Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining for Hardcore Christie Fans
Review: Like many other writers, Christie went through an apprentice period during which she created the particular style we recognize as unique to her work. Novels from this early period are hit and miss--and MURDER AT THE VICARAGE, which introduces the famous Miss Marple, might best be described as a bit of both.VICARAGE offers the story of the widely unpopular Col. Protheroe, who seems determined to vex every one he encounters--including his daughter from a former marriage and his current wife, the latter of which has undertaken a liaison with a local artist. One evening the Colonel pays a call to vicarage only to find the Vicar out on a call... and while waiting is shot dead under what seem impossible circumstances. No sooner is the body discovered than people who could not possibly have committed the crime begin to confess, and the Vicar and his neighbor, the meddlesome Miss Marple, form a somewhat uneasy alliance to ferret out the truth. The Miss Marple of this particular novel is not the character we know from later books; although the outlines of the character are well established, she is not greatly sympathetic and she lacks the disconcerting twinkle found in such works as THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY and A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED. Moreover, the other characters, the setting, and the plot seem extremely stiff. The solution, when it comes, is also rather gimmicky in a way which Christie cannot yet make entirely plausible. I would not recommend this particular Christie to newcomers--but I do recommend it longtime fans, who will enjoy seeing how Christie developed the character of Miss Marple and how she herself evolved as a writer, particularly since the outline of the plot is a device to which she would return with considerably greater effect in later and more substantial novels.
Rating: 
Summary: ANOTHER SUPERB JOB OF DAME AGATHA
Review: Ms.Marple did it again!. This time, our favourite detective had to deal with a murder in her own village, St.Mary Mead. The victim, Colonel Protheroe, was not a very nice person, so his death almost acceptable to everyone in the village. There's a widow, a daughter, and a mysterious lady from his past, plus a number of people who had a very strong motive to do the murder. But once again Ms.Marple discovered the real murderer with her own old-way. The basic idea of this story is not very special, but the plot is. We'll get some laughs as usual and a satisfaction in the end. Two thumbs up for Agatha Christie!!
Rating:
Summary: Christie at her best...
Review: Murder at the Vicarage, first published in 1930, is the book that first introduced the world to Miss Jane Marple and the cozy English village of St. Mary Mead. Every mystery fan in the world is or should be familiar with Christie's classic character of Miss Marple. This book presents her at her best and is required reading for any mystery fan. The writing is sharp, the plotting crisp and clever, there are many red herrings and the solution is very satisfying. This is Christie at her very best. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Introducing Miss Jane Maple, detective extraordinaire
Review: My two favorite British detectives are Miss Jane Marple and Lord Peter Whimsy. If you prefer action filled American mysteries or fast moving Sherlock Holmes tales, Agatha Christie is probably not for you. She creates mind puzzles in which you are given all the clues while the author tries to confuse and mislead you into suspecting the wrong person. No one has ever been better at red herrings and misdirection than Agatha Christie. If you enjoy glimpses into British life in the 1920's combined with enjoyable characterizations and creative plotting, settle down to enjoy an excellent example of the cozy mystery genre. The Murder at the Vicarage combines all of the best characteristics of vintage Agatha Christie without the sometimes annoying presence of Agatha Christie's more famous detective, Hercule Poirot.
Rating:
Summary: Introducing Miss Jane Maple, detective extraordinaire
Review: My two favorite British detectives are Miss Jane Marple and Lord Peter Whimsy. If you prefer action filled American mysteries or fast moving Sherlock Holmes tales, Agatha Christie is probably not for you. She creates mind puzzles in which you are given all the clues while the author tries to confuse and mislead you into suspecting the wrong person. No one has ever been better at red herrings and misdirection than Agatha Christie. If you enjoy glimpses into British life in the 1920's combined with enjoyable characterizations and creative plotting, settle down to enjoy an excellent example of the cozy mystery genre. The Murder at the Vicarage combines all of the best characteristics of vintage Agatha Christie without the sometimes annoying presence of Agatha Christie's more famous detective, Hercule Poirot.
Rating: 
Summary: Vintage Christie
Review: No complaints. As usual, Christie delivers on a satisfying mystery.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Comfort Reading
Review: Our narrator, Rev. Clements is articulate, self-deprecating and an able Watson to Miss Marple's Holmes. The locale is the village St. Mary's Mead; the victim is the detestable Col. Protheroe. In their proper places are Flighty Wife, Handsome Artist, Ethereal Ingénue, Gruff Physician, Gossipy Maiden Ladies, Timid Curate, and Mysterious Lady. They need no proper names for they appear over and over in Ms. Christie's novels with new names, but are essentially the same people. Col. Protheroe is shot in the back of head while apparently writing a note in the Vicar's study. On the face of it, this seems impossible. Though there are people all about, no one heard a shot from the house. No one saw anyone go near the study. The maid let him in just fifteen minutes before the body was discovered. A pretty kettle of fish! Two false confessions quickly muddy up the waters, and it is discovered that most everyone had a motive for killing the good Colonel, except Miss Marple, who, if truth were told, didn't like him very well either. The intricacies are many, timetables are crucial, but Miss Marple is up to the test. I particularly liked the leisurely lives and pace of St. Mary's Mead. Everyone had servants, you could not move from room to room without being announced. There is some nice humor that runs through regarding the surly maid who runs the vicarage. She is a diffident housekeeper and appalling cook. But the vicar's young wife determinedly keeps her on, for if the maid improves, Griselda fears she would be hired away from them. The vicar bears up as well as he can. People only call upon the police when they feel like it, usually after much discussion with friends and neighbors. The lead policeman has the unfortunate name of Inspector Slack, and Miss Marple gently chides him while he disdains her advice (to his sorrow of course.) The vicar walks everywhere because he cannot master a bicycle. I guess a car would be unthinkable, because it is never mentioned. It all works out to Prime Dame Agatha. And lest you get too comfortable, she will definitely fool you once again. As always---sigh.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Comfort Reading
Review: Our narrator, Rev. Clements is articulate, self-deprecating and an able Watson to Miss Marple's Holmes. The locale is the village St. Mary's Mead; the victim is the detestable Col. Protheroe. In their proper places are Flighty Wife, Handsome Artist, Ethereal Ingénue, Gruff Physician, Gossipy Maiden Ladies, Timid Curate, and Mysterious Lady. They need no proper names for they appear over and over in Ms. Christie's novels with new names, but are essentially the same people. Col. Protheroe is shot in the back of head while apparently writing a note in the Vicar's study. On the face of it, this seems impossible. Though there are people all about, no one heard a shot from the house. No one saw anyone go near the study. The maid let him in just fifteen minutes before the body was discovered. A pretty kettle of fish! Two false confessions quickly muddy up the waters, and it is discovered that most everyone had a motive for killing the good Colonel, except Miss Marple, who, if truth were told, didn't like him very well either. The intricacies are many, timetables are crucial, but Miss Marple is up to the test. I particularly liked the leisurely lives and pace of St. Mary's Mead. Everyone had servants, you could not move from room to room without being announced. There is some nice humor that runs through regarding the surly maid who runs the vicarage. She is a diffident housekeeper and appalling cook. But the vicar's young wife determinedly keeps her on, for if the maid improves, Griselda fears she would be hired away from them. The vicar bears up as well as he can. People only call upon the police when they feel like it, usually after much discussion with friends and neighbors. The lead policeman has the unfortunate name of Inspector Slack, and Miss Marple gently chides him while he disdains her advice (to his sorrow of course.) The vicar walks everywhere because he cannot master a bicycle. I guess a car would be unthinkable, because it is never mentioned. It all works out to Prime Dame Agatha. And lest you get too comfortable, she will definitely fool you once again. As always---sigh.
Rating:
Summary: Murder at the Vicarage
Review: The Murder at the Vicarage was a very slow book and you have to have logic to figure it out but once you get past the slow part it progresses very fast. Miss Marple does it again in solving another murder. She does not miss a thing and is very sharp. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages.
Rating:
Summary: The forgotten Marple
Review: The Sherlock Holmes everyone knows is not quite the same Sherlock Holmes that appears in the very first story; ditto Father Brown; and ditto Miss Marple. In the latter two cases the original character is more intriguing than what follows. In later books Miss Marple solves crimes in part because she is wise. In this book she isn't wise. She's just a shameful snoop, who trains her binoculars on everyone who steps outdoors in St. Mary Mead, and has been doing so for half a century. In many ways she leads an empty existence. But she's much more endearing here than the Miss Marple of later books, who is so very wise. The usual Christie twist is good, too. It's one of those primeval detective plot devices that Chesterton and Christie between them appear to have exhaustively copyrighted.
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