The book A Murder Is Announced is a brilliant book, one of my favourite Agatha Christies, intricately woven and quite complex. This adaptation is a million times better than the Geraldine McEwan version, and not only was it faithful to the book, but it almost surpassed it. The adaptation is lovingly photographed, with stunning locations and costumes. The music is beautiful, reminds me a bit of a day in the country, peaceful and relaxing. The script is well crafted, the plot is brilliantly constructed and like I've said already, the adaptation is very faithful to the book. The lights-going-off scene was very haunting, and gave me nightmares when I first saw this when I was 11, six years ago, just like in the book, that scene was underplayed in the Geraldine McEwan version. The acting was very, very good, Joan Hickson doesn't just play Miss Marple, she IS Miss Marple. There was one scene with a sideways close up into Hickson's face, and that moment in particular was extraordinary. Samantha Bond was lovely as Julia, and Ursula Howells was superb as Letitia Blacklock. Joan Sims also delights as Amy Murgatroyd, and before he did Inspector Morse Kevin Whately did this, and he is a breath of fresh air as Sergeant Fletcher. Everyone else was just as superb. In fact, I have no criticisms of this at all, the ending will have you completely by surprise if you haven't read the book, the length was just right and everything about this was delightful. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Superb adaptation of one of the best Miss Marple novels. Joan Hickson is probably most people's idea of the perfect Miss Marple and she really does shine here. Whilst some of the BBC adaptations can seem a little slow these days (this one was originally shown over three nights) this one fairly flies by! The grainy, nostalgic feel seems particularly appropriate here and Hickson is given a superb supporting cast. Almost all are brilliant but special mention must go to Ursula Howells who brings the hugely complex Miss Blacklock to brilliant life. Simon Shephard and Samantha Bond are very effective as the supposed siblings, Joan Sims and Paola Dionisotti make a sympathetic Hinch and Murgatroyd and Sylvia Syms a sharp tongued Mrs Easterbrook. There's also a delightful cameo from Joyce Castle as the frail, gentle Mrs Goedler.I can't really heap enough praise on this. The McEwen version is worth a look too but this really does knock spots off it.

Like Jack who commented before me here, I saw this show over Christmas on UKTV Drama. I had never seen the Joan Hickson adaptations before now and when I saw the recent ITV Marple's I was told to watch the old BBC adaptations as they are far superior, and they are.I feel the ITV versions are almost played as farcical comedy whereas the BBC versions are more serious and are far more intriguing and allowing you to get involved in the mystery and none more so than in 'A Murder Is Announced'. I literally had no idea who the culprit was right up until the very end and it was certainly a complex mystery, but an excellent one.This was originally shown over 3 nights in 1985 however I saw it all in one 3 hour viewing, yet it certainly did not feel like that at all. Joan Hickson is brilliant as Miss Marple. The Geraldine McEwan take on Miss Marple is almost amateurish in comparison. The supporting cast here, including Joan Sims, Kevin Whately and Samantha Bond are all excellent and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has not yet seen it.

This is, in my opinion, Christie's best Miss Marple book. The plot is ingenious, carefully woven and highly intricate. The ending is pure brilliance, and you will kick yourself because you didn't guess the identity earlier.This BBC adaptation is also superb. It has a suitable running length, enough time for the viewer to absorb the information given to them, and Joan Hickson excels as Miss Marple. Her apparent scattiness hides her true genius to the rest of the cast, and Joan Hickson is perfect at playing Miss Marple in this way; far better than Margaret Rutherford and Geraldine McEwan's dreadful attempts . The supporting cast are also very good, featuring Ursulla Howles, Paola Dionisotti, Joan Sims, Sylvia Syms, Kevin Whately and Simon Shepard (of 'Peak Practice' Fame).Having read the book very recently, and then watched this adaptation over Christmas on UKTV Gold, I can say that the plot is faithful to the original tome. I can highly recommend it.