Apparently, he was the man with the flashlight. Letitia's friend Bunny recognizes the victim as a foreign lad who worked as a clerk at the local hotel. When the lights are restored, there is a corpse on the floor. Suddenly, the room goes dark, the door is opened, and a man with a flashlight shouts: 'Stick 'em up!' Three gunshots are fired amid much screaming. The drawing room is full of people when seven o'clock arrives. Anticipating the arrival of curious villagers, Letitia opens a bottle of sherry and prepares to receive her guests. Little Paddocks is the home of Letitia Blacklock, a elderly woman who lives with two younger cousins, a dear friend, a widow who serves as gardener, and a housekeeper. It begins with a most unusual premise: A notice appears in the Chipping Cleghorn newspaper announcing that a murder will take place at Little Paddocks at 7:00 that evening.

The highlight of the Hickson series may be A Murder Is Announced, which aired in 1985 as a three-part episode. Her Marple can be warm and understanding-while simultaneously probing for a crack in a suspect's alibi. But whereas McKenzie showcased Miss Marple's soft side, Hickson admirably captures the elderly amateur detective's sharp intelligence and subtle interrogation skills. It's difficult to disagree, although I'm also fond of Julia McKenzie in a later television series. For many Agatha Christie fans, Joan Hickson's portrayal of Miss Jane Marple in the 1984-1992 British TV series is considered the definitive one.

Agatha christie's a murder is announced