description The Moving Finger Overview
The Moving Finger is a 1943 detective novel by Agatha Christie featuring Miss Marple. After Jerry Burton and his sister Joanna move to the village of Lymstock, they become targets of anonymous letters accusing residents of concealed misconduct, and the campaign is followed by apparent suicide and murder. Miss Marple enters relatively late in the story, applying her knowledge of human behavior to identify the purpose behind the letters and the crimes surrounding them.
insights Ranking position
The Moving Finger ranks #34 of 183 in the Detective Novel ranking, behind The Fifth Woman, ahead of The Trespasser.
help The Moving Finger FAQ
Why do Jerry and Joanna Burton move to Lymstock in The Moving Finger?
Jerry Burton moves to the village to recover after an aviation accident, accompanied by his sister Joanna. Their quiet convalescence is disrupted when they receive one of Lymstock's anonymous poison-pen letters.
How central is Miss Marple to The Moving Finger?
Miss Marple enters relatively late, after the anonymous letters have been linked to death and suspicion. She is not the principal narrator, but her understanding of village behavior proves decisive.
What do the anonymous letters accuse people of in The Moving Finger?
The letters spread crude allegations about affairs, parentage, and concealed misconduct among Lymstock residents. Their apparent factual errors initially make them look like indiscriminate malice rather than targeted blackmail.
Is The Moving Finger narrated by Miss Marple?
No, the story is narrated by Jerry Burton, an outsider observing Lymstock while recuperating. This makes the 1943 novel feel partly like a village memoir before Miss Marple assumes the detective role.
explore Explore More
Reviews & Comments
Write a Review
Be the first to review
Share your thoughts with the community and help others make better decisions.
