A Murder is Announced (Marple, Book 5)

Agatha Christie

Oct 2010 · Marple Book 5 · HarperCollins UK

About this ebook

An ordinary villageA shocking announcement

One morning the villagers of Chipping Cleghorn wake to find a strange notice in their papers:

‘A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6.30pm.’

Suspecting this is just a joke, they gather for some evening entertainment.

Then a gunshot is heard.

In desperation, the police turn to an old lady whose hobbies are gardening, gossiping – and solving murders.

After all, old ladies know better than anyone exactly what goes on in quiet English villages...

Never underestimate Miss Marple

‘The queen of jaw-dropping, heart-stopping twists.’
Karen M. McManus

‘Establishes firmly her claim to the throne of detection. The plot is as ingenious as ever... the dialogue both wise and witty; while the suspense is maintained very skilfully until the final revelation.’
A.A. Milne

Ratings and reviews

a bit drowsy and slow. things catch up fast towards the end (more to my taste, like Poirot novels). look out for who it's aimed at.

This book was my introduction to Agatha Christie when I was 14 years old and I have been hooked ever since. One of her most ingenious plots.

A bit boring. The TV version was much better.

About the author

Agatha Christie was born in Torquay in 1890 and became, quite simply, the best-selling novelist in history. Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, written towards the end of the First World War, introduced us to Hercule Poirot, who was to become the most popular detective in crime fiction since Sherlock Holmes. She is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and another billion in over 100 foreign languages. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 19 plays, and six novels under the name of Mary Westmacott.