Description

The Moving Finger - Agatha Christie

Jerry and Joanna Burton, a brother and sister from London, take residence in Miss Barton's country house in the quiet town of Lymstock, for the last phase of his recovery. Jerry, a pilot, was injured in a plane crash. Shortly after moving in and meeting their neighbours, they receive an anonymous letter that makes the false accusation that the pair are lovers, not siblings. The Burtons quickly learn that such poison pen letters have been received by many in town. Despite the letters containing false accusations, many in town are quite upset by them and fear something worse to happen. Mrs Symmington, the wife of the local solicitor, is found dead after receiving a letter, stating that her husband, Mr Dick Symmington, was not the father of their second son. Her body is discovered with the letter, a glass containing potassium cyanide, and a torn scrap of paper which reads "I can't go on". While the inquest rules that her death was suicide, the police begin a hunt for the anonymous letter writer. Her daughter, Megan Hunter, an awkward, 20-year-old, stays with the Burtons for a while after the loss of her mother.

The Burtons' maid, Partridge, receives a call from Agnes, the Symmingtons' maidservant, who is distraught and seeks advice. She fails to arrive for the planned meeting, nor is she found at Symmington's when Jerry calls in the evening to check on Agnes. The following day, her body is discovered in the under-stairs cupboard by Megan Hunter. An investigator arrives from Scotland Yard to investigate the murder. He concludes that the letter-writer/murderer is a middle-aged woman among the prominent citizens of Lymstock. Progress in the murder investigation is slow, until the vicar's wife calls up an expert of her own - Miss Marple. Jerry conveys many clues to her from his observations, as well as telling her some of his ideas on the reasons why Agnes was killed. Elsie Holland, governess for the Symmington boys, receives a letter. The police observed Aimée Griffith, the doctor's sister, typing the address on the same typewriter used for all the previous letters, and arrest her for the letter.

Heading to London for a visit to his doctor, Jerry takes Megan along with him to London where he leaves her with Joanna's dressmaker for new clothes more suitable to her age. He realises he has fallen in love with her. When they return to Lymstock, Jerry asks Megan to marry him; she turns him down. He asks Mr Symmington for his permission to pursue Megan. Miss Marple advises Jerry to let Megan alone for a day, as she has a task. Megan blackmails her stepfather later that evening, by implying that she has proof of her stepfather's guilt in the murder of her mother. Mr Symmington coolly pays her off while not admitting his guilt. Later in the night, after giving Megan a sleeping drug, he attempts to murder her by putting her head in the gas oven. Jerry and the police are lying in wait for him at Miss Marple's recommendation. Jerry rescues Megan and Symmington confesses. The police arrest him for murdering Agnes and his wife.

Miss Marple reasons that the letters were a diversion, not written by a local woman, because none contained true accusations. One person benefited from Mrs Symmington's death, her husband. He is in love with the beautiful Elsie Holland, wanting her and his sons in his life. Planning his wife's murder, he modelled the letters on those in a case known to him from his legal practice. The police's theory about who wrote them was completely wrong. The one letter that Symmington did not write was the one to Elsie. Aimée Griffith, who was in love with Symmington for years, wrote that one. Knowing that it would be hard to prove his guilt, Miss Marple concocted a scheme to expose him, enlisting Megan to provoke him with the certain result that he would then attempt to kill her.

Following the successful conclusion of the investigation, Megan realises that she does love Jerry. Jerry buys Miss Barton's house for them. His sister Joanna marries the local doctor, and stays in Lymstock. Meanwhile Emily Barton and Aimée Griffith go on a cruise together.