Sanctuary: a Miss Marple Short Story(1954)

Agatha Christie

Bunch, engrossed in her flower arrangements for the church, is putting the chrysanthemums in place when she sees a man crumpled over the chancel steps. Dying. The man can only utter one word, “sanctuary.” No one at the vicarage understands what he means, and nothing can be done to prevent his death.

When his relatives promptly arrive to pick up his possessions, Bunch can’t get the word out of her head. She knows just who to turn to, her godmother Miss Marple. Who is this man, and what does “sanctuary” mean to him? What Bunch and Miss Marple discover is more exciting than anything that could be expected to happen in a sleepy village like Chipping Cleghorn.

Librarian's note: this entry relates to the short story, Sanctuary. Collections and the other stories by the author are located elsewhere on Goodreads. The Miss Marple series includes twelve novels and 20 short stories. Entries for each of the short stories can be found by searching Goodreads for: a Miss Marple Short Story.