The Body in the Library

First Published: 1942

Setting: St. Mary Mead, Danemouth

Starring: Miss Marple, the Bantry's, Conway Jefferson

Important Other People: Sir Henry Clithering, Inspector Slack, Melchett, Harper, Josie, Raymond, Adelaide Jefferson, Mark Gaskell, Peter Carmody

The Body in the Library is one of Agatha's books that I could take or leave. I like a lot of the characters in it, but I don't really like the plot. There are plenty of surprises and twists, and the detecting by Miss Marple is, of course, ingenious, but I think my problem with the book stems from the perceived personality of the corpse. As we learn more and more about who she was, where she came from, and why she died, I like Ruby Keene less and less. I understand that life is difficult for young women of lower-class backgrounds, and I know that Ruby had to do whatever she could to get ahead in life. I do not like how she took advantage of Conway Jefferson and his family in her attempts to move up in the world. Not that I am a big fan of the odd family dynamics the Jefferson's have, but I still think she was a gold digger for sure.

Interesting facts: Agatha Christie mentions herself when Peter Carmody is talking about how he has signatures of some famous detective authors. Only the second book with Ms. Marple- she had been absent from the Agatha universe for 12 years! Also, this was written at the same time as N or M?, which was in the beginning of World War II. In the foreword, Agatha talks about how finding a body in the library is a cliche of detective fiction, and so seeks to parody this cliche by having an extremely traditional library with an extremely nontraditional victim, or body.

Favorite? Not particularly. I love Mrs. Bantry, and I love Sir Henry, but I don't really like the plot.

Death by: Strangulation/burning

Body Count: 2; Cumulative: 84

The Count: Poirot-20, Miss. Marple-2, Tommy and Tuppence-2, Hastings-7, Japp-7, Colonel Race-3, Superintendent Battle-4, George-1, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 3, Mrs. Oliver-1, Albert- 2

Agatha's Life Lessons: You've got to keep an eye on a man all the time. The quiet ones are always the worst. There's a lot of wickedness in the world. Men so easily feel neglected. Human nature is very much the same anywhere. Humans are much more vulnerable and sensitive than they think. Everyone's got the right to have a piece of luck sometimes. Don't believe everything you're told. You can only really get under anybody's skin if you are married to them. Married people enjoy their battles and the appropriate reconciliation. Women are eternally interested in marriages.

Up Next: Five Little Pigs

N or M?

First Published: 1941

Setting: Leahampton

Starring: Tommy and Tuppence, Albert

Important Other People: Major Bletchley, Commander Haydock, Mrs. Perenna, Sheila Perenna, Mrs. Sprot, Betty Sprot, Carl von Deinim

Tommy and Tuppence, Agatha's husband and wife spy team, come into play at times when patriotism is necessary. We saw them as two young things right after the first World War, and now we see them again, as older, wiser, and with grown-up children. Although the are no longer young and carefree, they still want to do their part in the war. Unfortunately, it is difficult for them to find their niche. They are able, however, to set out on another joint venture, just as they did in The Secret Adversary, one that involves spies, the war, and their marriage.

I like the twists and turns in this book, just as in almost everyone of Agatha's books, but this time everything seems much more urgent. It also seems like everything has a much larger impact than we are used to in her novels. The things Tommy and Tuppence do are so pivotal on a small scale, but it can have a huge impact on the rest of the war. I feel like this novel was helpful to the British public because it gave them something fast-paced and (relatively) lighthearted to become engrossed in, which took their minds off the real danger that was at hand.

From Agatha's autobiography: "...N or M?, a spy story, was in a way a continuation of the second book of mine, The Secret Adversary, featuring Tommy and Tuppence. Now with a grown-up son and daughter, Tommy and Tuppence were bored by finding that nobody wanted them in wartime. However, they made a splendid comeback as a middle-aged pair, and tracked down spies with all their old enthusiasm. I never found any difficulty in writing during the war, as some people did; I suppose because I cut myself off into a different compartment of my mind. I could live in the book among the people I was writing about, and mutter their conversations and see them striding about the room I had invented for them."

Interesting facts: Mr. Carter is mentioned, although does not make an appearance. Actually interesting fact, according, once again, to Matthew Bunson: "Published in 1941, N or M? offered readers in Britain a chance to follow the exploits of two of their favorite characters in a setting very close to home. Britain was in the middle of World War II, and the fun of the book was a welcome relief for fans from the all-too-real daily dangers being posed by the Luftwaffe and the reports of the war overseas. Christie wrote the book in the middle of the frequent bombings during the Blitz."

Favorite? I do love Tommy and Tuppence, and patriotism, and spies. So, yes.

Death by: shooting

Body Count: 2; Cumulative: 82

The Count: Poirot-20, Miss. Marple-1, Tommy and Tuppence-2, Hastings-7, Japp-7, Colonel Race-3, Superintendent Battle-4, George-1, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 3, Mrs. Oliver-1, Albert- 2

Agatha's Life Lessons: There is a strange anomaly to war. There is respect among adversaries. The young don't see the pity, waste, and horror of war. Being a devoted wife saps the intellect. Anything that mitigates suffering is worthwhile. Anything should be done for construction, not destruction. Flattery should be laid on with a trowel where a man is concerned (I love Tuppence). There is time to weep after the battle.

Up Next: The Body in the Library

Evil Under the Sun

First Published: 1941

Setting: Smuggler's Island, Leathercombe Bay, off the coast of Devon

Starring: Hercule Poirot, Arlena Stuart, Kenneth Marshall, Linda Marshall, Rosamund Darnley

Important Other People: Christine and Patrick Redfern, Inspector Colgate, Emily Brewster, The Gardeners, Horace Blatt, Stephen Lane

I have really no insight on this book, other than the fact that it is a well-written mystery with lots of twists and surprises, relies heavily on the element of time (which Agatha writes impeccably), and presents many likable characters. The only thing I would really add is that, although this book was published in 1941, there is virtually no mention of the war that was going on at the time. I find it odd that very few of her books published during the war years mention the war, although many books that were published after this time period deal heavily in issues related to the war. Thankfully, we have Tommy and Tuppence to look forward to next...

Interesting facts: Apparently, many other Christie fans say this is one of their favorite books.

Favorite? It's ok. There's a lot of subterfuge and deception, which I like, but I never like when characters I like turn out to be evil...under the sun (haha).

Death by: strangulation

Body Count: 1; Cumulative: 80

The Count: Poirot-20, Miss. Marple-1, Tommy and Tuppence-1, Hastings-7, Japp-7, Colonel Race-3, Superintendent Battle-4, George-1, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 3, Mrs. Oliver-1

Agatha's Life Lessons: There is evil everywhere under the sun. A woman is as old as she looks. It's not beauty that counts in the end- to really count, a woman must have goodness and brains. Men are such fools. Wives have to put up with a lot. Woman can be man's help and inspiration in life- she can also be his downfall. One can't put sorrow behind one.

Up Next: N or M?

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe (The Patriotic Murders)

First Published: 1940

Setting: London, Exsham

Starring: Hercule Poirot, Inspector Japp

Important Other People: Mabelle Sainsbury Seale, Alistair Blunt, Morley, Amberiotis

To me, this is another example of a murderer asking for help from Hercule Poirot. Seriously, what is wrong with these people?? I don't want to give anything away, but time and again people think they can outsmart Poirot, and time and again he proves them wrong. The plot of this book also pretends to be about so much more than it actually is. Once again, Poirot has to clear away the clutter to get to the heart of the issue- someone murdering someone else. No matter how else it is dressed up to be, it still is a murder committed by an evil person.

The underlying theme of the importance of politics and globalization in this book are a direct result of the events that were happening at the time. Even though there is thought that the book was written before the fall of 1939 (see below), the world was going through a tumultuous time, both politically and socially. I think Agatha was responding to that with the tone of the book, even though there are no real references to the war or what was about to happen in Europe.

Interesting facts: Although this novel was published during World War II, there are very few references to the war itself. Matthew Bunson, who wrote The Complete Christie, says that this puts the time period of the novel before the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939.

Favorite? Not at all. Dull and unnecessarily confusing.

Death by: shot, anesthetic, medinal

Body Count: 3; Cumulative: 79

The Count: Poirot-19, Miss. Marple-1, Tommy and Tuppence-1, Hastings-7, Japp-7, Colonel Race-3, Superintendent Battle-4, George-1, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 3, Mrs. Oliver-1

Agatha's Life Lessons: Relations don't always know everything. In every profession and walk of life there is someone who is vulnerable to temptation. If a man feels a woman expects a lot of him, he tries to live up to her ideal of him. Don't trust the respectable people. You can't beat plain common sense. The gap between theory and practice is a wide one. One must not yield too soon- there is pleasure in the chase. Manners help you along in life. One doesn't like things one cannot explain (especially Hercule Poirot!)

Up Next: Evil Under the Sun

Sad Cypress

First Published: 1940

Setting: Maidensford, London

Starring: Hercule Poirot, Elinor Carlisle, Peter Lord

Important Other People: Laura Welman, Roddy, Mary Gerrard, Nurse Hopkins

What I love about this book is that it's not just a crime at the beginning, a series of interviews of everyone involved in the middle, a few twists here and there, another murder or two, and the big reveal. It starts with the trial, and goes back into the whole complicated story. The beginning of this book is entirely different from the beginnings of any of her previous novels, and we get an insight into a trial.

Another aspect of this book that I really like is how we see Poirot detecting and trying to find out the truth, but there are a lot of clues that just get brought up at the trial- we are kind of in the dark about Poirot's methods and movements until the end.

This, to my recollection, is also one of the first times that someone tries to impede the cause of justice in favor of someone they love. This will come up again (The Hollow comes to mind right away), but I don't think it happened before.

I love this book so much. I think a lot of that has to do with Elinor's personality. I also love the plot, and the way the book is set up. It's just so good.

Interesting facts: First of Agatha's courtroom dramas. The title comes from a quote from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Apparently, Agatha said something about how she should not have included Poirot in this novel- I think she's wrong. He isn't too over the top in this novel.

Favorite? YES. One of my two ultimate favorite books.

Death by: morphia

Body Count: 2; Cumulative: 76

The Count: Poirot-18, Miss. Marple-1, Tommy and Tuppence-1, Hastings-7, Japp-6, Colonel Race-3, Superintendent Battle-4, George-1, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 3, Mrs. Oliver-1

Agatha's Life Lessons: Love should be a pleasurable emotion- not something that hurts with its intensity. Men don't like devotion and adoration. It's not wise to care too much. Life is rather cheap. Anyone who has never really loved has never really lived. To care passionately for another human always brings more sorrow than joy. People ought to be forced to make wills. One cannot always turn aside and pass by from the unpleasantness of life. Life is not reasonable. Lies tell a listener just as much as the truth. Ordinary things are the best.

Up Next: One, Two, Buckle My Shoe

And Then There Were None (Ten Little Indians)

First Published: 1939

Setting: Indian Island, off the coast of Devon

Starring: Vera Claythorne, Philip Lombard, William Blore, Dr. Armstrong, Justice Wargrave

Important Other People: General Macarthur, Emily Brent, Anthony Marston, Mr and Mrs Rogers, U. N. Owen

Obviously, this is an incredible novel, minus the racism involved in some of the titles and the naming of the island. Apparently, it was meant to create a sense of "otherness," which I think an abandoned island creates anyway. Aside from that, there are a couple of different themes that run through the novel- some are new to Christie's work, and some we have seen before.

One new concept in this book is the multiple narratives used. We've seen two narratives used in The ABC Murders, but never before have we gotten so much insight into so many different characters. There is no central character, and so we get to hear a little bit about everyone is thinking. As people are murdered, the narrative gets more focused, and so we hear a lot from Vera. I especially like how some of the thoughts do not have an owner ascribed to them, so we actually are reading what the murderer is thinking, although we don't know who it is. This style also allows us to get to know and like many of the characters. As in Cards on the Table, it becomes more difficult to believe that some of them are murderers. This case is also similar to Cards in that the person who arranges the whole setup hears about many of the murders through hearsay. Accordingly, I don't think that all of them have the same amount of guilt. I think the ones who felt the least amount of remorse should have been kept longer- Anthony Marston, for example. If he had been longer on the island and subjected to the same amount of terror as everyone else, he may have repented a bit.

Similarly to Murder on the Orient Express, we have a case of individuals meting out the justice that they thought people deserved. In Orient, I would say it was somewhat warranted. In this book, I think the murderer was just crazy.

Interesting facts: Agatha herself developed this into a play. I didn't realize that- I thought someone else changed the ending so that it made more sense for a play, but apparently, she did it herself. It also convinced her that no one was going to adapt her books except for herself. Agatha also said that this was one of the most difficult and complex books to write, and required a huge amount of planning.

Favorite? Yes. Ingenious, suspenseful, and completely brilliant.

Death by: cyanide, chloral, cosh, chopped up, drowned, crushed, shot, hanged

Body Count: 11; Cumulative: 74

The Count: Poirot-17, Miss. Marple-1, Tommy and Tuppence-1, Hastings-7, Japp-6, Colonel Race-3, Superintendent Battle-4, George-1, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 3, Mrs. Oliver-1

Agatha's Life Lessons: Once you get to an island you can't go any further. Real peace is to come to the end and not have to go on.

Up Next: Sad Cypress

Easy to Kill (Murder is Easy)

First Published: 1939

Setting: Wychwood Under Ashe

Starring: Luke Fitzwilliam, Superintendent Battle, Bridget Conway

Important Other People: Lord Easterfield, Mr. Ellsworthy, Lavinia Fullerton, Amy Gibbs, Major Horton, Honoria Waynflete

In Easy to Kill, we are introduced to Luke Fitzwilliam, a police officer just returned from some far corner of the British empire. Luke is similar to characters such as Lucy Eyelsbarrow, Emily Trefusis, and Arthur Calgary in that he's awesome, but we never see him again. He and Bridget Conway are young still, and they talk to each other in much the same way that Tommy and Tuppence did when they were starting out- easily and casually.

Lord Easterfield is a pompous Napoleon-type who is so self-involved that he does not notice what is going on right in front of him. What's happening is...murder. One of the scariest parts of this book is the cover of the copy I have. I actually have two copies of the same version, and they both scare me. I also think this murderer is one of the few of Agatha's culprits who is genuinely insane, and should be regarded as a homicidal maniac, and is also very scary. There are a lot of deaths in this book, and it's scary to think of this happening in a village- so many people are killed, it's a wonder that the village is still thriving.

Marriage is presented in a number of ways: Marriage as safety for women who don't have a lot of options. Marriage as discipline for wayward souls. Marriage as a convenient arrangement. Bridget takes a cynical, modern view of marriage when she recognizes that she doesn't have a lot of potential to live easily for the rest of her life, and so agrees to marry Lord Easterfield so that she can have that safety and financial protection. Luke totally calls her out on it, claiming that marriage should be about love- what an outdated concept!

Interesting facts: First novel with arsenic poisoning! Even though arsenic is the typical poison that people think of, this is the first time that Agatha used it. Also, I think this is the only case in one of Agatha's novels where someone dies because the murderer induces septicemia in them.

Favorite? Kind of. Too scary, but I do like the ending.

Death by: Arsenic, pushed off a cliff and drowned, pushed off a building, poisoning (oxalic acid, aka hat paint), the introduction of septicemia, run over, cosh. (I'm including everyone who was killed by the murderer, even though some of it takes place before the novel begins, because it is all important to the plot)

Body Count: 7; Cumulative: 63

The Count: Poirot-17, Miss. Marple-1, Tommy and Tuppence-1, Hastings-7, Japp-6, Colonel Race-3, Superintendent Battle-4, George-1, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 2, Mrs. Oliver-1

Agatha's Life Lessons: It's very easy to kill, so long as no one suspects you. It's a great thing to know what you want. No one human being knows the full truth about another human being- not even one's nearest and dearest. Heroines are never killed. Marriage is a form of discipline. One mustn't quarrel with one's bread and butter. Aunts illustrate the triumph of guesswork over logic. Men are more easily deceived than women. If a woman is not happy, she is capable of terrible things. Liking is more important than loving- it lasts.

Up Next: And Then There Were None

Hercule Poirot's Christmas

First Published: 1938

Setting: Addlesfield

Starring: Hercule Poirot, Lee family, Superintendent Sugden

Important Other People: Pilar Estravados, Stephen Farr, Tressilian, Horbury

"Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?"

One of my favorite parts of this book is the dedication. It is dedicated to Agatha's brother in law in response to his complaint that her murders were getting too refined, and he wanted one with lots of blood. This novel is her response to him, and there is plenty of blood to let us know that a murder has occurred, and that it has been violent.

Simeon Lee, similar to Mrs. Boynton in Appointment with Death. They are both presented as tyrants that rule over their families. Mrs. Boynton dictated her family's every move, controlling them completely in mind, body, and spirit. Simeon Lee, on the other hand, does not have the level of control he wishes he had. Because of that, he must occupy himself in other endeavors, such as saying and doing malicious things and observing peoples' reactions. We would think that this streak of evil would be inherited by the tyrant's children, but Mrs. Boynton was killed by an outsider to the family. Simeon, on the other hand, was killed by one of his children, although not who we would expect. The idea of inheritance and nature versus nurture that Christie begins to explore in these two books will be explored in further detail in future novels (particularly Crooked House, Ordeal by Innocence, and Murder with Mirrors). A big difference between Simeon Lee and Mrs. Boyton is that, while I find Mrs. Boynton terrifying, I have to admit that I kind of like Simeon. I have a lot of pity for him, similar to how Sarah King realized that Mrs. Boyton was someone to be pitied because her tyranny only extended over her family. I also like Simeon because, although he is malicious and sneaky, he makes me laugh a little bit. Also, he's senile.

Interesting facts: Three Act Tragedy is mentioned. The book is dedicated to Agatha's brother in law. The theme of the innocent suffering while the police and detectives look for the culprit is introduced in this book, and it is one that Agatha explores in greater detail in later novels. We also are reminded that yellow symbolizes money.

Favorite? Yes. I read it every year at Christmas, and try to read it on the correct days. A bit macabre, perhaps, but definitely fitting.

Death by: Slit throat

Body Count: 1; Cumulative: 56

The Count: Poirot-17, Miss. Marple-1, Tommy and Tuppence-1, Hastings-7, Japp-6, Colonel Race-3, Superintendent Battle-3, George-1, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 2, Mrs. Oliver-1

Agatha's Life Lessons: The world is as you yourself make it. If we seek to keep the past alive we end up distorting it. The world is very cruel to women- they must do what they can for themselves when they are young. A man does not live and die to himself alone.

Up Next: Easy to Kill

Appointment with Death

First Published: 1938

Setting: Petra, Jordan

Starring: Hercule Poirot, Sarah King, Boynton family

Important Other People: Jefferson Cope, Dr. Gerard, Lady Westholme, Miss Pierce

Similar to Why Didn't They Ask Evans, the story opens with a phrase that leads to a mystery that must be resolved. In this case, it is a lot more sinister and a bit more urgent- "You do see, don't you, that she's got to be killed?" The speaker of these words, Raymond Boynton, goes on to explain how killing his mother, Mrs. Boyton, would be like killing or putting down a mad dog. One of the characters shows that she has inside knowledge of what actually happened in Murder on the Orient Express, and asks him, like he did in that case, to let it go. Hercule must refuse because, as he says, he does not condone murder. I think, if the murderer had turned out to be someone different, he may have condoned it in a similar manner to how he did in the Armstrong case.

This is different from some of the other family-centric novels. In other novels, the family usually knows who committed the crime, while here, they all suspect each other because they don't know who committed the crime, creating an atmosphere of guilt and suspicion that causes some of the members of the family to begin to crack. Thankfully, Hercule comes to the rescue in time for everyone (who isn't evil) to have a happy ending. He does love playing the matchmaker.

Interesting facts: One of the characters recognizes Hercule Poirot from his work on the ABC case. Colonel Race is mentioned as Poirot talks about his detecting from Cards on the Table. The events from Murder on the Orient Express are also mentioned.

Favorite? Yes, because I really love the characters and because I really and truly am afraid of Mrs. Boyton. It's funny to think that Agatha wrote about all of these murderers, but hardly any of them really frighten me. Mrs. Boynton, while not a de facto murderer, is still terrifying.

Death by: Digitoxin, shooting

Body Count: 2; Cumulative: 55

The Count: Poirot-16, Miss. Marple-1, Tommy and Tuppence-1, Hastings-7, Japp-6, Colonel Race-3, Superintendent Battle-3, George-1, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 2, Mrs. Oliver-1

Agatha's Life Lessons: A man who respects himself strikes out on his own and makes something of his life. No one is truly free- there are different degrees of bondage. If you have a belief in yourself and in the rightness of what you are doing, you can often accomplish things that are well worthwhile. One cannot lie all the time. Love is agony on another's behalf.

Up Next: Hercule Poirot's Christmas

Death on the Nile

First Published: 1937

Setting: Wadi Halfa, on the Nile

Starring: Hercule Poirot, Colonel Race, Linnet Ridgeway, Jacqueline de Bellefort, Simon Doyle

Important Other People: Mrs. Allerton, Tim Allerton, Rosalie and Mrs. Otterbourne, Cornelia Robson

One of the major themes of the book is the idea of how one can want something so passionately that they lose sight of everything else, including rationality and reason. Once one thing becomes your whole reason for existence, you will do whatever it takes to achieve that end, including opening your heart to evil. Poirot knows this, and so takes steps to avoid evil from occurring. He warns Jackie about the possible consequences of her actions because he knows it's always better to prevent a murder than try to get justice after it has been committed. There are three pieces of advice about forgetting the past and moving on the the future in the book, which should have given Jackie a hint...

I also like how this is another one of Christie's murders that takes place in a confined space (although I don't think any other novel is in quite so confined a space as Cards on the Table). The suspect pool is limited, and there are quite a few people who have huge motives for murder. Still, the ones who are most likely to have committed it have alibis. There is only one day of questioning before the truth is revealed, so Poirot and Race have their work cut out for them trying to clear away all the extraneous mysteries and uncover the real motives and alibis.

The whole book is about money. Linnet has too much of it, Jackie and Simon have not enough of it. Simon gets enough of it, but then struggles to come to terms with it all, especially because the finances are controlled by his wife. The idea of money in this era is different- they talk about how poor Jackie is, but she went on a trip to the Middle East...in what way, exactly, is she poor? Even at that time, I can't imagine a trip to the Middle East being affordable for people from all walks of life. I think Jackie must be like many of Agatha's characters who are from the upper class, but have lost their money in some way and become "impoverished" according to their usual or familial standards (like the Lytton Gores from Three Act Tragedy, the Cloades from There is a Tide, and Lance's wife Pat from A Pocketful of Rye). This is also the first novel (I believe) that Agatha makes a point of yellow symbolizing money. Linnet with her golden hair is the supreme symbol of money, while Jackie with her dark hair, is in stark contrast. Love can be a very frightening thing, and the lengths characters in this book go to for love- of a man, and of money, have drastic results.

One final aspect of this book that I really enjoy is all of the extra mysteries that abound on this one trip up the Nile. It keeps the book moving at a face pace, it keeps it interesting, and it also makes it more difficult for Poirot to figure everything out. He does, of course, find the answer to ALL of the questions in the end, but I like how he brings different characters in one by one to basically explain that he knows the truth to their actions. To me, the extraneous mysteries in this book make it even that much more interesting.

Interesting facts: Japp is mentioned... yet again. I think I should keep a tally of how many times Japp is mentioned, but not actually in the story. The trip the group takes up the Nile is similar to one that Agatha and her husband, Max Mallowan, took in the 1930s. The vegetable code mentioned that is used by the man Colonel Race is looking for is similar to the one used in South Africa in The Man in the Brown Suit, which, coincidentally, Race also appeared in.

Favorite? One of them.

Death by: Shooting, stabbing

Body Count: 5; Cumulative: 53

The Count: Poirot-15, Miss. Marple-1, Tommy and Tuppence-1, Hastings-7, Japp-6, Colonel Race-3, Superintendent Battle-3, George-1, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 2, Mrs. Oliver-1

Agatha's Life Lessons: To have money and looks is too much for one person- it isn't fair. Nearly everyone only likes successful people. Marriage has a sobering effect on people. Youth is the time of greatest vulnerability. You can't alter the past- you must live with things the way they are. Give up the past, turn to the future. What is done is done...bitterness will not undo it. When the sun comes out you can no longer see the moon. Do not open your heart to evil because evil will come. There is always a moment where one could hold their hand (as in, make a move). To succeed in life, every detail should be arranged well beforehand. When anything beautiful is dead, it's a loss to the world. Love can be a very frightening thing. It's not the past that matters but the future. "Un qui aime et un qui se laisse aimer" can be very dangerous. (Translation, according to google translate, and which I agree on based on my sketchy knowledge of French: One who loves and one who allows them self to love can be very dangerous).

Up Next: Appointment with Death

Poirot Loses a Client (Dumb Witness)

First Published: 1937

Setting: Market Basing

Starring: Hercule Poirot, Hastings, Emily Arundell (deceased)

Important Other People: Miss Lawson, Charles and Theresa Arundell, Bella Tanios, Bob (the dog, and possibly the greatest character in the book)

I love Bob. In a rather unusual move for Agatha, she gives us an insight into Bob's narrative within the overall narrative that is provided by Hastings. I can't think of another time that she does this, or another time that an animal really features prominently in a novel. I'm not sure why she didn't focus more on animals with the fantastic way she writes Bob and the insights that she gives us into his personality. They are really spot-on for an English terrier.

In the novel, we are told that "It's no good making a fuss after things have happened." Obviously, this is untrue considering the way that Hercule Poirot takes on this case and fights for his client, even though she is dead and buried without any suspicion of foul play. Of course Hercule would be able to find the mystery and pinpoint the murderer without ever having met Emily Arundell and without the support of an investigation by the police. He does get support from Bob- I think the only time an animal helps to elucidate a case for Poirot.

Interesting facts: According to Matthew Bunson, Bob was probably based off a Agatha's own dog named Peter. The book was also dedicated to Peter. Plot idea originally came from one of Agatha's short stories, "How Does Your Garden Grow." Hastings' last appearance until Curtain (sniff!)

Favorite? A very good one. I love Emily Arundell, even though we don't really get to meet her in the sense that she isn't alive during the book, but I love her feisty attitude. I also love Bob. I don't know why Agatha didn't feature more dogs in her books, because she really writes them well.

Death by: Phosphorus poisoning, chloral

Body Count: 2; Cumulative: 48

The Count: Poirot-14, Miss. Marple-1, Tommy and Tuppence-1, Hastings-7, Japp-6, Colonel Race-2, Superintendent Battle-3, George-1, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 2, Mrs. Oliver-1

Agatha's Life Lessons: Old people don't understand what it is to live (I disagree). People are prepared to be unscrupulous if paid. The law has a lot of latitude. One must go not by one's feelings but by facts. Every man for himself. Those that isn't married don't know what trouble is. Taste is one thing, brains are another. It's a great drawback to be so sensitive (I can vouch for that!). It's no good making a fuss after things have happened. Sometimes tomorrow is a long way off. Tomorrow succeeds today with monotonous regularity. (those last two directly contradict each other, but both have good advice)

Up Next: Death on the Nile

Cards on the Table

First Published: 1936

Setting: London

Starring: Hercule Poirot, Mrs. Oliver, Battle, Colonel Race (the Sleuths)

Important Other People: Mr. Shaitana. Dr. Roberts, Mrs. Lorrimer, Major Despard, Anne Meredith (The "Murderers")

The plot for Cards on the Table was laid out by Poirot in The ABC Murders. It truly is a crime that Poirot has ordered to test himself. The important aspect is that there are only 4 suspects, and there is no way to figure out who did it except by Poirot using his little grey cells. It is the supreme psychological crime.

We are introduced to Mrs Oliver- the epitome of Agatha herself. One of Mrs. Oliver's books, The Body in the Library, is mentioned by one of the characters, a book that was eventually written by Christie herself. I like Mrs. Oliver a lot and I always enjoy reading about her, and it's mainly because Christie is clearly parodying herself. She describes the clothes Mrs. Oliver wears, her crazy hairstyles and hats, and mocks herself on her "women's intuition" that she uses to "solve" the crimes she comes into contact with. She guesses everyone in turn, which we see as Christie mocking herself for doing the same thing.

One thing that is interesting- one of the characters says that people tend to stick to arsenic for murders, yet Agatha had not written of any murders committed with arsenic up to this point in her writing career (in her novels).

Hercule Poirot has a thoroughly bourgeois attitude towards murder. He doesn't deal with the lower classes and their problems and murders. The one case that sticks out to me as having a lower-class feel is Mrs. McGinty's Dead, being that she's a charwoman, but the other characters involved are upper-class. Murder has become more common nowadays, making it difficult to find a parallel from the early to mid 20th century.

One of my biggest problems with the book is the importance Poirot places on the bridge scores kept by the suspects. Mainly because I don't know how to play bridge, I don't know the rules or terms, and I basically don't understand any part of what's going on with bridge. It's difficult to truly appreciate the importance of the scores, or to even understand what Poirot deduces based off of them, if you don't understand bridge. I feel like more people in 1936 played bridge and understood it. I always feel like it's something I need to learn just to understand this book better. We'll see if that happens...

Interesting facts: Japp is mentioned. This is a crime to order for Poirot's little grey cells. We see Rhoda and Despard many books later in The Pale Horse. Poirot reveals the true solution to the Orient Express to another character, which could ruin the book if you had never read it before.

Favorite? Of Poirot, YES. Of Agatha, I think it's up there because she always wanted to write it for Poirot to solve. For me, after I've read it a few times, I've liked it better. I hated it the first time I read it because I thought it was so unexciting and the bridge part made no sense to me.

Death by: Stabbing, Veronal/evipan, drowning

Body Count: 3; Cumulative: 46

The Count: Poirot-13, Miss. Marple-1, Tommy and Tuppence-1, Hastings-6, Japp-6, Colonel Race-2, Superintendent Battle-3, George-1, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 2, Mrs. Oliver-1

Agatha's Life Lessons: A murderer can be an artist, but he's still a murderer. Man is an unoriginal animal. What can't be cured must be endured. There's nothing like death for bringing out the meanness of human nature. One ought to live frightfully dangerously- if one gets the chance. Life, on the whole, is terribly tame. Men don't do purely disinterested kindnesses. The moment a man's a bad lot, all the girls stick up for him. Things are just the same whether you talk about them or not. Life is a difficult business- it needs infinite courage and a lot of endurance. Men always do take fancies to unsuitable women. Lying is not always a sign of guilt. No one can always be right (not even Poirot!)

Up Next: Poirot Loses a Client

Murder in Mesopotamia

First Published: 1936

Setting: Tell Yarimjah, Mesopotamia (Iraq)

Starring: Hercule Poirot, Nurse Letheran, Dr. and Mrs. Leidner

Important Other People: Dr. Reilly, Richard Carey

This is the first of a few novels that takes place in the Middle East. Agatha was enamored with the area and often accompanied her husband, an archaeologist, on expeditions there. She fell in love with the area and set many of her plots there, this being the first.

Interesting facts: The story is supposed to take place three years earlier than when it was published, right before Hercule went on the Orient Express and came in contact with another murder.

Favorite? No. I don't like Nurse Letheran as a narrator, and the outcome is so far fetched... would you really not recognize someone after a long period of time? It seems so unlikely. I need to hear of something like that happening for real in order to believe it.

Death by: Cosh, Hydrochloric acid (ingested)

Body Count: 2; Cumulative: 43

The Count: Poirot-12, Miss. Marple-1, Tommy and Tuppence-1, Hastings-6, Japp-6, Colonel Race-1, Superintendent Battle-2, George-1, Goby-1, No Recurring Character- 2

Agatha's Life Lessons: Husbands are credulous where illness is concerned. Life's not long enough to be bored. A lady seldom displays curiosity about one's private affairs. Really important people don't need to throw their weight about. Whenever women are cooped up together, there's bound to be jealousy. It's bottling things up that makes them get on your nerves. Murder is a habit. Excuses are not explanations. Marriage changes things. Women are realists. What's happened has happened and can't be mended. A woman who doesn't lie is without imagination and sympathy. However deep you bury and unpleasantness a dog will always dig it up again. Women can put up with a lot when they've got what they want. There is no hatred so great as that of a man who has been made to love a woman against his will.

Up Next: Cards on the Table