In the small village of Chipping Cleghorn, an announcement in the local newspaper about a murder to take place at Little Paddocks intrigues the residents. What starts as a possible joke or party invitation turns into a real murder attempt, leading to a complex mystery involving eccentric characters and unexpected events. The story unfolds with Miss Marple using her wit and keen observational skills to help solve the crime, revealing hidden secrets and surprising twists in a classic Agatha Christie style.
The plot of 'A Murder Is Announced' by Agatha Christie revolves around a murder announcement that turns into a real crime, leading to a series of events that keep the readers guessing until the end. With a mix of quirky characters, clever plotting, and unexpected revelations, the book offers a glimpse into English village life post-World War II, showcasing Christie's talent for crafting intricate mysteries with engaging narratives and surprising outcomes.
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From The Publisher:
The villagers of Chipping Cleghorn are agog with curiosity when the Gazette advertises "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 spiteful hoax? Unable to resist the mysterious invitation, the locals arrive at Little Paddocks at the appointed time when, without warning, the lights go out and a gun is fired. When they come back on, a gruesome scene is revealed. An impossible crime? Only Miss Marple can unravel it.
Ratings (32)
Incredible (7) | |
Loved It (17) | |
Liked It (7) | |
It Was OK (1) |
Reader Stats (55):
Read It (34) | |
Want To Read (15) | |
Not Interested (6) |
2 comment(s)
The story starts with a newspaper ad announcing a murder which is read by almost all the households of a small town.Who,Why,What,When is found by Miss Marple. Miss Marple enters the story little late and it was a ok read. :)
“The latest idea,” said Rydesdale, “is to advertise one’s murders beforehand. Show Sir Henry that advertisement, Craddock.”
Christie, Agatha. A Murder Is Announced: A Miss Marple Mystery (Miss Marple Mysteries Book 5) (p. 41). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
The fifth Miss Marple book, A Murder is Announced starts off with an advertisement in the paper announcing that a murder will take place on the 29 October. No one knows what to think of the advertisement in the paper - including the residents of the location themselves. Everyone thinks it's a joke, until a murder actually takes place.
I really enjoyed this one. I found the cast of characters interesting and the plot well written. I loved Miss Hinchcliffe and Miss Murgatroyd. Their friendship was hilarious. And I liked getting to see Bunch Harmon again (she was present in the Miss Marple short story, Sanctuary). Miss Marple herself arrives about halfway through and quickly gets to work ferreting out the finer details the police were having trouble with. I really like that Marple never really takes over the case as such. She's never the lead detective in any of these matters, rather works with the police to help them solve the case. It gets a bit old seeing the police reduced to useless and often moronic in crime and mystery fiction.
The ending was surprising. I had no idea where it was going to go.
Even when it was clearly being led there, I was still doubting. So total shock.
Overall an entertaining and sufficiently complex mystery that kept me riveted for the solution. 4 stars.
What can you read after
A Murder Is Announced?
About the Author:
Agatha Christie, the acknowledged 'Queen of Crime' (The Observer) was born in Torquay in 1890. During the First World War she worked as a hospital dispenser, and it was here that she gleaned the working knowledge of various poisons that was to prove so useful in her detective stories. Her first novel was The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which introduced Hercule Poirot to the world. This was published in 1920 (although in fact she had written it during the war) and was followed over the next six years by four more detective novels and a short story collection. However, it was not until the publication of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd that Agatha Christie's reputation was firmly established. This novel, with its complex plot and genuinely shocking conclusion, attracted considerable public attention and has since been acknowledged by many experts as a masterpiece. In 1930 the sharp-witted spinster sleuth Miss Marple made her first appearance in The Murder at the Vicarage. In all, Agatha Christie published over 80 novels and short story collections. The brilliance of Christie's plots, and her enduring appeal, have led to several dramatisations of her work on radio, television and film. In 1930 she was one of a number of crime writers asked to contribute a chapter to a mystery, Behind the Screen, that was broadcast on BBC radio on 21st June that year. More recently, June Whitfield portrayed Miss Marple on BBC Radio 4, whilst John Moffat starred as Hercule Poirot. On screen, Peter Ustinov, David Suchet, Margaret Rutherford, Joan Hickson, Geraldine McEwan and Julia McKenzie have all memorably played Agatha Christie's famous sleuths. As her play The Mousetrap (the longest-running play in the history of theatre) testifies, Agatha Christie's detective stories are likely to appeal for a long time to come. Agatha Christie was awarded a CBE in 1956 and was made a Dame of the British Empire in 1971. She died in 1976.
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