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