The Murder at the Vicarage

by Agatha Christie

Libby audiobook 7 hours

Read by Joan Hickson

Published: 1930, this version 2012

Genre: murder mystery 

I had never heard / read this book before and was excited that it was a Miss Marple story. It really should have been called a Vicar Leonard Clement story . . . I just checked on Wikipedia and this is the book where Miss Jane Marple is first introduced. That is too bad, because she is not the prime player in this St. Mary Mead story. Ah well.

Lots of characters and lots of clues. I guessed the wrong murderer, of course. I hated how dismissive the constable and others were of women and their mental faculties. Ugh!

Vicar Clement and his wife Griselda (old / young)

Colonel Protheroe and his wife Anne (old / young)

Lettice (his daughter - sounds like "lettuce")

Lawrence Redding (artist and gadabout)

Stone (archeologist? thief? imposter?)

Miss Cram (husband hunter?)

Mary, the vicar's servant - hilarious comic relief! Can't cook, serve, or communicate well.

Archer (poacher, Mary's sweetheart)

Mrs. Archer (his mom)

 

There were so many more characters and themes - punctuality, notes, gossip, . . . it was interesting but I will NOT re-read this title.