This Jane Marple mystery is complete with all the diversions; character back stories and dropped clues along the way, leading up to a comprehensive recount of events. All the hallmarks of the English detection novel. For me though, it is my least favourite I've read so far.
It has a delicious premise: in the local Gazette of Chipping Cleghorn, there is read "a murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th at Little Paddocks, at 6:30pm."
Everyone in the little town is surprised and intrigued including Leticia Blacklock, the unwitting host of the event! She sets out drinks and snacks assuming friends will make excuses to show up at her house, and they do. Most think it's to be game, and are filled with nervous excitement. When the clock strikes 6:30 in the living room, the lights mysteriously go out and a man comes through the door shouting "Stick 'em up". He shines a torch in their eyes and shoots twice, wounding Leticia, before a third shot is heard. The lights come up and he lies dead with the gun beside him. Was it a robbery? Was someone trying to murder Leticia?
Detective-Inspector Craddock begins to investigate if it was an accident or a suicide. As luck would have it, Miss Marple is visiting her goddaughter, the wife of the local Vicar. This allows her to socialize with the friends who were at the party, and Craddock is advised to bring her into the case. "It's always interested me...what people do see at a moment of intense excitement and nervous strain. What they do see, and even more interesting, what they don't see." Of note: an empty flower vase, a cigarette burn, a door which had been sealed, and a guest whose eyes had not been dazzled by his torch. As Marple's friend Sir Henry says "Once more a murder is announced - for the benefit and enjoyment of Miss Marple".
So far, this is the most typical of the Christie's I've read. Local colour and a puzzling murder scene, however, I might be getting smarter by reading four of these back to back, or, this time the clues were dropped quite heavily. I could sense when she was leading me off track into family histories that had nothing to do with the event. Miss Marple enters the novel quite soon and has a larger role than the previous novels. By the halfway mark, the significant clues pointed to the villain - and for me the fun part was over. It is complex and all of the ten or so supporting players have well developed story lines, if a bit coincidental for me. After the unveiling, there is quite a long section as Marple and Craddock resolve every clue and lead, wrapping up every loose thread.
It seemed to have a pattern most identified with Christie, which for me was less exciting. I also saw the bones of the mystery early, which as a reader you try to do, but once you do, the fun of the search is over and the excitement wanes. Not my favourite, but very involved and well written.
1950 / Hardcover / 256 pages
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