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The Life and Times of Miss Jane Marple
This is the definitive companion to the MISS MARPLE novels, films and TV appearances. ‘I have had a lot of experience in solving different little problems that have arisen.’ Most of the ‘little problems’ tackled by Miss Marple occurred in the pretty rural village of St Mary Mead and came in the shape of murder, robbery and blackmail. In the 40 years of her career, she even solved cases as far afield as London and the Caribbean. But though she usually masqueraded as ‘everybody’s favourite great aunt’, what was she 'really' like? In this authorised biography of the world’s most famous female sleuth, Anne Hart combs through the 12 novels and 20 short stories in which Miss Marple appeared, uncovering clue and amassing all the evidence to solve the most difficult case of them all – the mystery of Miss Marple.
162 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
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About the author
Anne Hart
201 books12 followersAnne Hart has written a book a year since 1963 and specializes in mystery novels, adventure, and suspense. She also teaches part-time online writing courses for a university and holds a graduate degree.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
October 8, 2017
Over the course of 2017, I have rediscovered how much I enjoy reading Agatha Christie mysteries. While my favorite character has always been Hercule Poirot and his use of little gray cells, this year my reading has expanded to stand alones and Miss Marple. At first I was not sure if I would like cozy mysteries featuring an older female detective; however, Miss Marple is shrewd and more often than not solves cases before the police force considers whodunit. Yet, who is Miss Marple? Canadian author Anne Hart decided to glean snippets from all of Marple's cases and piece together a biography of the detective that Dame Christie featured in her later years.
Miss Marple has had a long old age. Her earlier cases start when she is around sixty five years of age and over the course of forty years she ages to her early ages. The majority of her cases take place in the quiet village of St Mary Mead, yet, in this sleepy hamlet, there always seems to be some sort of murder. A shrewd gossip who is good with her knitting needles, Miss Marple always seems to be at least one step ahead of the police, and she is the one who leaves them baffled in the end. While the first case of hers Murder at the Vicarage takes place at an age when most people are starting to slow down, Miss M as she is so affectionately called, assists the vicar Leonard Clement and his wife Griselda in solving the crime that took place in their home. As a result, the Clements recommended Miss M to detectives and other vicars around the English countryside to help solve various crimes that occurred over the years.
While Miss Marple has no children to speak of, she is always doted on by her nephew Raymond West and his wife Joan and later their children. A contemporary author who might have been raised by his aunt, West attempts to make life easier for Miss Marple, either by financing her ever changing housekeeper or by gifting her luxurious trips to the Caribbean in A Caribbean Mystery and London in At Bertram's Hotel. It is with West's assistance that Miss Marple continues to enjoy a high quality of life in her later years which allows her to keep her health and continue to solve mysteries. Yet, Miss Marple is most happy in St Mary Mead and even adapts to the times as is evident in The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side as it is apparent that she is able to relate to the younger generation at a time when there is a two generation gap in age.
Even though Hart's novella is fictional based on the life of a fictional character, she stitched together a full life for Miss Marple. She included elements from Miss M's early life, including a trip to Paris with her grandmother and mother and later finishing school in Florence. One would have to read one of her cases closely to be aware of these. Hart also points out that Christie may have developed Miss Marple's character based on Roger Ackroyd's sister Caroline who is also a village gossip who seems to know all the town's information before it happened. Even Poirot was not above asking her for help on a case, yet, sadly, Christie's two top sleuths were never destined to meet on print. Miss Marple is truly a gifted detective in her own right, because, even though she is not vacationing and having murders occur before her eyes, she knows her territory in St Mary Mead and is able to fight all the crime that comes to her quiet village.
The Life and Times of Miss Jane Marple is a quick novella that can be read in one sitting. While it is not my usual mystery, Hart does bring Dame Christie's character to life in a charming matter. More than any character I have read this year because she is featured in multiple books, Miss Marple has showed that just because one is older, does not mean that she is feeble and unable to use her mind to the best of her abilities. Anne Hart demonstrated this in developing this quaint little book, and now I feel I know Miss Marple better as well.
3.5 stars
Miss Marple has had a long old age. Her earlier cases start when she is around sixty five years of age and over the course of forty years she ages to her early ages. The majority of her cases take place in the quiet village of St Mary Mead, yet, in this sleepy hamlet, there always seems to be some sort of murder. A shrewd gossip who is good with her knitting needles, Miss Marple always seems to be at least one step ahead of the police, and she is the one who leaves them baffled in the end. While the first case of hers Murder at the Vicarage takes place at an age when most people are starting to slow down, Miss M as she is so affectionately called, assists the vicar Leonard Clement and his wife Griselda in solving the crime that took place in their home. As a result, the Clements recommended Miss M to detectives and other vicars around the English countryside to help solve various crimes that occurred over the years.
While Miss Marple has no children to speak of, she is always doted on by her nephew Raymond West and his wife Joan and later their children. A contemporary author who might have been raised by his aunt, West attempts to make life easier for Miss Marple, either by financing her ever changing housekeeper or by gifting her luxurious trips to the Caribbean in A Caribbean Mystery and London in At Bertram's Hotel. It is with West's assistance that Miss Marple continues to enjoy a high quality of life in her later years which allows her to keep her health and continue to solve mysteries. Yet, Miss Marple is most happy in St Mary Mead and even adapts to the times as is evident in The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side as it is apparent that she is able to relate to the younger generation at a time when there is a two generation gap in age.
Even though Hart's novella is fictional based on the life of a fictional character, she stitched together a full life for Miss Marple. She included elements from Miss M's early life, including a trip to Paris with her grandmother and mother and later finishing school in Florence. One would have to read one of her cases closely to be aware of these. Hart also points out that Christie may have developed Miss Marple's character based on Roger Ackroyd's sister Caroline who is also a village gossip who seems to know all the town's information before it happened. Even Poirot was not above asking her for help on a case, yet, sadly, Christie's two top sleuths were never destined to meet on print. Miss Marple is truly a gifted detective in her own right, because, even though she is not vacationing and having murders occur before her eyes, she knows her territory in St Mary Mead and is able to fight all the crime that comes to her quiet village.
The Life and Times of Miss Jane Marple is a quick novella that can be read in one sitting. While it is not my usual mystery, Hart does bring Dame Christie's character to life in a charming matter. More than any character I have read this year because she is featured in multiple books, Miss Marple has showed that just because one is older, does not mean that she is feeble and unable to use her mind to the best of her abilities. Anne Hart demonstrated this in developing this quaint little book, and now I feel I know Miss Marple better as well.
3.5 stars
September 27, 2017
This short book makes a nice companion to the Miss Marple series; acting as something of a fictional biography of the character and bringing together all the elements that can be gathered from the novels to explain her background, her career as an unlikely amateur detective and the settings for her adventures. Indeed, Anne Hart becomes something of a sleuth herself, as she tries to recreate Miss Marple from the hints in the books and stories. These can, sometimes, be conflicting. In the earliest stories, Miss Marple is very elderly; dressed in black and draped in lace. However, by the time a body is discovered in the vicarage, she has become more sprightly and able to snoop quite effectively – bird watching and cutting hedges useful methods of employment for spying and eavesdropping…
From that missing ‘gill of potted shrimps,’ to the uncovering of murderers, Miss Marple investigated crimes in villages, on Caribbean holidays, in nostalgic London hotels, on bus tours and even in a juvenile delinquent treatment centre. We read of her friends, family and acquaintances; from Dolly Bantry, her thoughtful nephew, Raymond West, and all of the little maids that were trained in her neat little house in St Mary Mead.
With a bibliography and lots of information on Miss Marple in film, TV and radio, this is an interesting read. As I am reading all of the Miss Marple novels and stories for a reading challenge this year, I enjoyed having all of the clues about Miss Marple’s background brought together. The author carefully avoids spoilers, but I would still suggest this is best to read either after, or alongside, the novels themselves. If you have yet to read these yourself, then I envy you. There is no other character quite like the shrewd and intelligent Miss Marple – except, perhaps, Poirot; but, sadly, the two were never to meet on the page, even though it is often suggested that Miss Marple was based upon the sister of Roger Ackroyd. It is a nice thought to believe they are linked, beyond being the creations of the greatest crime writer of all time.
From that missing ‘gill of potted shrimps,’ to the uncovering of murderers, Miss Marple investigated crimes in villages, on Caribbean holidays, in nostalgic London hotels, on bus tours and even in a juvenile delinquent treatment centre. We read of her friends, family and acquaintances; from Dolly Bantry, her thoughtful nephew, Raymond West, and all of the little maids that were trained in her neat little house in St Mary Mead.
With a bibliography and lots of information on Miss Marple in film, TV and radio, this is an interesting read. As I am reading all of the Miss Marple novels and stories for a reading challenge this year, I enjoyed having all of the clues about Miss Marple’s background brought together. The author carefully avoids spoilers, but I would still suggest this is best to read either after, or alongside, the novels themselves. If you have yet to read these yourself, then I envy you. There is no other character quite like the shrewd and intelligent Miss Marple – except, perhaps, Poirot; but, sadly, the two were never to meet on the page, even though it is often suggested that Miss Marple was based upon the sister of Roger Ackroyd. It is a nice thought to believe they are linked, beyond being the creations of the greatest crime writer of all time.
August 5, 2019
Excellent reading . Well researched , it is a must read for any Agatha Christie fan. Sadly the book seems to be out of print now, but I managed to get my hands on an old edition from Amazon. It is best to read this book only after one has read all Miss Marple short stories and the novels
March 3, 2020
This was a fun read and I'd recommend it to any Jane Marple fans. The author takes the reader on a tour of Miss Marple's world beginning in the village of St. Mary Meade. A locale with more than a fair number of murders, schemes and crimes. All of Jane's cases are referenced and the vast array of law enforcement, friends, maids, relatives and vicars pass through as they've been part of the landscape of Marpelian fiction.
There are an extensive bibliography and a list of film, tv and radio adaptations as well.
Favourite quotes:
"It is interesting to recall the Caroline Sheppard, Miss Marple's progenitor, had, for a short and interesting time, Hercule Poirot as a neighbour, a person whom, Miss Marple herself apparently never met."
"If there was one characteristic of Miss Marple that emerged over and over again, it was that she always believed the worst. "It really is very dangerous to believe people", she once said. "I never have for years", which goes a long way toward explaining why she was such a superb detective. "Not a nice trait", she once confessed, "but so often justified by subsequent events."
There are an extensive bibliography and a list of film, tv and radio adaptations as well.
Favourite quotes:
"It is interesting to recall the Caroline Sheppard, Miss Marple's progenitor, had, for a short and interesting time, Hercule Poirot as a neighbour, a person whom, Miss Marple herself apparently never met."
"If there was one characteristic of Miss Marple that emerged over and over again, it was that she always believed the worst. "It really is very dangerous to believe people", she once said. "I never have for years", which goes a long way toward explaining why she was such a superb detective. "Not a nice trait", she once confessed, "but so often justified by subsequent events."
November 13, 2016
Anne Hart has done an excellent job mining the Miss Marple series for details about our favorite sleuthing spinster. She carefully read all of the Marple stories and tells us every little tidbit that she has found--from who Miss Marple's relatives are to what might have been her very first case to what a day in the life of Miss Marple is like. Sprinkled throughout are bits of Marple wisdom on life, her fellow man....and the wickedness of the common man.
The trouble in this case is that everybody has been too credulous and believing. You simply cannot afford to believe everthing that people tell you. When there's anything fishy about, I never believe anyone at all.
Hart manages to give readers an in-depth look at Miss Marple's career without revealing too much about her cases (in case anyone hasn't already read them all). This is an excellent book for any Christie fan to have upon the shelf.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
The trouble in this case is that everybody has been too credulous and believing. You simply cannot afford to believe everthing that people tell you. When there's anything fishy about, I never believe anyone at all.
Hart manages to give readers an in-depth look at Miss Marple's career without revealing too much about her cases (in case anyone hasn't already read them all). This is an excellent book for any Christie fan to have upon the shelf.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
November 17, 2017
I have been re-reading Miss Marple this year. Tried this "biography" (she also has one on Poirot).
Best thing about it was the enlarged map of St. Mary Mead.
The book was interesting enough. However, it was pretty repetitive. Maybe she was being asked to stretch it out - it is only 143 pages, so it wasn't stretched that much.
Best thing about it was the enlarged map of St. Mary Mead.
The book was interesting enough. However, it was pretty repetitive. Maybe she was being asked to stretch it out - it is only 143 pages, so it wasn't stretched that much.
March 1, 2021
This is a delightful compendium of all the data you would ever need to know about Jane Marple, sleuth extraodinaire. The author has collected all the bits of info we have learned about Miss Marple from the many novels and short stories and put them into separate chapters, such as "Miss Marple's Earlier Life", "The 1930's", "The Four Last Cases" and "Little Maids All in a Row." I especially liked the latter chapter, about how her various maids have figured in different stories, sometimes as victims.
September 17, 2017
A nice overview of all the things we can know about Miss Marple from Christie's books. Of course there are inconsistencies, which the author notes. There are also big holes and I appreciated that the author didn't fill in the missing years with guesses, though she does conjecture that MM stayed at home and took care of her aging parents. This is quite likely and may explain her reference to experience nursing, but it's also possible that she worked in some unskilled capacity during the war, I think.
Anyway, I enjoyed reading this quick look at all things Marple, including examinations of St. Mary Mead and the various relatives and maids she'd had. About the only thing it missed was a list on items MM has knitted over the years.
There are some mild spoilers, of course, though the solution to the novels isn't revealed in the discussion. I actually think the book would have been stronger had it examined the culprits she caught and exactly how she discovered each one, instead of keeping it vague.
Anyway, I enjoyed reading this quick look at all things Marple, including examinations of St. Mary Mead and the various relatives and maids she'd had. About the only thing it missed was a list on items MM has knitted over the years.
There are some mild spoilers, of course, though the solution to the novels isn't revealed in the discussion. I actually think the book would have been stronger had it examined the culprits she caught and exactly how she discovered each one, instead of keeping it vague.
February 6, 2017
A pleasant and amusing 150 page book summarising what we know about Miss Marple from the 12 novels and 21 short stories. Her early life, her home life during the time of the books, the village and its people, her relatives and friends, the maids, the detectives, etc. Good fun. While the books and their basic plots are referred-to, nothing here will spoil one's reading and one's failure to work out whodunnit!
March 24, 2014
I was disappointed in this. I thought it would have more about the world she lived in. For example; what the home front was like during the world wars, how the average citizen lived after WWII. Things of that nature. Instead the author recapped Miss Marple's cases and discussed to the point of boredom how her age fluctuated. I completed it, but I would never have it in my Marple library.
October 1, 2015
A must-read for anyone who loves Miss Marple. Hart gathered so much information, from the short stories, novels, and superfluous writings to form a portrait of the wonderful old lady. Stripping away the crimes, we were able to learn about Miss Marple, her personality, her day to day life. It was fun and has made me want to read and reread more stories with Jane.
January 6, 2023
I enjoyed this walk through the various facets of Miss Jane Marple--especially the contradictions that somehow seem to make her even more endearing.
It wasn't the most fascinating book I've ever read, but I strongly recommend it to all lovers of Miss Marple.
It wasn't the most fascinating book I've ever read, but I strongly recommend it to all lovers of Miss Marple.
February 3, 2017
I suppose one has to hand it to Ms Hart for compiling a biography of Miss Marple. It is interesting to see how she has snapped up the various clues Agatha Christie included in her writing of Miss Marple, to create a coherent piece of writing.
It was well researched and well written if a little dry in many part. I suppose most biographies will be dry and it must be even harder if you can't ask the subject any questions!
It was well researched and well written if a little dry in many part. I suppose most biographies will be dry and it must be even harder if you can't ask the subject any questions!
May 2, 2024
"The pretty village of St Mary Mead will be forever known as the home of Miss Jane Marple, that wonderful sleuth whose creator so cleverly, and for so many years, led us down the garden path."
Universally known as "everybody's favourite great aunt", the unassuming elderly lady with her knitting needles managed to solve some of the most complex crimes across the globe.
In this authorised biography, Anne Hart forensically inspects the twelve novels and twenty short stories in which Miss Marple features to answer the age old question: what was she really like?
From dissecting Miss Marple's world - whether it be in the quaint village of St Mary Mead or in the nostalgic surroundings of Bertram's Hotel - to gathering the loose ends and conflicting points of interest, Anne Hart leads her own investigation into the beloved sleuth and what led to her marvellously successful career.
This book is extensively researched despite its short length, with a well presented structure and - crucially - Hart avoids spoilers for those still reading the books.
A perfect companion work to the world of Miss Marple, this is essential reading for the Miss Marple fan.
I have since learned that Anne Hart also wrote a biography on our favourite Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, so I will most definitely be seeking a copy of this to devour in the future!
Universally known as "everybody's favourite great aunt", the unassuming elderly lady with her knitting needles managed to solve some of the most complex crimes across the globe.
In this authorised biography, Anne Hart forensically inspects the twelve novels and twenty short stories in which Miss Marple features to answer the age old question: what was she really like?
From dissecting Miss Marple's world - whether it be in the quaint village of St Mary Mead or in the nostalgic surroundings of Bertram's Hotel - to gathering the loose ends and conflicting points of interest, Anne Hart leads her own investigation into the beloved sleuth and what led to her marvellously successful career.
This book is extensively researched despite its short length, with a well presented structure and - crucially - Hart avoids spoilers for those still reading the books.
A perfect companion work to the world of Miss Marple, this is essential reading for the Miss Marple fan.
I have since learned that Anne Hart also wrote a biography on our favourite Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, so I will most definitely be seeking a copy of this to devour in the future!
December 2, 2021
The idea to writes biography about Miss Marple is better than the actual book unfortunately. And I hate to be reminded of the fact that Miss Marple was thin. Because the real Miss Marple in my Mind is Margaret Rutherford.
Also three Short stories showing the old lady in action. Nice but not excellent.
Also three Short stories showing the old lady in action. Nice but not excellent.
September 11, 2021
A fun read for any fans of Miss Marple
May 9, 2013
Title: The Life and Times of Miss Jane Marple.
Author: Anne Hart.
Genre: Fiction, Fictional Biography, Fictional Character Profile, Miss Marple Companion Book.
Plot: One of Agatha Christie's most famous sleuths is the ladylike Miss Marple, with her knitting needles and harmless appearance disguising her sharp mind. Miss Marple is also famous simply as a lady sleuth, in a world dominated by male detectives, sleuths, investigators and those yucky people who are always in the wrong place at the right time. Miss Marple, brought to life by the talent of Agatha Christie, has thrilled readers for generations and will most likely continue to do so for many more years to come. But what was she really like?
Taking a creative path in her debut book, Anne Hart explores Christie's silver haired sleuth as a biographer would explore Christie herself. Having carefully {and joyfully} read all of Christie's books featuring Miss Marple and taken careful note of the clues hidden about our favorite sleuth in the pages of these books, Ms. Hart lays out a wonderful in-depth biography that will thrill all Miss Marple's fans everywhere. In just thirteen short wonderful chapters, Ms. Hart lays all the facts out in neat order for us to treasure and study over and over again. It also makes a lovely reference book.
Likes/Dislikes: This book was beautifully written, not at all boring like you'd expect most biographies to be. While each of Miss Marple's stories were talked about in minor detail and quoted from, the spectacular endings weren't spoiled - a thoughtful gesture on the author's part. This is the first fictional biography I've come across or read before, and I quite like the idea.
Rating: PG-14 and up, for reading level and mild content. Highly recommended!
Date Report Written: May 8th, 2013.
Author: Anne Hart.
Genre: Fiction, Fictional Biography, Fictional Character Profile, Miss Marple Companion Book.
Plot: One of Agatha Christie's most famous sleuths is the ladylike Miss Marple, with her knitting needles and harmless appearance disguising her sharp mind. Miss Marple is also famous simply as a lady sleuth, in a world dominated by male detectives, sleuths, investigators and those yucky people who are always in the wrong place at the right time. Miss Marple, brought to life by the talent of Agatha Christie, has thrilled readers for generations and will most likely continue to do so for many more years to come. But what was she really like?
Taking a creative path in her debut book, Anne Hart explores Christie's silver haired sleuth as a biographer would explore Christie herself. Having carefully {and joyfully} read all of Christie's books featuring Miss Marple and taken careful note of the clues hidden about our favorite sleuth in the pages of these books, Ms. Hart lays out a wonderful in-depth biography that will thrill all Miss Marple's fans everywhere. In just thirteen short wonderful chapters, Ms. Hart lays all the facts out in neat order for us to treasure and study over and over again. It also makes a lovely reference book.
Likes/Dislikes: This book was beautifully written, not at all boring like you'd expect most biographies to be. While each of Miss Marple's stories were talked about in minor detail and quoted from, the spectacular endings weren't spoiled - a thoughtful gesture on the author's part. This is the first fictional biography I've come across or read before, and I quite like the idea.
Rating: PG-14 and up, for reading level and mild content. Highly recommended!
Date Report Written: May 8th, 2013.
December 20, 2020
A wonderful overview of what we know about the wonderful Miss Marple. The answer, you realize, is quite a lot. You come away with some admiration for Christie's talent that she takes a static character and imbues her with enough personality that we feel not only that we know her, but she lived a full life before we met her.
October 10, 2011
I enjoyed this little book in which the author attempted to construct Miss Marple's biography from clues in Christie's novels. Christie did not pay a lot of attention to consistency: indeed, Miss Marple first appears as a fluttery old lady in the 1920s but is a much more active character, appearing middle-aged rather than elderly, in the novels set in the 1940s and 50s. Hart does her best to contain this discrepancy. Her descriptions of St. Mary Mead and of Miss Marple's travels are fun. In the end, she has to work a little too hard, and the last few chapters repeat details she's already used earlier in the book. When I read this book, I can tell that Christie was not the kind of author whose papers include whole novels of backstory (cf Tolkien). It seems Christie was much more interested in her plot than in creating a Miss Marple bio.
Miss Marple fans will probably enjoy this.
Miss Marple fans will probably enjoy this.
May 19, 2008
Miss Marple is awesome ... but not as well depicted in the films of the books (vs. David Suchet who masters the Poirot character). My imagination of Miss Marple is superior to the icky portrayals by actresses Margaret Rutherford. Recent actress Geraldine McEwan is too rigid compared to Joan Hickson who I think does the best job of conveying what Agatha Christie intended!
August 28, 2011
Read in preparation for book discussion. The author gathers together all of the biographical material in the Marple stories to create a biography. While a fairly good life story can be made, there really is very little of the old lady herself in the books. Consequently the same quotes are used to illustrate different points. But as a fictional reference it is very good.
October 18, 2017
Frankly I wasn't all that impressed with this, I found it very repetitive and as the people that would be interested in reading it are Marple afficionados then it provided nothing new. Frankly it would have been better off as a small booklet than a book!
August 23, 2022
Much like Miss Marple, this unassuming little book could be over looked and underestimated. It is light hearted yet serious minded, well researched and succinct. A definite account of Christie's creation.
June 23, 2011
A solidly good book. Apparently, I'm a better observer than I thought, since none of this info was new to me.
April 24, 2014
I found this to be a bit boring. It was well researched and would be great for the trivia buff.
April 2, 2018
As a result of reading this book, I became aware of some Miss Marple short stories that I had not read. It is just a compilation of information from the various books, but it is very well done.
March 30, 2023
Two and a half stars. Many years ago I found Hart's The Life and Times of Hercule Poirot in a second hand bookshop and really enjoyed it...twice. If I had found this companion book in the 90s I would have enjoyed it as much or more, but I didn't. I wanted to, but it was impossible to find, which speaks of a very short press run indeed.
The late 80s and early 90s were the days of "biographies" of fictional detectives like Poirot, Marple, and Nero Wolfe, in which the authors tried to bring events and changes into one nice, neat package--without considering that many authors of long detective series simply didn't pay attention to the parameters they themselves set out at the beginning--and it's worse today. Kerry Greenwood changed the ubiquitous Dot's surname from Bryant to Williams, and she goes from being a vicar's daughter to being a devout Catholic without batting an eye. Alexander McCall Smith plays ducks and drakes with the chronology of his character's lives, as does the creator of the Inspector Chen novels. Does any of this matter? Not a lot, unless like me you spend years tutoring Eng Lit and training students to observe and analyse a text. The general run of classic cosy mystery readers doesn't notice and doesn't care.
This particular "biography" was a lite, fast read but it was also rather repetitive, and the final 20+ pages are pure padding, being a "bibliography" (ie lists of short stories, novels and movie adaptations). I'm a bit disappointed, though I probably shouldn't have been.
The late 80s and early 90s were the days of "biographies" of fictional detectives like Poirot, Marple, and Nero Wolfe, in which the authors tried to bring events and changes into one nice, neat package--without considering that many authors of long detective series simply didn't pay attention to the parameters they themselves set out at the beginning--and it's worse today. Kerry Greenwood changed the ubiquitous Dot's surname from Bryant to Williams, and she goes from being a vicar's daughter to being a devout Catholic without batting an eye. Alexander McCall Smith plays ducks and drakes with the chronology of his character's lives, as does the creator of the Inspector Chen novels. Does any of this matter? Not a lot, unless like me you spend years tutoring Eng Lit and training students to observe and analyse a text. The general run of classic cosy mystery readers doesn't notice and doesn't care.
This particular "biography" was a lite, fast read but it was also rather repetitive, and the final 20+ pages are pure padding, being a "bibliography" (ie lists of short stories, novels and movie adaptations). I'm a bit disappointed, though I probably shouldn't have been.
February 16, 2021
I bought this book all the way back in September of last year, but I wanted to save it until I’d read my last few remaining Miss Marple books because it apparently covered information in all 12 novels and 20 short stories that feature her as a character. I’m incredibly glad I did because reading this felt like the perfect send-off after finishing Sleeping Murder, as this book discusses and examine’s Miss Marple’s life by piecing together different scraps of information Agatha Christie revealed, along with information from the plot’s of Miss Marple’s stories.
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It’s very clear that this book has been well-researched, as the author is able to compile everything from a complete history of Miss Marple’s childhood and detective career down to what a typical day in her life would look like. As well as discussing Miss Marple herself, this book also goes to great lengths to discuss the village where she lives, St. Mary Mead, and how it changes from book to book. I didn’t realise there were so many connections between all of Miss Marple’s adventures until I’d read this book, so it’s nice to see how her story evolves and changes over time with characters and locations that are revisited over several novels.
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I’d definitely recommend this to all fans of Agatha Christie’s work, but although there are no spoilers, I think it’s definitely best enjoyed after reading all the Miss Marple novels to properly appreciate the complete picture of her character that’s being told here.
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It’s very clear that this book has been well-researched, as the author is able to compile everything from a complete history of Miss Marple’s childhood and detective career down to what a typical day in her life would look like. As well as discussing Miss Marple herself, this book also goes to great lengths to discuss the village where she lives, St. Mary Mead, and how it changes from book to book. I didn’t realise there were so many connections between all of Miss Marple’s adventures until I’d read this book, so it’s nice to see how her story evolves and changes over time with characters and locations that are revisited over several novels.
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I’d definitely recommend this to all fans of Agatha Christie’s work, but although there are no spoilers, I think it’s definitely best enjoyed after reading all the Miss Marple novels to properly appreciate the complete picture of her character that’s being told here.
December 30, 2022
The book seems like a first draft. I'm sure the author must have read (or re-read) Agatha Christie and taken copious notes after creating subject categories: what Miss Marple looked like, what was her age, who were her family, who were her neighbors, who were the criminal justices authorities who came to her rely on her. Someone should go back and redo this book to take it further into the world of St. Mary Mead.
With that said, Anne Hart's book is a must for all Agatha Christie fans who love this beloved character. Ms. Hart's detailed research through the short stories and novels that feature Jane Marple is outstanding, and I'm sure it took a lot of time for research, not only the details gathered from the novels, but also the life of Agatha Christie. From Miss Marple's first appearance to the last (Nemesis) which closed out Miss Marple's career the reader learns about the time periods of the stories, clothing she wore, her character and how other characters saw her a person.
If you haven't read these famous mysteries obtaining a copy of this title and starting a the beginning is an excellent way to go. In the meantime, I still contend you could find more angles and revisit this material again.
With that said, Anne Hart's book is a must for all Agatha Christie fans who love this beloved character. Ms. Hart's detailed research through the short stories and novels that feature Jane Marple is outstanding, and I'm sure it took a lot of time for research, not only the details gathered from the novels, but also the life of Agatha Christie. From Miss Marple's first appearance to the last (Nemesis) which closed out Miss Marple's career the reader learns about the time periods of the stories, clothing she wore, her character and how other characters saw her a person.
If you haven't read these famous mysteries obtaining a copy of this title and starting a the beginning is an excellent way to go. In the meantime, I still contend you could find more angles and revisit this material again.
April 6, 2022
With the blessing of Rosalind Hicks, Agatha Christie’s daughter, writer Anne Hart has crafted a “biography” of one of Ms. Christie’s most famous and beloved characters. Her source material was the Miss Marple stories themselves, the 12 novels and 20 short stories; she combed through these works, gleaning every single mention of anything at all that might give a hint as to Miss Marple’s childhood, adolescence, and young and middle-aged adulthood before she emerged, fully formed, at around age 65 in The Murder At the Vicarage (she had appeared in a baker’s dozen of short stories before that, collected in The Thirteen Problems). This is an absolute delight of a book, extremely engaging and well-organized; one need not have read all of the Marple stories (I haven’t) to enjoy this, although certainly some acquaintance with Miss Marple is necessary. There’s a handy list at the back of all publications up until the date of this volume, 1985, and also a section concerning Miss Marple’s appearances in television, film and radio; I’m sure that by now those categories have expanded somewhat, but this is still useful. Recommended!
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