The Moving Finger
mike1410
Franklin, New Zealand
Of all the books Agatha Christie wrote, I have to say that my favourites are the Miss Marple stories. This could be because my introduction to Christie came as a child in the 1970's watching re-runs of the Margaret Rutherford films on afternoon television after school. However, is it just me or does anyone else agree that there really isn't much point to Miss Marple appearing in 'The Moving Finger'? The book is only some 300 pages long and Miss Marple does not even appear until about page 220. Further, she does not add anything to the deductions about who the murderer is that have already been made by the main character Jerry Burton. Indeed, at one point in the last few pages of the book Miss Marple actually says to Jerry Burton "The truth was really so very obvious. You saw it, you know, Mr Burton".
I have often wondered if this book, published in 1943, was actually originally written as a stand alone novel and Agatha was perhaps persuaded by someone (her publishers?) to make it into a Marple story. Especially since the two Marple books that precede it ('The Body In The Library') and succeed it ('A Murder is Announced') are amongst her best.
I have often wondered if this book, published in 1943, was actually originally written as a stand alone novel and Agatha was perhaps persuaded by someone (her publishers?) to make it into a Marple story. Especially since the two Marple books that precede it ('The Body In The Library') and succeed it ('A Murder is Announced') are amongst her best.
Comments
I totally agree with you, I don't see the point of Miss Marple appesaring in The Moving Finger, I looked up the Book on Wikipaedia and found the phrase deus ex machine which is a ploy Novelists use when they are stuck and feel they are in a hole, so Obviously Agatha Christie couldn't think of a way to give Jerry and The Policeman the way of solving the case which is a shame because it ruins for me what up until then is a very good book.
I also agree with you as I prefer Miss Marple books to Poirot books, I put it down to Agatha Christie writing too many Poirot books, perhaps she should have written less or maybe given some of the Poirot cases to Miss Marple to solve or made them stand alone books or made the sleuth a Recurring Character like Battle or Narracott (The Sittaford Mystery) or Race or maybe even given Spence his own Book(s) although as I think I have said before, think there is an argument for putting Poirot in Ordeal By Innocence although it is very good as a stand alone book.