History Literature / AMurderIsAnnounced

''A Murder Is Announced'' is a 1950 mystery novel by Creator/AgathaChristie.

Agatha Christie's 50th book. It has been adapted into several movies and miniseries, including a [[{{Series/Marple}} 2005 adaptation on ITV]], and stage and radio plays.

* AmbiguouslyGay: It's implied that Miss Murgatroyd and Miss Hinchcliffe are lesbians partners. They live together and have a relationship that comes across as a couple, and Miss Hinchcliffe is filled with violent rage when Miss Murgatroyd is killed. Miss Hinchcliffe is also described as rather mannish, and at one point says that she hates men.

* DidNotGetTheGirl: [[spoiler:Patrick.]]

* HaveaGayOldTime: The police use the word "pussy" to describe older women who gossip a lot and know everything. This leads to Henry Clithering describing Miss Marple as "my own particular, one and only, four-starred pussy. The super pussy of all old pussies."

* LegFocus: Julia sticks out "a well-shaped leg in a sheer stocking" and proclaims "I've got my best stockings on."

* LightsOffSomebodyDies: The one you would least expect.

Published in 1950 as Creator/AgathaChristie's 50th book and adapted into several movies and miniseries, including a [[{{Series/Marple}} 2005 adaptation on ITV]], and stage and radio plays.

* CulturalTranslation: When the 1985 miniseries was dubbed in Hungarian, Hungary was still a socialist country and part of the Soviet-influenced Eastern Bloc. Edmund Swettenham's affinity for communism being depicted as an idle rich man's ridiculous hobby wouldn't have sat very well with authorities of the time; thus, he was changed into an anarchist.
* DeadpanSnarker: In the 1985 adaptation, during the conversation at the Bluebird Cafe, Bunny mentions Edmund Swettenham is a communist, to which Miss Marple mutters into her cup, "Well, he must be quite lonely in Chipping Cleghorn."

* LampshadeHanging: The 1985 BBC television adaptation introduces several examples.

* LittleOldLadyInvestigates: Miss Marple is of course the TropeCodifier, but she's also aware about it: "A policeman asking questions is open to the gravest of suspicion, but an old lady asking questions is just an old lady asking questions."

So goes the advertisement that stirs up the sleepy little village of Chipping Cleghorn. That night, a dozen people come together to witness the murder, including the inhabitants of Little Paddocks, all of them equally clueless about the situation. Or are they? When the clock strikes six thirty, the lights go out and a man bursts into the room with a flashlight, yelling "Stick 'em up!" Though the people all react differently, they still think it's just a game -- until three gunshots are fired. Two of the bullets hit the wall and injure the hostess, while the third one hits and kills... the intruder.

Published in 1950 as Creator/AgathaChristie's 50th book and adapted into several movies and miniseries, including a [[{{Series/Marple}} 2005 adaptation on ITV]].

* HypocriticalHumor: In the 1985 version, the exchange in which the sulky waitress Julia hears Bunch Harmon quoting the line "Julia, pretty Julia is peculiar" and tells her she's not a Peculiar (she's always been a good C of E, thank you very much) ends with Julia saying "Thank you very much, [[AccidentalMisnaming Mrs Marple]]." Miss Marple does a double take.

* DeathByRegognition: Miss Murgatroyd falls victim to this while in her garden taking down the clothes. This dialogue is cut in the TV adaptations (since the murderer's voice would give them away).

* RedHerring: The [[spoiler:death of Philippa Haymes' husband in a car accident]] turns out to be completely incidental, and has nothing to do with the main murder plot.

* BlackMarket: Due to England maintaining rationing after the end of World War II, most of the village of Chipping Cleghorn have an illegal barter system to obtain rare foodstuffs from the nearby farmers. Hinchliffe trades her pigs' bacon to obtain surplus butter to trade to the villagers for their surplus supplies; Edmund uses honey in exchange for Phillippa's vegetable marrows (zucchini and squash). Their reluctance in talking of this around the police results in minor red herrings, cleared up when Bunch explains the system to Detective Craddock.

* AdaptationalNameChange: Mitzi is renamed Hannah in the Joan Hickson adaptation; and the vicar's cat Tiglath Pileser is renamed Delilah.

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: Patrick is generally more likable in the Joan Hickson adaptation, and is shown to be worthier of [[spoiler:Emma]].

** In the 1985 BBC version with Joan Hickson, [[spoiler:averted.]]

* SplitEdit: In the 1985 miniseries, when Inspector Craddock goes around questioning all the witnesses, Colonel Easterbrook confidently "solves" the mystery in a dramatic monologue, while his wife nods along and praises him. The next scene cuts to Hinch and Murgatroyd's farm, but the sound of pigs snorting can already be heard while the camera shows Craddock's face as he listens to the Colonel's drivel.

** A minor aversion that is PlayedForLaughs. While dining with Miss Marple, Bunch Harmon mentions Julia Simmons and quotes a line of poetry, "Julia, pretty Julia is peculiar", at which instance the sulky waitress, who is also called Julia, assumes Bunch is talking about her and takes offense, before Bunch clears up the misunderstanding.

* FairPlayWhodunit: As she explains at the end, Miss Marple was able to deduce the identity of the killer immediately, based on information that was also available to the reader; she only needed evidence and the motive. [[spoiler: The murder had to take place in complete darkness, therefore the fireplace couldn't be lit, therefore the central heating had to be turned on, which could only be arranged by Miss Blacklock.]] It's especially cheeky on Christie's part, as this information isn't just mentioned in a throwaway half-sentence, but rather something that almost every character mentions at some point, everybody openly wondering and discussing [[spoiler: the huge cost of using the central heating to heat a single room with a fireplace for party guests]].

* FairPlayWhodunit: As she explains at the end, Miss Marple was able to deduce the identity of the killer immediately, based on information that was also available to the reader; she only needed evidence and the motive. [[spoiler: The murder had to take place in complete darkness, therefore the fireplace couldn't be lit, therefore the central heating had to be turned on, which could only be arranged by Miss Blacklock.]] It's especially cheeky on Christie's part, as this information isn't just mentioned in a throwaway half-sentence, but rather something that almost every character mentions at some point, everybody openly wondering and discussing the huge cost of using the central heating to heat a single room with a fireplace for party guests.

* FairPlayWhodunit: As she explains at the end, Miss Marple was able to deduce the identity of the killer immediately, based on information that was also available to the reader; she only needed evidence and the motive. [[spoiler: The murder had to take place in complete darkness, therefore the fireplace couldn't be lit, therefore the central heating had to be turned on, which could only be arranged by Miss Blacklock.]] It's especially cheeky on Christie's part, as this information isn't just mentioned in a throwaway half-sentence, but rather something that almost every character mentions at some point.