Mark Pghfan’s Comments (group member since Mar 06, 2014)

Mark Pghfan’s comments from the The Parlor PI's group.

I don't think that after he was fingered, he would have had the chance. Before he was fingered by Poirot, I'm sure he thought he would have gotten away with it.

I have the book of short stories as well.

I don't have any suggestions just yet, but any ideas for an August read?

Finally, nice and cool here is Pittsburgh.

NicoleG: No I don't, but come to think of it, it sounds like a great idea!!

It has been unusually hot here in Pittsburgh, the past few days. Cooler and a cold front today and nicer for the rest of the week.

I always wonder when I read this story or watch the TV version, where did Poirot get the small bottle of ethyl chloride he used with Donovan? It isn't as though he even had time to go back to his apartment to get it, during the course of the investigation.

I agree with Suchet that the EARLIER episodes followed the story fairly closely, though not the later ones.

Since I've read all the Christies so man times, when I now re-read them, knowing the culprit(s), I love to see how she introduces the red herrings and uses her bag of tricks to fool us!

Four bright young things (as Christie would probably call them) return home from the theater to the apartment of one of the girls, Pat, to find that her key in not in her handbag. After a bit of fussing around about what to do, they decide that the two men, Donovan and Jimmy, will try to enter the apartment via the coal lift. It is a sort of dumbwaiter, though large enough for two people, where they will hoist themselves up and into Pat's kitchen. It seems they counted the floors in the apartment building wrong and they enter someone else's apartment.

Upon fixing their mistake, they find blood on Donovan's hand, which could only come from the earlier apartment visit. Upon their return there, they find the body of a murdered woman.

Fortunately, also living in the apartment building, in one Hercule Poirot, a strange foreign gentleman, who comes to assist them in their time of need!

Quite an interesting story and a delightful TV adaptation with David Suchet.

Will do!

Sounds fine. We can discuss the TV version as well. Do you want to start and should I?

I don't know where we are at this point. It sounds like the easiest thing is to do another story or two from Three Blind Mice. Any suggestions? I would be happy to host, if no one else wants to.

Nicole: Either sound like a good idea!

I remembered the villain and noticed throughout the story that he didn't act at all like I thought a policeman would. On the other hand, I completely forgot that Major Metcalf was an Inspector!

The volume I have is Lord Peter: The Complete Stories. If people can't find it or get it, we can always continue with some other stories in the Three Blind Mice collection.

Some time ago, I said I would offer a suggestion for a short story in the Lord Peter collection. I suggest "Talboys". It is the last story in the book, and is rather longish (compared to the rest) and is late in the Lord Peter oeuvre.

If your book doesn't have this, I will suggest another.

I am finding it hard to discuss this story, as the main thing I really noticed would give away the culprit!

The story is typical Christie in a way, not only because of the surprise ending, but the population of stock characters: The plucky young woman, the stolid, handsome husband, the nasty old matron, the sly-looking foreigner, the effeminate "architect", and the bluff English major.

I have to agree that it is the surprise/twist ending that make Christie rise above the read.

I saw the play 30+ years ago in Toronto and again about 3 years ago here in Pittsburgh. I didn't get the chance to see it in London when I was there last September.

A nice holiday. Went to a friend's house for an impromptu (mostly) cookout, with a few other good friends. A great way to spend the day!