First Published: 1956Setting: Devon
Starring: Hercule Poirot, Mrs. Oliver, Amy Folliat, Sir George Stubbs, Hattie
Important Other People: Amanda Brewis, Michael Weyman, Alec and Peggy Legge, Marlene Tucker, Merdell
The setup for the plot is awesome. First of all, by fete, I assume they mean carnival, which is fun. I also like the idea of the Murder Hunt, even though the results are tragic. I don't quite get how someone could have influenced Mrs. Oliver without her realizing it. I feel like she would have been able to figure out who was trying to manipulate her. It's like in that episode of The Office where Michael spreads a bunch of rumors, and everyone gets together and figures out that he was the source of them all. It just seems a bit unrealistic that she was unable to at least have an idea of who was manipulating her. Also, if someone really wanted to kill Marlene, there probably could have been an easier way for that to happen than by a small chance that she might be the victim in the Murder Hunt.
Anyway, another aspect that bothers me is that, a lot of the time, some characters know some information, but (aside from the murderer) one person never really knows everything (except The Hollow, where everyone knows everything, and Elephants Can Remember, but that will come later). Here, though, Amy Folliat knows everything and is just so unhelpful to Poirot. You'd think she would want to help a little bit because she loves some of the people that were killed, but she just wants to shut everything out and pretend things are not happening. She makes me mad.
There are also a ton of red herrings and just overall confusing things happening that obscure the real problems. I guess this happens often with Agatha, just some of the ones in this book bother me. The boy in the turtle shirt, for example.
Anyway, another aspect that bothers me is that, a lot of the time, some characters know some information, but (aside from the murderer) one person never really knows everything (except The Hollow, where everyone knows everything, and Elephants Can Remember, but that will come later). Here, though, Amy Folliat knows everything and is just so unhelpful to Poirot. You'd think she would want to help a little bit because she loves some of the people that were killed, but she just wants to shut everything out and pretend things are not happening. She makes me mad.
There are also a ton of red herrings and just overall confusing things happening that obscure the real problems. I guess this happens often with Agatha, just some of the ones in this book bother me. The boy in the turtle shirt, for example.
Interesting facts: Hastings is mentioned. It's been awhile since he's been in a book. The house in the book, Nasse House, is modeled after Agatha's house in Devon, the Greenway Estate. It was her favorite residence.
Favorite? Not too bad. I like the idea of it, but not a lot of the characters.
Death by: strangulation, drowning, unknown
Body Count: 3; Cumulative: 131
The Count: Poirot-26, Miss Marple-6, Tommy and Tuppence-2, Hastings-7, Japp-7, Colonel Race-4, Superintendent Battle-5, George-6, Goby-2, No Recurring Character- 6, Mrs. Oliver-3, Albert- 2, Superintendent Spence-1, Miss Lemon-2
Agatha's Life Lessons: However large and beautiful the flowers, if the earthly roots are destroyed, there will be no more flowers. So much depends on how you look at a thing. Girls don't mind what their mothers say to them. Most men can look after themselves, or ought to be able to. Women tell a lot of lies. Without quarrels and reconciliations, life would be drab.
Up Next: 4:50 from Paddington
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