Recently I was surprised when I discovered that I had not yet included Agatha Christie’s Poirot in my posts about the the Most Popular and Recommended Series that I have been compiling. So, I corrected that oversight in this entry. At the same time, I also saw that I had not yet included the Miss Marple Mysteries in that list. When I first discovered this oversight, I had a hard time deciding which of Christie’s characters to write about first. The first Poirot book was written over ten years earlier than the first Miss Marple book so I did the Poirot series first. But, although I have enjoyed reading the Poirot books and I believe he is a great character, I have to admit that Miss Marple is my favorite of the two.
I have written about Miss Marple several times before. Mostly when discussing the different television versions of Miss Marple. Such this post, this one, and this one where I talk about my favorite actress portraying Miss Marple >> Joan Hickson.
The first book in the Miss Marple Mysteries series is Murder at the Vicarage. As the book begins, in Miss Marple’s small home town of St. Mary Mead, we meet the narrator, the Vicar, his wife and his nephew, and a number of other local characters, including Miss Marple. Before long, there is, as the title suggests, a murder at the Vicarage. The Vicar takes a particular interest in solving the murder, so we gain much insight into what the police (including Inspector Slack and the Chief Constable, Colonel Melchett) are doing to solve the mystery.
Upon re-reading this book in order to write this blog, I was surprised to see how small a part Miss Marple plays until fairly near the end. She is introduced to us in a scene near the beginning of the book, but then we don’t see her again until about the 20% mark of the book. After that, we only meet her sporadically. Until very near the end, it would be fair to say that Miss Marple is not the main character of the book.
Miss Marple is introduced as an elderly spinster who takes a very strong interest in human nature. In fact, she declares that the study of human nature is her hobby:
You see,” she began at last, “living alone, as I do, in a rather out-of-the-way part of the world, one has to have a hobby. There is, of course, woolwork, and Guides, and Welfare, and sketching, but my hobby is— and always has been— Human Nature. So varied— and so very fascinating. And, of course, in a small village, with nothing to distract one, one has such ample opportunity for becoming what I might call proficient in one’s study. One begins to class people, quite definitely, just as though they were birds or flowers, group so-and-so, genus this, species that. Sometimes, of course, one makes mistakes, but less and less as time goes on.
Miss Marple has solved some local mysteries in the past, but she has never tackled something as large as murder before — and she jumps at the chance to test herself:
But I have always wondered whether, if some day a really big mystery came along, I should be able to do the same thing. I mean— just solve it correctly. Logically, it ought to be exactly the same thing. After all, a tiny working model of a torpedo is just the same as a real torpedo.
Needless to say, Miss Marple passes the test with flying colors!
Miss Marple is a truly great and interesting character. Her knowledge of human nature helps here to solve this murder (and many others in the future). She draws on a vast experience gained by observing human behavior, and she solves her mysteries by starting from the point of view that almost anyone is capable of almost anything. I was particularly struck by this passage wherein she talks about something she learned from her Aunt Fanny:
I remember a saying of my Great Aunt Fanny’s. I was sixteen at the time and thought it particularly foolish…. She used to say: ‘The young people think the old people are fools; but the old people know the young people are fools!’
How can you not enjoy a sleuth who speaks such wisdom?
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Gram says
I also like the Mr Satterwaithe/Harley Quinn series and Tommy and Tuppence.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Gram, those are certainly excellent as well!
Diane says
A few years ago I was excited to read the first Miss Marple book, because I loved cozy mysteries and had heard Agatha Christie might be one of the quintessential cozy authors. I was disappointed with that first book, because it was hard to get into. However, I think it was because I was so used to the other cozies that I read, where I could easily read quickly and skim when I needed to. Not being around in the years that book was written, and not being from Britain, I realized I didn’t understand some of the language or sentence structures. Therefore, I needed to read it in a different way. So after reading recently on your blog that many people love the Miss Marple books, I re-read that book again last month, slowly and deliberately, and I have to say that I enjoyed it enough to try another one. And I hope to find some of the television versions as well. I do hope that Miss Marple is in more of the future stories, because I think I can become quite fond of her character!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Diane, it can certainly be difficult to get into books that have a different style than you’re used to, whether it’s due to cultural differences or styles of the time. I’m glad that you were able to revisit it and find it more to your liking the second time.
Vanessa says
I think you’ll find the other Miss Marple Mysteries easier to read. I thought the first in the Miss Marple series was not one of the best. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still very good, but they get even better.
Bek says
I really must put the Miss Marple books on my “must have” list. I shall shelve them right beside the Mrs. Pollifax books! They just seem to go together. LOVE those redoubtable old ladies to the depths of my bookworm heart!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Bek, they’re definitely worth picking up, even if you have to find the space! A definite classic that really holds up well with the times.
Bek says
I have added them to the list, as well as Dorothy Gillman’s “Mrs. Pollifax books, which are just as much fun! I just so love good cozies featuring feisty women who are considerably over twenty-to-thirty-something! The “Southern Sisters” series by Anne George (rest in peace, dear lady), and the Miranda James “Southern Ladies” series are also dear to my heart, if not quite the “classics” that Miss Marple and Mrs. Pollifax are.
Hanna says
I also like the short stories where a group of friends and neighbors sit together, each brings a puzzle and Miss Marple solves all of them. This is when we really see how she relies on her gardening, seeds catalogues, etc.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hanna, that’s definitely a great collection as well!
robin in oregon says
To this day Miss Marple remains one of my all time favorite sleuths(and that includes my childhood faves of Judy Bolton and Trixie Belden)!I reread her books all the time and enjoy them just like it’s the first time. Without a doubt, Joan Hickson IS Miss Marple. With the discussion of cats the last couple of days, remember the vicarage cat Tilgath Pileser in A Murder is Announced Gives Miss Marple a major clue for the final solution.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Robin, it’s very high praise that Miss Marple stands up to your childhood favorites – it’s always hard to come close to the books that we remember through nostalgia and first read in our “primes”!
Michael says
I have a copy of every book Agatha published and also her plays. Do I like her? Well, hmm… But I do agree that I like Miss Marple better than Hercule. I wish she had written more Miss Marple mysteries.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Michael, it’s very very close for me as well!
Glen says
When I was young, I always thot Miss Marple saying “this one reminds me of (fill in the blank) back in St Mary’s mead”… but now I’m older, and I find that I quite often find myself thinking the same thing….not that I’m out solving mysteries!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Glen, I definitely know what you mean >>> I’m getting to that point in life as well it seems!
Bree Shields says
I had the fortunate opportunity to visit the last village Agatha Christie lived (Cholsey/ Wallingford) and attended church with her second husband, Max Mallowan. Their house was called Winterbrook and Agatha lived there from 1934-1976. She was on the board of the Wallingford community players theater and active in her church. My uncle and I chuckled as finding her gravestone was a bit of a mystery. There was little to no information at St Mary’s Church directing you to her grave. It was off in the very back of the church yard with a small plaque near it on a half brick wall. Some of her memorabilia is found in the Wallingford museum, along with memorabilia from the British tv series, Midsomer Murders (Wallingford was the village of Causton in the series). Fun outing in the heart of the Cotswolds, UK.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Bree, that certainly does sound like something of a pilgrimage for any Cozy lover!
Sherry S says
Thank for your posts . Joan Hickson is my favorite Miss Marple also…I absolutely love Agatha Christie. Chico Gramma??
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sherry, you’re very welcome!
Patrick says
Also look for the Miss Marple The Short Story Collection and The Life and Times of Jane Marple which gives readers an interesting and detailed biography.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Patrick, pretty much anything with Miss Marple in it is guaranteed to be great!
Patrick McIntosh says
Dana,
Anne Hart also wrote The Life and Times of Hercule Poirot which is a detailed biography
Elaine H says
Simon Brett has a good cozy series about two women friends in Feathering that I would like to recommend.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Elaine, thanks for the recommendation!
Joyce Kerrigan says
I definitely enjoyed Murder at the Vicarage. It is one of my favorites from Agatha Christie, but then again I’m a huge fan of Christie and as I have said before, reread them on a regular basis. I must confess that I enjoy Hercule Poirot a tad more than Miss Marple but there’s no doubt Miss Marple is an expert on human nature!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Joyce, I know what you mean about possibly preferring Poirot >>> personally I have a very hard time choosing one as my “favorite”!
Margaret StashEmpress says
Miss Marple is probably my favorite of the Christie sleuths. (Ok, after Tommy & Tuppence, but there aren’t nearly as many of those books.)
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Margaret, for me, it’s either Poirot or Miss Marple – though as I said in the post, I think Miss Marple just edges Poirot out!
Susan Koppelman says
I love your blog today — how you wrote about Miss Marple and how you led up to what you wanted to say about Miss Marple. Very comfortable and engaging. I prefer tea time to the cocktail hour. Thank you.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Susan, you’re very welcome, and I’m glad that you enjoyed the blog post!
Naomi Bloom says
I’m an American whose very early reading of the Nancy Drew mysteries got me started on mysteries of a certain type long before I greet Agatha Christie’s work in the 2nd grade. I’ve since read everything that Ms. Christie ever wrote, some more than once, along with everything written by Ngaio Marsh and Dorothy Sayers and many, many more (e.g. Patricia Wentworth, Simon Brett, and the glorious Mrs. Pollifax series). All of these have given me great comfort and respite from the professional reading I’ve done (my field for 50+ years has been software architecture and business strategy) as well as getting me through the recovery from various surgeries and illnesses. Now, mostly retired, I plan to reread many old favorites as well as some of the wonderful writers from that period being reprinted by the British Library and Dean Street Press. Needless to say, I’m delighted to discover your blog and really appreciate all you’re doing for the community of cozy mystery lovers.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Naomi, I’m glad that you’ve found the blog as well, and I hope that it can help you find both classic and new Cozies to enjoy in your semi-retirement!
Susan* says
Late to the party, as it were, but I am definitely a Christie fan. The proud owner of a complete matched set of paperbacks. (Now hunting the matching hardcovers as well! Lol!)
The ‘Harley Quinn’ stories, as somebody else said earlier, are my favourite, but Miss Marple is wonderful.
‘Murder at the Vicarage’ is a special one for me in a way, because, somehow, the illustration on the cover of mine looks *a lot* like my late grandmother! (RIP Nana!)
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Susan, good luck finding the rest of the hardcovers! I’m not so much a hardcover collector, but in this instance I could see the attraction. There’s something nice about a full collection of something you love.
Susy says
I confess, I have not read Agatha Christie since I was a teen. Obviously, I need to go back and check her out again (we sure do change in 40 years).
If I enjoy her as much as everyone else seems to and decide to collect her books, I am going to begin looking for the ‘Classic Book’ versions in the fancy binding. She is a classic and deserves nothing less.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Susy, good luck if you do decide on staring a collection! The type of binding you’re looking for might be a bit too expensive for my own collecting budget…
Karen Scoppa says
After reading all the details above I must say that at times Poirot was a little too much. But when I read them I was a lot younger. I realize how much I miss the Christie collection I had amassed. But it got ruined in a cellar flood. I may return to the collecting of them again but in my kindle. My bedroom looks like a library with all my read books.
I never thought of rereading Christie but it will be fun to see if I am any smarter at picking up her clues. The only books I have reread are Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Rebecca and Withering Heights.
My mom taught me to love reading and I am truly grateful. I can get lost in a book and the characters stay with me.
Thanks for all your work finding us such great books to read.
E
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Karen, it’s always sad when you lose something you love – losing a prized collection to weather damage (and no doubt other things were lost in the flooding as well) must have been a real blow.
Bek says
I can certainly sympathize with you on the flood. I lost my entire library to a house fire several years ago, and I DO re-read, over and over again with my very favorites! It’s been so long, and I’m still tracking down and buying old favorites along with obtaining all of the new cozies that I find here!
Karen Scoppa says
Before I retired I had time only on the weekends to read. After retirement I had all this time and discovered this website. I have all these new authors to read and discovered “cozy mysteries ”
I am thankful. When I started my Agatha Christie collecting I found that the British titles were not the same as the American ones. I found some books in Canada on vacation. So losing them was awful. I think I had over 80.
But I am enjoying these new authors and my love of mysteries has increased. Finding so many different styles and subjects is great.
I have a log of the books I read and have bought. It is the only way I can keep a record and not buy duplicates.
Thanks Mom for giving me love of reading and my imagination for letting get into these stories.