The Queen of Mystery has come to Harper Collins! Agatha Christie, the acknowledged mistress of suspense—creator of indomitable sleuth Miss Marple, meticulous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and so many other unforgettable characters—brings her entire oeuvre of ingenious whodunits, locked room mysteries, and perplexing puzzles to Harper Paperbacks. The Murder at the Vicarage was Christie’s very first mystery to feature her most popular investigator—as a dead body in a clergyman’s study proves to Miss Marple that no place, holy or otherwise, is a sanctuary from homicide.
The Murder at the Vicarage (Miss Marple)
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. James Saxon delivers a memorable and absolutely masterful performance of Christie's first Miss Marple mystery. When the wildly unpopular Colonel Protheroe is found murdered in the vicar's study, it seems that everyone—his unhappy wife, his daughter, a visiting artist, an embittered poacher, the vicar—has a motive in a mystery that confounds the authorities, consumes the village and can only be untangled by observations and deductions of our heroine: the elderly gossip-cum-sleuth Miss Marple. Saxon's artful and enthusiastic portrayal of a host of characters—male and female, guilty and innocent, young and old—will delight Christie fans, mystery lovers and anyone lucky enough to listen. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
“Agatha Christie taught me two things: that plotting mysteries was an art, and that a woman detective could be as strong a character as a male detective.” (Charles Todd, New York Times bestselling author of the Ian Rutledge mysteries and Bess Crawford mysteries)
“When she really hits her stride, as she does here, Agatha Christie is hard to surpass.” (Saturday Review of Literature)
“When she really hits her stride, as she does here, Agatha Christie is hard to surpass.” (Saturday Review of Literature)
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More About the Author
Agatha Christie was born in 1890 and created the detective Hercule Poirot in her debut novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920). She achieved wide popularity with The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926) and produced a total of eighty novels and short-story collections over six decades.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
"The Murder at the Vicarage" is memorable because it introduces the delightful Miss Jane Marple. With her love of gardening, binoculars for bird-watching close-at-hand, and an uncanny ability to find similarities between the present situation and her past experiences and acquaintances, Miss Marple is introduced in her home village of St. Mary Mead. We will return here many times and reacquaint ourselves with the characters introduced in this mystery---the vicar Leonard Clement and his wife Griselda, Mrs. Price Ridley, Colonel Melchett, Dr. Haydock, and others.
The murder victim, Colonel Protheroe, is a hateful man disliked by everyone he had dealings with. Therefore, the list of suspects is much longer than usual. There is the victim's second wife, the visiting artist she loves, a mysterious lady with the telling name of Mrs. Lestrange, a teenage daughter, an archaeologist, and a secretary.
There are plenty of red herrings in this one and it is up to Miss Marple to reveal if the most likely suspect is also the guilty one in this cozy read for those of us who thrive on evil in small village life.
30 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Like many other writers, Christie went through an apprentice period during which she created the particular style we recognize as unique to her work. Novels from this early period are hit and miss--and MURDER AT THE VICARAGE, which introduces the famous Miss Marple, might best be described as a bit of both.
VICARAGE offers the story of the widely unpopular Col. Protheroe, who seems determined to vex every one he encounters--including his daughter from a former marriage and his current wife, the latter of which has undertaken a liaison with a local artist. One evening the Colonel pays a call to vicarage only to find the Vicar out on a call... and while waiting is shot dead under what seem impossible circumstances. No sooner is the body discovered than people who could not possibly have committed the crime begin to confess, and the Vicar and his neighbor, the meddlesome Miss Marple, form a somewhat uneasy alliance to ferret out the truth.
The Miss Marple of this particular novel is not the character we know from later books; although the outlines of the character are well established, she is not greatly sympathetic and she lacks the disconcerting twinkle found in such works as THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY and A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED. Moreover, the other characters, the setting, and the plot seem extremely stiff. The solution, when it comes, is also rather gimmicky in a way which Christie cannot yet make entirely plausible. I would not recommend this particular Christie to newcomers--but I do recommend it longtime fans, who will enjoy seeing how Christie developed the character of Miss Marple and how she herself evolved as a writer, particularly since the outline of the plot is a device to which she would return with considerably greater effect in later and more substantial novels.
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By sweetmolly
Format:Audio Cassette
Our narrator, Rev. Clements is articulate, self-deprecating and an able Watson to Miss Marple's Holmes. The locale is the village St. Mary's Mead; the victim is the detestable Col. Protheroe. In their proper places are Flighty Wife, Handsome Artist, Ethereal Ingénue, Gruff Physician, Gossipy Maiden Ladies, Timid Curate, and Mysterious Lady. They need no proper names for they appear over and over in Ms. Christie's novels with new names, but are essentially the same people.
Col. Protheroe is shot in the back of head while apparently writing a note in the Vicar's study. On the face of it, this seems impossible. Though there are people all about, no one heard a shot from the house. No one saw anyone go near the study. The maid let him in just fifteen minutes before the body was discovered. A pretty kettle of fish! Two false confessions quickly muddy up the waters, and it is discovered that most everyone had a motive for killing the good Colonel, except Miss Marple, who, if truth were told, didn't like him very well either.
The intricacies are many, timetables are crucial, but Miss Marple is up to the test. I particularly liked the leisurely lives and pace of St. Mary's Mead. Everyone had servants, you could not move from room to room without being announced. There is some nice humor that runs through regarding the surly maid who runs the vicarage. She is a diffident housekeeper and appalling cook. But the vicar's young wife determinedly keeps her on, for if the maid improves, Griselda fears she would be hired away from them. The vicar bears up as well as he can. People only call upon the police when they feel like it, usually after much discussion with friends and neighbors. The lead policeman has the unfortunate name of Inspector Slack, and Miss Marple gently chides him while he disdains her advice (to his sorrow of course.) The vicar walks everywhere because he cannot master a bicycle. I guess a car would be unthinkable, because it is never mentioned.
It all works out to Prime Dame Agatha. And lest you get too comfortable, she will definitely fool you once again. As always---sigh.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
great mystery
it's always the person you least expect; or is it the person who was always suspected? with Christie you can never tell or it may end up being both; love the development of... Read more
Published 5 days ago by mom12
4.0 out of 5 stars
Murder at the Vicarage
Miss Marple never disappoints fans of British mysteries. Her typical understated style and wry humor are well demonstrated in this novel.
Published 1 month ago by Kaye Ratliff
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book
I loved reading Agatha Christie novels when I was a teen. I just started again my love for her books. True classic and an excellent read!!
Published 2 months ago by tmack
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great read
This is the introduction of Miss Marple. It is a delightful read! Great mystery with fun characters. Read more
Published 2 months ago by rdavis
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Beginning
As a teen, I made my way through nearly all of Agatha Christie's novels, starting first with those featuring Miss Marple and later moving on to Hercule Poirot. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Irishgal
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Miss Marple mystery full of intrigue
Agatha Christie was one of the most beloved mystery writers and Miss Marple was one of her fans favorite characters. Read more
Published 2 months ago by raye
5.0 out of 5 stars
GET It!
I am an Agatha Fan from 'way back, and was i ever surprised to find this book in THIS format!
I am buying up all of the other illustrated books available, in my price... Read more
I am buying up all of the other illustrated books available, in my price... Read more
Published 3 months ago by MADELEINE N. TIKTIN
5.0 out of 5 stars
Miss Marple's Introduction
I've always enjoyed mysteries on television (I grew up watching Murder, She Wrote with my mom), and the last few years I've delved into Agatha Christie's books a bit. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Xiong Chiamiov
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
The plot is ingenious and the story, of course, is very well written and it certainly gives the reader clear insights into the "social" of those days.
Published 5 months ago by Carlos A R Albuquerque
5.0 out of 5 stars
Miss Marple
The very first Miss Marple. I have loved her most of my life and see no reason to stop now. Vintage Christie. Life is good.
Published 5 months ago by JoFaye Walker
