By Agatha Christie
In Captain Hasting's first ever recorded case with Hercule Poirot, the little Belgian detective with his 'little gray cells', a woman is murdered by what appears to be strychnine.
In the first two chapters, Captain Hastings is invited to his old friend, John Cavendish's house: Styles Court. There he meets the mysterious Alfred Inglethorp, the new husband of John Cavendish's mother, Evelyn Howard, the housekeeper, the beautiful Mary Cavendish, John's wife, and Lawrence Cavendish, John's brother. Later, he also meets Cynthia Murdoch, a nurse.
Then, during the third chapter, Mrs. Inglethorp is heard screaming and when they all rush into the room, she is shaking violently and going through seizures. However, it is too late, and she dies. In the next two, Hastings goes to his old friend, Hercule Poirot, to help with the case, as it is too murky and strange to be considered as a natural death. After examining the room, Poirot interviews two of the servants, and finds out that Mrs. Inglethorp had made a new will on the day of her death.
The following chapter shows the inquest, and the jury reaches a verdict of 'Wilful murder against some persons or persons unknown'. In the next two, Poirot is adamant that Alfred must not be arrested, as he shows that Alfred was actually not in the chemist's shop where the person impersonating him bought strychnine, but was actually escorting a farmer's daughter back to her home, where he was seen by five witnesses. Evelyn Howard is recruited to help Poirot be his 'spy' in Styles Court.
The next two chapters shows Hastings overhearing an argument between John and Mary, and also discovering the fact that Dr. Bauerstein, a friend of Mary's who visits Styles Court often, has been arrested, but for espionage, instead of the murder of Mrs. Inglethorp. Poirot finds Lawrence's fingerprints on a bottle of strychnine in the dispensary where Cynthia worked. Then John is arrested.
The trial of John takes place in the next chapter, but it is adjourned until Monday. Poirot is saddened over his inability to find what he calls his 'last link'. A chance remark by Hastings gives Poirot a brainwave, and off Poirot rushes.
Finally, Poirot calls for a meeting of all the members of the family (excluding John), in which he reveals that Mrs. Inglethorp had found a paper in her husband's desk which showed that Alfred was about to murder her. She is shaken, and Mary, who believes that the paper Mrs. Inglethorp had was a written proof of John's infidelity. Mary then applied a narcotic into Mrs. Inglethorp's nightly coco, and tried to regain the paper. Poirot discovers that bromide, when mixed with the strychnine medicine Mrs. Inglethorp was taking, would precipitate the strychnine, causing nearly all the strychnine to be present in the last dose! Poirot finds a letter from Alfred to Evelyn, saying that their preparations have nearly come to fruition. And thus, Poirot brings home the crime to Alfred Inglethorp and his accomplice, Evelyn Howard.
A rather, as the title implies, mysterious affair, and a fitting crime for Poirot's and Hastings's first
published case.
However, one feels that the crime happens far too soon, before one has the chance to get to know the characters better. As such, at the point of the crime, and much of the story afterwards, the rest of the characters, excluding Poirot and Hastings, remain as two-dimensional paper cut-outs, only fit to serve as murder suspects. One does not know the personality of the late Mrs. Inglethorp, and her interactions with the rest of the family, except for the only too obvious hatred between Evelyn and Alfred. This case is also not the first ever case of Poirot and Hastings, making it a little disappointing to those, who wanted to see Poirot and Hastings meet, what their first impressions of each other were, and how they became crime fighting pals. Instead they only meet through a chance encounter.
Poirot displays obvious lack of enthusiasm in solving the case, and it seems as though Christie is trying to lull you to sleep. Where is the darkness, mystery, tenseness of a mystery novel we have all come to expect? In fact, Poirot takes an obviously long time to solve the case, almost as if he knows he has all the time in the world and is taking a break. Poirot has to have that lucky remark by Hastings in order to solve the case. Poirot unfortunately does not display much of his detective skills, and this is sorely disappointing.
On the other hand, though, Christie creates a fine mystery, if not an intriguing and a great one, for Poirot to solve. The many red herrings and the many twists and turns weaved by Christie keep the reader in constant confusion, and hurriedly turning the pages. Each chapter ends with a decidedly cliffhanger that makes it impossible for the reader to leave. Indeed, this story is like a blunt hook. Not a sharp one, but once you are captured, you cannot escape.
A promising mystery, that has readers wondering if Christie could have done better and omitted all that dreadfully boring 'padding' ('padding' because the story becomes a slow lumbering bear, instead of the lean, fast, leopard we all love). However, it is wonderful in Christie's wonderful imagination, fully bringing Poirot and Hastings to life. All in all, the introduction of the most enigmatic little Belgian ever seen in literature bring this story to a fine ending.
Rating: 8.1/10
Advice: A must-read for all Poirot fans, this story will not disappoint the die-hards, although average readers may be a little let-down.
This is the Reviewer's first Poirot case, and although he is sad that he did not have a chance to work with Poirot, he still is proud to review such a treasured book.
Next week: Magic, wands, and Dumbledore! 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' is reviewed!
In the first two chapters, Captain Hastings is invited to his old friend, John Cavendish's house: Styles Court. There he meets the mysterious Alfred Inglethorp, the new husband of John Cavendish's mother, Evelyn Howard, the housekeeper, the beautiful Mary Cavendish, John's wife, and Lawrence Cavendish, John's brother. Later, he also meets Cynthia Murdoch, a nurse.
Then, during the third chapter, Mrs. Inglethorp is heard screaming and when they all rush into the room, she is shaking violently and going through seizures. However, it is too late, and she dies. In the next two, Hastings goes to his old friend, Hercule Poirot, to help with the case, as it is too murky and strange to be considered as a natural death. After examining the room, Poirot interviews two of the servants, and finds out that Mrs. Inglethorp had made a new will on the day of her death.
The following chapter shows the inquest, and the jury reaches a verdict of 'Wilful murder against some persons or persons unknown'. In the next two, Poirot is adamant that Alfred must not be arrested, as he shows that Alfred was actually not in the chemist's shop where the person impersonating him bought strychnine, but was actually escorting a farmer's daughter back to her home, where he was seen by five witnesses. Evelyn Howard is recruited to help Poirot be his 'spy' in Styles Court.
The next two chapters shows Hastings overhearing an argument between John and Mary, and also discovering the fact that Dr. Bauerstein, a friend of Mary's who visits Styles Court often, has been arrested, but for espionage, instead of the murder of Mrs. Inglethorp. Poirot finds Lawrence's fingerprints on a bottle of strychnine in the dispensary where Cynthia worked. Then John is arrested.
The trial of John takes place in the next chapter, but it is adjourned until Monday. Poirot is saddened over his inability to find what he calls his 'last link'. A chance remark by Hastings gives Poirot a brainwave, and off Poirot rushes.
Finally, Poirot calls for a meeting of all the members of the family (excluding John), in which he reveals that Mrs. Inglethorp had found a paper in her husband's desk which showed that Alfred was about to murder her. She is shaken, and Mary, who believes that the paper Mrs. Inglethorp had was a written proof of John's infidelity. Mary then applied a narcotic into Mrs. Inglethorp's nightly coco, and tried to regain the paper. Poirot discovers that bromide, when mixed with the strychnine medicine Mrs. Inglethorp was taking, would precipitate the strychnine, causing nearly all the strychnine to be present in the last dose! Poirot finds a letter from Alfred to Evelyn, saying that their preparations have nearly come to fruition. And thus, Poirot brings home the crime to Alfred Inglethorp and his accomplice, Evelyn Howard.
A rather, as the title implies, mysterious affair, and a fitting crime for Poirot's and Hastings's first
published case.
However, one feels that the crime happens far too soon, before one has the chance to get to know the characters better. As such, at the point of the crime, and much of the story afterwards, the rest of the characters, excluding Poirot and Hastings, remain as two-dimensional paper cut-outs, only fit to serve as murder suspects. One does not know the personality of the late Mrs. Inglethorp, and her interactions with the rest of the family, except for the only too obvious hatred between Evelyn and Alfred. This case is also not the first ever case of Poirot and Hastings, making it a little disappointing to those, who wanted to see Poirot and Hastings meet, what their first impressions of each other were, and how they became crime fighting pals. Instead they only meet through a chance encounter.
Poirot displays obvious lack of enthusiasm in solving the case, and it seems as though Christie is trying to lull you to sleep. Where is the darkness, mystery, tenseness of a mystery novel we have all come to expect? In fact, Poirot takes an obviously long time to solve the case, almost as if he knows he has all the time in the world and is taking a break. Poirot has to have that lucky remark by Hastings in order to solve the case. Poirot unfortunately does not display much of his detective skills, and this is sorely disappointing.
On the other hand, though, Christie creates a fine mystery, if not an intriguing and a great one, for Poirot to solve. The many red herrings and the many twists and turns weaved by Christie keep the reader in constant confusion, and hurriedly turning the pages. Each chapter ends with a decidedly cliffhanger that makes it impossible for the reader to leave. Indeed, this story is like a blunt hook. Not a sharp one, but once you are captured, you cannot escape.
A promising mystery, that has readers wondering if Christie could have done better and omitted all that dreadfully boring 'padding' ('padding' because the story becomes a slow lumbering bear, instead of the lean, fast, leopard we all love). However, it is wonderful in Christie's wonderful imagination, fully bringing Poirot and Hastings to life. All in all, the introduction of the most enigmatic little Belgian ever seen in literature bring this story to a fine ending.
Rating: 8.1/10
Advice: A must-read for all Poirot fans, this story will not disappoint the die-hards, although average readers may be a little let-down.
This is the Reviewer's first Poirot case, and although he is sad that he did not have a chance to work with Poirot, he still is proud to review such a treasured book.
Next week: Magic, wands, and Dumbledore! 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' is reviewed!
Very nice! A to the point review and an unbiased synopsis.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteGreat review!
ReplyDeleteIt's a pity you deplore the more staid rhythm of the book - that's one of the reasons I like it well.
Well, people's preferences of book pacings differ, but I suppose that the rhythm may be counted as a reason to like the book. Thanks!
Delete