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A Murder Is Announced
An announcement in the local paper states the time and place when a murder is to occur in Miss Blacklock's Victorian house. The victim is not one of the house's several occupants, but an unexpected and unknown visitor. What follows is a classic Christie puzzle of mixed motives, concealed identities, a second death, a determined Inspector grimly following the twists and turns, and Miss Marple on hand to provide the final solution at some risk to herself in a dramatic confrontation just before the
116 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1950
13 people are currently reading
274 people want to read
About the author
Leslie Darbon
6 booksBritish stage playwright since 1960s. Adapted works by Agatha Christie, such as "Murder is Announced" after the author's death, noted in theatre websites where productions appeared. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0200952/fi...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
March 10, 2018
I loved this plot a lot more than the first one. Also, it's less dragged on and solved with pretty strong logics. The characterization is also well-balanced. Overall, a good novel to end the night with.
January 24, 2020
Predictable and lazy. If you write 70+ books, some are bound to be duds and this is one of them. Don't waste your time.
September 8, 2021
Most of Agatha Christie's plays undergo big changes in the adaption, sometimes even changing the outcome. While this adaption kept the original murderer & reason for the murders, it pared down the number of characters to the bare minimum needed to tell the tale, losing at least six that I could recall. Miss Marple appeared a bit out of character, a bit more pushy & sarcastic than the book version, but still miles ahead of everyone in figuring out "whodunit". Since all of the action takes place in one stage set, much of the information gathering is done off set & just introduced into the conversation without witnessing the process. I did like the dramatic revelations just before the curtain dropped which added to the tension & suspense. All in all, it was a pretty good adaption & I enjoyed it.
March 28, 2023
Ashley back at it again with the not guessing who done it until the very end.
I had to read this for a Concepts of Diversity class so I won't be doing a full review of.
I'm mostly rating it 3 stars because it was good but I think it would be better enjoyed as a book since this really cut a lot of things out.
I had to read this for a Concepts of Diversity class so I won't be doing a full review of.
I'm mostly rating it 3 stars because it was good but I think it would be better enjoyed as a book since this really cut a lot of things out.
May 21, 2020
I have never read an Agatha Christie novel before. This was one of my books chosen by a member of my book club.
It was an easy read, but most notable was I had no idea who the murderer was. After they catch the killer they say all of the little things that gave then away. All I can say is I am not the observant.
If you like who dun its and I an easy read these are the books for you.
It was an easy read, but most notable was I had no idea who the murderer was. After they catch the killer they say all of the little things that gave then away. All I can say is I am not the observant.
If you like who dun its and I an easy read these are the books for you.
October 29, 2025
A fun Christie mystery.
January 4, 2026
I had the honor of playing Inspector Craddock in a version of this play in 2013. If you ever want an acting challenge, try out for an Agatha Christie show as a detective!
October 28, 2021
I was not disappointed with this Agatha Christie. She surprised me with her usual web weaving and I loved it!
January 7, 2017
read just to understand her writing. did not love
May 11, 2022
A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6.30 p.m. Friends please accept this, the only intimation.
This announcement appears in the Chipping Cleghorn Gazette, the local paper on Friday morning. Friends of Letitia Blacklock, the owner of Little Paddocks, assume they are being invited to a murder game and turn up expecting an enjoyable evening. Letitia Blacklock is less than impressed when she sees the notice and suspects her young cousin Patrick is playing a joke. Patrick pleads his innocence, and the household is left in the dark about the notice. However, Letitia knows her friends and prepares for a small party, with sherry and cheese straws. The friends duly arrive, each awkwardly pretending that they have called in randomly, trying to not appear too eager for a murder game. No one is fooled!
The allotted time arrives and suddenly the lights go out. An intruder bursts into the room and demands everyone put up their hands. Shots are fired, panic erupts, someone finally manages to get the lights back on, Letitia has a slight injury (her ear is bleeding, apparently grazed by one of the bullets) and a dead body is found: not one of the household or guests, but the intruder, shot through the chest. His gun is on the floor by his side. It looks like he managed to accidentally shoot himself in the confusion.
But Detective Inspector Craddock isn't satisfied. He has a feeling something isn't right and that he is seeing what he was meant to see. But it isn't until he meets Miss Marple and gets her insights that the nebulous thoughts he has had start to clarify in his mind and he realises there is more to investigate here than a simple prank gone wrong.
Like most of Christie's books, there are some aspects of the book which will offend modern sensibilities. Christie frequently portrays her foreign characters in what would be an extremely racist manner if used in a modern book. In this book, this is mainly aimed at Mitzi, a middle European refugee who works for Letitia as a cook. Mitzi has a traumatic past, having watched at least one family member murdered in front of her by the Nazis, but is frequently ridiculed by the household for her hysteria and fear of the police. She is portrayed as a liar and is immediately suspected by the police merely because she is a foreigner.
This announcement appears in the Chipping Cleghorn Gazette, the local paper on Friday morning. Friends of Letitia Blacklock, the owner of Little Paddocks, assume they are being invited to a murder game and turn up expecting an enjoyable evening. Letitia Blacklock is less than impressed when she sees the notice and suspects her young cousin Patrick is playing a joke. Patrick pleads his innocence, and the household is left in the dark about the notice. However, Letitia knows her friends and prepares for a small party, with sherry and cheese straws. The friends duly arrive, each awkwardly pretending that they have called in randomly, trying to not appear too eager for a murder game. No one is fooled!
The allotted time arrives and suddenly the lights go out. An intruder bursts into the room and demands everyone put up their hands. Shots are fired, panic erupts, someone finally manages to get the lights back on, Letitia has a slight injury (her ear is bleeding, apparently grazed by one of the bullets) and a dead body is found: not one of the household or guests, but the intruder, shot through the chest. His gun is on the floor by his side. It looks like he managed to accidentally shoot himself in the confusion.
But Detective Inspector Craddock isn't satisfied. He has a feeling something isn't right and that he is seeing what he was meant to see. But it isn't until he meets Miss Marple and gets her insights that the nebulous thoughts he has had start to clarify in his mind and he realises there is more to investigate here than a simple prank gone wrong.
Like most of Christie's books, there are some aspects of the book which will offend modern sensibilities. Christie frequently portrays her foreign characters in what would be an extremely racist manner if used in a modern book. In this book, this is mainly aimed at Mitzi, a middle European refugee who works for Letitia as a cook. Mitzi has a traumatic past, having watched at least one family member murdered in front of her by the Nazis, but is frequently ridiculed by the household for her hysteria and fear of the police. She is portrayed as a liar and is immediately suspected by the police merely because she is a foreigner.
August 6, 2021
I found an old copy in a thrift bookstand, and didn't know it is part of a series. After reading this, I might go look for the other books also. Although, it is weird or strange that Ms. Marple is an old woman who helps solves crimes but I guess that is bad-ass in a way. Just caught off guard is all.
Anyway, the book started with an announcement in The Gazette, that a murder is announced and will take place at 6pm at the Little Paddocks. However, the said host was also surprise at who could've made that prank announcement in the papers. But they still prepared for it, because neighbors would come and they did. At first they pretended they were afraid when the 'thief' arrived until two shots were heard and the third one actually killed the thief?! Was it an accident or did someone kill him while everyone was distracted?
Some parts may be slow, because it isn't like Sherlock Holmes but as my first Agatha Christie book I was still drawn to it. I don't know if anyone guessed the ending correctly or they were able to once the clues was all laid out during the final chapter? It was engaging when you also guess who the perpetrator could be and just when you thought you were right, at the end you were one step wrong (or you did guess it correctly) I felt the last chapter was kinda just written quickly - second to the last chapter: caught the killer, last chapter: there have been some development among the characters while the plot was also explained, and those development may be minor but would be nice to have that laid out as well.
I have found another mystery author to binge on :)
Anyway, the book started with an announcement in The Gazette, that a murder is announced and will take place at 6pm at the Little Paddocks. However, the said host was also surprise at who could've made that prank announcement in the papers. But they still prepared for it, because neighbors would come and they did. At first they pretended they were afraid when the 'thief' arrived until two shots were heard and the third one actually killed the thief?! Was it an accident or did someone kill him while everyone was distracted?
Some parts may be slow, because it isn't like Sherlock Holmes but as my first Agatha Christie book I was still drawn to it. I don't know if anyone guessed the ending correctly or they were able to once the clues was all laid out during the final chapter? It was engaging when you also guess who the perpetrator could be and just when you thought you were right, at the end you were one step wrong (or you did guess it correctly) I felt the last chapter was kinda just written quickly - second to the last chapter: caught the killer, last chapter: there have been some development among the characters while the plot was also explained, and those development may be minor but would be nice to have that laid out as well.
I have found another mystery author to binge on :)
November 23, 2018
A Murder is Announced is a typical Christie with colorful characters, mysterious pasts and death. Featuring the classic character, Miss Marple, A Murder is Announced was adapted by Leslie Darbon... who did not do a great job.
The play suffers from characters who were probably more characterized in the novel and a premise that's absolutely insane. Here, I'll break it down for you real quick.
***HERE BE SPOILERS KINDA***
Okay, the main character is Letitia Blacklock. The main plot is that someone will be trying to kill her because she used to work for Randall Goedler who became wealthy thanks to her. He's dead but his wife, Belle, is still barely alive. If Belle dies then no worries, Letitia gets all the cashola.
However, if Letitia dies BEFORE Belle, the money goes to a pair of children named Pip and Emma.
Pip and Emma are the children of Sonia (who is the sister of Randall) and some other dude who is named.
That's a lot of character names for people we never see (at least not yet) and to top it all off, Letitia has a sister named Charlotte.
Just, wow. In a play where you can't pause and reread a page and all that exposition is said in short sequence, that can be troubling.
The play suffers from characters who were probably more characterized in the novel and a premise that's absolutely insane. Here, I'll break it down for you real quick.
***HERE BE SPOILERS KINDA***
Okay, the main character is Letitia Blacklock. The main plot is that someone will be trying to kill her because she used to work for Randall Goedler who became wealthy thanks to her. He's dead but his wife, Belle, is still barely alive. If Belle dies then no worries, Letitia gets all the cashola.
However, if Letitia dies BEFORE Belle, the money goes to a pair of children named Pip and Emma.
Pip and Emma are the children of Sonia (who is the sister of Randall) and some other dude who is named.
That's a lot of character names for people we never see (at least not yet) and to top it all off, Letitia has a sister named Charlotte.
Just, wow. In a play where you can't pause and reread a page and all that exposition is said in short sequence, that can be troubling.
March 14, 2019
I thought that this was a really good book.
As always Christie weaves an ingenious plot with all sorts of false leads and unexpected discoveries.
To be perfectly honest, I figured out right away that Philippa was Pip, it was the only thing that made sense to me, and I suspected her for quite a few chapters, and then I caught on to the fact that it only made sense for it to be Ms, Blacklock.
Although I figured out who the culprit was, I couldn't figure out what her motive was.
I was shocked to discover, that of all people, Miss Blacklock was the one who wasn't who she said she was. It was incredibly engaging and even after I figured out who the culprit was.
As always Christie weaves an ingenious plot with all sorts of false leads and unexpected discoveries.
To be perfectly honest, I figured out right away that Philippa was Pip, it was the only thing that made sense to me, and I suspected her for quite a few chapters, and then I caught on to the fact that it only made sense for it to be Ms, Blacklock.
Although I figured out who the culprit was, I couldn't figure out what her motive was.
I was shocked to discover, that of all people, Miss Blacklock was the one who wasn't who she said she was. It was incredibly engaging and even after I figured out who the culprit was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2018
I'm about to play Miss Marple, so obviously I've purchased the script. This is a good retelling of the classic from Agatha Christie, keeping the majority of the characters and the feel of the era. I was a bit concerned about the loss of Murgatroyd and Hinchcliffe in this version, but the plot still works (but it's the reason for the loss of stars).
November 11, 2024
Nice, para ser mi primer libro de misterio estuvo bien. Entretenido y rápido. Debo decir que si me emocionaba con cada nueva revelación aún que me hubiera gustado que hubiera más muertes 😂🤷🏻♀️
Como lectura rápida creo que es muy buena y los personajes son interesantes.
Como lectura rápida creo que es muy buena y los personajes son interesantes.
August 23, 2018
Excellent stage adaptation of the novel.
April 22, 2019
typical AC
Her detective works out the little bits she sprinkles in the narrative and we all feel good about the murder, mostly foul.
Her detective works out the little bits she sprinkles in the narrative and we all feel good about the murder, mostly foul.
April 25, 2021
I always enjoy watching the movies made from Agatha Christie's books, so I decided to read them all. She is always very clever, and I do enjoy the tongue-in-cheek humor!
May 20, 2021
Definitely unpredictable..Good one time read.. my First Marple mystery... Usually I read Poirot's...
July 23, 2021
I wish the mystery was better and not as confusing
April 5, 2022
The beginning was a drag though but picked up later especially after the murder.
January 14, 2023
Excellent mystery. The clues are really clever. Good plot, lots of character but not not overstuff. The best Marple.
January 21, 2024
Suspects are slimmed down a bit too much and a lot crammed into the third act. But a lot of really good jokes added and still one of Christie’s best first acts.
August 17, 2024
Great dialogue and setup, but the finale felt a bit lackluster.
January 28, 2025
Saw it live!
August 23, 2014
I read this play as a prospect for my fall theatre production. I mostly enjoyed it, but the ending was a bit weak.
October 13, 2015
There is humour in this as well as murder. The twists tend to be surprises mainly because there's no massive build up. This does, however, make quite a good play....
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April 8, 2016I've read the first Peroit and Marple and then one of each recommended as the best. I'm done with Christie. OK, but kind of dull.
January 5, 2017
Having read quite a few, this one is the best so far. Not outlandish. Very interesting read for this genre
August 19, 2023
Really good play with a twist . One of her best murder mysteries .
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews