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Marple Stories

Christie never intended Miss Marple to rival Poirot in the publics affections, but this spinster sleuth soon proved a hit with the public.  Here's the place to discuss her stories - but beware spoilers!

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4.50 from Paddington

Moderator1 10 Nov 09 at 11:30 a.m. GMT

Miss Marple's friend Mrs McGillicuddy claims she saw a murder happen on a train but there is report of one.  Jane Marple believes her friend though and consulting a map realises that if a body was thrown from a train Rutherford Hall, home of the Crackenthorpe family, would be the obvious place.  Unable to infiltrate the house herself, Miss Marple enlists the help of the super-competent Lucy Eyelesbarrow

Is Lucy Eyelesbarrow another of Christie's 'heroic young women' or just a useful character who can do Miss Marple's snooping?  Was Christie wrong not to pair Lucy up with Miss Marple in a further story or two? 

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Puffinjill 23 Nov 09 at 8:27 a.m. GMT

I doubt Lucy would have ever seen herself as a 'heroic young woman'. Many of AC's female lead characters plunge themselves into mystery and danger without much thought (such as Anne Beddingfeld, Victoria Jones, etc). They tend to pull through by a combination of bravado and sheer luck. Lucy is cut from very different cloth indeed. She is a highly educated woman with a the abitily to think calmly in all circumstances. And she has a great interest in people, a trait she shares with Miss Marple.

When confronted with the suggestion to find a body by Miss Marple, she finds the problem an interesting one. Instead of rushing in, she calmly considers if she can be of help and how much time out of her busy schedule she could devote to the problem. Finding herself stimulated by the proposition, she agrees to help.

Her efficiency and being able to cope in a crisis makes her invaluable to the Crackenthorpe family and, in turn, Lucy finds herself less able to view them (and the problem they are involved in) in a detached manner. She begins to care, a personal side that seems to have been lacking in her previous, very business-like engagements.

Lucy is a wonderful aid for AC to give Miss Marple. She can be her eyes and ears (and young legs) in a situation where she herself is unable to act. As for pairing them together again, I, for one, am glad AC didn't. Miss Marple needs no 'Hastings', she would not be the same in a double act. She is wise enough to ask for help if she feels it can aid her, but, after a lifetime as a single woman, she would find a 'partner' constricting.

Puffinjill 23 Nov 09 at 8:27 a.m. GMT

(cont)

So I wouldn't class Lucy as heroic. She is a competent young woman, if a little one-dimentional at the start of the book. At the end, she has learnt  much about herself and developed on a personal level. One wonders if Miss M could forsee these changes might take place if she plunged Lucy into the mystery. After all, as much as she might admire Lucy, being rather sentimental ( and very feminine) in her nature, I doubt Miss M thought Lucy would be truly happy operating on a purely detached level! A little human interest might change everything... and help her solve a mystery!!

Tommy_A_Jones 23 Nov 09 at 3:45 p.m. GMT

I think Lucy is Heroic BECAUSE she doesn't plunge in but she is willing to go to the Crackenthorpes knowing that there could be a Murderer there, O.K. she doesn't do it because she wants Adventure like Ann and Victoria but because she is being Employed to do so but it is still a brave thing to do.

I think it would have been nice if Agatha Christie had paired her with Miss Marple for maybe one book, It is nice that she didn't have a side kick like Poirot did but it would also have been nice if occassionally she had had one, if not Lucy but maybe Dolly or even Cherry, I would have liked her to appear without Miss Marple in a Book but she ended up hitched didn't she and Miss Marple had another Husband and Wife Team so that idea is out.

Puffinjill 23 Nov 09 at 7:04 p.m. GMT

Yes, she was brave taking employment in a house where a possible murderer might live. I just find the term 'heroic young woman' doesn't sit comfortably for me. I would imagine she would not have thought of herself in that light. She would think herself (in my opinion) having the right amount of common sense to recoginse any danger and have the intelligence to steer clear of it.

She is emminently practical as is in agreement that the only way to solve the mystery is to be in situ. She is there to represent Miss Marple, who, had she been younger and of the same independant spirit, would have undertaken the job herself. Both have courage but I can't see either of them thinking of themselves as heroic.

I would have liked to have seen how Lucy's marriage had turned out. Perhaps a non-series book featuring her would have been interesting. Alas, too late now...

Lone_Wolf 24 Nov 09 at 2:38 p.m. GMT

While I slightly prefer the character of Miss Marple to Poirot, I find Marple books plotted way worse then Poirot books on average. "4:50" is no exception. The denounement in it was just "whaa...?". Miss Marple could as well held a spiritualistic seanse which would've revealed the murderer.

Puffinjill 24 Nov 09 at 7:07 p.m. GMT

Yes, I think being able to get the prime suspect in exactly THAT position at EXACTLY the moment Mrs McGillicudy walked back into the room is some feat! In life, one would never be so lucky! But this isn't real life, it's fiction and a little poetic license or stetching of our credulity doesn't (in my mind, anyway) detract from such a good book.

ampman 25 Nov 09 at 3:08 p.m. GMT

Which man do you think Lucy ends up with and why?

Puffinjill 25 Nov 09 at 7:01 p.m. GMT

I think it's Bryan Eastley. Why? Not simply because he needs a good woman to look after him and Alexander, but there is that element! (That sounds really sexist but I don't mean it to!!) I also think she sees that, with a little guidance, he'd really make something of himself. All his bravery during the war has left him a little rudderless in peacetime and the death of his wife has left him a little lonely. He's rather laid back and she is very efficient. Together, they can meet in the middle and give each other what they lack.

As for Cedric, he SOUNDS attractive but I think six months with him on his Island would drive Lucy dotty!! I can't see her completely abandoning her nature but Cedric would resist all attempts to change him or his life. Bryan would lend himself a little better to moulding!!! Plus, he would be faithful and I doubt Cedric would understand how to be!!

jane_delawney 07 Dec 09 at 1:32 a.m. GMT

I also think it's Brian Eastley. Those happy domestic scenes where they spend time in the kitchen together, I think they clearly point towards their future as a family. And the fact that Lucy and Alexander seem to get along so well.

bookworm_2010 03 Jan 10 at 4:16 p.m. GMT

I think Lucy married Bryan Eastley - her being so upset as she notices Bryan's being dark haired and him travelling on the same train the murder took place.

But has anyone ever thought about Inspector Craddock's marrying Lucy?

Lone_Wolf 08 Jan 10 at 7:22 a.m. GMT

"Yes, I think being able to get the prime suspect in exactly THAT position at EXACTLY the moment Mrs McGillicudy walked back into the room is some feat! In life, one would never be so lucky!"

It's not what I'm talking about. I mean that the denounement wasn't based on any logical deductions, but on Mrs. McG managing to recognize the murderer - not that different from a spirit of the murdered poiting at him. I still don't understand how Miss Marple realized that the doctor is the murderer, barring a blind guess.

ampman 08 Jan 10 at 8:24 a.m. GMT

Blind guess ! Don't you mean Miss Marple's shrewd observation of human nature based on years of studying behaviour in her village and her amazing power to spot a wrong'un ? Though even I have to admit that the doctor went to an awful lot of trouble just to marry Emma who sounds dull and mousey. After all she would only get her share of the loot when the old man died and not the lot. Perhaps it ws the introduction of the National Health Service that tipped him over the edge.

Lone_Wolf 08 Jan 10 at 11:31 a.m. GMT

"Don't you mean Miss Marple's shrewd observation of human nature based on years of studying behaviour in her village and her amazing power to spot a wrong'un ?"

All that should've been the reasons she had started to suspect him, but not the reasons for her to definitely think of him as a murderer. As it stands, the ending is just ridiculous. 

Usually, while miss Marple may suspect someone based on her knowledge of human nature, it takes some logical deductions for her to tip her over the edge and definitely cast someone as a criminal. In "4:50" there's no logical deduction as to why it could've been only the doctor who commited the crime at all. Having miss Marple say: "The doctor definitely could've commited the crime and he reminds me of a certain village character, therefore, he did commit it and I need only the McG test to prove it!" is unsatisfying, as opposed to "The doctor definitely could've commited the crime and he reminds me of a certain village character, and action X of his makes no sense unless he's got something sinister to hide, and his careless words Y definitely point out to him being a villain!"

Not to mention the fact that after so much time spent on miss McG being unable to recognize the murderer, her ability to recognize him after all under certain cirumstances feels like a cheap copout.

HeiseiHolmes 08 Jan 10 at 4:21 p.m. GMT

Apart from when Mrs McGillicuddy recognises the killer, I can't see much proof... Am I just being very stupid?

Lone_Wolf 08 Jan 10 at 5:18 p.m. GMT

"Apart from when Mrs McGillicuddy recognises the killer, I can't see much proof... Am I just being very stupid?"

No, you aren't. There isn't much proof. That's why the book is flawed.

aquaflute 10 Jan 10 at 1:31 p.m. GMT

bookworm_2010

I think Lucy married Bryan Eastley - her being so upset as she notices Bryan's being dark haired and him travelling on the same train the murder took place.

But has anyone ever thought about Inspector Craddock's marrying Lucy?

I did! Although there really weren't too many interactions between these 2 characters. I think Craddock was definitely interested in Lucy. But I am quite sure Lucy had more concern with Cedric and Brian at that time. However Marple did imply that Lucy's relationship with Brian would not work out that well when she referenced him to that Ronie Wells in the end. I also think when Marple mentioned people being perculiar and having bad or good depositions, she was referring to Brian and Cedric respectively. So I definitely don't see Lucy endding up with Brian. And I believe Lucy's attraction to Cedric could only last for a little while. So I really think Craddock had the best chance with her. Especially in the end, where AC wrote "And she(Marple) twinkled at him(Craddock)" instead of "And she twinkled". Anyway I just like Craddock's character better than Brian and Cedric so I want him to get the girl he had his eyes on.

It was really nice for that reason that AC never wrote another book reuniting Lucy and Marple. She really had us wonder who did Lucy choose in the end. This question was itself a mini mystery. In that sense, I believe Brian and Cedric were only suspects, and Inspector Craddock was the true answer! 

MissQuin 11 Jan 10 at 9:04 p.m. GMT

I did think Lucy might have  ended up with Craddock, but I wasnt sure... I'm less certain now than ever!

 The McEwan version she DID end up with the inspector, but that doesnt mean anything.

HeiseiHolmes 28 Jan 10 at 5:09 p.m. GMT

I thought she was going to marry the old guy the first time I read this. And about the bad ending, I'm really disappointed by it. It was such a good idea for a book that its shortcomings upset me.

floraberastury 30 Jan 10 at 12:59 a.m. GMT

hi! yeah! i would love lucy to stay with brian but the other ones were good options too!! its so difficult! i love all stories where i can see mis marple in action! i love her. i though it was the doctor, but i never know with christie! loved the storie! im 19, im from argentina and i ve been reading agatha since im 13! my grandma is a fan also and she lend me all her phones!

HeiseiHolmes 04 Feb 10 at 4:34 p.m. GMT

I found out exactly who she will marry...

It's Cedric, it was in Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks. Although I like some of these other pairings too...