Murder at the Vicarage

The theme of The Dynamics of Village Life is crucial in Murder at the Vicarage and indeed many of the Miss Marple books. While Christie’s other famous detective, Hercule Poirot, is a cosmopolitan individual who occasionally assists with cases involving international royalty, Miss Marple’s stories are intentionally the opposite and a good deal of their plot has to do with the dynamic between everyday characters who know each other well and are constantly involved in each other’s business. While it has drawbacks, it turns out to be the feature that saves an innocent life at the end of Murder at the Vicarage.

The proximity of humanity without much outside distraction or influence allows aspects of behavior and emotion to be highlighted. Good and bad characters assume things about their neighbors that often complicate matters. For example, the local police inspector disregards what witnesses say because he has known them to be frustrating personalities in the past. In another case, Clement’s nephew badly misjudges Lettice because he assumes things about teenage girls in small villages. Conversely, a newcomer inspires mystery and speculation with erroneous assumptions all around. The exploration of the personalities in the village is a treat for someone like Miss Marple, who declares her hobby is observing human nature.