Jessica-sim’s Comments (group member since Jan 01, 2016)

Jessica-sim’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

We are now in 1946 after a gap of 4 years. Agatha Christie left Poirot alone for a while and published several other books (a Miss Marple The Moving Finger, some standalones and an excursion as Mary Westmacott with Absent in the Spring.

She returns to Poirot with a nice country house mystery which I am sure we will all tremendously enjoy, though according to Wikipedia she herself was not a fan stating that Poirot ruined this story...

Christie, who often admitted that she did not like Poirot (...), particularly disliked his appearance in this novel. His late arrival, jarring, given the established atmosphere, led Christie to claim in her Autobiography that she "ruined [her own novel] by the introduction of Poirot".

As a Dutchie I am not familiar with the Five Little Pigs nursery rhyme. For those who did know it, did you find it brought some extra clues or atmosphere to the story?

Oh, how interesting that you thought Angela might have used a perfume bottle to mess with Amyas' beer!

I was pretty sure that Elsa was the murderer from page one, but couldn't work out how until Poirot showed me how Elsa could have watched Caroline taking the poison from over Meredith's shoulder. I thought the point Poirot was making earlier, in the 5 questions part, would be that Elsa somehow returned later or that Meredith had such a sweet spot for Elsa that he purposefully misremembered the order of leaving.

I loved the section with the 5 questions! Haha also how Poirot had to search for something to ask Angela for symmetry reasons

I wondered whether I, if I were one of the 5, would have written up a detailed account for Poirot and then also show up for the meeting. Especially Elsa must have felt very sure of herself.

All in all a great Poirot to start this year off with. And how nice that these books can still so pleasantly surprise us!

I am really enjoying this one! So different in style than all the others. Still makes a very good puzzle for the Grey cells. I don't think I read or saw this story before... Very intriguing.

Page 21 A jingle ran through Poirot's head. He repressed it. He must NOT always be thinking about nursery rhymes. It seemed an obsession wifh him lately. <\i>

Almost feels like Agatha Christie is talking to herself here!

Did you find you liked any of the characters? I don't think I particularly do

Interesting comments here! My book arrived yesterday (should probably have prepared by ordering next month's book in the meantime... Will do that right away) and it's in my bag to start today or tomorrow! I first want to finish dalgliesh, but I'm looking forward to starting this Poirot soon :-)

It took me some time to get into it. I had to get used to the writing and the rhythm of narration. After about chapter 3 I was thoroughly enjoying myself though. About 60% in and still don't have a suspect ready...

I don't know what these five pigs are doing to my mail men... But the order has been send to me and lost twice now! Haha hopefully I'll receive it soon

This wasn't really the book for me. It started off well but I somehow got bored of it, much of the same elements and tempo in every story.

Didn't quite do it for me. Still, after finishing I watched the 4 tv episodes and I did like them,it was also fun to hear certain scenes verbatim but taken from different stories or characters even than in the book.

I'm also not really connecting with Ashenden. The reading, the writing, the prose it's all fine but overall hm so so

I am new to Somerset Maugham, glad to have a detective /spy book as introduction to his works

I guess we'll have to accept the story as a prime example of the absurdity of the job (as Sandy wrote).

And indeed it's not quite as thrilling as for instance James Bond haha Ashenden even refused a glass of alcohol (I forgot the sort) in the Hairy Mexican! Haha (I'm at story 5 now, so will return later)

Story 3, title is Miss King
Looking forward to what your notes yield!

Hmm how about the Miss King story, I am afraid I didn't 'get' it. Will there be an explanation later on or? What did you think?

My version (kindle) has an interesting preface where W. Somerset Maugham presents his vision on storytelling, how to make a good build-up and when a climax is justified. He compares fiction to painting, in both instances raw materials are arranged into ingenious patterns. The difference between 17th-century landscape painters and the modern or neo-classical painters from the 1900s were fairly obvious, so also can storytelling be done. Presenting a conclusive story or presenting elements and leave it up to the reader to make sense of the story.

In my detective, or in this case spy, fiction I personally prefer a mix between those. I want to story to be presented to me truthfully but also the opportunity to solve the problem myself.

I was planning on reading the first book and then deciding whether I'm in or not. But I came across the abovementioned collection with the first 5 books, so ... I think I'm in! It's a new series for me too.

Judy wrote: "It would be interesting to read a book where a plot does go wrong in that type of way and see how the murderer handles it - I'm sure there must be examples, but we had better not quote them because..."

I agree with all of you here! I also feel like it resembled a short story we read recently or maybe I watched this episode recently without properly remembering that but I knew the plot and the culprits almost from the very beginning.

I also think it would indeed be interesting as Judy wrote: "It would be interesting to read a book where a plot does go wrong in that type of way and see how the murderer handles it". And although indeed a mere recommendation of such a book would be a spoiler in itself ;-) I would be up for receiving them.

I made it! In the nick of time just before new years eve ;-)
The best wishes for 2020 to you all!

Feel free to enjoy all your plot observations here.