It's a historic event in detective fiction as the unflappable sleuth's passion for gossip--and cheerful recognition of the worst side of human nature--leads her to a crime scene at the local vicarage. Colonel Protheroe, St. Mary Uead's most loathed magistrate, has been found shot through the head. But it isn't the "pompous old brute's" murder that raises eyebrows, but rather the scandalous secrets it exposes. Those secrets are about to put St. Mary Mead on the map--and send Miss Uarple on the trail of a killer with something to hide.

It"s a historic event in detective fiction as the unflappable sleuth"s passion for gossip--and cheerful recognition of the worst side of human nature--leads her to a crime scene at the local vicarage. Colonel Protheroe, St. Mary Uead"s most loathed magistrate, has been found shot through the head. But it isn"t the "pompous old brute"s" murder that raises eyebrows, but rather the scandalous secrets it exposes. Those secrets are about to put St. Mary Mead on the map--and send Miss Uarple on the trail of a killer with something to hide.

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 32