Poirot series, Part four

Five Little Pigs

Season 9, Episode 1. Original air date: 14 December 2003.

This movie adaptation of the classic title by Christie starts off great with a dramatic note. It may be confusing to those who have not read the book before this; the background and settings were hardly explained before they get to the major events. Lucy Crale, the daughter of the late painter Amyas Crale is now twenty-one and comes into her inheritance; along with it she receives a letter from her mother who was hanged fourteen years ago for the murder of her father. Although Caroline Crale did not make any protestations of her guilt at that time, in the letter she solemnly swore that she was innocent. Lucy Crale is now determined to clear her mother’s name, regardless of the possible consequences; thus enters Hercule Poirot.

I will not go into details of scenes that follow; sufficient to say that in order to reconstruct the events leading to the murder fourteen years ago, Poirot visits five different people who were present at that time. Philip Blake, best friend of Amyas Crale; his brother Meredith Blake who happens to be a herbalist from whom the fatal dose of poison was obtained; Elsa Greer, now Lady Dittisham who had an ongoing affair with Amyas Crale at the time of the murder; Mrs Williams who used to be a governess in the house and strongly faithful to Caroline Crale; and finally Angela Warren, the disfigured and blind step-sister of Caroline. Each of their account reveals a part of the story, and it is up to Poirot to bring together the various pieces of the puzzle and reveal the truth. If Caroline Crale did not commit the crime, one of the five people must be guilty. Circumstantial evidence at that time pointed to no one but Caroline as the murderer; however Poirot manages to find some conflicting elements that say otherwise.

Overall, this adaptation stays true to the novel except for several small points, such as how Caroline Crale was actually hanged instead of just dying from her illness, and Philip Blake is revealed to have romantic feelings for Amyas, thus his hatred for Caroline; however the essential parts of the story remain unchanged. Five Little Pigs has always been one of Christie’s great masterpieces due to its highly original plot; the only complaint that I have with this adaptation is how they fail to include anything about the nursery rhyme! “This Little Piggy” was mentioned extensively in the novel, with each “piggy” representing one suspect and his activities on the day of the murder.

A greatly recommended movie altogether; beautifully made with the little details reflecting the mood of the story wonderfully. It has the right pace from the start, but things get a little slow in between and viewers may find some scenes getting repetitive, especially when we come to the individual accounts of the story by each of the five witnesses. A convincing performance from all the actors; Aidan Gillen as Amyas Crale stays true to his character as an attractive, philandering artist while Julie Cox as Elsa Greer plays her part to an almost perfection, albeit the heavy makeup and Cleopatra-like hairstyle. A must-watch for all Christie and Poirot fans!

My rating: 4.5/5.0

A Little Romance from Christie

Many of us are aware that Agatha Christie actually wrote several romance novels under her pseudonym Mary Westmacott, but I am sure you have noticed that her usual whodunits are not all just about murders, too. For my special Christmas post this year, let’s have a look at some of the notable couples in Christie’s works. The usual warning to readers: Spoilers ahead!

1. Tommy & Tuppence Beresford.

First appearance: The Secret Adversary (1922)

Probably the most famous couple to date in Christie’s works. There are altogether four titles dedicated to this pair, and whenever the story involves them we can expect lots of incoming adventure and comedy! Most (if not all) the time they are involved in espionage attempts instead of cold-blooded murder cases, so I guess this is a way for Christie to infuse variety into her work. The couple appeared last in Postern of Fate (1973), the last novel written by Christie before her demise.

2. Arthur Hastings & Dulcie Duveen

First appearance: Murder on the Links (1923)

This is the first Christie book that I read, and judging from my craze for her whodunits today you can say this title really made an impression on me! Poirot and Captain Hastings are off to the south of France to investigate a case of blackmail and subsequently murder. A fated meeting on a train between Hastings and his wife-to-be (whom he calls Cinderella) sets off a chain of events, and love blossoms in the end. They had four children altogether; Hastings appeared last in Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case.

3. Anne Beddingfield & John Eardsley (alias Harry Rayburn)

Appear in: The Man in the Brown Suit (1924)

Here is another of Christie’s “adventure and romance” titles, albeit being a little too dramatic for my tastes, perhaps. Anne Beddingfield has always yearned for adventure in her life. After the passing of her famous archaeologist father, she decides to pursue a clue left at the scene of a murder and books a passage on Kilmorden Castle to Cape Town, where she meets Harry Rayburn. From there on it is non-stop action and drama; a very refreshing read indeed.

4. Major John Despard & Rhoda Dawes

First appearance: Cards on the Table (1936)

Definitely one of Christie’s best years, three of her famous works were published in 1936: The A.B.C. Murders, Murder in Mesopotamia, and Cards on the Table, which has always been one of my personal favourites. Major Despard is one of the suspects in the murder of the illustrious Mr. Shaitana, a famous collector who also happens to collect “murderers who got away with their crimes”. However, it is interesting to note that the ending in the 2005 movie adaptation is significantly different as Major Despard ended up with Anne Meredith instead. Major Despard & Rhoda appeared last in The Pale Horse (1961), being happily married by that time.

5. Jacqueline de Bellefort & Simon Doyle

Appear in: Death on the Nile (1937)

Yet another of Christie’s popular works, albeit one with a tragic ending. But perhaps it was the best way out for both Jacqueline & Simon, who planned the murder of the beautiful heiress Linnet Ridgeway while on a cruise on the Nile River. Poirot solved the mystery in the end, revealing their near flawless plan to kill Linnet Ridgeway to obtain her money; however he allowed Jacqueline to kill herself and Simon to avoid an unpleasant death should they be taken to the court.

6. Raymond Boynton & Dr. Sarah King

Appear in: Appointment with Death (1938)

While on a holiday to Jurusalem and Petra, Poirot gets involved in an exciting murder case but with no way of proving that it was a murder. The Boyntons are a strange family with seemingly dark secrets behind them, and it appears that the members may have been collaborating to get rid of their tyrannical stepmother by injecting her with a lethal dose of digitoxin. However, there are more facts to the case that Poirot will need to solve first before he can decide who the real culprit was. The story ends satisfactorily with two other couples tying the knot; Carol Boynton with Jefferson Cope, and Ginevra Boynton with Dr. Gerard. However, the 2008 movie adaptation is a little awkward to watch, as Ginevra is revealed to be Dr. Gerard’s daughter in the end (but not in the novel though!)

7. Philip Lombard & Vera Elizabeth Claythorne

Appear in: And Then There Were None (1939)

Officially not a couple in the original plot for the book, since both of them died as predicted by the mastermind killer, Justice Wargrave. Philip, the ninth (actually eighth) surviving member of the group, was shot to death by Vera, who then proceeded to hang herself out of her feeling of guilt. However, this ending was deemed too tragic thus it was altered by Christie herself for the stage, where Philip and Vera became the only surviving members and lived happily ever after.

8. Elinor Katherine Carlisle & Dr. Peter Lord

Appear in: Sad Cypress (1940)

I must confess that this is my favourite couple up to today. Poirot takes the centre stage again here, where he successfully defended Elinor Carlisle on the charge of murdering her elderly aunt, Mrs Welshman and Elinor’s love rival, Mary Gerrard. Elinor was sentenced to death for her apparent role in the crimes, but Dr. Lord was in love with her and brought in Hercule Poirot to have her acquitted at all costs. The 2003 movie adaptation ends just as great; altogether a greatly recommended title.

9. Victoria Jones & Richard Baker

Appear in: They Came to Baghdad (1951)

This story is often compared to The Man in the Brown Suit due to their similar settings and themes; most action takes place in the Middle East with the main themes being adventure and romance. Not to forget espionage and British secret agents too, of course. The heroine here is a young lady with the name of Victoria Jones; recently out of her job, she decides to follow a man whom she falls in love with to Baghdad. Nothing much is known about this mysterious stranger other than his first name, Edward. Once there, things start going out of hand when another mystery man drops dead in Victoria’s room. Her exciting adventure concludes when Victoria finds love in the unlikely hero of the story; the archaeologist Richard Baker.

10. Dr. Arthur Calgary & Hester Argyle

Appear in: Ordeal by Innocence (1958)

One of Christie’s personal favourites, Ordeal has one of the best psychological plots she has ever written, rivalled only by the likes of And Then There Were None and Crooked House. Arthur Calgary plays the hero of the story, unmasking the real culprit in a murder committed two years ago. In the process he saves Hester Argyle, whom others believed to be guilty of the crime.

And that concludes my Christie reviews for 2011. I would like to thank all readers for your time to read my posts, and have a very Merry Christmas among your loved ones!

The Clocks

The Clocks

Published: 1963

Genre: Crime fiction, adventure, espionage

One of Poirot’s less outstanding cases, The Clocks contains actually two mysteries. A part of the story details the adventure of the main character, Colin Lamb, who was hunting a spy suspected of leaking secrets to England’s enemies. While following a clue in Wilbraham Crescent, he gets himself involved in a murder case when a young woman, Sheila Webb, encounters a corpse in a house and runs out screaming. The murder scene was bizarre; the body was found in house number 19 where a blind old lady lives, and there were four clocks in the room, all set to 4.13 p.m.

Poirot, who was growing old and restless in his house, was presented with the case by Lamb. Things were made complicated when nobody manages to identify the victim, and when a second body turns up. Poirot correctly deduces that the complex set-up of the crime scene must be for only one purpose; that is to cover up a relatively simple crime.

Overall, The Clocks fails to impress me. However, the plot and settings are promising in the beginning; the complicated set-up with four clocks and a blind lady in the house, as well as the dramatic discovery of the body, are highly exciting to readers. It was obvious that the whole scene was planned and arranged by someone, but who? Can the murder be as “simple” as Poirot claims? The list of suspects in this story is quite long; readers will have to pay close attention to the witnesses’ accounts to spot who was lying, and the significance of it. To be honest, I do not think this is a mystery that can be solved by readers themselves; unlike her other works, Christie did not give much hints this time. I had high expectations for this story, but got slightly disappointed with the conclusion. Still, recommendable for fans of Poirot who are looking for more after reading his more famous cases.

My rating: 3.5/5.0

Poirot series, Part three

Here is another review on Agatha Christie’s Poirot series, in addition to my two previous posts. This time, I decided to watch Christie’s short story adaptations instead of the major titles which she is so well-known for, because anything with Hercule Poirot is bound to be enjoyable, right?

1. The Yellow Iris

Season 5, Episode 3. Original air date: 31 January 1993.

One cannot help but to compare this title to its more famous counterpart, Sparkling Cyanide or also known as Remembered Death. Sparkling Cyanide is an expansion of Yellow Iris, where it was written as a full novel with more characters involved, a different motive for crime, and a much more elaborate plot (and necessarily, more bodies!). Asked which one would I prefer, I cannot give an answer to that; both titles are so similar yet so different in their own ways.

Two years ago, while travelling to Argentine Poirot got himself involved in a murder-suicide case in a famous restaurant. A dinner for six on a table turned into a nightmare when one of them, the beautiful Iris Russell, drank a champagne laced with potassium cyanide and died on the spot. A vial of the poison was found in her purse so the official verdict given was suicide; however, the family members were dissatisfied and insisted it was murder. Poirot was prevented from investigating the case when he was arrested by the local police during a coup d’etat, accused of espionage and subsequently “deported from the country like a common criminal!”.

Poirot gets another chance two years later in England when the same scenario happens again. A dinner for six is planned at the newly opened local restaurant on Friday night, with the exact settings as two years ago. Poirot received a yellow iris at his doorstep, as a “call for help”. And thus Poirot attends the dinner party to prevent a similar tragedy from happening, and the case is solved with a little help from Captain Hastings.

Altogether, a thoroughly enjoyable show with some humour, lots of actions, and as usual, clever deductions from Poirot. In the second half of the story the motive becomes quite clear and it was easy to figure out who the culprit is, but the method in which the poison was administered remains a mystery until the end of the story. Highly recommended.

My rating: 4.5/5.0

2. The Cornish Mystery

Season 2, Episode 4. Original air date: 28 January, 1990.

I must admit that I have never heard of this title before I watched this; a shame, considering I have read Poirot’s Early Cases twice. This story is constantly overshadowed by other outstanding cases in the book, such as The Affair at the Victory Ball and The Plymouth Express. In other words, The Cornish Mystery is an easily forgettable story, among the many Poirot’s great cases.

An elderly lady by the name of Pengelley visits Poirot, convinced that her dentist husband is poisoning her. Poirot asked her to return home and he promised to visit tomorrow morning, only to find out it was too late and Mrs Pengelley has died of “gastritis”. However, matters get complicated when the victim’s niece, Freda and her fiance, Radnor, seems to be involved in the case somehow. When the victim’s husband, Pengelley, announced his engagement to his secretary weeks after his wife’s death, he was arrested for murder as damning evidence provided by Radnor and the housemaid starts to emerge.

Poirot returns to the village in time to rescue Pengelley, whom Poirot believed to be innocent. I would say this movie is just average, since there is no solid evidence whatsoever to link the culprit to the case. All Poirot had was a signed confession from the murderer which was obtained by threatening him. The story ends with Inspector Japp shouting and shaking his fists at Poirot while eating a local pastry, much to the delight of Japp’s fans, I am sure.

My rating: 3.0/5.0

Agatha Christie’s Poirot series, Part two

Continuing on my latest craze on the Poirot series starring David Suchet and Hugh Fraser, I decided to watch some of the lesser-known titles in the series, some of them which have never been published before. Here is a review on another three titles I have watched recently:

1. The King of Clubs

Season 1, Episode 9. Original air date: 12 March 1989.

Essentially, this movie is just a very short one with a very simple plot. A tyrannical movie studio director was found dead with a blow to the back of his head, in a room within his house where he was supposed to have a late night meeting with a beautiful young actress, Valerie St. Clair. Upon seeing his body, Valerie runs to the neighbours next door, who happen to be playing a game of bridge. However, all is not as they seem as Hercule Poirot is called to solve the case and prevent a major scandal from leaking. The title comes from the one card missing from the deck used by the bridge players. Overall, not a bad performance by Suchet and the others, but the simple plot and solution may be a turn-off for some fans. We expect a lot of cold murderers in Christie’s stories!

My rating: 3.0/5.0

2. The Dream

Season 1, Episode 10. Original air date: 19 March 1989.

The movie opens with an advertisement of the infamous Farley’s meat pies, much to my amusement. Benedict Farley, one of the richest businessmen in England who makes world-class British meat pies, sends a letter to Poirot asking for a consultation, but the meeting itself was bizarre; Farley describes having the same dream night after night where he takes out a revolver from a drawer and shoots himself to death. Concerned that someone may be manipulating him psychologically, he asks Poirot for advice; on the very next day Farley was found dead in the exact same circumstances as described in the dream. It may seem like a closed-room murder or even suicide to the police, but can Poirot solve this case in time to prevent the murderer(s) from escaping with Farley’s millions? Or can the motive be somewhat more than just money? Not one of my favourites either; but if you are looking for something short and light, this may be good for you.

My rating: 3.0/5.0

3. The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb

Season 5, Episode 1. Original air date: 17 January 1993

The fifth season of the Poirot series opens with a trip to Egypt, where a group of archaelogists on an expedition discovers an ancient Egyptian tomb which had been sealed for 3000 years. According to the local beliefs, those who desecrate the ground will be forever cursed by the Pharaoh. When members of the expedition starts dying one by one, seemingly from natural causes, Poirot is brought in to solve the mysteries. Is this truly the work of an ancient curse, or is there a simpler motive behind these deaths? The only complaint I can find in this title is that it was way too easy to discover the murderer! After going through half of the movie, it becomes apparent who has the biggest opportunity to commit these crimes. However, the motive will only be revealed towards the end of the story. Recommended if you are looking for a good Christie short story; personally I like the Egyptian settings very much.

My rating: 4.0/5.0

Agatha Christie’s Poirot series

Recently I have been watching random titles out of the Agatha Christie’s Poirot series, starring David Suchet as Poirot. The series started in 1989 with Season 1, and is now currently at Season 12, as of 2010. Other recurrent characters include Captain Hastings and Inspector Japp.

So here is a review on some of the titles I have seen so far:

1. Sad Cypress

Season 9, Episode 2. Original air date: 26 December 2003.

When I found out there is a movie adaptation of Sad Cypress, I just had to see it. The original novel has a tragic romance-multiple murders plot that is easily understandable, and likable. Readers can’t help wanting to root for Elinor Carlisle, the beautiful heroine accused of murdering her aunt (Laura Welman) and her love rival (Mary Gerrard) with a fatal dose of stolen morphine. Then there is Dr. Peter Lord, the local physician to Mrs. Welman who fell in love with Elinor and tried desperately to save her from the gallows. Enter Hercule Poirot, and we have a great recipe for murder investigation.

Overall, the movie follows the story quite accurately. There are no major changes except at the climax, towards the end of the story where Poirot unmasked the murderer in the house  instead of in the court during the hearing. Elinor had already been pronounced guilty at that time and sentenced to death, but was saved in time due to Poirot’s brilliant last-minute deduction; Elinor and Dr. Lord then live happily ever after. This adaptation is definitely a must-watch for all Poirot fans.

My rating: 4.5/5.0

2. Cards on the Table

Season 10, Episode 2. Original air date: 11 December 2005.

One of Poirot’s most popular cases; as I mentioned before in another post, this title is wonderful due to the sheer simplicity of the murder itself. Mr. Shaitana, a collector of rare items has a hobby of collecting something else; murderers who got away with their crimes. Four such “exhibits”, each with his or her own guilty past to hide, have equal motive and opportunity to murder Shaitana.

The movie does follow the plot and settings quite faithfully, up to the last part where the ending ruins everything. The past that the murderer (Dr. Roberts) was trying to cover up has been altered significantly; although that does not change the motive for murder, it is still unsatisfactory that the story has to end the way it did in the movie. Another significant change is that Anne Meredith ends up with Major Despard, instead of Rhoda Dawes. But the most shocking fact revealed by Poirot may be that Shaitana was playing them all along; he sets up the party and then drugs himself to sleep, being fully aware that he will be murdered. It is a nice twist to the story, although I must admit I like the classic novel much better.

My rating: 3.5/5.0

3. Appointment with Death

Season 11, Episode 4. Original air date: 22 September 2008.

Set in an archaeological site in Syria, this movie deviates significantly from the original novel in more ways than one. The characters, settings, as well as the motive for murder have been altered. To me, Appointment with Death has always been a classic Poirot title; the exotic settings in the Middle East is very similar to Murder in Mesopotamia, which is an equally delightful read. Therefore, I am a little disappointed with the changes they made in this movie; nevertheless I would still say the movie was very well-made.

The most obvious change here is way the murder was committed. Instead of just a simple injection of digitalis to stop the heart, the murderer(s) carried out an unbelievably elaborate plan in order to establish alibis for themselves, before finally finishing the victim off with a stab through the heart. Also, several important characters have been omitted and new ones introduced, who play significant roles in the plot development. Altogether, I must say that I very much prefer the old version of the story, where everything is kept simple and straightforward for readers to enjoy.

My rating: 3.5/5.0

And Then There Were None: From the novel to the films, to the game

“Ladies and gentlemen! Silence, please!

You are charged with the following indictments:
Edward George Armstrong, that you did upon the 14th day of March, 1925, cause the death of Louisa Mary Clees.
Emily Caroline Brent, that upon the 5th November, 1931, you were responsible for the death of Beatrice Taylor.
William Henry Blore, that you brought about the death of James Stephen Landor on October 10th, 1928.
Vera Elizabeth Claythorne, that on the 11th day of August, 1935, you killed Cyril Ogilvie Hamilton.
Philip Lombard, that upon a date in February, 1932, you were guilty of the death of twenty-one men, members of an East African tribe.
John Gordon Macarthur, that on the 4th of January, 1917, you deliberately sent your wife’s lover, Arthur Richmond, to his death.

Anthony James Marston, that upon the 14th day of November last, you were guilty of the murder of John and Lucy Combes.
Thomas Rogers and Ethel Rogers, that on the 6th of May, 1929, you brought about the death of Jennifer Brady.
Lawrence John Wargrave, that upon the 10th day of June, 1930, you were guilty of the murder of Edward Seton.
Prisoners at the bar, have you anything to say in your defence?”

And Then There Were None/ Ten Little Indians

Published: 1939

Genre: Crime, mystery, psychology

With over 100 million copies sold, “And Then” is certainly Agatha Christie’s most popular title out of all her works. The first edition of the novel was published in November 1939, and remains a classic until today. I have reviewed this title in some of my older posts; however I just saw two of the film adaptations this week. Having completed the PC game last year, I decided that there are significant differences between the original novel, the films, and the game, most notably on their conclusion.

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD.

1. The book.

Fans of Christie would be familiar with the plot, the settings and the characters of this wonderful novel. Eight guests were invited to Soldier Island (also known as Nigger Island or Indian Island) by a Mr. U.N. Owen. Upon reaching there, the guests were greeted by two servants, a Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, who arrived on the island just two days before. Altogether, there were ten people on the island, and none of them have met their mysterious (or rather, non-existent) host. The guests were amused to find copies of the nursery rhyme “Ten Little Niggers” in each of their room, and there were also ten figurines sitting on the dining table. However their amusement soon turned to fear, anger, and suspicion when each of them is accused of murder by a voice on a gramophone record that plays during their first dinner. One by one, each of them dies according to the method described in the nursery rhyme, and with each death a figurine is removed from the table. The story concluded with the death of all ten of them, including Wargrave (the real murderer), and a letter of confession is found in a floating bottle which is handed to the police. Thus we have ten bodies and an unsolved case on Soldier Island. In this novel, the motive of murder was to preserve justice by killing the nine guilty people, with the exception of Wargrave himself who ironically, was the only one innocent of the crime he was accused of.

2. The films & TV.

There were altogether eleven film and TV adaptations of the novel, although some of them have significant deviations from the story and the plot. So I would say there are only about five of them that follow the story faithfully; with the first one made in 1945 in the US. Others include the 1965 version of the film, where the settings were changed to a mountain retreat in Austria, and the one in 1974 was set in the Iranian desert instead of an island. In 1987 another adaptation was made, this time by the USSR, with the title Desyat’ negrityat (Ten Little Negroes). The last movie was made in 1989 and was titled Ten Little Indians.

I first watched the 1945 U.S. adaptation, and to me it was just average. There is a lot of humour incorporated into the story, and the ending is not as tragic as it should be. Most of the films follow the ending written for the play (by Christie herself) instead of using the original ending; in the films, Lombard managed to figure out that the murderer is still alive among them and urged Vera to pretend shooting him in order to lure out the murderer. In the end, Wargrave died by suicide and Lombard was able to escape the island with Vera; they lived happily ever after, being the only ones who were innocent of the crimes.

One exception to this is the Russian adaptation of the novel, which follows the plot and ending exactly. All ten of them died, with Vera hanging herself as predicted, and Wargrave shooting himself to complete the rhyme. One minor difference is that Wargrave shot himself while sitting at the dining table, instead of in his room as described in the book.

3. The PC game.

The PC game, which was released in 2005, is significantly different from the novel. Not only that a new character, Patrick Narracott the boatman is introduced as the main character, we also have a different murderer with a very different motive for the crimes (which, if I may say, is totally ridiculous). There are four possible endings to it, and up to three people may survive depending on which path you (as Narracott) chose to take. Altogether, it is a poor interpretation of this classic story, but the gameplay is very enjoyable, with beautiful scenery. Recommended only if you have at least read the novel.

Celebrating my eight-year love for Poirot and Christie

It was a little more than eight years ago when I randomly picked up my first Christie title from the school library. It was called “Murder on the Links”, and had a few missing pages towards the end. I was thirteen at that time, and my English wasn’t that good so I had problems understanding what the whole book was about, not to mention I had absolutely no idea who Poirot and Captain Hastings were. Those are the fond memories of my first encounter with a Christie whodunit, and now I can happily say that I’m totally addicted to… yes, murders!!!

To celebrate my eighth year into Agatha Christie, here is a review of three Poirot books that I read in this month:

1. Cards on the Table

Published: 1936

One of Christie’s finer works. Mr. Shaitana was a collector, and he had a very bizarre collection; murderers who got away with their crimes. He invited Poirot to a dinner party in his house to meet his “collection”, and ended up being murdered by one of his own exhibits. The murder itself was simple and straightforward enough; the victim was stabbed to death by one of the four people playing bridge in a room, and each of them had equal motive and opportunity to do it. Carrying out a murder in full view of three other witnesses needs an incredible amount of nerve and luck, and it is up to Poirot to discover who it was. I can see that this title is actually one of Christie’s own personal favourites; Poirot made a reference of it in The A.B.C. Murders and mentioned it as being an “ideal crime” for the sheer simplicity of it. Highly recommended; I find both the plot and settings exceptionally good as compared to the standard “locked-room murders” where the list of suspects is endlessly long and the motive often ridiculous.

My ratings: 4.5/5.0

2. The Mystery of the Blue Train

Published: 1928

Asked to describe the plot, I would probably say it’s like “The Man in the Brown Suit” meets “Murder on the Orient Express”. The heroine, Katherine Grey, boards the Blue Train bound for the Riviera. There, she meets two men who may change her life forever; throw in a murder, and we have all the ingredients for a Poirot case. It’s regrettable to say that this title is definitely not one of my favourites; the settings are unoriginal when compared to her other works and there is a little too much romance rather than a good murder investigation. However, credits to Christie for the unexpected solution; that makes it still a decent read so some of you may find it enjoyable.

My ratings: 3.0/5.0

3. Murder on the Links

Published: 1923

One of the earliest whodunits written by Christie. The plot is really slow-paced in the first few chapters; the only source of amusement to readers may be our beloved Captain Hastings who shows a soft spot for every pretty girl in the story! In fact, this book is the one that introduces Hastings’ wife-to-be (I shall not spoil it for you) so you may expect lots of romance in it. The plot does speed up incredibly in the last few chapters so be ready for another of Poirot’s amazing revelations; once again I remind readers that the murderer is always the one least suspected in the story!

Overall, this title is not one of Christie’s best and yet we can see how she improved progressively as a crime novelist through her later works; three years later, she published her masterpiece “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd”, followed by another bestseller “Murder on the Orient Express” in 1934.

My ratings: 3.5/5.0

As of today, I have completed 68 out of 80 crime novels and short story collections under Christie’s name. As it is hard to find the original books in my country, sometimes I buy the translated versions (there are less than ten of them, actually) and for the hard-to-find, less popular titles, I have to read the electronic version. I have completed most of the games, too, but I find them inferior as compared to the books. Nevertheless, I would encourage you to try out some of them; “And Then There Were None” is one of my favourites, which introduces some new characters as well as a different ending to it.

Review: “Death Comes as the End”

Genre: Crime fiction, psychology

Published: 1944

One of the few titles which I have been longing to read for a very long time. I finally managed to get hold on this (an e-book version) and happily I can say the story really does live up to my expectations. Set in 2000 B.C. in Thebes, overlooking the Nile River, the plot has a romantic setting as well as an ingenious plot with multiple murders, which I’m sure we are only too happy to read!

The first character we get acquainted with is Renisenb, who is also the narrator of the story. Recently widowed, Renisenb returns to her childhood village in Thebes where her aging father and three brothers live. The father, Imhotep, is a Ka-priest who performs rites for the dead, while her older brothers Yahmose and Sobek work on their father’s farms. There is also Ipy, Renisenb’s younger half-brother, and Hori, the family’s scribe. The women in the family play major roles in the story too; first there’s old Esa, the grandmother; Satipy and Kait (the wives) and finally Henet, a distant relative. Add in Nofret, Imhotep’s new concubine, with Kameni, another scribe from the North, and the cast is set.

I will not go into depths of the plot here; sufficient to say that you can expect a lot of deaths and suspicions among the family members. Not much investigation goes on either; we are led to suspect one character after another, who were all eventually killed. The murders are all simple; and as the story progresses it was not difficult to guess who is the real culprit in this. I love how Christie describes each of the characters; how everyone’s real nature is so different from what they appear to be on the outside. Also, a little romance included in the end; how typical of Christie! Overall, a good and enjoyable read; now this title sits happily on my list of Top 10 Must-Read.

My rating: 4.5/5.0

Agatha Christie: “So Many Steps to Death”

a.k.a. “Destination Unknown”

Genre: Adventure, mystery, espionage

Published: 1954

“Destination Unknown” is a fast-paced, espionage-themed story narrating the adventures of Hilary Craven, a heartbroken woman seeking “escape” from her old life by trying to commit suicide in her hotel room in Casablanca. Her life took a dramatic turn when a stranger known as Mr. Jessop broke into her room to stop her just in time, and made an unbelievable offer to Hilary; she is to impersonate a near-death woman to find her husband and help solve an international crisis. Leading scientists from all over the world have been disappearing, with the possibility of defection to Soviet Union. One of them was Thomas Betterton, a brilliant physicist and the husband of Olive Betterton, whom Hilary was supposed to impersonate. Having nothing to lose, Hilary agrees to undertake the mission. Thus we follow her adventure to all over the world. The question remains; will Hilary succeed in her mission and save all the scientists in time?

I think fans of Christie may find this title a little inferior compared to her other works. True, Christie is best known for her ingenious whodunits and very few of her works feature amateurish adventures such as this one. Judging from the other reviews I have seen, fans are certainly a little disappointed this time, labeling her work as a “James Bond-like espionage story” rather than a good old-fashioned murder thriller. I am inclined to agree with them up to a point; one of the reasons I have put off reading this title (even though it was easily available in my school library) is because I feel very few of Christie’s “adventure stories” have lived up to my expectations so far. I was immensely disappointed after reading “The Big Four” last time. However, “They Came to Baghdad” and “The Man in the Brown Suit” proved to be decent reads, thankfully.

“Destination Unknown” will be good for you if you do not mind the lack of cold-blooded murders and Poirot’s logical reasonings (which we always associate with Christie’s works), among other things. It is a light story, with a little suspense and moderate amount of romance. Highly recommendable if you are looking for a good read on a lazy weekend.

My rating: 3.5/5.0