A woman in a man’s world. Intelligent, thoughtful and not at all influenced by fashion. He is also not easily intimidated. She knows what is right and she does it even if it puts her in danger.” This is how Kate Mosse defines Jane Marple, the famous detective who stars in many of Agatha Christie’s novels. The English writer and television presenter is one of the twelve authors chosen to recreate the adventures of the British detective in the Miss Marple book. Twelve new cases. No one but Christie had ever done it before.
“So far, his heirs had only authorized the publication of four new adventures in the universe of Hercule Poirot: The Monogram Crimes, and The Kingfisher Hill Murders written by the novelist Sophie Hannah,” remembers publisher MÃriam Vall at LaVanguardia.
The descendants believed that it was about time that the famous detective had the same opportunities and considered what was the best way to reach a new generation of readers. “We wanted her to have her moment again and felt the character would be well served through a variety of voices that represent our modern international audience,” James Prichard, president and chief executive of Agatha Christie, said by email. Ltd, the company that has managed the literary and audiovisual rights to the author’s works worldwide since 1955.
Jane Marple was introduced to the world in 1927 with a story entitled The Tuesday Night Club. Its creator had realized that women of a certain age who had never been through the altar were treated condescendingly; therefore, he decided to give them a voice and made one of them the protagonist. The triumph was so great that, a few years later, he dedicated an entire novel to it, Murder in the rectory.
“Writing a reinvented Miss Marple story is a highlight of my career. But I was afraid because she is one of our most iconic crime authors”, admits Dreda Say Mitchell, another of the writers who are part of this project. Also writing with her and Mosse are Alyssa Cole, Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley, Val McDermid, Natalie Haynes, Naomi Alderman, Jean Kwok, Elly Griffiths, Karen M. McManus and Leigh Bardugo.
They all had the same requirements: “That Miss Marple’s age did not vary, that there was no idyll in the middle and that she did not know Poirot. Beyond that, we had the freedom to do whatever we wanted”, conclude the authors, who do not rule out new opportunities arising within the Christie universe.
