Lucy Foley writes first full-length Miss Marple novel in 50 years
Lucy Foley has written the first full-length Miss Marple novel in 50 years, set in post-war Switzerland and commissioned at the request of Agatha Christie's family.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Lucy Foley has written the first full-length Miss Marple novel in 50 years, a project commissioned at the request of Agatha Christie's family. The book returns to the elderly detective created by Christie, who had been the only writer to take Miss Marple beyond the short story on the page until now.
The new novel is set in the Alps in post-war Switzerland and keeps the same Miss Marple in the same time period. It was not commissioned as an imitation of Christie. The aim was a modern take and a modern style, while keeping a recognisable Miss Marple. Foley, a best-selling thriller writer, uses first-person narration and multiple narrators.
Foley said she loves that Miss Marple uses her invisibility as an older woman as her superpower. The character disappears into the background and uses people's ageism and sexism to blind them to her brilliance. Asked whether that theme still speaks today, Foley said society is perhaps more obsessed with youth than ever. She said there is still a depressing idea that older women are less capable, less relevant and less visible, and that Miss Marple is back to refute that.
Miss Marple has appeared on screen in many different guises, from a bold and eccentric heroine to a softly spoken but steely spinster. The new novel is the first full-length Marple written in 50 years. The report also placed the book in the context of a murder mystery boom: the first episode of the new series of Celebrity Traitors drew nine million viewers last week. Foley said Miss Marple would do well on the show because she would disappear into the background, while Poirot would be straight off because he would tell everyone he is the greatest detective.
Before Miss Marple sorts out the castle, she has a murder to solve in the Alps.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| Lucy Foley wrote the first full-length Miss Marple novel in 50 years. | |
| The author's family requested that the novel be written. | |
| The novel is set in the Alps in post-Second World War Switzerland and retains the same Miss Marple and time period. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV1 treated the story as a warm end-of-bulletin arts and entertainment item, with a report by Charlie Frost. It focused on the 50-year gap since the last full-length Marple novel, the Christie family's request for Foley, and Foley's argument that Miss Marple's invisibility as an older woman is a superpower. It also touched on screen portrayals, the novel's post-war Alpine setting, and the current murder mystery boom, but gave no title, publisher or publication date.
- “And finally tonight, the welcome return of one of our favourite sleuths.”
- “I love that she uses her invisibility as an older woman as her superpower.”
- “Set in the Alps in a post-World War II Switzerland, it's the same Miss Marple set in the same time period”
Broadcast Timeline
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