Christie Talk

Christie Talk - Have Your Say - Discuss Marple

Discuss Marple

Talk about everything Marple related here!

Login or register to add posts and reply

Post title: Griselda's son's name

ampman-avatar

ampman on 31 Jul 2009 at 10:15 a.m. GMT

I have recently been re-reading 4.50 from Paddington and The Body in the Library. One thing that puzzles me is that in this the Vicar's son is called David and in the other he is called Leonard. Are there any more inconsistancies in any of the other books?

6 replies

Reverse order

 
Tommy_A_Jones-avatar

Tommy_A_Jones on 03 Aug 2009 at 1:14 p.m. GMT

I have heard people mention that sometimes Raymond's wife changes from Joyce to Joan or it might be the other way round. I thought Grizelda's son wasn't born until after Body In The Library.

 
ampman-avatar

ampman on 06 Aug 2009 at 9:20 a.m. GMT

No, in Chapte 15 of The Body in the Library Miss Marple goes to the vicarage to ask if there is any fund raising going on so that she has an excuse to call at Basil Blake's house and talk to Dinah Lee. On entering the vicarage drawing room she finds Griselda  playing with baby David who is crawling on the hearth rug. By the  time we reach 4.50 from Paddington David has become Leonard and is home from boarding school for Christmas.

 
susandiane-avatar

susandiane on 08 Aug 2009 at 9:50 p.m. GMT

leonard is the vicar's nephew (murder at the vicarage). david is the vicar's son (4:50 from paddington).  david also appears (as an infant) in "body in the library"

 
aznm-avatar

aznm on 12 Aug 2009 at 10:43 a.m. GMT

I haven't read these two books in ages, but I can say that Dame Agatha DID indeed change the names of a few characters from book to book.  Raymond's girlfriend/fiancee was originally "Joyce" in an early book but later his wife was referred to as "Joan".  Speculation is twofold.  Either Raymond was with two women, dating Joyce, then later marrying Joan, or an error was made by Agatha Christie and no one caught it.  Thus, Raymond's Mrs. became "Joan" permanently.  There are other examples but I chalk it up to not keeping a character index and/or poor editing.  "Let's get Marple to the presses ASAP.  We need them on the shelves before Christmas."  That sort of thing.

 
ampman-avatar

ampman on 23 Aug 2009 at 10:13 a.m. GMT

Having re-read Murder at the Vicarage I discovered that the Vicar's nephew is called Dennis so back to square one.

susandiane

leonard is the vicar's nephew (murder at the vicarage). david is the vicar's son (4:50 from paddington).  david also appears (as an infant) in "body in the library"

 
TheButlerDidIT-avatar

TheButlerDidIT on 17 Oct 2009 at 2:32 p.m. GMT

I'm pretty sure Dennis was his nephew in Murder at the Vicarage which I recently finnished reading. Then again I could be wrong.

Login or register to add posts and reply

Total visitors online: 57

Newest members: johndanmoon, AndSch77, victoriasymonds, janetyork, lakedweller, koukis