I've finished Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile, my second Hercule Poirot mystery. So, are you curious to know whether I did indeed guess correctly? The key word here is guess, and I did guess the correct culprit. However, unlike Monsieur Poirot I can't put it down to my very astute intellectual prowess for solving murderous conundrums. It was more a matter of who I wanted it to be, and the character having a probable motive (but then don't they all), but opportunity was lacking, which threw me entirely off. I couldn't have told you how the crime was comitted and Christie threw in some complications which made me alter my suspicions every few pages. In the end it came down to the fact I read a lot of mysteries, and watch a lot of mystery shows, so know how the devious crime writer mind works. Or maybe just luck (or maybe everyone who reads it comes to the same conclusion I did). Had I not already come across a slightly similar situation in another story, I might have been at a complete loss. So in the end my first instinct was right, but I could never have explained how we got there. That's the beauty of Agatha Christie, I think. In her stories, the devil is most definitely in the details.
I've only read one other Agatha Christie novel, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, which if you've read it, you know it shook the mystery reading world up when it was first published. I like Agatha Christie. I like her style and could probably just about read her novels one after another (though I won't gorge myself at the moment). Her mysteries are light, intellectual puzzles. They seem like very traditional mysteries, even this one with its exotic setting still had the feel of a drawing room mystery about it. There is a set cast of characters, each with something to hide, most with a connection to the victim or a reason to want her dead. All the clues are in plain sight so the clever reader (next time I'll take notes to back up my assumptions) can solve the mystery along with Poirot. I'm not sure if there is any validity to this statement, but there is an interesting theory in the wikipedia about her writing style:
"On an edition of Desert Island Discs (a British radio program), Brian Aldiss claimed Agatha Christie told him that she wrote her books up to the last chapter, and then decided who the most unlikely suspect was. She would then go back and make the necessary changes to 'frame' that person. The evidence of Christie's working methods, as described by successive biographers, contradicts this claim."
I'm not sure I buy that theory myself, as she would have a lot of changes to make for the mystery to work out. It seems to me it would only make the story more convoluted. I plan on reading a biography of Christie at some point so will see what they have to say about her writing style.
The first short section of Death on the Nile takes place in England and America. Each character is introduced in kind and there is an impressive cast of characters that I was afraid I might not be able to keep track of. Linnet Ridgeway is young and beautiful and very rich, otherwise known as The Girl Who Has Everything. What she doesn't have she simply takes, and at the beginning of the novel a friend remarks to her that she must have a lot of enemies. So the reader just knows something awful is going to happen to her right from the start. She promises her best friend Jacqueline de Bellefort that she'll consider offering Jacqueline's boyfriend, Simon Doyle, a job on her estate. Jacqueline and Simon are deeply in love but their financial situation is shaky and Simon needs a job before they can consider marrying.
Fast forward to Egypt. Enter the newly married Linnet and her husband Simon Doyle. The Doyles are enjoying their honeymoon in the beautiful, antique country of Egypt after a whirlwind romance and marriage. The only thing to darken their skies is an angry Jacqueline who dogs their steps and follows them to each new location making their honeymoon miserable. She's still in love with Simon, but now is angry with them both and throwing around all sorts of threats. The pair think they can lose Jacqueline by joining a cruise down the Nile from Assuan to Wadi Halfa. It's uncanny how Jacqueline always shows up at the last moment. Someone is going to be murdered, and it's pretty easy to see who. I won't give away anymore of the plot, as I don't want to ruin the story for anyone who hasn't read it yet.
The murder doesn't occur until halfway through the book so there are plenty of opportunities to see how everyone interacts and time to speculate on the most likely culprit. Everyone has their reason for coming to Egypt, some directly related to Linnet Doyle and others, like M. Poirot, find themselves part of the group only by chance. Poirot is joined by Colonel Race to solve the crime. Race has boarded the steamer looking for a criminal of a different sort--a political agitator. Then to complicate matters not only is there a murder but also a theft, so the possibilities of who did what are endless. Poirot has figured things out before the rest of us, but leaves the big questions and solutions until the end. Colonel Race is ready to move things along, but Poirot responds:
"You think I am just amusing myself with the side issues? And it annoys you? But it is not that. Once I went to an arachaeological expedition--and I learnt something there. In he course of an excavation, when something comes up out of the ground, everything is cleared away very carefully all around it. You take away the loose earth, and you scrape here and there with a knife until finally your object is there, all alone, ready to be drawn and photographed with no extraneous matter confusing it. That is what I have been seeking to do--clear away the extraneous matter so that we can see the truth--the naked truth."
Even though I had an inkling of who committed the crime early on (though I had my doubts over the course of the story), I still enjoyed the unravelling of the solution (which I was pretty clueless about). My only little quibble is that while the mystery ostensibly takes place on the Nile, it could almost as easily happened on the Thames. There wasn't as much local color as I would have liked, but I've checked out the film adaptation from the library, so I expect there to be lots of gorgeous scenic shots to make up for any visual shortcomings in the book. Death on the Nile was a wonderfully entertaining read--just the sort of mystery I was in the mood for. I'll be picking up more Agatha Christie (maybe a Miss Marple next), but I've already decided to read Josephine Tey's The Franchise Affair, which I've heard only good things about! So many good mysteries to choose from. So little time!
Oh Oh, I've just come home from my evening shift at the library with The Franchise Affair tucked in my bag. I'm really curious so I may flip through a few pages but R will probably steal it from me. Looking forward to hearing from you on that one once you get around to it.
Posted by: Darlene | August 05, 2009 at 08:52 PM
Darlene--I just started it today--am just in the first chapter where a solicitor gets hired to represent a mother and daughter accused of a kidnapping...The Franchise sounds very dreary compared to Hundreds Hall. Are you going to read it as well?
Posted by: Danielle | August 05, 2009 at 09:01 PM
I read a biography of Christie years ago. She had a fascinating life but I don't remember any details about her writing style. I think the book concentrated on the time she went missing and then turned up in Harrogate. I'd like to read a full bio - any suggestions?
I bought The Franchise Affair a couple of months (or so) ago and have been meaning to read it soon - it does look good.
Posted by: BooksPlease | August 06, 2009 at 12:40 AM
Interestingly, I've heard that same 'Desert Island Discs' story told about Ruth Rendell, so it may be that we both have to take it with a pinch of salt. It doesn't stop me loving Christie though. I was very lucky that as a teenager a friend of my mother lent me her collection of the complete Christie and one summer holiday I indulged in a crime feast. That's long enough age, i think for me to go back to them and have the same thrill of discovering 'whodunit' as I had then.
I'm also a great fan of Tey. Did you you know that there is a current writer, Nicola Upton, who is writing crime novels that feature Tey as a character? I'm just about to finish and post about the first, 'An Expert in Murder'.
Posted by: Table Talk | August 06, 2009 at 03:56 AM
Danielle, I think that will at some point but my reading is pretty well planned out into the Fall. I'll be watching for your comments though!
Posted by: Darlene | August 06, 2009 at 04:34 PM
Ooops, that should read 'I think that I will...'
Posted by: Darlene | August 06, 2009 at 04:35 PM
I think that you will find that as you read more Christie, you become really acclimated to her style and you will start picking the murderer in every story. Though she makes you doubt your conclusions throughout the story, you will inevitably find that you were right. It doesn't make the stories any less enjoyable though!
And I am totally going to do some Tey re-reads this fall and winter. I've read all of her books but it's been a few years and I miss them!
Posted by: Kristen M. | August 06, 2009 at 06:35 PM
You know, I've never actually read Agatha Christie but after reading your post, I think I will.
Posted by: Kirsten | August 06, 2009 at 07:05 PM
BooksPlease--My biography is by Janet Morgan and I think it is a full fledged biography. I saw a movie of Agatha Christie's life that also concentrated mostly on that period she went missing, which I had not known about (before I knew virutally nothing about her). She seems like a fascinating person. I'm not far into The Franchise Affair, but I am enjoying it. It's an interesting plot and I'll be curious to see where she goes with it.
Table Talk--How interesting. I had not heard that about Ruth Rendell. I wonder how many other crime writers out there have been 'accused' of doing the same! :) It does make for a good story, though, don't you think? I like both authors, so however they work/ed is fine by me! I think had I had a chance to read Agatha as a teen I would have loved her, too (though I'm enjoying her now). And Expert in Murder is the mystery i finished right before reading Agatha--so it was a natural progression to move on to the Tey (plus I read that Sarah Waters was inspired by it and I loved The Little Stranger). I'm looking forward to hearing what you thought of it. I liked it and will be reading her next one at some point.
Darlene--So you plan your reading ahead, too? I think my list goes somewhere well into next year, but then I rarely stick with plans so am constantly interrupting myself!
Kristen--Dare I say this--I have a feeling that Agatha's books may verge on the formulaic, but when you like the formula I personally don't mind. I did guess right, but she had me doubting myself right from the start. Still, they are nice, enjoyable cozies, so I'll definitely be reading more. Tey didn't write a whole lot of books, did she? I've got a couple but if I like The Franchise Affair (and I suspect I will) I'll search out the rest of her books.
Kirsten--I think I've seen more Agatha movie adaptations than read books! (Though I'm going to read more books now). If you like cozy mysteries, then you should definitely give her a try. The two I've read were light and entertaining. I also love that period when the Golden Age of Mysteries were so popular, so I am happy to give most books *(mysteries) from the 1930s a try. I hope you enjoy her!
Posted by: Danielle | August 06, 2009 at 08:53 PM
Yes, Tey only has eight books. I really wish there were more! Especially as I've already read almost 60 Christies and wouldn't mind some time with another mystery author. :) I tried Ngaio Marsh but didn't like the direction she took after the first few in the Alleyn series. Maybe I need to try Margery Allingham or something.
Posted by: Kristen M. | August 07, 2009 at 02:14 AM
Well, you know I'm a big Christie fan. I also like Tey, but some of her books are definitely better than others. The Franchise Affair was great, and I also loved Miss Pym Disposes.
Posted by: litlove | August 07, 2009 at 04:21 AM
I am glad you liked this book. This one is my favorites.I would recommend Murder on the Orient Express. It's really good - it is again a drawing room mystery and could have very well happened anywhere - but it is a good read.
Posted by: Vipula | August 07, 2009 at 01:12 PM
Kristen--Have you read Dorothy Sayers? I've only read one, but many people have recommended her to me. Too bad Tey didn't write more. I've read one by Margery Allingham and have meant to read more of her books, too.
Litlove--I think I'll enjoy reading Agatha Christie's books--nice to have a good mystery to fall back on. I've only read Tey's Brat Farrar ages ago, but I recall liking it. I'll look for Miss Pym Disposes, too.
Vipula--I have Murder on the Orient Express so will dig it out. I don't mind so much that the detail is a little lacking when it comes to place, as the mystery is really the important thing with her books.
Posted by: Danielle | August 08, 2009 at 09:51 AM