4:50 From Paddington (What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw)

First Published: 1957
Setting: Brackhampton 

Starring: Miss Marple, Lucy Eyelesbarrow, Dermot Craddock

Important Other People: Luther, Cedric, Harold, Alfred, and Emma Crackenthorpe, Bryan and Alexander Eastley, Dr. Quimper

Let's just forget the fact that the way Miss Marple figured out what train the murder occurred on is highly improbable, and that she discovered where the body would have fallen is definitively impossible, and just go with the fact that she is amazing to have deduced all that. I like that her efforts are carefully documented so that we see that it is minutely possible for her to have figured everything out because it makes it more realistic. It is so useful to have such illustrious neighbors and relatives! 

Obviously, the Crackenthorpe's are very similar to the Lee's (Hercule Poirot's Christmas). I like some of them anyways. Luther and Simeon are both sneaky and creepy, but it makes them endearing. I like the setup of the family (also similar to A Pocketful of Rye) because there are lots more characters to be killed off so that the ones we like don't end up dying. Also, that much more intrigue is added to the plot. Lucy is amazing. I have no idea why she didn't appear in any other books. She is resourceful, excellent at her job, and loyal to all of her employers. I appreciate how she goes along with Miss Marple's plan simply because she is interested- as she should be! I would be too, with that crazy story about a dead body from a train.

One thing that is alluded to in the book is that the war and its effects are still very much present in 1957. Bryan suffers heavily in that he is unable to find a job that suits him; the courageous lifestyle he had during the war was more his style. Also, how the house has gone to ruin since the war negatively affects Emma and Luther. There is also the idea that people no longer knew who others were- people could claim their own histories, and no one was able to disprove them because everything had been disrupted since the war. 

One last thing: usually, Hercule deals with romance, and we know exactly what will happen. But here, who does she end up with??? Miss Marple says its obvious, but I'm not sure! What do you think??

Interesting facts: Raymond West and Sir Henry Clithering are mentioned. The train in the book leaves at 4:54, even though the title is 4:50- one of the publishers changed the title from 4:54. I always wondered about that.

Favorite? Yes. Lucy is awesome, Alexander is awesome, Miss Marple is awesome. The way she figured things out is amazing, to say the least.

Death by: strangulation, arsenic, acontine 

Body Count: 3; Cumulative: 134

The Count: Poirot-26, Miss Marple-7, Tommy and Tuppence-2, Hastings-7, Japp-7, Colonel Race-4, Superintendent Battle-5, George-6, Goby-2, No Recurring Character- 6, Mrs. Oliver-3, Albert- 2, Superintendent Spence-1, Miss Lemon-2

Agatha's Life Lessons: A true lady can neither be shocked nor surprised. To gain money one must exploit shortage. One gets used to everything. Young men are fools. You despise money when you haven't got any. If you look prosperous, people think you are prosperous. 

Up Next: Ordeal by Innocence

A Pocketful of Rye

First Published: 1953
Setting: Baydon Heath, Surrey

Starring: Miss Marple, Rex, Adele, Elaine, Jennifer, Percival, Pat, and Lance Fortescue, Inspector Neele

Important Other People: Mary Dove, Vivian Dubois, the Crumps, Gladys Martin

The main concern I have is that this family allows a strange old woman into their home to investigate the crimes that have occurred. Now really, do we think that's a good idea? We've already had plenty of examples of crazy old ladies from other stories by Agatha, so we know that they did indeed exist during the 1950s. Good thing it was Miss Marple and not that crazy old lady Tommy and Tuppence know. It's very odd that Inspector Neele would allow Miss Marple to take such a large hand in the investigation. 

I didn't know General Paralysis of the Insane was a real thing, but when I looked it up, Wikipedia informed me that it is caused by syphilis. Nowhere in the book did I find mention that Rex had syphilis, but this was a classy family. 

Similar to Hercule Poirot's Christmas: The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly small. Poor Rex. Poor Simeon. Maybe that's why you shouldn't let wealth go to your head. People get jealous, and then they kill you.

Interesting facts: Sir Henry is mentioned (my favorite). One of several books modeled after a nursery rhyme. 

Favorite? I do like this one quite a lot. Good characters, good twists. I feel bad for some of them, though. 

Death by: taxine, cyanide, strangulation

Body Count: 3; Cumulative: 124

The Count: Poirot-24, Miss. Marple-6, Tommy and Tuppence-2, Hastings-7, Japp-7, Colonel Race-4, Superintendent Battle-5, George-4, Goby-2, No Recurring Character- 6, Mrs. Oliver-2, Albert- 2, Superintendent Spence-1

Agatha's Life Lessons: Things you remember come in useful sometimes. "Life is cruel, I'm afraid."~Miss Marple. The mills of God grind slowly. You can't just stick labels on people. They're all very unpleasant people. If you've had a happy childhood, nobody can take that away from you. You can't change people. Human nature is much the same everywhere. People aren't always what they think themselves to be. Always think the worst. Children have got a lot of sense. You can't always help loving a sinner. One needs a great deal of courage to get through life. The wicked should not go unpunished. 

Up Next: Destination Unknown

Murder with Mirrors (They Do It with Mirrors)

First Published: 1952
Setting: Stonygates 

Starring: Miss Marple, Carrie Louise, Lewis Serrocold

Important Other People: Mildred Strete, Gina and Wally Hudd, Jolly, Alex and Stephen Restarick, Edgar Lawson, Christian Gulbrandsen, Inspector Curry

Agatha tends to set her murders in rich country houses with beautiful gardens, or in exotic places with wealthy people. What I like about Murder with Mirrors is that it takes place in a school for young criminals. Automatically, we start with a whole new type of character than we are used to, which makes the book more exciting. To me, I think Agatha could have done a lot more with the criminals, giving some of them bigger parts in the story and allowing more interactions between them and the family members. I like that we get to see a little bit of Ernie and hear about his escapades, but I think his part could have been bigger. On the other hand, the character of Edgar Lawson was overdone and completely unlikable, which made the story less enjoyable. I think Agatha realized she could have included the younger people more in the book, which may have led to Hickory Dickory Death only a few years later. 

One other thing I would like to point out is how Poirot always suspects the husband in the case of a wife's murder, or the wife in the case of a husband's murder. That being said, Carrie Louise was not killed, so that does not strictly apply here, but there are definite correlations between Lewis Serrocold and Alfred Inglethorp. The characters are basically the same in that they are groveling men who married rich women, ensuring their financial security, but not accepting that as enough. They both are greedy individuals who want more than what they have, and they make everyone's lives turn upside down because of it.

Interesting facts: We learn a lot about Miss Marple's life as a young girl- her adventures growing up and living in Italy for a bit. The novel is also a tad racist against Italians (as we often find with Agatha), which could have had something to do with the recent war. 

Favorite? Hmm. I like that it involves young criminals (because why not, I'm a teacher), and I like the crazy family dynamics that are a result of the different marriages and adoptions that have occurred throughout Carrie Louise's life. I can't say that I know of any families personally that have a story that is remotely similar to hers, but that could have been something that was going on in England in the 50s. Either way, I like it just fine.

Death by: shooting, crushing, drowning

Body Count: 5; Cumulative: 120

The Count: Poirot-23, Miss. Marple-5, Tommy and Tuppence-2, Hastings-7, Japp-7, Colonel Race-4, Superintendent Battle-5, George-3, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 6, Mrs. Oliver-2, Albert- 2, Superintendent Spence-1

Agatha's Life Lessons: Nobody can improve your life for you but yourself. The secret of existence is that we're all a little mad. Things always have to be faced sooner or later. So few people ever look like what they really are. Women have a much worse time of it in the world than men do. When you only look at one side of a thing, you only see one side. What is reality and what is illusion? So many people with good hearts have no sense. People who can be very good can be very bad, too. If you're good, you have to be humble as well. 

Up Next: Funerals are Fatal

A Murder is Announced

First Published: 1950
Setting: Chipping Cleghorn 

Starring: Miss Marple, Letitia Blacklock, Dora Bunner, Inspector Craddock

Important Other People: Patrick and Julia, Pip and Emma, Hincliffe and Murgatroyd, Mitzi, Philipa Haymes, Colonel and Mrs. Easterbrook, Edmund and Mrs. Swettenham, Bunch Harmon, Belle Goedler

Sticking with the theme of the post-war world, we are reminded at the beginning that all you know about people is what they say of themselves. Just like in Roger Ackroyd, we need to remember that that statement applies to everyone. No one is exactly who they seem. Due to all of the disruption that occurred after World War II, it was much more difficult to establish connections with people or to find a common friend or relative. There was also the secret black market world that was going on, even with seemingly-respectable spinsters and other pillars of the community. England after the war was much different than it had been before the war, and even people living in small villages had to adjust their worldviews accordingly. 


In keeping with the idea of a disrupted world, this is the first book where we get explicit talk of premarital relations, but still couched in Agatha's Victorian terminology. Referring to war widows, Edmund says he'll "take her to bed." This to me is a clear indication of goings-on that should not be going on, and it once again shows how much England changed in the years right after the war. 


I don't really have anything else to say without giving a ton of plot points away, but I do have to say that if you haven't read this book, you need to. It's one of the best, for sure, and it's one of my favorites. Mitzi is ridiculous, and Miss Marple is ingenious. It's just so good.

Interesting facts: Sir Henry Clithering and Inspector Craddock are in this book. I love both of them. 

Favorite? Yes. I love how intricate the plot and details are, all of the mystery characters that keep popping up, and how everything really comes together at the end. It is just brilliant. 

Death by: shooting, poisoning, strangulation 

Body Count: 3; Cumulative: 111

The Count: Poirot-22, Miss. Marple-4, Tommy and Tuppence-2, Hastings-7, Japp-7, Colonel Race-4, Superintendent Battle-5, George-2, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 5, Mrs. Oliver-1, Albert- 2

Agatha's Life Lessons: All you know of people is what they say of themselves. Youth is the time to have your fling. People like living. You can get away with a great deal if you have enough audacity. One is alone when the last one who remembers one when they were young is gone. It's never a mistake to marry a man you want to marry- even if you regret it. Weak and kindly people are often very treacherous. People with a grudge against the world are always dangerous. It's what's in yourself that makes you happy or unhappy.

Up Next: They Came to Baghdad 

The Moving Finger

First Published: 1942

Setting: Lymstock

Starring: Miss Marple, Jerry and Joanna Burton

Important Other People: Megan, Superintendent Nash, Owen Griffith, Aimee Griffith, Emily Barton, Reverend and Mrs. Dane Calthorp, Miss Ginch, Elsie Holland, Mr. Pye, Mr. and Mrs. Symmington, Agnes Woddell

The Moving Finger is all about rumors in a small community spreading like wildfire, leading to a variety of different outcomes. The book belongs in the class of novels that are in first person narration, but the narrator, Jerry Burton, is a character we don't see in any other novels. And, like Jerry, it is easy to become tired of the phrase, "there's no smoke without fire," as it is constantly repeated in the book.

What I don't really like about this book is how slow the plot seems to go, mainly due to the fact that we don't encounter Miss Marple until halfway through the book. There is a lot of talk about what is happening with the letters being sent, and suspicions thrown about (along with some romance), causing the plot to drag at some points. Another aspect of the book that I don't really like is how Jerry is invited to involve himself as much as he wants in the police investigation. I don't think they let regular people just join in while they are investigating scandal and murder.

I have to say that I do enjoy the romantic aspect of the book, mainly because we usually only see romance from Agatha when it is Hercule Poirot setting couples up or married couples being interrupted by murder (except Tommy and Tuppence). It's nice to see some regular people falling in love, and some good coming out of the mess left behind by murder in the ruins of the town called Lymstock.

Interesting facts: One of Agatha Christie's favorites. Also written during the bombing of London. Also, according to Matthew Bunson, "In a way, many parts of the novel are more reminiscent of Christie's romances (penned under the pseudonym of Mary Westmacott) than the Marple murder mysteries. The Moving Finger contains several subplots involving the romantic aspirations of Jerry Burton for the young Megan Hunter."

Favorite? I can't really say that it is. Agatha likes it though; "Rather to my surprise on rereading them the other day, I find that another one I am really pleased with is The Moving Finger. It is a great test to reread what one has written some seventeen or eighteen years before. One's view changes. Some do not stand the test of time, others do."

Death by: Cyanide, stabbing

Body Count: 2; Cumulative: 87

The Count: Poirot-21, Miss. Marple-3, Tommy and Tuppence-2, Hastings-7, Japp-7, Colonel Race-3, Superintendent Battle-4, George-1, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 3, Mrs. Oliver-1, Albert- 2

Agatha's Life Lessons: In everybody's life there are hidden chapters which they hope may never be known. Even a blind man might stab to the heart by pure chance. Everything has to have a beginning. A man's got to stick up for his wife. Don't attribute to God the evils that man does of his own free will. God doesn't need to punish us- we're so very busy punishing ourselves. Hate doesn't last; love does. Girls with brains are so liable to turn into morons. Things never come when they are expected. We are not put into this world to avoid danger when an innocent fellow creatures' life is at stake.

Up Next: Towards Zero

The Body in the Library

First Published: 1942

Setting: St. Mary Mead, Danemouth

Starring: Miss Marple, the Bantry's, Conway Jefferson

Important Other People: Sir Henry Clithering, Inspector Slack, Melchett, Harper, Josie, Raymond, Adelaide Jefferson, Mark Gaskell, Peter Carmody

The Body in the Library is one of Agatha's books that I could take or leave. I like a lot of the characters in it, but I don't really like the plot. There are plenty of surprises and twists, and the detecting by Miss Marple is, of course, ingenious, but I think my problem with the book stems from the perceived personality of the corpse. As we learn more and more about who she was, where she came from, and why she died, I like Ruby Keene less and less. I understand that life is difficult for young women of lower-class backgrounds, and I know that Ruby had to do whatever she could to get ahead in life. I do not like how she took advantage of Conway Jefferson and his family in her attempts to move up in the world. Not that I am a big fan of the odd family dynamics the Jefferson's have, but I still think she was a gold digger for sure.

Interesting facts: Agatha Christie mentions herself when Peter Carmody is talking about how he has signatures of some famous detective authors. Only the second book with Ms. Marple- she had been absent from the Agatha universe for 12 years! Also, this was written at the same time as N or M?, which was in the beginning of World War II. In the foreword, Agatha talks about how finding a body in the library is a cliche of detective fiction, and so seeks to parody this cliche by having an extremely traditional library with an extremely nontraditional victim, or body.

Favorite? Not particularly. I love Mrs. Bantry, and I love Sir Henry, but I don't really like the plot.

Death by: Strangulation/burning

Body Count: 2; Cumulative: 84

The Count: Poirot-20, Miss. Marple-2, Tommy and Tuppence-2, Hastings-7, Japp-7, Colonel Race-3, Superintendent Battle-4, George-1, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 3, Mrs. Oliver-1, Albert- 2

Agatha's Life Lessons: You've got to keep an eye on a man all the time. The quiet ones are always the worst. There's a lot of wickedness in the world. Men so easily feel neglected. Human nature is very much the same anywhere. Humans are much more vulnerable and sensitive than they think. Everyone's got the right to have a piece of luck sometimes. Don't believe everything you're told. You can only really get under anybody's skin if you are married to them. Married people enjoy their battles and the appropriate reconciliation. Women are eternally interested in marriages.

Up Next: Five Little Pigs

Day 11- The Murder at the Vicarage

First Published: 1930

Setting: St. Mary Mead

Starring: Miss Marple, the Vicar

Important Other People: Dr. Haydock, the Protheroes, Lawrence Redding, Melchett, Slack

One interesting thing about the plot that has not yet been a factor: there is a small and rigid time limit for the murder that is based on the evidence of several witnesses. There are very few people who could have possibly committed the murder, but the police still need to find evidence in order to find the criminal- the statements witnesses make are sometimes untrue, and thus misleading. It takes Miss Marple, and her staunch distrust of anything she doesn't know for herself to be a fact, to find the truth.

Theme in the book: If a thing reminds you of something else, it's probably the same kind of thing. This, of course, comes from Miss Marple, and makes sense inherently, although oftentimes her connections are way over my head.

Throughout the book we hear about the fact that ever since the War, there has been a loosening of moral fiber. This book is the first (in my opinion) in which Agatha gives us an example of that (the affair). After this book, we get more scandals, and of course some that are decidedly more scandalous, but this book is the first portrayal of that aspect of the changing society.

Agatha's own opinion of Miss Marple: "One thing she did have in common with [her grandmother]- though a cheerful person, she always expected the worst of everyone and everything, and was, with almost frightening accuracy, usually proved right...There was no unkindness in Miss Marple, she just did not trust people...Miss Marple was born at the age of sixty-five to seventy-which, as with Poirot, proved unfortunate, because she was going to have to last a long time in my life. If I had had any second sight, I would have provided myself with a precocious schoolboy as my first detective; then he could have grown old with me."

Interesting facts: First appearance of Miss Marple. Also, the version of the book that I read was published in 1930, so that's pretty awesome.

Favorite? No, but I like it because it introduces Miss Marple, who is at her spiciest in this book, and because it gives us the picture of typical English village life...clouded by murder, of course. From Agatha, "I am not so pleased with it as I was at the time. It has, I think, far too many characters, and too many subplots" (which is so true).

Death by: shooting

Body Count: 1; Cumulative: 24

The Count: Poirot-5, Miss. Marple-1, Tommy and Tuppence-1, Hastings-3, Japp-2, Colonel Race-1, Superintendent Battle-2, George-1, Goby-1

Agatha's Life Lessons: Marriage is a serious affair (tell that to the ex). The worst is usually true. Inestimable harm may be done by gossip (foreshadowing to The Moving Finger, perhaps?) Better to let things develop on their own. One can never be quite sure about anyone. If a thing reminds you of something else, it's probably the same kind of thing. In the case of an irate middle aged lady, one thing can be done- listen to her. A refined lady is naturally unaquainted with bad language. Most men are out for their own hand. What is past is past and cannot be undone. One's own troubles sharpen one's eyes sometimes. Zeal can't really take the place of brains (Slack). Clever young men know so little of life. Life is very much the same everywhere. No one can fail to be interested in a murder. We all like to be liked. And the best: The young people think the old people are fools- but the old people know the young people are fools.

Up Next: Murder at Hazelmoor