In the novel The Moving Finger, Owen Griffith is a doctor in Lymstock, and had been there for five years at the time of the events of the novel. His sister is Aimée Griffith. He later got married to Joanna Burton.
He is described as being "dark, ungainly, with awkward ways of moving and deft, very gentle hands". He is shy, and has "a jerky way of talking".
He receives an anonymous letter accusing him of violating professional decorum with his female patients.
Dr Griffith is of the opinion that anonymous letters arise from a pathological cause, either from someone with a specific grudge, or someone who uses the letters to work off some frustration in their mind. He mentions an anonymous letter case similar to the one happening in Lymstock at the time of the novel, which happened in his last practice "up north".
After the death of Mona Symmington, Dr Griffith says that she had been ailing in health for some time, and that he had been treating her for a nervous condition. He thought it possible that the shock of receiving an anonymous letter might have induced a state of panic and despondency that led her to commit suicide.
Portrayals[]
In the BBC 1985 adaptation of the novel which formed part of the Miss Marple series, Owen Griffith is played by Martin Fisk. Here he is portrayed as Welsh and he considers himself an "outsider" in the village. In the original novel he used to have a practice "up north".
In the ITV 2006 adaptation of the novel (Episode 2, Series of Agatha Christie's Marple), Owen Griffith is played by Sean Pertwee.