Jane Marple

This site dedicated to Hercule Poirot and Agatha Christie wouldn't be complete without some focus on Jane Marple. The elderly spinster from the fictitious village of St. Mary Mead (appearing in twelve novels and in twenty short stories) ranks as many readers' second favorite detective next to Poirot.

Miss Marple (as she is affectionately known) is a tall, thin woman of between 65 and 70 years of age. She has white snowy hair, pale blue eyes, and a pinkish wrinkled face. Two of her hobbies (and subjects of conversation) are bird watching and gardening, and she is often seen carrying knitting needles and yarn. Never married, Miss Marple has a young nephew Raymond who is a novelist. Miss Marple was based on the old ladies Christie remembered when she was a child.

Miss Marple is known amongst readers as a very astute and discerning observer of human nature. Her comments on human nature is generally the same message, such as: "I am afraid I am not clever myself, but living all these years in St. Mary Mead does give one an insight into human nature" (short story "The Tuesday Night Club"). A common habit of hers is to compare people to one another, always finding parallels in their lives (whether is it a character trait or life event they share). She also genuinely does not trust people. She said once: "It really is very dangerous to believe people. I never have for years" (Sleeping Murder).