Which is the best order to read the Miss Marple novels?

helsbels172

Can anyone recommend the best order to read the Miss Marple books? I've read Murder at the vigarage so far. Some people say the publication order but some say read sleeping murder second as that was written after that one but wasn't published til alot later. I each case is seperate and can be read in any order but I want to read them in the order of how her life develops,her nephew,great niece etc Thanks

Tommy_A_Jones

I am reading them in order of Publication but reading Sleeping Murder last

MissQuin

 The 13 Problems aka The Tuesday Night Club short stories come first. We are introduced to a rather more Victorian Miss Marple and her young unmarried nephew Raymond. 

I think then Murder At The Vicarage comes next, as you've read that it's quite early on. Miss Marple's Final Cases- rather confusingly are not her final cases! They were published as one collection after Agatha Christie's death) The stories are mainly  from the 30's  I think these are good to read quite early on. We are introduced to Dolly Bantry who appears in later stories.  

Published 40's The Body In The Library and The Moving Finger,  then 50's Murder Is Announced, They Do It With Mirrors, Pocket Full Of Rye, 4.50 from Paddington. Then we move onto the 60's where Miss Marple is older. The Mirror Crak'd, A Carribean Mystery (should be read before Nemesis) and At Bertram's Hotel.

As for Sleeping Murder- I don't think of this as the last Miss Marple.  I always feel Nemesis has a finality about it. Miss Marple seems so much older.  It was the final full Miss Marple story that AC wrote.

I read the books totally a random and it didn't effect my enjoyment in any way. But I hope this helps you?

maryamalbulushi

Well that did help me

maryamalbulushi

@MissQuin‌

Tommy_A_Jones

Nemesis is the last one Published but as in an earlier Book The Mirror Crack'd Cherry and her husban go to live with Miss Marple, I always imagine Cherry one night tucking Miss Marple into bed and \Miss Marple saying, "Did I ever tell you about the Time I helped a very nice Couple who were buying a House In Danemouth with a very Nasty recollection?" and Cherry would say "No Miss Marple you diodn't" and then Miss Marple would tell her the Story of Sleeping Murder, I am reading it last after Curtain in fact.