Reading the Detectives discussion

Welcome to our Oct 25 Challenge Read of A Murder Is Announced The fifth book in the Miss Marple series was first published in 1950.

According to the Agatha Christie website: Promoted on both sides of the Atlantic as Agatha Christie's 50th book and published in 1950 by William Collins, A Murder is Announced is a staple of crime fiction and is often considered the best of all the Miss Marple novels. The villagers of Chipping Cleghorn, including Jane Marple, are agog with curiosity over an advertisement in the local gazette which reads: ‘A murder is announced and will take place on Friday October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6.30 p.m.’ A childish practical joke? Or a hoax intended to scare poor Letitia Blacklock? Unable to resist the mysterious invitation, a crowd begins to gather at Little Paddocks at the appointed time when, without warning, the lights go out…

Please feel free to post spoilers in this thread.

After I re-read the book, I thought it was an OK book and wrote a review that might have been a bit tepid.

Then, I listened to the audio book with the complete plot still in mind. WOW I was impressed: her plotting and especially her clues and misdirection, it was awesome and excellent dialog.

I know she is helped along by my not so great memory, but she also skillfully leads you down the wrong path.

Jackie wrote: "After I re-read the book, I thought it was an OK book and wrote a review that might have been a bit tepid.

Then, I listened to the audio book with the complete plot still in mind. WOW I was impre..."

Yes, I agree - even though I’ve read this and seen the dramatization a few times! I almost prefer knowing the killer, then on rereads I can concentrate on spotting the clues and red herrings.

This time, I really appreciated the conversation between Miss M and Craddock in the garden about how things have changed since the war - no letters of introduction, or proof that anyone is who they claim to be. The world is still so unsettled, family members could be anywhere, could be dead - heartbreaking, really.

I also appreciated Miss M’s chat with Bunch in the cafe after Miss Blacklock catches Bunny gossiping to Miss Marple and carries her away. Bunch comes in and she acts as Miss M’s sounding board, going over the members of Miss Blacklock’s household and other villagers present at the shooting. Bunch’s funny, sharp comments show she’s not just some empty-headed vicar’s wife - as Julia says earlier, she’s sharper than she appears!

Those are great scenes.

I was also struck by how plausible "Letty" is when she just can't believe anyone would be trying to kill her!

You'd think that would be suspicious when it is learned she knows she will shortly be a very rich woman, but somehow she makes it sound believable. And by she I mean Charlotte but also Christie.

I accidentally posted this in the other thread so moving it here:


I was happier with the Edmund Swettenham character ending up with Phillippa...wait, she turned out to be Emma, right? Anyway, ending up with her in the TV version because he seemed more relatable somehow, even though the dialog was mostly the same. In the book I felt like she was clearly saying, not interested and he wouldn't take no for an answer, but somehow in the TV show he seemed more humble.

I ALWAYS think the murderer is either Pip or Emma probably because their names, and the reason for them, sticks in my memory. Christie does it again.

Jackie wrote: "Those are great scenes.

I was also struck by how plausible "Letty" is when she just can't believe anyone would be trying to kill her!

You'd think that would be suspicious when it is learned she..."

You’re right, I hadn’t thought of that, but she is believable- up to Dora’s death, then we start to see cracks in her facade, when she realizes what she’s lost - that could be written off as grief for her old friend, but then Murgatroyd is killed, and I think when Craddock comes to grill everyone, she’s clutching her pearls and they fall apart, and she loses it and rushes from the room! Definitely a red flag; I just watched that part last night, and remembered she’s just received a letter from the real Julia- I imagine learning of the Patrick/Emma/Julia deceit threw her further off balance! At least, that’s how they seemed to play it.

Sandy wrote: "I ALWAYS think the murderer is either Pip or Emma probably because their names, and the reason for them, sticks in my memory. Christie does it again."

Me, too - because Emma (fake Julia) was in the French Resistance, and tells Miss Blacklock if she’d shot at her, she wouldn’t have missed! Definitely have a cool enough head, and motive.

Jackie wrote: "accidentally posting this in the other thread so moving it here:


I was happier with the Edmund Swettenham character ending up with Phillippa...wait, she turned out to be Emma, right? Anyway, endi..."

I thought they suited, but really, what would she (Phillippa was Pip) see in him? Big baby man communist wannabe writer, living off his mama! I cringed reading and watching the end scene after Murgatroyd is killed, and Craddock is grilling the women about where they were that afternoon, and Edmund’s mum tells how she was unclogging a drainpipe-while he confesses he was asleep!

Susan in NC wrote: "Jackie wrote: "accidentally posting this in the other thread so moving it here:


I was happier with the Edmund Swettenham character ending up with Phillippa...wait, she turned out to be Emma, righ..."

I agree that Pip could have done a lot better than Edmund. Regarding Patrick and Emma, I'm indifferent; neither appealed to me.

Sandy wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Jackie wrote: "accidentally posting this in the other thread so moving it here:


I was happier with the Edmund Swettenham character ending up with Phillippa...wait, she turned ..."

Patrick and Emma were so snarky and annoying in the tv version I just watched! I agree.

Patrick was bad enough in the book, but super snarky in the TV version! They did make excellent suspects.

Yes, Charlotte (fake Letty, good way to put it) really lost her grip. I've always been surprised it didn't end with her committing suicide.

Such a contrast to what we learned about the real Letty, that she was such a fundamentally decent person and Charlotte was capable of multiple murders.

Jackie wrote: "Patrick was bad enough in the book, but super snarky in the TV version! They did make excellent suspects.

Yes, Charlotte (fake Letty, good way to put it) really lost her grip. I've always been su..."

Yes! My reread and rewatch got me thinking about the difference between the two sisters - in the tv version, in the ending with Miss M and Craddock explaining the case to the others, they get to the sisters in Switzerland during the war, doing Red Cross work, then say (I forget which of them was talking about this part), “then, suddenly, Letitia died, and Lotty decided to swap identities” or something like that. And later they say Dora Bunner knew about the deception and supported it wholeheartedly, felt Lotty deserved the money and opportunities it would bring her.

Two thoughts popped into my head: hmmmm, I wonder HOW Letitia suddenly died, and when did the idea for the swap come into Lotty’s rather twisted mind? And then, “Bunny approved”, I bet she did! Another rather twisted, or at least dim-witted person battered by a hard life. She admits she likes nice things, what did she hope to get out of Lotty’s ill-gotten gains? Clearly, she had no idea how twisted Charlotte was, and to what lengths she might go…what a tangled web!

This is a favorite because every time I read it, I pick up on yet another twist in the plot.

Wow, I never thought to question Letitia's death but now that we know what her sister is capable of...

Susan in NC wrote

every time I read it, I pick up on yet another twist in the plot

We know Agatha Christie is brilliant, but we have to keep reminding ourselves, that's why I'm so glad for this reading challenge.

Jackie wrote: "Wow, I never thought to question Letitia's death but now that we know what her sister is capable of...

Susan in NC wrote

every time I read it, I pick up on yet another twist in the plot

We kn..."

Interesting thought but I don't suspect Lotty of Letty's death. No reason for it: Letty would share, easier for Lotty to be herself.

The Audible version I listened to was great. That slip from Lotty to Letty was hardly noticeable, although I have read/watched/listened to this book too often to be tricked.

Almost everyone was someone else, weren't they? The police were not very sympathetic to poor Mitzi, which surprised me so shortly after the war.

Sandy wrote: "Jackie wrote: "Wow, I never thought to question Letitia's death but now that we know what her sister is capable of...

Susan in NC wrote

every time I read it, I pick up on yet another twist in th..."

Good point; I guess Miss Marple is rubbing off on me - “I never believe anything anyone ever says, and I haven’t for years!”

Susan wrote: "The Audible version I listened to was great. That slip from Lotty to Letty was hardly noticeable, although I have read/watched/listened to this book too often to be tricked.

Almost everyone was s..."

I imagine her drama was a bit much, on top of the mounting body count!

Yes, so many people pretending to be someone else!

Everybody was very hard on Mitzi (who they named Hannah in the TV version, for some reason) so I supposed that means Christie had a bad view of those "middle Europeans"?

Because the idea that there were somehow exaggerating the abuse they saw from the Nazis is just crazy when we know just how bad it was. Yet Christie's characters see Mitzi as hyperbolic to the point of being a complete liar, in fact she is written as a liar.

Susan wrote:

That slip from Lotty to Letty was hardly noticeable

I wonder how many times I've read the book, and never ever noticed that? I can see missing it the first time but on re-read?

just brilliant as a clue, so important and so subtle.

Jackie wrote: "Yes, so many people pretending to be someone else!

Everybody was very hard on Mitzi (who they named Hannah in the TV version, for some reason) so I supposed that means Christie had a bad view of ..."

I thought that too, Jackie. After all, it was well after the war. She was painted as a liar, having a persecution complex and even having a mania. I suspect she had good reasons for feeling persecuted, especially as her brother was said to have been killed in front of her. It was a bit weird, you would think there'd have been more sympathy and understanding. It makes you realise what people faced at the time.

Susan wrote: "Jackie wrote: "Yes, so many people pretending to be someone else!

Everybody was very hard on Mitzi (who they named Hannah in the TV version, for some reason) so I supposed that means Christie had..."

Good point, they did come across a bit callous…only Lotty/Letty stands up for her, asking the police to be patient and saying she may lie about things, but Lotty thinks her claims of persecution in her home country were true.

Just finished my reread, and I didn't remember whodunnit after all! I did remember that Philippa was Pip - then again, a relation of mine is called Philippa and known as Pip for short, so that was a giveaway!

I think last time around I knocked a star off because Miss Marple doesn't come in enough for my liking, and also there are such a lot of people in disguise! But this time around I couldn't resist giving 5 stars because it is just so cleverly plotted and so enjoyable.

I do agree that people are very unkind to Mitzi. Glad to see that she comes across as an indomitable character despite it all.

P.S. I'm wondering if the dish 'Death by Chocolate' was invented before or after this book?

I enjoyed the cat in this, but find his long name impossible to remember! I think from the descriptions Christie must have liked cats.

Judy wrote: "I enjoyed the cat in this, but find his long name impossible to remember! I think from the descriptions Christie must have liked cats."

I found it amusing that like Mitzi, they changed the cat’s name from the book (Tilglath Pilaser) to Delilah for the tv version (Hickson).

This is my personal favorite Christie novel, even though I agree with all of the negatives folks have pointed out. I don't like Edmund S. and can't see why Phillipa would marry him, except maybe she's so exhausted by life anything seems better? And they treat Mitzi terribly - I think she's supposed to be comic relief, but her situation isn't funny.

Still, to me Lottie/Letty and her relationship with Bunny, the portrayal of Miss M and Miss H, and Miss Marple noticing the changes after the war, along with a really good plot, make this a pleasure to read every single time for me.

I first read this one when I was a young teen, so over 50 years ago, and I can still remember how much I enjoyed it, and how puzzled I was. I caught the slip of the tongue from Bunny and put two-and-two together, but I couldn't figure out why Letty did it.

I suppose Edmund is suddenly transformed into a successful playwright, but that happens rather abruptly and doesn't altogether ring true!

Totally unrelated, just struck me that we have the nicknames Bunny and Bunch in this book, which could have been confusing!

Jackie wrote: "Wow, I never thought to question Letitia's death but now that we know what her sister is capable of...

Susan in NC wrote

every time I read it, I pick up on yet another twist in the plot

We kn..."

It says in the book that Letitia died of the 'flu, which is quite plausible for the time. Also, I don't think Charlotte would have killed her sister then-Letitia was due to come into a large fortune and would clearly share with Charlotte and leave it to her should she predecease her. Also, this all began as a simple deception to keep Letitia's place in the queue for the money, there was no question of murder until much later.

I'm also not so put off by the Philippa/Edmund match-Philippa would have been cool to him when she thought her husband was still alive somewhere, but would certainly be of an age to wish to marry again, and in those years people mostly fell in love with someone close at hand-the opportunities for her, as a single mother, to meet eligible bachelors was probably pretty limited.

Like others, I very much enjoyed my reread as I love looking for the clues and red-herrings too!

I agree that there is no reason to suspect Lotty of Letty's death. And Phillipa would be happy to find an eligible husband. As you say, her options were limited.

It's clever plotting but I find it hard to believe the murder method in this book - could it actually work? There would be such a huge risk that someone would notice Lotty/Letty being in the wrong place or moving around, as it eventually turns out that poor Miss Murgatroyd actually did!

Judy wrote: "It's clever plotting but I find it hard to believe the murder method in this book - could it actually work? There would be such a huge risk that someone would notice Lotty/Letty being in the wrong ..."

Very true-I think I consider most Christie plots to be ingenious AND improbable, so I never even try to solve them, I just enjoy the ride!