From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Murder at the Vicarage (Miss Marple, #1)

Agatha Christie

Start date: January 1, 2017

Finish date: January 31, 2017

Discussion: Group Challenges

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Group Challenges

* 2026 Challenge
By Susan · 24 posts · 28 views

last updated Oct 17, 2025 02:23AM

* Oct 25: A Murder Is Announced (1950) by Agatha Christie
By Susan · 16 posts · 17 views

last updated Oct 16, 2025 07:31AM

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What Members Thought

Jan 08, 2020 Julie Durnell rated it liked it

Shelves: england-uk, mystery

3.5 Stars It's been quite some time since I've read any Miss Marple stories and then discovered I'd never read the very first one so was happy to pick this one up for a group read this month. It was different having the point of view from the vicar rather than Miss Marple, who actually plays a fairly low key role until the final chapters. The plot was well done and I thought I'd solved the murder but was pleasantly fooled-lots of red herrings here! ...more

21 likes · Like · see review

Oct 16, 2017 Jan C rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, 2017, rtd-2017-missmarple-challenge, gr-group-read, re-read

GR - QUIT ADDING BOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

I have read this multiple times. But you're adding editions that I did not read.

I love how Christie sets out Miss Marple's hobby: I study human nature. ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Jan 07, 2017 Nanosynergy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: series, mysteries-thrillers-espionage, british, fiction, 2017read, reviewed, fiction-1930s

Too many years since I've read mysteries from this time period. Decided to re-read or read the mystery "classics." This is the first book in Agatha Christie's Miss Marple series. In St. Mary Mead, Colonel Protheroe is found shot in the head in the Vicar's study. The Vicar in The Murder at the Vicarage actually plays a larger role as amateur sleuth with elderly, proper Miss Marple steadily growing in importance. She ultimately solves the crime. A much more sedate mystery compared to more recent i ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Dec 27, 2019 Jan C rated it really liked it

Shelves: gr-group-read, 2019, rtd-christie-challenge, 2025

3/9/25

Still enjoyable. I had completely forgotten about the vicar's nephew, Dennis. Probably because he wasn't in the movie version I've seen.

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Always enjoyable. Nice introduction to Miss Marple. Narrated by the pastor or perhaps he is called a vicar (being as they live in a vicarage). Whoops! Auto-correct wanted them to live in a garage. ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Mar 20, 2016 Teri-K rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-golden-age, great-to-re-read, old-favorites, senior-citizen-mcs, best-series-book-1

This old favorite is the first of the Miss Marple mysteries, but be warned that she only plays a supporting role here. In the later books she becomes much more the main character. This story centers around the vicar, his young wife, a nephew, and the villagers of St. Mary Mead. I particularly like the vicar who, to his bemusement, has fallen desperately in love with, and married, a young woman who isn't really his idea of a proper vicar's wife. It's only a small part of the story but I find thei ...more

3 likes · Like · see review