CENTRAL COLLEGES OF THE PHILIPPINES

HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

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1

A Murder Is Announced

by: Agatha Christie

A Book Review
Presented to the
Faculty of Senior High School
Central Colleges of the Philippines

In partial fulfillment of
the requirements in EN11–III:
Reading and Writing.

Submitted by:
Roseanne E. Sacasan

Submitted to:
Reynaline Ann S. Corcuera

March 23, 2018

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Background of the Author …………………………………………………… 3

II. Vocabulary Words ……….…………………………………………... 4
III. Setting ……….…………………………………………... 5
IV. Character List ……….…………………………………………... 6
V. Plot ……….…………………………………………... 7
A. Introduction ……….…………………………………………... 7
B. Rising Action ……….…………………………………………... 8
C. Climax ……….………………………………………….... 8
D. Falling Action ……….………………………………………….... 9
E. Denouement ……….…………………………………………… 10
VI. Theme ……….………………………………………….... 11
VII. Motif ……….…………………………………………… 12
VIII. Symbols ……….…………………………………………… 13
IX. Remarkable Lines ……….…………………………………………… 14
X. Conclusion ……….…………………………………………… 15
XI. Reference ……….…………………………………………… 16
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I. Background of the Author

Agatha Christie is a mystery writer. She is one of the world’s top-selling authors
with works like Murder on the Orient Express and The Mystery of the Blue Train. She is
best known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, as well as the
world’s longest-running play – a murder mystery, The Mousetrap, and six romances
under the name Mary Westmacott.

Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller, or Agatha Christie is an English writer. Born on

September 15, 1890 in Torquay, Devon, England, United Kingdom with a wealthy upper-
middle-class family. She is the youngest of three siblings and educated at home by her
mother, who embolden her to write. She enjoyed creating characters and fantasy play.
Agatha got married and make a family in London. Her life changed when her first book
entitled The Mysterious Affair at Styles, featuring Hercule Poirot, was published in 1920.
She became one of the most famous writers in the world. Guinness World Records lists
Christie as the best-selling novelist of all time. She sold more than two billion copies of
her novel and comes third in the rankings of the world’s most-widely published books,
behind only Shakespeare’s works and the Bible.

Agatha Christie achieved Britain’s highest honor when she was made a Dame of
the British Empire in 1971. Her last public appearance for the opening night of the play
version of Murder on the Orient Express was in 1974. Her health began weakened and
suffers from Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia. Agatha Christie died on January 12,
1976 at the age of 85.
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II. Vocabulary Words

1. Euphemistically (n) - a mild or pleasant word or phrase that is used instead of one that
is unpleasant or offensive
2. Garrulous (adj.) - tending to talk a lot
- very talkative
3. Higgledy-piggledy (adv.) - in a messy way
- without order
4. Judiciously (adj.) - having or showing good judgment
5. Ménage (n) - a domestic establishment
- household; also: housekeeping
6. Preposterous (adj.) - very foolish or silly
- contrary to nature, reason or common sense
7. Skepticism (n) - an attitude of doubting the truth of something (such as a claim or
statement)
8. Tempestuous (adj) - affected by a tempest
- full of strong emotions (such as anger or excitement)
9. Unorthodox (adj) - different from what is usually done or accepted
10. Wraith (n) - the spirit of a dead person
- the exact likeness of a living person seen usually just before death as an
apparition
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III. Settings

1. Little Paddocks (October 29th; 6:30 pm)

All the neighbors of Miss Letitia Blacklock gathered together in her house,
Little Paddocks, after they saw the invitation written in the newspaper. At 6:30 pm,
the clock starts to chime and the lights went out. There's a man standing in the
doorway and telling to put their hands up. Then he fired two shots at Miss Blacklock.
The man whirled around his flashlight to see the entire person inside the room. The
flashlight went out and there's another shot. The lights came on. They saw the blood
coming from the ear of Miss Blacklock and the body of the dead man.

2. Royal Spa Hotel (October 30th)

The inspector who’s in charge in the case went to Royal Spa Hotel to identify
the deceased. Rudi Scherz, is one of the employees at Royal Spa Hotel. looking for
some information about this man.
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IV. Character

A. Major Characters
1. Miss Jane Marple – older women, staying at the spa
2. Inspector Dermot Craddock – in charge of the case
3. Letitia Blacklock - owner of the house, Little Paddock
4. Dora Bunner - childhood friend of Miss Blacklock, usually known by her
nickname, "Bunny"
5. Patrick Simmons - spoiled and foolish young cousins of Miss Blacklock
6. and Julia Simmons - spoiled and foolish young cousins of Miss Blacklock
7. Mitzi - housekeeper and cook at Little Paddocks
8. Phillipa Haymes – assistant gardener at Dayas Hall

B. Minor Character
1. Colonel Archie Easterbrook - blustery old colonel just returned from India
2. Laura Easterbrook - his considerably younger, glamorous wife
3. Mrs. Swettenham - elderly lady who dotes on her son, Edmund
4. Edmund Swettenham - a writer
5. Miss Hinchcliffe - lady farmer
6. Miss Amy Murgatroyd - Miss Hinchcliffe's sweet-disposition, giggly companion
7. Belle Goedler - dying widow of Letitia's former wealthy employer
8. Julian Harmon - the vicar
9. Diana "Bunch" Harmon - the vicar's wife
10. Rudi Scherz - a young man of Swiss extraction, the receptionist at a local spa
11. Myrna Harris - girlfriend of the latter, waitress at local spa
12. Chief Constable George Rydesdale - Craddock's superior, Chief Constable of
Middleshire
13. Detective Sergeant Fletcher - assisting Inspector Craddock
14.
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V. Plot

A. Introduction

Every morning of Friday, each house on the village of Chipping Cleghorn

received a copy of Chipping Cleghorn Gazette (newspaper). This particular Friday, October
29th is quite different on other Fridays. There's old Mrs. Swettenham and her son Edmund.
Edmund writes and is the intellectual type. Colonel and Mrs. Easterbrook are an elderly
couple. Mr. Easterbrook is a former military man. Mrs. Easterbrook is a sweet yet simple-
minded woman. Miss Murgatroyd and Miss Hinchcliffe. They are two elderly widows
providing each other support and company in their old age. Lastly, Pastor and Mrs.
Harmon. They are all reading the newspaper while having a breakfast.

While reading the newspaper, they all notice something strange, a murder
announcement. It tells that there will be a murder and it will take place on Friday, October
29th, at Little Paddocks, at 6:30 P.M. Most of the citizens of Chipping Cleghorn that read
the advertisement believe that the announcement is just a game, and not an actual murder.
Miss Blacklock which is the owner of the house, Little Paddocks, and other people in the
house also notice the advertisement. They were surprise on the text that is written there.
Miss Blacklock thinks that it is Patrick Simmons’s (her cousin) idea but it’s not. They were
all worried on that silly notice in the Gazette.

However dangerous as it might be, all the neighbors of Miss Blacklock still
gathered on her house. Not minding what will happen to them after these. They just want to
know if this announcement is true or just a joke.
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B. Rising Action

Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks, Miss Blacklock prepared to that

announcement since it says that it will held on her place. Household by household,
everyone arrives at Little Paddocks before 6:30 P.M. The people beliving at Little Paddock
are Miss Blacklock, her old school friend Miss Dora Bunner, and her second cousin's
children Julia and Patrick Simmons. The maid, Mitzi, is the paranoid refugee from the war
and Phillipa Haymes as a billet there, she’s a assistant gardener at Dayas Hall.

Everyone still considers the whole situation a joke. The little clock on the
mantelpiece starts to chime. Everybody was silent and nobody moved. They all stared at
the clock. Then, quite suddenly, the lights went out. There's a man standing in the doorway
and telling to put their hands up. Then he fired two shots at Miss Blacklock. The man
whirled around his flashlight to see the entire person inside the room. The flashlight went
out and there's another shot. The lights came on. They saw the blood coming from the ear
of Miss Blacklock and the body of the dead man.

C. Climax

The neighbors realize the advertisement was not a game—the man really was
killed. Bunny recognizes the dead man as someone who previously asked for money to get
back to Switzerland but Miss Blacklock didn’t give him. His name is Rudi Scherz. The
police and detectives arrived. The case is brought to Inspector Craddock, after a short
investigation, they decide that it was a suicide or a bizarre robbery gone wrong. But
Inspector Craddock is not convinced that the murder happened is a suicide. A full
investigation takes place. Inspector Craddock consider everybody a possible suspect.

The man who is killed which is Rudi Scherz, a receptionist at a local hotel.
Craddock, the Inspector, brings Miss Marple into the investigation, because they both
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disagreed that the event was a suicide or an accidental death. He interviews the scene and
all the people who were involved in the crime. After interviewing the neighbors and
residents of Little Paddock, Craddock determines that Miss Blacklock had something the
killer wanted. He finds out that she will have large sum of money from her old boss’s wife.
Her boss had no one else to give his money and properties. If Miss Blacklock die first, the
money will be given to the step-children of her boss’s sister—Pip and Emma.

Craddock, with the help of Miss Marple, starts investigating everyone

involved. The more they discover, the more dangerous the situation seems to get. Miss
Marple and Craddock finds out that Scherz has a criminal past, though he had never
committed a violent crime. He discovered that Scherz had been paid to pretend he was
holding up Miss Blacklock, not knowing the he was the one going to be shot.

D. Falling Action

The investigation is still moving. Craddock discovers that the door at Little
Paddocks has being oiled. They were suspecting that the murderer embarked there. More
people are killed. Miss Bunner dies after taking some of Letitia’s aspirin. Letitia is very
upset because her friend died. Miss Marple visits her and asks to see pictures of Emma and
Pip's mother, Sonia, but they are all missing, though they were in place before Scherz was
killed. A third murder happens to Miss Murgatroyd who is a spinster and lives with Miss
Hinchcliffe. She remembers that she could see who was in the room right before the
shooting, and tries to remember who was absent—and therefore who the murderer was.
However, she is killed before she can reveal the real murderer. With the death count
growing and time running out, the truth must be discovered.

Inspector Craddock called everyone again at Little Paddocks to ask them again
about the murder happened. That will be the last, the final round of questioning. Mitzi calls
out that Miss Blacklock is the murderess. She’s behind to all killings. But Craddock didn’t
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believe on her. Everyone thinks that Mitzi is a liar because she’s always making a story.
She is sent into the kitchen and the meeting continues. Inspector Craddock reveals that
Edmund is actually Pip, and he and his mother were both present at the shooting, they must
be the murderer. But Craddock is incorrect. Phillipa claims to be Pip. She admits that she is
Pip, daughter of Sonia. Inspector Craddock says that Edmund was trying to marry Phillipa
in order to get the inheritance once Letitia was dead. Edmund said that it is a lie. Their
confusion is interrupted; they heard a scream from the kitchen.

E. Denouement

Everyone enters in the kitchen. They find Miss Letitia trying to drown Mitzi in
the sink. She is arrested, and Miss Marple reveals that she is not Letitia Blacklock—Letitia
died in Switzerland—but rather her sister, Charlotte, impersonating her to get the
inheritance. She did those horrible things because she’s blinded to thought of huge amount
of money. Charlotte took Letita's place after she died in Switzerland in order to get the
inheritance. Scherz had to be killed because he worked at the hospital where Charlotte had
a surgery, and he knew her. She hired him to act as the holdup man and blew the fuses by
pouring water on the frayed cord. She slipped out and shot Scherz from behind. She cut her
own ear with scissors in order to draw attention away from herself. It is revealed that
Bunny was killed because she knew that Charlotte was a fake. Miss Murgatroyd was killed
because she had figured out that Letitia's face had not been revealed by the torch light when
the door opened.

In order to draw out the murderer, Miss Marple convinced Mitzi to declare she
had seen the murder. Edmund was also in on the ruse, but Phillipa was not, and her
announcement almost messed up the mousetrap. At the end of the book Letita is arrested,
Pip and Emma inherit the fortune, and Edmund and Pip get married.
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VI. Theme

A Murder is Announced – is one of the sequel of Miss Marple mystery story

written by Agatha Christie. It is a detective fiction, a crime novel. It's about the murder
game that happened in Chipping Cleghorn and Inspector Craddock is not convinced that
the murder happened is a suicide. With the help of Miss Marple, the best player on
finding a real corpse, they find out what happened that day and reveal the real murderer.
The murdered did this because of money. She got blinded because of money. It shows
how powerful the influence of money that can change a person into a different person.
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VII. Motifs

The motif that was seen in the novel, A Murder is Announced, is the murder game
that announced in the Chipping Cleghorn Gazette (newspaper) was a joke. All the houses in
the village of Chipping Cleghorn received a newspaper. They saw the advertisement telling
that there will be a murder and they all think that it was a silly joke. No one believes that
this murder game is real. Words are repeatedly in chapters one and two. Also, it can be
found once or twice in other chapters. That’s the motif that was seen and use by the author,
Agatha Christie, in her novel entitled A Murder Is Announced.
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VIII. Symbols

These are several symbols that are shown in the novel.

1. Dead flowers (Chapter 5)

Some people believed that life is as beautiful as a flower. The dead
flower shown in the novel someone will die.

2. Cake (Chapter 15)

At first, the cake was a friendly gift of Miss Blacklock for Dora
Banner. At the end, it became a farewell gift to his friend for knowing the truth.

3. Miss Letitia Blacklock’s Actions (Whole Chapter)

All those things that Miss Blacklock did show that human greed can
surpass anything. She sacrificed friendship for the sake of hiding her true identity.

1.
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IX. Remarkable Lines

1. "A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little
Paddocks, at 6:30 p.m. Friends please accept this, the only intimation."
– Advertisement in Chipping Cleghorn Gazette (Chapter 1)

2. “Get them all together at a particular place at a particular time, then hold them up and
relieve them of their spare cash and valuables. As an idea, it’s not without originality.”
– George Rydesdale (Chapter 4)

3. "The truth of the matter is that the facts are indisputable. Whatever conflicting details
these people give, they all saw one thing. They saw a masked man with a revolver and
a flashlight open the door and hold them up, and whether they think he said, 'Stick 'em
up,' or 'Your money or your life,' or whatever phrase is associated with a holdup in
their minds, they saw him." "But surely," "They couldn't- actually-have seen anything
at all... "
– Miss Jane Marple (Chapter 8)

4. "I suppose I only knew it from what they've told me... But I really refuse to suspect
them. Someday I might be worth murdering, but not now."
– Miss Letitia Blacklock (Chapter 10)

5. "At her age one does not have birthdays. It is better to forget."
– Mitzi (Chapter 15)

6. "One forgets how human murderers are."

– Julian Harmon (Chapter 23)
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X. Conclusions

After reading the entire novel, I can say that this book is very interesting because
the plot is very different to other mystery stories. Compared to other novels, the
protagonist and antagonist is a different person, but in this book, the protagonist and
antagonist is the same person. It shows how powerful the influence of money that can
change a person into the different person. The plot is very common in the real happenings
in the world. Some people don’t care on money but some are got blinded on it. We all
know that money is one of the very important things that we need in order for us to live.
It became one of the reasons why people do such a thing even though that it can affect or
harm their lives.

The story was really amazing. The plot twist, the characters that involved here, the
dedication and hard work of the people to know the real murderer, etc. Since it occurs in
reality, I hope that it teach us a lesson and learn on some things. Also, I hope that this
novel will help us to be aware in our surroundings. Money can help us, but it can also
destroy us. Don’t be blind when in terms of money.

I highly recommend this book to every bookworm out there, especially the fan of
mystery novels or stories. I also recommend this book to everyone who wants to know
the story. This was really amazing and exciting. Some words are quite difficult to
understand but I suggest that try to look on the meaning of it. It will help you to learn
more words and enhance your knowledge.
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XI. References

Sources

https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-summary-murder-announced-480882
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie
http://www.supersummary.com/a-murder-is-announced/summary/
https://www.biography.com/.amp/people/agatha-christie-9247405
Merriam-Webster Dictionary