Cards on the Table, chapters 1-10

[Mark Pghfan]

Welcome to our July read, Agatha Christie's Cards on the Table. In Christie's "The ABC Murders", which was published just two years prior to this book, Poirot describes his ideal murder to investigate. Paraphrasing a bit: "I'd like a very simple murder. Say, four people sit around a card table playing bridge. Their host, who sits away from them, is killed. One of them MUST have done the murder, but who? It would be totally psychological"

Well, here is that case. The mysterious Mr. Shaitana meets Poirot at a charity function and develops an idea. He will invite Poirot to his home to show him his collection of murders who "got away with it". Just that happens. In one room, there are four "detectives". Poirot, Colonel Race, Ariadne Oliver, and Superintendent Battle (who all show up in a few other Christies, not always with Poirot.) In another room are four others, presumably murderers who got away with it: Major Despard, a well traveled adventurer, Mrs. Lorrimer, an older widow who is very keen on bridge, Anne Meredith, a young girl, and Doctor Roberts, a, um doctor. Both groups play bridge. At the end of the evening, we find that Mr. Shaitana is dead, killed with a dagger through the heart, in the room with the four "murderers".

Heads up: If you have seen the TV version of this with David Suchet, you will find that it has only a passing resemblance to the book. And not in a good way.

[PugMom]

I will begin reading tonight. I do vaguely remember the tv version.

[Tina]

I'll follow along via movie adaptation 'til my book arrives. Meantime, we like, we don't like Adriane as HP's sidekick? What say you?






It's not that I don't like her it's just that I miss the old gang: Hastings, Lemon, Japp. I think he still could've retired and kept in touch with the gang on new cases. I like them better than Oliver. But that's just my opinion.

[Mark Pghfan]

The Adriane that is in the books and the one portrayed by Zoe Wanamaker are very different, in my opinion. In the books, she is genial and kind of fluffy. In the TV versions (Ms. Wanamaker plays her in a number of them) she is more arch and sharp.

[PugMom]

I agree...Adriane is certainly portrayed differently in the book. I just watched Clocks on Netflix and thought how funny it was when Poirot went to one of her plays and just figured everything out before intermission. He didn't think her writing was particularly clever at that point.
I'm enjoying the story so far. Almost past chapter 10!

[Mark Pghfan]

Poirot's views on Mrs. Oliver's writing seem to very. He certainly does think she is an original thinker, but also (which I think is pointed out here) think she re-uses similar plots.

[PugMom]

Yes, I remember him saying that about the plots. I'm almost done with chapter 10 but I keep getting interrupted!

[Mark Pghfan]

I'll wait a bit until people catch up, before heading on to the second section.

[Jill]

My Library is back up and running...YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! picked up the book Sat. I'll be starting it tonight or tomm.

[PugMom]

Yeah!!

[Jill]

Didn't get to start the book because AUSTIN'S IN THE HOUSE!!!!!!!!! She goes home today, so hopefully I'll get to start the book tonight.

[Tina]

Meantime, comparing image I had for Shaitana to the video was way off. LOL I pictured him a stouter man. Not huge but def. fuller. Movie's version was taller, thinner, younger than I imagined.

[Mark Pghfan]

Movie version Shaitana was much younger than I pictured, as well. Also less frightening looking. I picture a really almost freaky looking person. Mephistopheles was the devil!

[J]

I'm a bit behind having hosted a house party for 50 over the weekend. Was very busy before and exhausted after :D but will endeavor to catch up.

[PugMom]

Shaitana seemed very swarthy and smarmy to me in the video! Not charming at all!

[Tina]

Shaitana had it all. What the heck was his problem? I'm sure he could've had a beautiful wife (if he swung that way) in a beautiful life and live quite happily. Conscience maybe? Unless I missed it, he didn't do anything really despicable. In fact, some at the card soiree clanged bigger skeletons in their closets. What a waste!

[PugMom]

That's a good question. He seemed to like collecting things and he liked giving parties. He didn't to much else as far as I could tell!

[Tina]

I know. I would've enjoyed flirting with him. lol

[J]

Almost caught up on this section but I have a question- I'm totally unfamiliar with both the game of bridge and it's terms. Does that put me at a disadvantage since I suspect that the amount of attention being given to the scores means something crucial hangs on them but I have no idea what I'm looking at.
N Does anyone have any idea what Mrs. Oliver meant by "black angel" and that bit about the angel passing and her feet not being crossed ?
Got to love that she is given credit for writing The Body in The Library. A bit of Christie humor?;) Mrs. O always reminded me of a somewhat fictionalized Dame Christie.

[PugMom]

I'm clueless about the game of bridge but it does make me wonder what those terms mean.

[Mark Pghfan]

Well, I'm not familiar with bridge either, though Poirot and apparently Christie are. There is something in the scores that "clicks" for Poirot. I won't say what it is right now, though he does discuss it before he identifies the solution. And it does make sense.

I think the "black angel" was probably just a colloquialism from the day. Christie also used the similar "a goose walking over my grave" for an eerie feeling.

[Tina]

I'm not a card player either so what the heck is a ruber...rubber? Shaitana wasn't keen on the game as well. Perhaps he should've been.