History Literature / MurderAtTheVicarage

-> Inspector Slack: "I thought it was looking too good to be true. Soon as I saw that nice-looking, grey-haired cobra sliding about, I should've known better."
-> Sergeant Lake: "Huh?"
-> Inspector Slack: "The Marple woman sticks to this sort of business like chewing gum to the cat."

Detective novel by Creator/AgathaChristie. This is the first novel (but not the first book) to feature MissMarple, the [[BlatantLies harmless]] old lady who lives at the [[StepfordSuburbia idyllic]] village of St Mary Mead and [[MysteryMagnet just happens]] to [[LittleOldLadyInvestigates constantly bump into murders]]. She is notable for her ability to draw parallels between murder mysteries and ordinary village incidents. She is Christie's second most famous but personal favorite detective.

In the abovementioned St Mary Mead, there is [[SarcasmMode a general climate of harmony and good-will]] and everyone gets along. Everyone, that is, except Colonel Protheroe, the most disliked man in the village. His daughter wishes he would do a good thing and die, and even the vicar observes that killing him would be a service to the townsfolk. Then, Protheroe [[AssholeVictim is found murdered]] in the vicar's study. His [[YourCheatingHeart unfaithful wife]] and her artist lover both confess to the murder, to the great confusion of Inspector Slack. It's up to Miss Marple to make sense of this story and find out who really did it...

The book is narrated in first person by the vicar, Leonard Clement.

It was adapted by BBC in 1986 with Joan Hickson in the role of MissMarple and again by ITV in 2004 with Geraldine Mc Ewan as MissMarple. There is also a 1949 play with Barbara Mullen and a graphic novel released by Harper Collins in 2008.

Christie dedicated the book to her daughter and only child, Rosalind Hinks.

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!! Heavy unconcealed spoilers ahead.

!! This work contains examples of:

* AdaptationDistillation: The 2004 version.
* AssholeVictim: Colonel Protheroe.
* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: At the start of the novel, Len's so irritated with Griselda, he contemplates writing to the archbishop that the Church should bring back celibacy into the clergy. At the end of the novel...
* BlackWidow: Anne Protheroe.
* CharacterizationMarchesOn: Miss Marple is at times a rather bossy, nosy, unpleasant woman throughout the course of the book. Having realized that she wanted to write more stories with Marple as the detective, Christie toned down on some of these characteristics for later mysteries.
* TheDitz: Lettice Protheroe comes off as this, especially at the beginning.
* FalseConfession: Subverted.
* FirstPersonPeripheralNarrator: Vicar Clement.
* GossipyHens: Several of them. MissMarple humorously admits she is one at one point.
* HappilyMarried: Leonard and Griselda Clement, oddly enough.
* HiddenDepths: There are dimensions of Leonard Clements' character that surprise even him. His wife comments that he is 'very unexpected' and she never feels she really knows him - which may be why she married him.
* HopelessSuitor: Lettice is in love with Lawrence Redding, who's in love with [[BigScrewedUpFamily her stepmother, who's married to Lettice's father]].
* LittleOldLadyInvestigates
* LukeIAmYourFather: Mrs Lestrange is Lettice's mother.
* MayDecemberRomance: Leonard and Griselda. He's 20 years older than her, she had many other suitors, and he proposed to her within 24 hours of meeting her despite the fact, as she cheerfully puts it, that "[[OppositesAttract I am everything you disaprove of in a woman."]] That's why it's so "odd" (see above) that they really are HappilyMarried.
* SlapSlapKiss: Replace "Slap slap" (he is a vicar after all) with "frequent feelings of irritation" and you have the Clements' marriage.
* StickyFingers: Curate Hawes.
* TheVicar: Obviously.
* WidowWoman: Mrs Lestrange. No, not [[HarryPotter that one.]] Also Anne Protheroe.
* YourCheatingHeart: Mrs Protheroe's affair with Lawrence Redding.

Detective novel by AgathaChristie. This is the first novel (but not the first book) to feature MissMarple, the [[BlatantLies harmless]] old lady who lives at the [[StepfordSuburbia idyllic]] village of St Mary Mead and [[MysteryMagnet just happens]] to [[LittleOldLadyInvestigates constantly bump into murders]]. She is notable for her ability to draw parallels between murder mysteries and ordinary village incidents. She is Christie's second most famous but personal favorite detective.

* YourCheatingHeart: Mrs Protheroe's affair with Lawrence Redding.

Detective novel by AgathaChristie. This is the first novel (but not the first book) to feature MissMarple, the [[BlatantLies harmless]] old lady who lives at the [[StepfordSuburbia idyllic]] village of St Mary Mead and [[ContrivedCoincidence just happens]] to [[LittleOldLadyInvestigates constantly bump into murders]]. She is notable for her ability to draw parallels between murder mysteries and ordinary village incidents. She is Christie's second most famous but personal favorite detective.

Detective novel by AgathaChristie. This is the first book to feature MissMarple, the [[BlatantLies harmless]] old lady who lives at the [[StepfordSuburbia idyllic]] village of St Mary Mead and [[ContrivedCoincidence just happens]] to [[LittleOldLadyInvestigates constantly bump into murders]]. She is notable for her ability to draw parallels between murder mysteries and ordinary village incidents. She is Christie's second most famous but personal favorite detective.

--> Inspector Slack: "I thought it was looking too good to be true. Soon as I saw that nice-looking, grey-haired cobra sliding about, I should've known better."
--> Sergeant Lake: "Huh?"
--> Inspector Slack: "The Marple woman sticks to this sort of business like chewing gum to the cat."

-->- Inspector Slack: "I thought it was looking too good to be true. Soon as I saw that nice-looking, grey-haired cobra sliding about, I should've known better."
-->- Sergeant Lake: "Huh?"
-->- Inspector Slack: "The Marple woman sticks to this sort of business like chewing gum to the cat."

--> Inspector Slack: "I thought it was looking too good to be true. Soon as I saw that nice-looking, grey-haired cobra sliding about, I should've known better."
--> Sergeant Lake: "Huh?"
--> Inspector Slack: "The Marple woman sticks to this sort of business like chewing gum to the cat."

* HopelessSuitor: Lettice is in love with Lawrence Renting, who's in love with [[BigScrewedUpFamily her stepmother, who's married to Lettice's father]].

* YourCheatingHeart: Mrs Protheroe's affair with Lawrence Renting.

* BlackWidow: Anna Protheroe.

* StickyFingers: The vicar's assistant.

* WidowWoman: Mrs Lestrange. No, not [[HarryPotter that one.]]

In the abovementioned St Mary Mead, there is [[SarcasmMode a general climate of harmony and good-will]] and everyone gets along. Everyone, that is, except Colonel Protheroe, the most disliked man in the village. His daughter wishes he would do a good thing and die, and even the vicar observes that killing him would be a service to the townsfolk. Then, Protheroe [[AssholeVictim is found murdered]]. His [[YourCheatingHeart unfaithful wife]] and her artist lover both confess to the murder, to the great confusion of Inspector Slack. It's up to Miss Marple to make sense of this story and find out who really did it...

Detective novel by AgathaChristie. This is the first book to feature MissMarple, the [[BlatantLies harmless]] old lady who lives at the [[StepfordSuburbia idyllic]] village of St Mary Mead and [[ContrivedCoincidence just happens]] to [[LittleOldLadyInvestigates constantly bump into murders]]. She is Christie's second most famous but personal favorite detective.

Detective novel by AgathaChristie. This is the first book to feature MissMarple, the [[OrIsIt harmless old lady]] who lives at the [[StepfordSuburbia idyllic]] village of St Mary Mead and just happens to [[LittleOldLadyInvestigates constantly bump into murders]]. She is Christie's second most famous but personal favorite detective.