A Murder Is Announced

The owner of Little Paddocks claims to be Letitia Blacklock but is Letitia’s sister, Charlotte: an audacious imposter. While other characters call her “Letitia” or “Letty,” the third-person narrator maintains ambiguity by referring to Charlotte as “Miss Blacklock.” The name hints at a secretive and impenetrable character.

Miss Blacklock is an imposing-looking woman, around the age of 60, with “an intelligent, resolute face […], keen grey eyes and a square determined chin” (52). Her bearing is aristocratic, and she has a “well-bred voice.” These characteristics give her an air of authority. However, even the first description of her character signals the mismatch between Miss Blacklock’s understated “country tweeds” and her showy choker “of large false pearls” (16). The choker hides the scar from surgery for goiter and symbolizes Miss Blacklock’s concealment of the truth.

Miss Blacklock is an unconventional murderer in that she has typically sympathetic traits. Charlotte was “a kindly affectionate creature” as a girl (282), with a childhood troubled by a tyrannical father and a physical illness that caused her profound insecurity. Miss Blacklock’s capacity for affection is highlighted in her kindness to her old friend Dora. However, her lack of moral integrity is demonstrated by her eventual murder of three people. Miss Blacklock inflicts grief and loneliness on herself by killing Dora, ultimately prioritizing money over human connection.

At the beginning of the novel, Miss Blacklock’s manner is efficient and calm—but as Charlotte’s position as Letitia becomes more tenuous, her mental state deteriorates, revealing her tendency to snap under pressure. Christie demonstrates how desperation leads to extreme and unnecessary measures through her character. Charlotte’s murder of Scherz, for example, is needless as he likely had no idea she was impersonating her sister. This hasty decision sets a chain of events in motion, culminating in Charlotte’s irrational attempt to drown Mitzi while the other characters are gathered in the next room. As Miss Marple declares, by the novel’s end Miss Blacklock is “just a snapping terrified cornered rat” (303).

Inspector Craddock is the lead detective on the case and joins forces with Miss Marple to solve the mystery. This partnership continued in two later Miss Marple novels: 4.50 from Paddington (1957) and The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side (1962). 

Craddock is described as an attractive character possessing “manly proportions and [a] handsome face” (100). His age is not specified, but Christie implies he sits somewhere between the two generations in the novel—younger than Miss Marple and Miss Blacklock but older than Julia, Patrick, and Edmund. As such, he is favorably placed to span the divided perspectives of youth and age.

Inspector Craddock is portrayed as having both “brains and imagination” (40). Initially skeptical of Sir Henry’s praise of Miss Marple’s detection skills, he grows to admire her sharp mind and unconventional methods. Craddock remains a few steps behind Miss Marple during the investigation and fully admits it, leaving her to deliver the final summation of the crime. His warm appreciation for Miss Marple’s contribution is reciprocated when Miss Marple insists that his role was equally crucial. Their spirit of generous cooperation subverts the adversarial relationship between professional and amateur sleuths so often found in Golden Age detective novels.

Dora is Miss Blacklock’s childhood friend and companion. Her nickname “Bunny” reflects others’ perception of her as a “poor pretty silly fluffy” creature (19). Scatterbrained and easily flustered, she wants to help Miss Blacklock but often inadvertently makes life more difficult. Nevertheless, her failings are offset by her dogged loyalty and devotion as a friend. For this reason, she is the only person Charlotte Blacklock entrusts with her true identity.

At first, Dora is presented as a slightly absurd, two-dimensional character. However, readers gain deeper insight into her perspective when she tells Miss Marple about her circumstances before Miss Blacklock rescued her from poverty. As Dora recalls her despair when juggling ill health and poverty, she emerges with pathos as a tragic character. Perceiving Miss Blacklock as her savior, she has no idea that she will ultimately become her victim.

While Dora is absent-minded, she observes things that the other characters miss. For example, she is the only person to notice the swapping of the shepherd and shepherdess lamps. In this respect, she takes on the role of the “wise fool,” a literary archetype who seems “foolish” but shows themselves to possess insight surpassing that of more intelligent characters.

Phillipa is an attractive young woman who claims to be a war widow and lodges at Little Paddocks. Although a “lady by birth” (81), she works as a gardener to pay her young son’s school fees. Her circumstances highlight the effects of war on the upper and middle classes.

Phillipa is “tall and fair and placid-looking” (26): the archetypal “English rose.” She is reserved to the point of being taciturn, and Craddock notes she has the kind of eyes that “told you nothing at all” (128). Her reticence suggests she has something to hide, which makes her a likely suspect throughout the novel—and she does turn out to be an imposter in two respects. Her husband is a deserter rather than a dead war hero (although he later dies saving a child from a road accident). Phillipa’s misrepresentation of her position reflects her fear of the social stigma deserters and their families suffered. Furthermore, she fails to reveal that she was born Pip (Phillipa) Stamfordis. The other characters’ assumption that Pip is a male twin shields Phillipa from suspicion. However, Craddock’s reflection that Phillipa would “[m]ake a good Rosalind” hints at her identity early in the novel (77). A character from Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Rosalind disguises herself as a male shepherd, and Phillipa is similarly concealed behind a masculine identity.

Patrick is a distant cousin of Miss Blacklock’s but calls her “aunt” due to their large age gap. A university student in his twenties, he is staying at Little Paddocks while studying. Patrick’s age makes him a leading suspect in the hunt for Pip Stamfordis. While this turns out to be a red herring, he is guilty of concealing Emma’s identity by pretending she is his sister.

In Christie’s exploration of the generational divide, Patrick exemplifies the arrogance of youth, and his “handsome devil-may-care face” reflects his glib, thoughtless manner (17). A practical joker, he makes fun of Dora and unrepentantly reveals he once “sent Mitzi a postcard saying the Gestapo was on her track” (72). His flippancy suggests he does not take the murder investigation seriously.

The real Julia Simmons does not appear in the novel. The imposter posing as Julia is Emma Stamfordis, Phillipa’s twin sister. She is described as “a good-looking young woman with chestnut hair and a bored expression” (51). Emma ruthlessly exploits Patrick’s attraction to her to insinuate herself into the Little Paddocks household and persuade Miss Blacklock to include her in her will.

When Emma’s true identity is exposed, she is remorseless and unapologetic about the deception. However, she shows loyalty to her twin, Phillipa, by protecting her identity, even when she realizes who she is. While Emma appears spoilt and indolent, her moral profile is not simplistic, as she was a member of the French Resistance during the war. Like Miss Blacklock, Emma demonstrates a psychological complexity that defies genre norms of “good” and “evil.”

Emma’s character illustrates the increasing independence of women after the war. Once she receives half of the inheritance, she has no interest in settling into domesticity, rejecting Patrick as a future husband.

Of all the novel’s characters, Miss Blacklock’s cook and housekeeper most directly represents the impact of World War II, as she is a European refugee. Mitzi lost all her family before escaping to England and witnessed her young brother being killed, and despite having a degree in economics, she must take the only work she can get as a domestic servant.

Mitzi is described as a “tempestuous young woman” with “dark […] flashing” eyes (21). Due to her extensive wartime trauma, she naturally feels paranoid, accusing Inspector Craddock of intending to torture her and screaming when she hears gunshots. Her expressiveness contrasts with the reserved behavior of the English characters, emphasizing the clash of cultures. Both physically and emotionally, Mitzi is a foil for Phillipa, who is a paragon of English womanhood.

Despite her traumatic past, the other characters find Mitzi’s references to her misfortune tedious and believe she is exaggerating. They even label her a “liar,” though this labeling reflects a deeper prejudice. They assume she is dishonest not only about her traumas but about life in general, and this assumption extends itself to her account of that fateful night at Little Paddocks: The villagers’ suspicions that she was involved in the holdup reflect societal anxiety at the presence of refugees after the war.

Christie’s stance on Mitzi is unclear. Although Mitzi’s character highlights the serious topics of xenophobia and wartime atrocities, her depiction borders on caricature, and she is often utilized for comic purposes. For example, after the holdup, Mitzi presents “a picture of insane terror” as she screams while “still holding a chamois leather and a large fish slice” (36).

Mrs. Swettenham’s late husband worked for the Indian government—and, in India, she was accustomed to a privileged life with 18 servants. Since her husband’s death and returning to England, she has lived in reduced circumstances with her adult son, Edmund. Highlighting the theme of postwar austerity, she frequently remarks on the difficulty of making ends meet. Fear of losing her one servant makes her comically deferential to Mrs. Finch.

A nervous chatterer with “pretty little grey curls” (2), Mrs. Swettenham plays a role primarily of light comic relief. For example, when Craddock asks if she can prove that she was cleaning the gutter at the time of Miss Murgatroyd’s death, she responds, “[Y]ou can look at the gutter […] It’s beautifully clear” (268). She is an unlikely suspect, and one of Craddock’s more outlandish ideas is his theory that Mrs. Swettenham may be Sonia Goedler in a curly wig.

Mrs. Swettenham’s son is “a tall rather solemn young man with an anxious face and large spectacles” (147). While claiming he wants to write a serious, gritty novel, he spends most of his time lounging around and wooing Phillipa. His lack of direction in life underlines the novel’s contrast between youth and age, casting him as a “ne’er do well” son. However, by the end of the narrative, Edmund’s character has progressed. His success in writing a comic play, Elephants Do Forget, suggests he has matured.

Miss Hinchcliffe is a self-assured, practical woman who keeps farm animals. Physically, she is strong and energetic and is described in traditionally masculine terms: Her hair is cut in a “short man-like crop” (9), she wears “corduroy slacks and battledress tunic” (9), and speaks “in a powerful bellow” (87).

Miss Hinchcliffe lives with Miss Murgatroyd at Boulders. Her curt manner of speaking to her companion, referring to her as “Murgatroyd,” conceals genuine devotion. Her profound grief at Miss Murgatroyd’s murder is revealed in her “ravaged face.” Contemporary readings of A Murder Is Announced widely interpret Miss Hinchcliffe and Miss Murgatroyd as a couple, although Christie does not make this explicit. Miss Hinchcliffe’s attraction to women seems to be exhibited by her admiration of Phillipa: “I remember noticing what a nice flat back she has, and I thought to myself ‘that girl would look well on a horse’” (234). If this was Christie’s intention, her portrayal of a devoted lesbian couple was progressive, particularly in the context of a predominantly conservative genre.

Miss Murgatroyd’s temperament contrasts with that of her companion, Miss Hinchcliffe. She is effusive, sweet-natured, and disorganized. Lacking confidence in her abilities, she often looks to Miss Hinchliffe for guidance. Miss Murgatroyd is “fat and amiable,” and her absent-minded character is reflected in her disheveled “curly bird’s nest hair” (9). Her childlike naivety makes her murder seem all the more callous and senseless.

Christie’s novels frequently feature retired army officers, and Colonel Easterbrook fulfills this stock character. Recently returned from India, he believes himself an authority on all subjects, and his pompous characterization appears indirectly in his habit of twirling his mustache when feeling pleased with himself. A patriarchal figure, the Colonel infantilizes his young wife, Laura, referring to her as “kitten.”

Colonel Easterbrook’s first name is Archie, and the character may be a satire of Christie’s former husband, Colonel Archie Christie. Christie’s first husband left her for a younger woman, Nancy Neele; the split immediately preceded (and, scholars assume, precipitated) the author’s infamous 11-day disappearance in 1926. As the novel evolves, the author hints that Colonel Easterbrook is unwise and oblivious to his glamorous young wife’s ulterior motives for the marriage.

Colonel Easterbrook’s wife is considerably younger than he is, highlighting a theme of generational division. She flatters and indulges her husband, appearing to be in awe of him by “open[ing] her blue eyes very wide” (8). While the Colonel believes his wife to be unworldly and innocent, she manipulates her husband by appealing to his vanity. Mrs. Easterbrook’s “synthetic blonde” hair symbolizes how she is not who she appears to be. Rydesdale and Craddock discover her secret, yet the narrative never discloses the full nature of that secret.

Julian Harmon fulfills the stock role of the village vicar. He is a kindly man with a tendency to over-intellectualize his sermons. His wife, Diana, is the far more prominent character. Mrs. Harmon is the daughter of a good friend of Miss Marple’s. Consequently, she calls Miss Marple “Aunt Jane.” Mrs. Harmon is a cheerful, good-natured woman known by the nickname “Bunch” due to her round figure and face. She is one of several scatterbrained characters in the novel. Her husband describes her as being “rather like a little girl still” (13) while she happily professes herself “stupid.” However, her character is honest and forthright, as illustrated when she arrives at Little Paddocks and, without preamble, asks when the murder will take place. 

Belle Goedler is the dying widow of Letitia Blacklock’s former employer Randall Goedler. Belle is a foil to Charlotte Blacklock. Both have experienced long-term illnesses, but their attitude to their situation is very different. While Charlotte felt that her life of illness held no pleasures, Belle displays an “intense enjoyment and love of being alive” (174). Their difference in attitude, however, is not entirely due to personality, and it likely stems from the drastic difference in the nature and effect of their respective illnesses: Unlike Belle, Charlotte was driven to reclusiveness for fear of judgment against her altered appearance. Moreover, Belle’s financial circumstances involve extraordinary privilege and security, while Charlotte lived in a state of precarity while ill.

Rydesdale and Sir Henry are Inspector Craddock’s chief cohorts on the case. Rydesdale, Craddock’s boss, possesses quiet authority and is respected by his colleagues. His intelligence is reflected in his “shrewd eyes under rather bushy brows” (40), while Sir Henry Clithering is a “tall, distinguished-looking elderly man” (41). A retired commissioner of Scotland Yard, Sir Henry is a recurring character in the Miss Marple novels. He appears in the earlier novels Murder at the Vicarage (1930) and The Body in the Library (1942). Sir Henry is perceptive enough to recognize Miss Marple’s inherent talent as a detective, and he often serves as a mediator, advocating Miss Marple to police officers who initially resist her input into a case. In A Murder Is Announced, he recommends Miss Marple to his godson, Craddock.

Scherz is a petty thief from Switzerland who works as a receptionist at the Royal Spa Hotel. He acts as an unwitting catalyst in the novel when he recognizes Charlotte Blacklock and asks her for money. His actions begin a chain of events leading to his death. Miss Blacklock’s decision to kill Scherz emphasizes her irrational behavior under pressure, as he was unaware she was posing as her sister. Miss Marple points out that he was the ideal “fall guy,” as he was “full of cupidity and probably extremely credulous” (104).

As Scherz is not from England, his character also plays into the novel’s theme of anxiety. For example, Scherz’s girlfriend, Myrna, comically highlights the illogic of the xenophobia prevalent in British society after World War II: In her interview with Craddock, Myrna describes Scherz as more well-mannered and generous than the average Englishman, yet she suggests that the hotel should not have employed Scherz “[b]ecause you never know where you are with foreigners” (47).