The Murder At The Vicarage

I have started this now novel and i just can't stop myself sharing that the ladies of the St Mary Mead are literally cctv cameras of locality. It's like the old ladies in Indian societies who keep an eye on everything, what scandal is going on, who is having an affair with whom. At one point the vicar mocks them that they might be undernourished coz they have to take their meal standing at the window watching the whole drama on the street. I am intrigued weather this happens in western countries too?