read
About the author
Michael Bakewell
72 books6 followersMichael Bakewell (7 June 1931 – 11 July 2023) was a British radio and television producer and radio playwright.
His work included adapting The Lord of the Rings (with Brian Sibley) into a 1981 radio series for the BBC and a series of 27 adaptations of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot stories broadcast between 1985 and 2007 by BBC Radio 4.
He was born in Birmingham, England. After graduating from Cambridge in 1954, he was recruited by the BBC's Third Programme. He became the first Head of Plays at the BBC in the 1960s.
His work included adapting The Lord of the Rings (with Brian Sibley) into a 1981 radio series for the BBC and a series of 27 adaptations of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot stories broadcast between 1985 and 2007 by BBC Radio 4.
He was born in Birmingham, England. After graduating from Cambridge in 1954, he was recruited by the BBC's Third Programme. He became the first Head of Plays at the BBC in the 1960s.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 18, 2023
"And what would I want with peace & quiet anyway?"
Too true, Miss Marple!
When a local paper makes an announcement of a murder, people seem to understand that this event is just a game. How wrong they are . . . .
Great dramatisation and another adventure packed Christie story.
Too true, Miss Marple!
When a local paper makes an announcement of a murder, people seem to understand that this event is just a game. How wrong they are . . . .
Great dramatisation and another adventure packed Christie story.
May 18, 2020
I recently listened to Emilia Fox narrate an unabridged audiobook edition of this story (with ISBN13 9780062265807) and I enjoyed it, but it wasn't great.
I think one issue was the fact that there were so many female characters and the narrator had to change her voice for each one. She did a good job, but it was artificial and I got some of them confused at times.
When I saw this full-cast BBC production version, I just knew I needed to listen to it. It was great and even though the plot is convoluted, I thought the story flowed well.
I think one issue was the fact that there were so many female characters and the narrator had to change her voice for each one. She did a good job, but it was artificial and I got some of them confused at times.
When I saw this full-cast BBC production version, I just knew I needed to listen to it. It was great and even though the plot is convoluted, I thought the story flowed well.
April 4, 2021
This was a good book. I don't think it's my favorite Christie book, but I did enjoy listening to it. Gotta love the characters and how the plot comes along. I did enjoy the theatrical version of this book. (Read like a radio movie) Enjoy
August 13, 2018
I am no stranger to the BBC Radio 4 adaptions of Agatha Christie. Although it had been some years since I've heard this one in particular, I remember it very well as I relistened to it. Agatha Christie was brilliant at setting things up and piecing things together.
Most of the time people wonder why one could reread (or in this case, relisten) [to] a mystery. There are three reasons. One I have mentioned above (Christie's brilliant plotting); Two, is the brilliant acting that the BBC provides (there are some productions, most notably--and the first to come to mind--is the X-Files radio drama that came out last year, that I found lacking. The acting was, for the most part--flat.). The acting in these productions, in particular, are fantastic, A Murder Announced is no less. And as an actor, I love and appreciate their talents. And Three: Most people think that it's pointless to reread/relisten to a mystery when you already know the answer to the riddle. But what I love, especially as a writer, is that after you know the answer you can then go through the mystery again and see exactly where Christie left her clues. You can see what the criminal/murderer did to set things up, or, for that matter, mess up. And it's a fun experience.
Even though these mysteries are probably considered "cozy" by today's standards, there are moments where you feel terrified for characters. And there is one moment in particular where a character screams out something in the pouring rain. At the time it doesn't seem very poignant, but soon becomes a matter of life and death. And there's something about the direction of these productions that can take a simple moment and make you shiver.
Most of the time people wonder why one could reread (or in this case, relisten) [to] a mystery. There are three reasons. One I have mentioned above (Christie's brilliant plotting); Two, is the brilliant acting that the BBC provides (there are some productions, most notably--and the first to come to mind--is the X-Files radio drama that came out last year, that I found lacking. The acting was, for the most part--flat.). The acting in these productions, in particular, are fantastic, A Murder Announced is no less. And as an actor, I love and appreciate their talents. And Three: Most people think that it's pointless to reread/relisten to a mystery when you already know the answer to the riddle. But what I love, especially as a writer, is that after you know the answer you can then go through the mystery again and see exactly where Christie left her clues. You can see what the criminal/murderer did to set things up, or, for that matter, mess up. And it's a fun experience.
Even though these mysteries are probably considered "cozy" by today's standards, there are moments where you feel terrified for characters. And there is one moment in particular where a character screams out something in the pouring rain. At the time it doesn't seem very poignant, but soon becomes a matter of life and death. And there's something about the direction of these productions that can take a simple moment and make you shiver.
March 21, 2021
There are not enough adjectives to explain how much I enjoy and appreciate the delightfully wicked mind of Dame Agatha Christie. I have read several of her books with that fussy Mr. Hercule Poirot, whom I adore, but this was the first of the Miss Marple books for me.
I loved this full cast dramatization and June Whitfield’s narration as Miss Marple is superior. It is a quick 2 hour listen, but it is so engrossing that the time just flies by before you know it. While I have always wanted to attend one of those Murder mystery weekends, this was enough to give me a pause to consider the various foibles of humanity before such an undertaking.
For those who are highly visual readers, who build the entire world in your head while reading, the BBC Radio dramatization of Dame Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced is an excellent audiobook choice.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved this full cast dramatization and June Whitfield’s narration as Miss Marple is superior. It is a quick 2 hour listen, but it is so engrossing that the time just flies by before you know it. While I have always wanted to attend one of those Murder mystery weekends, this was enough to give me a pause to consider the various foibles of humanity before such an undertaking.
For those who are highly visual readers, who build the entire world in your head while reading, the BBC Radio dramatization of Dame Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced is an excellent audiobook choice.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 6, 2017
Not as good as Murder at the Vicarage, but pretty entertaining nonetheless. But I've got to say the actress voicing Mitzi used a pretty awful accent. Sometimes she sounded french, other times it was impossible to tell where the character was supposed to come from.
June 3, 2020
Chalk up another BBC production of Miss Marple. This is another good one, very intense at times and I really might start listening to these again to pick up on things I missed the first time through. I’d love to read the books and compare how close the production is to the original.
March 25, 2026
Audiobook
BBC Full Cast Dramatisation
I hadn't listened to this particular production, but I've read the book quite a few times and seen the TV adaptations many times as well.
5 stars because all Christie gets 5 stars from me because of nostalgia.
BBC Full Cast Dramatisation
I hadn't listened to this particular production, but I've read the book quite a few times and seen the TV adaptations many times as well.
5 stars because all Christie gets 5 stars from me because of nostalgia.
August 23, 2018
Miss Marple's mind teases the threads and works out the clues. This full cast version brings the book to life.
November 21, 2020
One of the best from AC!
September 3, 2021
I enjoyed this BBC Radio Dramatization. I think the cast did an excellent job, and the sound effects all felt real, and scene appropriate. A fun way to spend two hours.
March 28, 2022
This is my first dramatised Agatha Christie.
June Whitfield was good.
June Whitfield was good.
January 23, 2024
Love, love these radio dramas for the Miss Marple mysteries. So many good actors, voices and sound effects - bringing the story to life!
March 16, 2025
This BBC adaptation was good and pulling. I enjoyed it.
September 5, 2023
Another amazing Agatha Christie novel. It takes a while to get interested in the story but once you do, you can't put it down and the ending is 100% worthwhile.
I recommend it to those who are already familiar with her work, but to those who haven't read any of her books and want to pick up her mysteries. For that, I recommend And Then There Were None, for example.
Overall, 4/5 because the first few chapters aren't the most interesting, you don't really get to know the characters (some are there for simple distraction) and there are lulls here and there. However, once you get past the first half (which doesn't take long, it's a short) book you can't get enough. Also, the details you might've rolled your eyes about are later important, so it feels like the effort you put in reading is paid off in the end.
I recommend it to those who are already familiar with her work, but to those who haven't read any of her books and want to pick up her mysteries. For that, I recommend And Then There Were None, for example.
Overall, 4/5 because the first few chapters aren't the most interesting, you don't really get to know the characters (some are there for simple distraction) and there are lulls here and there. However, once you get past the first half (which doesn't take long, it's a short) book you can't get enough. Also, the details you might've rolled your eyes about are later important, so it feels like the effort you put in reading is paid off in the end.
September 7, 2007
An advertisement for a Murder is put in the paper for a small English community, and immediately becomes the talk of the town. When the murder is actually committed, things get even more strange. A Murder is Announced is a well plotted, cleverly written mystery with a unique twist at the end. Like many Agatha Christie mysteries I've read, the twist isn't so much who committed the crime, as why the crime was committed. Reading this makes me want to pick up many more Agatha Christie mysteries. My only complaint is the book seemed to take a little too much time to pick up steam.
December 8, 2011
Not my favorite of the few Christie books that I've read, but still enjoyable. It is Agatha Christie after all - how can you go wrong? The version I listened to was a BBC Radio performance with a full-cast.
April 10, 2010
I've just finished reading it
It's a good one
It's a good one
December 18, 2013
Wonderful dramatisation. June Whitfield is superb as Miss Marple.
May 18, 2021
Nothing special - just great to have a full cast of characters!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews