"The finger pointing" - an affair with Miss Marple

A detective novel, which in Russia is known under the name "Perst pointing," was released in 1942 in the United States of America. Other of its names: "Vacation in Limstock," "The Fate of Destiny."

Author of the work

Agatha Christie is an English writer of the twentieth century. She is called the most famous author of detective prose. She published more than a hundred works. Among them were detective novels, plays, novels, psychological novels.

One of the characters that Christie created was an old maid named Miss Marple. The old woman is a collective image. She recalls heroines from the works of Braddon and Green. According to Agata, the prototype of the old detective was her own grandmother. The author of detectives loved her heroine very much. She considered her an old, intelligent English lady with traditional values.

For the first time Miss Marple appeared in the work "Evening Club" Tuesday ", which was published in 1927. In the novel "The finger pointing" the heroine as always investigates an intricate affair, without attracting special attention to her person.

origin of name

The novel received its name from one of the Rubai Persian poet Omar Khayyam. The translation of E. Fitzgerald was taken. Why does the title of the novel have several options?

Russian translation in the literal sense is not entirely understandable. This is due to the fact that this quatrain by Omar Khayyam sounds differently in the Russian version. Because of this, some translators allow themselves a fairly free translation. They tend to keep in touch with what is happening in the novel "The finger pointing".

Basic Characters

1. Miss Marple is an elderly woman, a friend of Maud Caltrop. I drove into the village at the request of a friend to help in the investigation of the confusing matter.
2. Gerald Burton is an aviation major who settled in the village to regain strength after an injury. The narrative is conducted on his behalf.
3. Joanna Burton is the pilot's sister. An attractive young lady.
4. Emily Barton is the owner of the house, which the Burtons rented for themselves.
5. Owen Griffith is a village doctor.
6. Aime Griffith is the doctor's own sister. A woman is notable for her energy.
7. Richard Simmington is a village lawyer in the second generation.
8. Mona Simmington - Richard's wife, brings up three children.
9. Megan Hunter is Mona's daughter from her first marriage. The girl is twenty years old, but she looks and behaves like a teenager. Mother worries about the future of her daughter.
10. Elsie Holland is the nanny of the children of Richard and Mona. The woman looks chic, but does not speak well.
11. Beatrice is the maid in the house of the Simmingtons. An honest girl who loves her young man.
12. Caleb Caltrop is a village vicar. Residents of Limstock respect Caleb for high moral standards.
13. Maud Caltrop is the vicar's wife.
14. Mr. Pye is a pensioner living in Limstock. In the olden years he was engaged in antiques.
15. Inspector Nash is investigating the crime. Gepostet of the authorities from Scotland Yard.

Like any work of Agatha Christie, "The finger pointing" has its own confusing and full of surprises story.

Short story

Gerald and his sister decided to rent a house to live a couple of months in the village. They gradually get acquainted with the inhabitants of Limstock, but one day they receive an anonymous letter. It says that Burton is not a relative, but a lover.

Later it turns out that many villagers received such accusations. Everyone starts to discuss violently those who received anonymous letters. The consequences of this behavior among the inhabitants of Limstock are afraid of Maud, and not in vain.

Soon the wife of a lawyer dies, she was poisoned with cyanide. The jury decided that there had been a suicide, which provoked an anonymous letter. The deceased was accused of having one of her children illegitimate.

In the village sent inspectors from Scotland Yard. He determines that the author of the anonymous letters is a female resident of Limstock. Investigation is almost not progressing, so the vicar's wife calls for help from his expert. This is how Miss Marple appears.

"The finger pointing" - a novel in which the shadow of suspicion falls on different people. Miss Marple studies all the circumstances and comes to the conclusion that the story with anonymous letters is nothing more than a way to divert attention from the preparation and conduct of a cold-blooded murder.

The old lady was right. The main reason for all this was the murder of Mona Simmington. Thus, the husband decided to get rid of the bored and eternally nervous wife. His ideal plan was broken by the maid, who that day fell out with her young man.

The screen version of the novel

The story of Miss Marple ("Pointing finger") has two screen versions:

• In 1985, the British television series about an elderly lady, who easily unraveled the most incredible crimes, was published. The main role was played by Joan Hickson. The novel became the basis for the second series.
• In 2004, a television series with Geraldine McEwen was created in England. The film "Pointing finger" became the third series of the project.