I recently told my students that fanfiction is not a recent invention. It somewhat surprised them, but it’s true. Take for instance this book, written with the blessing Christie’s daughter.
What Anne Hart presents is a biography of the fictional character Miss Marple. She draws upon details that appeared in the Miss Marple series of novels, and the book includes a partial filmography of the character. (In my edition, the most “recent” version listed is the Joan Hickson ones).
Hart gives a detailed description, including a map of St. Merry Mead (which predates Cabot Cove of course). This map includes the placing of certain settings in the last few books. There is a brief overview of various characters. While each book in the series is not given a summary, there is reference to all the novels as well as various interview comments that Christie herself said about Marple. What comes across quite clearly is ahow closely Hart has read the series as well as her love for Christie in general and Miss Marple in particular.
It should be noted that the book does not give away any major spoilers for the mysteries in the series. There are some slighlt spoilers about certain characters who die but the who dun it aspect is kept. This means that if you like Marple either thorough the various series and/or the books themselves, you will get more out of it than someone who just picked it up because they heard about this Miss Marple and what to see what it is all about.
Hart gives a brief biography of Miss Marple prior to the reader meeting her as well as noting Miss Marple’s fondness for and knowledge of carpets.
The book is not deep, but it is fun.
