Letitia Blacklock

Ursula Howells as Letitia Blacklock

Letitia “Letty” Blacklock is the name used by the owner of Little Paddocks in Chipping Cleghorn. She is about sixty years of age, and is tall, and active-looking. She has "keen grey eyes and a square determined chin", and grey hair with a slight natural wave.

Letitia had a very successful business career as the private secretary of an important business mogul but later quit her job to take her sister for medical treatment in Switzerland where they stayed at the Hotel des Alpes at Montreaux for a time. Although Randall Goedler was not pleased with Letitia's decision, he nonetheless made her heir to his fortune, after setting aside a trust for his terminally ill wife, who was quietly dying in Scotland.

This legacy is presumed to be the motive behind an attempt on Miss Blacklock's life in A Murder is Announced. It is later revealed that the person claiming to be Letitia Blacklock was really Charlotte Blacklock, Letitia's sister. The real Letitia had died in Switzerland, and Charlotte had posed as her sister in order to inherit Randall Goedler's fortune after his wife died.

Portrayals

In the BBC 1985 adaptation of the novel which formed part of the Miss Marple series, Miss Blacklock is played by Ursula Howells. This portrayal is faithful to the original.

Zoë Wanamaker as Letitia Blacklock

In the ITV 2005 adaptation of the novel, Letitia Blacklock is played by Zoë Wanamaker. In this adaptation, she has a nightmare about the shooting at Little Paddocks, and the dead body of Rudi Scherz, with blood on his face. Her screams wake the rest of the household, and Dora Bunner comforts her. On Miss Bunner's birthday, Miss Blacklock gives her own earrings to Miss Bunner to wear. At the end of the movie, Miss Blacklock shows remorse for Miss Bunner's death, repeatedly saying, "I'm sorry, Bunny." She then briefly sees Miss Bunner's "ghost" through the open door of the drawing room.