Lucy Foley Will Release New Miss Marple Novel in 2026
Author Lucy Foley brings the iconic detective back to the page for a September 22, 2026, release.
Updated on Sept. 18, 2026 in Books
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Author Lucy Foley will publish Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel on September 22, 2026. The new mystery features the return of the iconic detective Miss Marple, who has not appeared in a novel since 1976.
Why it matters
The novel revives a classic literary figure while utilizing a 1950s Swiss Alps setting to explore the contrast between post-war shadows and period glamour. Foley intentionally excludes the character's internal perspective to preserve her enigmatic nature.
The novel marks the return of Miss Marple after a 50-year absence from novel-length fiction. Author Lucy Foley previously contributed to a 2022 collection of new Marple short stories.
The players
Lucy Foley
She is the author of the upcoming novel who previously contributed to a 2022 collection of new Miss Marple stories.
Agatha Christie
She is the legendary mystery writer credited as an author of the new book and creator of the Miss Marple character.
Miss Marple
This iconic detective character returns to novel-length fiction for the first time in five decades.
The details
Set at a resort in the Swiss Alps, the story is told through shifting first-person chapters from various characters. The plot centers on a death in a gondola, a scene that served as the first point of conceptualization for the manuscript.
Timeline
The novel is set during the 1950s.
Miss Marple last appeared in a novel in 1976.
Foley contributed to a collection of new Marple stories in 2022.
The book will be released on September 22, 2026.
Industry Dynamics
This release continues the modern trend of reviving iconic literary franchises through partnerships with contemporary authors. It represents a significant expansion of the Christie brand, which has relied on curated collections and adaptations since the 1970s.
Readers can expect the novel to be available globally on September 22, 2026. The book utilizes a non-linear narrative, requiring readers to track multiple first-person perspectives to solve the central mystery.
The takeaway
Foley aims to capture the specific tension of the 1950s by grounding the mystery in the historical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. Readers should be prepared for a multi-perspective structure that keeps the protagonist's thoughts hidden from the audience.
Further reading
For more on upcoming releases in the genre, visit the Books section.
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