A+Murder+is+Announced

Chapter 1: "A Murder is Announced"
 * Johnnie Butt goes on his usual paper route through the town of Chipping Cleghorn.
 * The citizens of the town receive the daily news through numerous newspapers, such as //The Times,// the //Daily Graphic,// the //Daily Telegraph,// and the //Chipping Cleghorn Gazette.//
 * We are introduced to Mrs. Swettenham and Edmund Swettenham.
 * They eat their breakfast as Mrs. Swettenham babbles about her opinion on the abundance of advertisements in the newspaper.
 * Mrs. Swettenham stumbles upon one ad in particular, stating "//A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks, at 6:30 P.M. Friends please accept this, the only intimation."// (4)
 * Mrs. Swettenham reacts with "lively curiosity" and asks her son what he thinks it means. (4).
 * Edmund responds that it is probably a murder game and will probably be a "beastly boar." (5).
 * Mrs. Swettenham insists that he comes anyways.
 * We are introduced to Mrs. Laura Easterbrook and Colonel Archie Easterbrook.
 * Colonel Easterbrook impatiently reads through //The Times,// complaining about the journalist's lack of knowledge of India.
 * Mrs. Easterbrook triumphantly interrupts him to read the announcement in the //Gazette.//
 * Colonel Easterbrook dampens her excitement by explaining that it is just the murder game.
 * Colonel Easterbrook explains how the game works, commenting that "it's a good game-- if the detective-- er-- knows something about police work." (6).
 * Mrs. Easterbrook picks up on the hint, telling him that, since he used to be a police man, he should definitely be there for the good of Miss Blacklock's party.
 * Colonel Easterbrook refuses to go, in attempt to get more begging and pleading from his adoring wife.
 * Mrs. Easterbrook concludes by saying to her husband "I really do think it's your duty, Archie" (7).
 * We meet Miss Hinchliffe and her over weight friend Miss Amy Murgatroyd in the hen house of their cottage.
 * Similarly to the other neighbors, Murgatroyd excitedly reads the murder announcement out loud, asking her friend what it could possibly mean.
 * Miss Hinchliffe responds that "it means a drink... Bad sherry, I expect" (7).
 * Miss Hinchliffe quickly changes the subject, pointing out that Murgatroyd had soaked her slippers while running to the hen house, and then proceeded to complain about the lack of eggs from her broody hen.
 * Murgatroyd attempts to bring the topic back up, but "her friend was made of more sterner and more single-minded stuff" and continues to deal with her chickens (8).
 * That is all that was said and it was very fishy.
 * Mrs. Harmon, nicknamed Bunch by her husband, and Reverend Julian Harmon are introduced.
 * Mrs. Harmon reads the announcement out loud
 * Mrs. Harmon realizes that her husband won't be able to make it because he has to prepare for confirmation
 * Mrs. Harmon explains that she doesn't like murders because they frighten her.
 * The couple begins to get mushy, and they talk about how they like big houses and how Bunch isn't stupid.
 * Reverend Harmon tells his wife the story of Scrymgour upon request.
 * Mrs. Harmon imitates Mrs. Butt's compliments on Reverend Harmon's preaching.
 * She leaves the chapter singing "'it's a fine murdering day'" (11)

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