The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie
Mystery Book Club
The Body in the Library Discussion Questions
- What do you think of the 3rd person narration?
- The book was published in 1942, does it feel dated?
- Is Mrs. Bantry’s dream about winning at the flower show a good way to start the mystery?
- Is the maid, Mary, coming into the room and announcing that there is a body in the library an interesting inciting incident?
- What do you think of Dolly Bantry calling Miss Marple to come to her house to see the body?
- Why do you think that Dolly says the body doesn’t seem real?
- What do you think of the competency of the police officers?
- Does the gossip in the book feel realistic and add to the story?
- What do you think of the plethora of suspects?
- Do you think adopting an 18 year old girl is odd?
- In a modern mystery, would you suspect a serial killer?
- Did you expect a second amateurish sleuth to appear in the form of the retired Sir Henry Clithering?
- Do you agree with Miss Marple that there’s no fool like an old fool and old lonely men will be silly for young, poor, pleasant girls?
- Did you expect the second murder?
- Are Mark and Addie such good suspects that they can’t be guilty?
- How does this book expose the class lines in the British society in the middle of the 20th century?
- Why do you think the police arrested Basil Blake?
- Do you believe Blake that he just moved the body but didn’t murder the girl?
- What do you think of Miss Marple knowing who the killer is but not letting the reader know until she can prove it?
- Were you surprised by the murderers?
- What did you think of the switch of victims?
- Did you like the book?
- Would you read more in the series?
Created by Michelle Haring