Book Club

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!

If you can't find your favourite Miss Marple story, don't worry - more will be added shortly.

Warning: These discussions may contain spoilers!

The Body in the Library

Moderator1 10 Nov 09 at 8:46 a.m. GMT

It's obviously going to be a shock to find a dead body in your house but at least Dolly Bantry has her old friend Jane Marple to help find out just who this young girl is and, more importantly, why her life ended in the library in Gossington Hall.  When Miss Marple discovers that hotel guest Conway Jefferson planned to legally adopt the girl, Jefferson's family seem the obvious people to start asking questions of.

Is this plot a little far-fetched?  Or does it work for its time?  Published in the early 40s, were people more accepting then of the attentions of a rich man to a young lady he hardly knew?

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37 replies

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MissQuin 15 Feb 10 at 3:17 p.m. GMT

This is the first Marple I read and I still think it's one of the best. Although it's been pointed out theres a major plot flaw- why didn't the killers murder Jefferson before he had a chance to change his will and leave the money to Ruby? I never thought of that when I read it.

The murder of the girl guide is one of the saddest in Marple. She just happened to be the right age and height. The plot might be stretching the imagination and it would be an acute reader that worked that one out. But I didn't and I didn't work out whodunnit, so I was pleased.

I don't think think the elderly man Jefferson had any romantic intentions towards Ruby. It's not clear if Ruby was scheming to inherit his money. She could have but the only one who say's she was cunning, wasn't trustworthy.

gian 18 Feb 10 at 1:05 p.m. GMT

gian

This is one of the best books by Agatha. I like the murder scene: I think it's not a usual thing to find a body in your library. And it's quite funny that in the village a lot of people think that Ruby was the lover of Colonel Bantry.  I think Jefferson considered Ruby as a "daughter", because he lost his family in a plane crash. I agree that Jefferson wasn't fall in love with Ruby. I also sorry the other girl: Pamela. She was so innocent and young and unexperienced about human's behavior. Agatha rarely killed so young girl in her books. I don't know any other books when she wrote about the murder of a schoolgirl.

Does anybody know?

alkabakaya 18 Feb 10 at 3:21 p.m. GMT

I think what makes all Agatha Christie's tales astounding is the fact that they are timeless, not only workable in a time frame or society.  If you were to place the Body in the Library in current times, even then the psychological reasons for the act would work.  Also her charaters were really strong - be it Ruby, old man jefferson or for that matter the daughter in law - they are very real and can be found in all times.  You can see this plot again and again and still find it equally excitibg.

Alka

http://l-abyrinth.blogspot.com/

MissQuin 18 Feb 10 at 4:01 p.m. GMT

gian

gian

 I don't know any other books when she wrote about the murder of a schoolgirl.

Does anybody know?

Well there are a few of the later Poirot ones Halloween Party and Dead Man's Folly. There are both 14 year olds.

HeiseiHolmes 18 Feb 10 at 4:01 p.m. GMT

A schoolgirl is murdered in Dead Man's Folly~

gian 18 Feb 10 at 9:57 p.m. GMT

I've alredy read that book, but I totally forgot! I think I should read once more. Apart from these books Agatha rarely murdered teenagers. But in one of my favourite books a young girl was a murderer. This is also unique. And this book's story is quite special. The scene, the characters, the plot. Compare with the body in the library this book (my opinion) is surreal.

I totally agree with alkabakaya, Agatha's books are timeless, and if you read a book several times, it will give you new information, new details again and again

Tommy_A_Jones 19 Feb 10 at 3:41 p.m. GMT

In Halloween Party there is the Murder of na Schoolgirl

MissQuin 19 Feb 10 at 3:49 p.m. GMT

Nice to have you back Tommy,

MissQuin 26 Feb 10 at 3:46 p.m. GMT

Forgot, By The Pricking of my thumbs has a child murderer.

monkeyjess1999 08 Mar 10 at 9:47 p.m. GMT

This is the first Agatha Christie book I ever read it is really good

monkeyjess1999 08 Mar 10 at 9:49 p.m. GMT

is there a child murderer in cat among the pigeons

GKCfan 08 Mar 10 at 10:40 p.m. GMT

No.  The victims in Cat are all adults.

monkeyjess1999 08 Mar 10 at 11:28 p.m. GMT

oh ok thanks

monkeyjess1999 08 Mar 10 at 11:28 p.m. GMT

oh ok thanks

xrysoula 30 Jun 10 at 2:58 p.m. GMT

I think not.Perhaps back then people were more accepting to an old man paying attention to a young girl WITHOUT asking for any kind of favors in return.You won 't find that one today anywhere in the world, looking like their dead daughter or not!

Mr_Graves 05 Sep 10 at 12:52 a.m. GMT

I happen to really like this book; I thought it was really well worked out, as usual, and it was also believable. This would definitely work in any time, as alkabakaya pointed out. As for the plot "fault" I disagree. The murderers didn't have the chance to kill Ruby BEFORE Conway Jefferson changed his will because they didn't have the plan worked out. They needed a girl of roughly the same age and height, they needed time to plan everything. Therefore this mystery is for me entirely plausible.

Miss Marple's presence is never very distinct, I have noticed, but nontheless she is there, with many a shrewd remark and shocking tales from St. Mary Mead. Living in a very small town in New Zealand myself, I can relate completely to what she says about villages.

christie_greece 06 Sep 10 at 10:48 a.m. GMT

I don't think this book is far-fetched. Surely is weird that a man wants to adopt a girl that hardly knows, but we must consider that this man lost his family and it was hard for him. And then he met Ruby - she looked exactly like his daughter. Ruby was so kind to him and he loved her as his dead daughter...

I really like this book. And although miss marple doesn't participate a lot, she knows exactly what happened.

Tommy_A_Jones 06 Sep 10 at 5 p.m. GMT

When Agatha Christie was staying in a Hotel she saw an Elderly Man and 3 young people at Breakfast, She checked out of the Hotel before she could have had a Chance to meet them, I think this Occurrance was what inspired her to write Body In The Library.

Pongo 08 Sep 10 at 3:49 a.m. GMT

By the way, is The Body in the Library Dame Agatha's shortest novel?  I recently bought the facsimile first edition hardback, and it comes in at a very brief 150ish pages. 

MissQuin 08 Sep 10 at 4:54 p.m. GMT

Not sure if it's the shortest, but the length feels just right to me.

But if Conway had died at the start, his money would have gone to his son and daughter in law. He wouldn't have had time to change it so it went to Ruby instead. So was the murder with Ruby needed?