The Moving Finger

This book was first published in 1943 and so Agatha was well into her writing career when it was produced.

The novel is narrated first hand by Jerry Burton who, together with his sister Joanna, head to the quiet west country town of Lymstock as he recovers from injuries after an air crash. Although it isn't explicitly stated, the implication is that the injuries were picked up in a recently ended war.

As with so many of Agatha's books there are lots of interesting period features that tell of an age so different from our own. Firstly, there is the obvious gap between Londoners and those in the country. Londoners are regarded as an exotic breed, not to be trusted entirely and with looser morals. Country people are solid, dependable and dull. The book also contains what to modern readers might be shocking attitudes to domestic staff and of course women. But the past is a foreign country to which we can only visit.

The Burton's rent a house from an imporverished genteel women, Miss Barton and take on her wonderfully taciturn and disapproving servant Partridge. The Barton's quickly discover that beneath the sleepy appearance of the town, disturbing events are afoot. In particular, vicious and crude poison pen letters are cicrulating. These lead to one suspected suicide and shortly afterwards a murder.

Jerry Barton involves himself in the investigation and a whole cast of characters is paraded before us to ensure readers are kept guessing as to who the criminal is.

Miss Marple makes her appearance quite late in the novel and seems more enigmatic than ever but it seems to work and as you would expect there is a satisfying resolution to the case.