Publication date: 1969
Summary: Ariadne Oliver calls Poirot in to investigate the death of a young girl named Joyce who is drowned in an apple bobbing bucket at a Hallowe'en Party after having announced that she'd seen a murder once. We get the reintroduction of Superintendent Spence from Mrs. McGinty's Dead as well as references to characters in other Poirot novels: Miss Bulstrode and Mr. Goby. The novel does reflect the times as it is the first work by the author to use the word "lesbian" and there is some discussion around the abolishment of capital punishment. In this novel, Ms. Oliver, who (like Christie) loved eating apples, vows never to eat another after seeing Joyce's lifeless body slumped over the apple bobbing bucket.
Body count: Joyce Reynolds and her brother Leopold snuff it.
Detective/Sleuth: Hercule Poirot, Ariadne Oliver, Superintendent Spence
Rating: 3.5 apples out of 5
Commentary:
Sunday, October 23, 2011
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Dear Matt,
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you again for another Christie review. How have you been? I read this novel some time ago and like you it was slow in and around the middle but I like the beginining because the minute Joyce boasts of her having seen a murder you know then that something is bound to happen to her. There were a lot of characters to keep track of but I like Miranda and her mother I was surprised by Leopold's murder and I kept wondering why him. This is another example of Christie portraying a small rural village which cloaks a sinister shadow of the evil that involves the murders that happen in the book the murders in the past and even the shocking and twisted motivations for the crime. The last few chapters were suspenseful and I did not know what to expect. This novel combines the modern and pagan, the childish and the wicked and what perfect time than Halloween. Christie uses some remarkable allusions to Shakespeare and Greek mythology. I have watched the recent PBS David Suchet film version of this novel and I think it is good. I have noticed in these later Poirot novels that he is tired, not too interested in crime solving and you can tell that Christie is about to prepare his swan song. I have wanted to ask you in her novels she does not emphasize the gory details of her murders when they occur in her books do you think it wise of her or not and also I have been reading another "Queen of Crime" writer called Ngaio Marsh. While she is not exactly Christie she still manages to write some puzzling stories if you get the chance I recommend-Overture to Death, Vintage Murder, Died in the Wool, or Death in a White Tie. Look forward to your next review...
P.S.
ReplyDeleteHave you heard that there is to be a feature film version of Christie's Crooked House to be filmed next year. Also I have been meaning to comment on one of your past reviews on the novel Hercule Poirot's Christmas. While you concentrated on the idea of families and inheritance I thought of one that might be interesting or no. While Christmas is suppose to be the season of forgiveness, peace on earth and goodwill toward men HP's Christmas quickly puts those ideas aside considering the violent and tense atmosphere that lurks among the Lee family. Also that when we gather together to be with our families around the holidays it can be tense, sometimes uncomforable, and bring up past arguements and bitter memories that we may or may have not mean to one another. In the novel, the various relatives seem not too happy to see each other. David hating his father's cruelty to his mother, Alfred upset that while his father always liked Harry despite his reckless habits and forging a check Alfred was the stay at home son who was devoted to his father. Again just a food for thought. I hope it makes sense. I look forward to your review of "Curtain" when you get to that one.
Hi Cameron:
ReplyDeleteGreat comments. I haven't yet seen the Suchet version of Hallowe'en Party but I really want to. I think Christie is wise not to get into the gory details of murder. Plotting is her strength and I love how she manipulates her audiences. Adding graphic violence I think would take away from the puzzle-solving quality of her works.
I haven't read Marsh but I would like to.
I have heard about Crooked House being made into a film. I do hope that they do Christie justice. In general films do not, but one can always hope.
Thanks again for your kind, supportive comments!
Wow, guys! I had NOT heard about the Crooked House film, so I Googled it and learned that Gabriel Byrne and Julie Andrews head the cast and that Neil LaBute (Crying Game) is set to direct! How cool would that be if it actually comes to pass!!!!!
ReplyDeleteCameron, I thought the film version with Suchet was BETTER than the book. It cut out all that hopeless meandering talk that plagued Christie at the end and focused on the mystery. Unfortunately, it isn't a very good mystery! To me, the best part about all these late Christies was the beginning. She sure knew how to START a mystery, but in her dotage she seemed to have lost the ability to plot and sustain her mystery. I'm so grateful to her that she had the sense to write Poirot and Marple's swan songs at the height of her powers.
Matt, good luck with Passenger to Frankfurt. I for one think it's unreadable!
Brad
Hi Brad!
ReplyDeleteI still haven't seen the Suchet version of this film. My folks thought it was very good - probably for the reasons you have mentioned here. I got caught up finishing the Hunger Games series and then went to Prague for a film festival so I set aside Passenger to Frankfurt. I'm getting back to it this weekend - I promise!
Matt