The Moving Finger: Book Review

Today, we will be reviewing The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie, the third Miss Marple novel. Keep reading to find out what we thought of this novel and if you should add it to your reading list!

The Moving Finger Summary 

Jerry and Joanna Burton, brother and sister, move to a house in the quiet town of Lymstock which is owned by Miss Emily Barton. Shortly after moving, they receive an anonymous letter with false allegations. 

Soon after, Jerry learns that most of the residents of Lymstock have also received similar letters. One of the recipients Mrs Symmington, is found dead after receiving a letter. Her death is ruled a suicide and blamed on the anonymous letters. 

Who is sending the letters and what is their motive? Will the mystery be solved? Jerry tries to solve the murder mystery but things take a turn when another person is found dead, this time murdered. Why was she killed? To solve this murder, Miss Marple is called in. Can she solve this mystery that has the town of Lymstock confused?

Commentary

The Moving Finger was released first in the U.S. in 1942 and in the U.K in 1943, a reversal from the typical pattern. The novel gets its title from of Edward FitzGerald’s translation of the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám. 

The title is not my favorite and could have been a little more creative. Critics liked the novel and the public reception for this novel was positive. And for the most part, the novel is enjoyable. It does take a while to get into the mystery at hand but once it does, it is impossible to put the novel down.

While this is a Miss Marple novel, she isn’t in most of the novel. She makes a guest appearance to solve the mystery and leaves. It feels like this novel wasn’t a Miss Marple novel but she added her at the end to wrap it all up. The novel feels different from your typical Christie novel and I always enjoy seeing her trying different styles of writing. 

Conclusion

I’ve been reading a Christie novel at least once a week and this one was one of the better ones. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to correctly guess the murderer. There are clues in this novel and if you have read a Christie novel, then you know there’s always a twist. I enjoyed this book and recommend it for mystery lovers. Happy reading! 

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook