Publication date: 1955
Summary: After Hercule Poirot finds not one, but three mistakes in a letter his secretary, Miss Lemon, has typed for him he decides something must be wrong. Miss Lemon reveals that she is worried about her sister who manages a student hostel in London. Odd things have gone missing and everyone is tense. Poirot agrees to visit the hostel on Hickory Road and get to the bottom of the thefts. Within 24 hours of one of the students confessing to most of the thefts, the girl herself (Celia Austin) is found dead from an overdose of morphia. Poirot interviews this international cast of student suspects to form a clear picture of what may have happened. In spite of a couple of very clever twists, this novel is pretty average for Christie.
Christie's use of the nursery rhyme motif doesn't work very well here. There is no pattern to follow, no cruel, twisted meaning. It's just used because of the name of the street the hostel is located on. The interesting thing about this novel is watching how Christie deals with changing attitudes towards race. She still makes a few statements that don't sit well with the modern reader, but you see her changing.
Body count: Two female students and one alcoholic property owner.
Detective/Sleuth: Hercule Poirot
Rating: 3.5 vials of boracic powder out of 5
Commentary:
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Matt! I have discovered the series FOYLE'S WAR. What a wonderful program, and some kind gentleman from Edinburgh has posted all the episodes on Youtube. So I went on tonight to watch one and discovered your latest post! Congratulations on figuring out the ways to Youtube through Turkey.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could find something exciting and deep to say about Hickory Dickory Dock, but you said it all! I think I enjoyed this one much more when I was a naive teen and thought that Ms. Christie was actually presenting a truly international set of suspects. I went through this one again a few months ago and found it kind of embarrassing. I mean, Mr. Akibombo??? And all those hideous descriptions of people of color. And you're right as rain about the misuse of the nursery rhyme! (Do you think maybe her publisher kept pushing her to give them something reminiscent of Ten Little Indians?)
As for the mystery, there's a kind of cool play on the most likely/least likely suspect here, but the whole plot is something of a mess. Still, it gives me a chance to say hi, and to hope that you got through your first semester in Turkey intact! And the next book is a vast improvement, maybe one of the final classics of Christie's career! So I look forward to talking to you about it.
On to Foyle! Happy New Year!
Brad
Brad:
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you found Foyle's War. The whole series is amazing. My parents and I started watching it on local public television and then we proceeded to get my siblings hooked as well. The characters are great and the intertwining of history and mystery is really clever.
Yes, I'm listening to "Dead Man's Folly" on audio right now because I don't have the book itself here. I can't wait to get to Ordeal by Innocence and Endless Night.
Matt,
ReplyDeleteI didn't even notice Dead Man's Folly on the list. It's got SUCH a good build-up......and then SUCH a big letdown!!! I was thinking of 4:50 to Paddington. One of Miss Marple's best. But I had forgotten that you still have Ordeal by Innocence coming. I don't know. In some ways, it might be the mystery that is also Christie's best NOVEL. And I just listened to Endless Night. We have a lot to talk about yet..... :-)
Brad
Hey Brad! Yeah, I can't wait for Ordeal by Innocence and Endless Night - I haven't read either novel before and am very excited for them. Thanks so much for your continued encouragement and insight. I truly appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteMatt
Hooray! More posting from Turkey! No real meat to this comment - just wanted to send over my delight. I've restarted my Flint Public Library card (and already have overdue fees), so I'll be able to read along soon. I've also been plugging Foyle's War to some friends here (history majors included), so maybe after we succeed in a plot to get another person hooked on Dr. Who, we'll see how many people would like to get together for Foyle's War.
ReplyDeleteYay!
Hey Liz! Great to hear from you. Glad you are spreading the word about Foyle's War - a truly great series. And of course, Dr. Who is amazing. Did you finish the whole series?
ReplyDeleteHey Liz! Great to hear from you. Glad you are spreading the word about Foyle's War - a truly great series. And of course, Dr. Who is amazing. Did you finish the whole series?
ReplyDelete