File Size: 841 KB
Print Length: 224 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0062073613
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (September 16, 2003)
Publication Date: September 16, 2003
Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
The Body in the Library is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and first published in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in February 1942[1] and in UK by the Collins Crime Club in May of the same year.[2] The US edition retailed at $2.00[1] and the UK edition at seven shillings and sixpence (7/6).[2] The novel features her fictional amateur detective, Miss Marple.
Agatha Christie's genius for detective fiction is unparalleled. Her worldwide popularity is phenomenal, her characters engaging, her plots spellbinding. No one knows the human heart—or the dark passions that can stop it—better than Agatha Christie. She is truly the one and only Queen of Crime.
The Body in the Library
The body of a beautiful blonde is found in the library of Gossington Hall. What the young woman was doing in the quiet village of St. Mary Mead is precisely what Jane Marple means to find out. Amid rumors of scandal, Miss Marple baits a clever trap to catch a ruthless killer. The story starts at Gossington Hall with Mrs Dolly Bantry waking up from a pleasant dream, and noticing that the maid has not been in yet. Suddenly, the maid, Mary, dashes in, tearful and breathless, and informs Mrs Bantry that there is a body in the library, before running out again. Colonel Arthur Bantry goes downstairs and learns from his butler, Lorrimer, that there is indeed a body in the library. He calls Constable William Palk and Mrs Bantry calls her friend, Miss Marple (revealing that the victim has been strangled).
Miss Marple is picked up by Mrs Bantry and taken to Gossington to see the body. It is a young girl with platinum blonde hair, heavily applied make-up and painted nails, wearing an old but glittery satin evening dress of rather poor quality, with silver sandals. Soon the police arrive, the senior officers being Inspector Slack and Colonel-Commissioner Terence Melchett, the Chief Constable of the county. Nobody recognises the body.
Miss Marple tells Mrs Bantry that a good suspect would be the Bantrys' neighbour, Basil Blake, the son of an old school friend of Dolly's, who is disliked intensely by Colonel Bantry. Basil is working at Lemville Studios in the art department, designing props. Basil is well known for dating a young platinum blonde, Dinah Lee. Melchett visits Basil but soon discovers that Dinah is not the murder victim when she arrives and argues with Basil (Basil's alibi is that he was at a studio party from 9:00 pm to 5:00 am). The autopsy reveals that the girl was strangled with the belt of her own dress, and that death took place between 10:00 and 12:00 at night. She had been heavily drugged, and, despite her tarty appearance, died a virgin.
Subsequently the body is thought to be Ruby Keene, an 18-year-old dancer who worked at a hotel called the Majestic in the nearby seaside resort of Danemouth. The body is identified by Ruby's cousin and colleague, Josephine "Josie" Turner, who explains that she is a dancer and bridge hostess at the Majestic and had asked Ruby to fill in as dance hostess, due to Josie suffering ankle injuries. Ruby would just dance with guests and give exhibition dances with Raymond Starr, the tennis and dancing professional. But the previous night Ruby had gone missing and so Josie had to do the dancing. After Josie has visited Gossington, Mrs Bantry realises that the one who called the police was Conway Jefferson, an old friend of the Bantrys. Conway's wife, son, and daughter (Margaret, Frank and Rosamund) all were killed in a plane crash over France. Conway's legs were both so badly injured they were amputated. He lives with Frank's widow, Adelaide; Rosamund's widower, Mark Gaskell; and Peter Carmody, Adelaide's son from her first marriage. Mrs Bantry and Miss Marple go to Danemouth to stay at the Majestic and find the killer. As Danemouth is in the neighbouring county of Glenshire, Melchett and Slack are working with Superintendent Harper of the Glenshire police. Melchett and Harper interview Conway and discover that he had spent a lot of time with Ruby, become infatuated with her and was going to adopt her, disinherit Mark and Adelaide, and settle £50,000 on her when she came of age and leave to her his entire fortune. Despite strong motives, Mark and Adelaide have alibis. They were playing bridge watching Ruby dancing. Melchett and Harper interview a hotel guest George Bartlett who was the last one to see Ruby alive and who has had his car stolen.
Author Agatha Christie
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Genre Crime novel
Publisher Dodd, Mead and Company
Publication date
1942
Media type Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages 245 pp (first edition, hardcover)
I think my mother-in-law read every Agatha Christie that was ever printed.
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