The Murder at the Vicarage (Miss Marple Series)

Murder at the Vicarage

This is the first story Christie wrote that includes Miss Jane Marple. My Christie-reading career began with the Hercule Poirot series. After reading something like 6 Poirot books in a row I felt I'd give Miss Marple a try. This was a fantastic choice on my part. Miss Marple is extremely clever and cunning. I read this book in only a couple of days--because it was that fantastic and it was only 250 pages. When I first began reading I had made the mistake of thinking that Miss Marple, like Poirot, was a retired detective who was being asked favors by her friends.... But i was wrong: Miss Marple is just an old lady who observes human nature; and because of this she is able to find the murderer. This, in a sense can be better and worse than Poirot. The solution to the murder is nothing short of surprising. Christie delivers twists and turns like she does in all of her books. Nevertheless i recommend this book to all Christie fans and to those who, like me, want to deviate from the professional styles of Hercule Poirot.

5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

Superb!!!

This book was great!! Jane Marple is truly in a class by herself! I personally prefer her over Hercule Poirot! She's not only quick and clever, i found at times she is also often quite humorous!! Agatha Christie is definatley one of the greatest writers ever, and as far as characters go, Miss Jane Marple is also one of the best!! Readit! i doubt you will be dissapointed!

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Murder At the Vicarage

I read this book for a seventh grade English project and I loved it! This is Christie at her best, and definitly my favorite of all. I prefer Miss Marple over Hercule Poirot.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Great book!!! Little kids should read this and learn proper spelling.

This is a great book and I was thrilled to see it as a Free Friday download. These children giving bad reviews because it is not a child's book should have mommy and daddy go buy them a nook book! I agree with other reviewers. I worked hard for the money to buy this. I would be upset it Barnes & Nobles started catering to these spoiled, whiny, illiterate brats. Great book, great download.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Classic Christie for young and old

I just finished reading this 2 weeks ago in an e-book from our library. Written in the thirties, Christie's wry humor and wonderful vocabulary make this a great read! I enjoyed reading mysteries and challenging my vocabulary when I was young, so this is a good book for 11 to infinity. For Anglophiles, a Christie mystery is great with a cup of hot tea and a biscuit (cookie to you Yanks). I'm more familiar with Poirot, but I loved reading the first Miss Marple.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Love Agatha Christie novels but....

Out of all the stories I have read, or in this case listened to, this one is my least favorite. The writing is good but doesn't seem up to par to her normal but I think that maybe reading the book myself might have been better. The person they used to narrate the story really wasn't right for it and his way of talking was disjointed. I think that may be why it seemed so "bad". My daughter got this one and I got Nemesis, then we exchanged and she told me that this one wasn't as good as normal and she was very right. Now, Nemesis was excellent and definitely in the "best" category of the ones we have gotten on audio and listened to. Between my daughter and I we have a6 of them. I could suggest many others of hers over this novel for sure! Understand though, Agatha Christie was a superb writer and her "bad" is better than some peoples "good" writings. It is just that comparing her work to her work, this one was by far my, and my daughter's, least favorite.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

This is one of my favorite books.

The characters were good. The plot is awesome. I was even thrilled a bit and kept me guessing who the murderer was. I love the writing style. Agatha Christie have always originality. It is a bit dramatic and romantic. The ending was so surprising. I recommend it.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Miss Marple starts her "career"

It took me a little while to "get into" this story, perhaps because of the British-isms or the older style of writing. I'm glad I persevered, though. The characters are interesting, the plot has great twists and turns, and Miss Marple is a gem. A very good read, worth your time and money.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I would and have read others by Agathie Christie.

Most of Miss Marple books are very good, this one was a little slow for me. Could be because it had been a while since I had read one of hers.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Completely threw me off!

I have never been so clueless reading a mystery as I was reading this! How nice to be kept on my toes all the way to the end!

AMAZING

Agata christie, you did it!...again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bearcub

Go to cubbie res two

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I had never read anything by Agatha Christie until this book. I

I had never read anything by Agatha Christie until this book. I had heard of the “Miss Marple” mysteries, and I assumed that these stories would be narrated by Miss Marple herself. I surprised to find that the story is narrated instead by the vicar of St. Mary Mead. I felt the same way reading this book as I feel watching reruns of “Keeping up Appearances” or “Are You Being Served Again?” on BBC America. There is so much of the charm of the British village where everyone goes to the same church, neighbors know everybody’s business, and the smallest deviation in the daily routine is fuel for the local gossips for weeks. I wanted to snuggle up under a blanket with a cup of tea and watch Miss Marple figure out who murdered who and why.

The premise of the book is that the vicar, Mr. Clement, returns home one evening to find Colonel Protheroe (a cranky old man that nobody thought much of) has been shot in the vicarage study. Mistakes and misunderstandings ensue, all carefully watched by Miss Marple, as Clement tries to help the local police unmask the murderer. Christie has a very dry sense of humor, and I found myself smiling frequently as I read Miss Marple’s observations of Peculiar Things. I thought the pace of the book was great. You suspect almost every character of murdering Protheroe at one point or another, and Christie tosses up clues or red herrings at the end of almost every chapter. I will certainly more of these mysteries.

Good story line

Very typical for this author. A fun book to read.

Good Mystery

Agatha Christie is a wonderful author.

Just fun!

Who doesn't love a Agatha Christie story?

Great murder mystery!

This is a compelling murder mystery that kept me guessing. Agatha Christie was a masterful story teller who could create wonderful characters. I highly recommend this book, and all the others she has written about Miss Marple.

A Decent Story

This was a phenominal detective story. Admittedly it was rather slow in the beginning as it tried to grasp its footing, but once it got going it was amazing. Ms Marple is a quirky and fun character. I just wish I had gotten to know her through her ppint of view. Four stars is fair.

Fun read

So different from the style she uses in her Hercule Poirot books. Really enjoyed it.

very disapointed!

Iusually likeher books,but thistime she dropped the ball... Ihad to force my self to finish it, very dry.... I only gave it a two out of respect for tge aurthor.