From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Ordeal by Innocence

Agatha Christie

Start date: March 1, 2021

Finish date: March 31, 2021

Discussion: Group Challenges

Why we're reading this: Next in our Assorted Christies challenge for 2021.
[close] Next in our Assorted Christies challenge for 2021.

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Group Challenges

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) by Agatha Christie
By Susan · 14 posts · 16 views

last updated Sep 02, 2025 12:08AM

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) - SPOILER Thread
By Susan · 4 posts · 12 views

last updated Sep 01, 2025 04:16PM

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What Members Thought

Sep 03, 2018 Nancy Oakes rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-fiction-uk, crime-fiction, 1950s

like a 3.7 rounded up.

plot, no spoilers here: http://www.crimesegments.com/2018/09/...

While I see that a lot of readers don't agree with me, I found Ordeal by Innocence to be quite a good read. I get that for many people the draw in a Christie novel is Poirot getting his little grey cells all stirred up or waxing his moustaches, or Miss Marple innocently knitting away while taking stock and careful observation of everything and everyone while the cops tend to flounder, but really, the non-detect ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Aug 06, 2015 Louise Culmer rated it really liked it

Shelves: owned

Dr Calgary visits the Argyll family with what he believes will be good news for them. Jacko Argyll, who two years previously was convicted of the murder of his adoptive mother, and subsequently died in prison, had an alibi which at the time was dismissed as false, but now it seems it was true. He claimed to have been given a lift in a car at the time, and now it transpires that Dr Calgary was that driver (he had been in an accident and then gone abroad, which was why he had not come forward prev ...more

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Feb 24, 2021 Susan in NC rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5 stars - a new-to-me Christie, read for the Reading the Detectives group - our “Assorted Christies” challenge continues to entertain me with mysteries I never read, having gorged on Poirot’s and Marple’s back in the day when I first discovered the master!

This opens with a fascinating premise - a man arrives at the home of a murdered woman, and tells her family that he can provide an alibi to the adopted son who was convicted of her murder, and has since died in prison. The man, Dr. Calgary, g 4.5 stars - a new-to-me Christie, read for the Reading the Detectives group - our “Assorted Christies” challenge continues to entertain me with mysteries I never read, having gorged on Poirot’s and Marple’s back in the day when I first discovered the master!

This opens with a fascinating premise - a man arrives at the home of a murdered woman, and tells her family that he can provide an alibi to the adopted son who was convicted of her murder, and has since died in prison. The man, Dr. Calgary, gave Jack a lift the night of the murder - but then had an accident, lost his memory, then went off on an Arctic Expedition- missing the news of Jack’s trial, the call for witnesses, etc.

Calgary is surprised at the rather tepid reactions of the family - indeed, some are angry. He comes to understand that this will stir up a lot of old fears and feelings - and of course, the police must reopen the case.

Christie does her usual fine, meticulous job digging into the victim herself - as Hercules Poirot always says, the reason for a murder often lies with the victim. Here, the well-meaning but controlling Mrs. Argyle, possessing a large fortune, a desire to do good works, but unable to have children, adopts five “unwanted” children - not all orphans, but with parents or guardians unable or unwilling to care for them. First she took poor children to her country home from London during WWII to escape the Blitz. Then, she decided to adopt them; Christie does a great job digging into the memories of these “unwanted” children, and what those memories reveal about the victim.

I’m not usually a fan of psychological thrillers, but found this a fascinating mystery - very satisfying puzzle and resolution. Great dive into the family dynamics, and how a controlling parent, although giving every material advantage to her children, can stir resentment - and with the difficult backgrounds of the adopted children, also brings up the “nature vs. nurture” argument. I’m always amazed at how views have changed!

I enjoyed the flawless narration on the audiobook by Hugh Fraser, my favorite for Christie’s mysteries. ...more

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May 30, 2017 Nanosynergy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british, mysteries-thrillers-espionage, fiction-1950s, 2017read, fiction, reviewed

A stand-alone Christie book. Jacko Argyle is sentenced for killing his mother and dies in prison. He was the problem child everyone, including his own family, was inclined to assume would do such a crime. But then the one person who could support his alibi shows up. Rather than rejoicing in a son/brother's name being cleared, the family faces the case being reopened and the possibility that one of them is actually the murderer.

Book contains an antiquated and negative view of adoption and adoptiv ...more

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Apr 25, 2018 Bronwyn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, european, mystery-detective-suspense, novels, title-j-r, author-a-i, 2018-reads, by-women, do-not-own

Interesting story with interesting characters. Of course nothing is easy, so there's amnesia, people being away, speaking in riddles. Entertaining. ...more

1 like · Like · see review