The Murder at the Vicarage · Character

Anne Protheroe

Colonel Protheroe's unhappy young wife, in love with Lawrence Redding, who lies about a pistol and becomes the investigation's most anguished suspect.

major

Also known as Anne, Poor old Protheroe, old Protheroe

First appearance: The Murder at the Vicarage

As a major figure in The Murder at the Vicarage, Anne Protheroe is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Also confesses to the murder, creating a mystery.

In the storyThe Murder at the VicarageOpen this moment free

Anne has endured years of her husband's bluster and meanness, and her affair with Redding is the one bright thing in a suffocating life. When Protheroe is found dead in the vicar's study, she tells the police she has no pistol — a lie the valet's evidence and Miss Marple's sharp eyes will expose. Her composure, her loyalty to Redding, and her evident strain make her both sympathetic and deeply suspicious.

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Character Web

14 connections

A slice of how Anne Protheroe sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Romantic
Other

Character groups

Primary suspects and investigators
Minor supporting characters
Protagonist

+9 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

Miss Marple’s quiet rebuttal—comparing Raymond West’s metaphor of a “stagnant pool” to his own writing—marks t…

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Relationships

Lawrence Redding
romantic · positive
Anne and Lawrence are secret lovers, their affair being the central motive for the murder. How this plays out →
Lawrence Redding
romantic · positive
Anne and Lawrence are secret lovers, their affair being the central motive for the murder. How this plays out →
Lawrence Redding
romantic · positive
Anne and Lawrence are secret lovers, their affair being the central motive for the murder. How this plays out →

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Anne Protheroe in The Murder at the Vicarage

In the story

Anne Protheroe appears across 16 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Murder at the Vicarage
Also confesses to the murder, creating a mystery.
III
Confesses her love for Lawrence and her misery in her marriage to the narrator.
IV
Mentioned as Lawrence's lover; the narrator worries about her situation and promises to look after her.
VI
Anne is visited by Griselda after the arrest; she appears quiet and terrified, not grief-stricken.
VIII
Confesses to the murder, claiming she shot her husband, but lies about the pistol's origin.
IX
Reported to have confessed to the murder, but Miss Marple doubts her story based on observations of her movements and lack of a weapon.
XI
Discussed as a potential victim of a framing plot; her movements are corroborated by Miss Hartnell.
XII
Reenacts her movements for the police; denies having Lawrence's pistol and confirms her secret meetings with him.
XVI
Mentioned as possibly remembering the shot; the narrator visits her to discuss funeral arrangements.
XVIII
Gives evidence at the inquest about her last sighting of her husband.
XXII
Shows the vicar the exaggerated newspaper article and the slashed portrait found in the attic, expressing concern.
XXIII
Confirms to the narrator that Colonel Protheroe had arranged for a valuation of Old Hall's contents.
XXVI
Present at the evening service.
XXVII
Mentioned as having remarked at the time that the handwriting was not like her husband's.
Miss Marple's Revelation
Identified as the actual shooter, acting under Lawrence Redding's influence and using a silencer to avoid detection.
XXXII
Confirmed as accomplice; overheard conversation with Lawrence leads to arrest.

Chapter companion notes

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