Crooked House

First Published: 1949
Setting: Swinly Dean

Starring: Charles Hayward, Sophia Leonides, Josephine, Inspector Taverner

Important Other People: Roger, Clemency, Philip, Magda, Edith de Haviland, Brenda Leonides, Laurence Brown, Eustace, Nannie

Much like Taken at the Flood, Crooked House begins with World War II and introduces the drama within the backdrop of the post-war world. The war becomes the reason that Charles and Sophia meet and fall in love, a connection which leads to the events at the Leonides house.  Once again, we get an amateur involving themselves with a police case which is really none of their concern (The Moving Finger, anyone?), but in this instance, if Charles hadn't tried so hard to figure out what was going on, I don't think the case would have been solved. Either that, or the wrong people would have been arrested. 


One of the most interesting things about this book is, like There is a Tide, there is a powerful central male patriarch that the rest of the family revolves around, but that we never get to see. Whereas Gordon Cloade tried to help his family members by encouraging their more obscure interests, thus leaving them floundering when he died, Aristide Leonides provided for his family while he was alive, and safeguarded their future when he died by choosing a single heir to look after the family. I think Agatha may have wanted a do over with the execution of the male patriarch, which is why we get two such similar characters in back-to-back books. Aristide is better executed than Gordon, and we also feel his presence more throughout the book than we did with Gordon. We can more fully understand the dynamic personality he had because it lives on in the house.


Josephine knows everything, and she's always right. She reminds me of Joyce in Hallowe'en Party. They both ended up dead.

Interesting facts: There's an Arsenic and Old Lace shout out! Also, Sherlock Holmes is mentioned, which may be the only time he is mentioned in any of Agatha's novels. As my pal says, the book was "memorable because of the effort by the publisher to change the ending. The editors were unhappy with her choice of murderer, but Christie, as was her policy, refused to budge...The ending for The Crooked House remained unchanged, and the novel continues to shock new readers, much like The Murder of Roger Ackroyd." 

Favorite?  Of Agatha, yes. This was one of her top two favorites. As she says, "Of my detective books, I think the two that satisfy me best are Crooked House and Ordeal by Innocence." Personally, I can't say it's my favorite, but I did write a book report on it once, so I guess I like it enough.

Death by: Eserine (poison), digitalin (poison), driving off a cliff

Body Count: 4; Cumulative: 108

The Count: Poirot-22, Miss. Marple-3, Tommy and Tuppence-2, Hastings-7, Japp-7, Colonel Race-4, Superintendent Battle-5, George-2, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 5, Mrs. Oliver-1, Albert- 2

Agatha's Life Lessons: There's always a doubt about everything. It's a great mistake ever to say anything when you needn't. Men always think that a caveman must be the only type of person attractive to the opposite sex. If you want to find things out, you have to listen at doors. No show runs itself. Only the people you love can really make life unendurable for you. Love and happiness are two separate things. Men are not born equal. Men must look after themselves. 

Up Next: A Murder is Announced