Hercule Poirot's Christmas

ashunigion

The novel started with the doubt revolving around Stefen's thought, I then doubted Pilar's thought. Once the murder was committed, it seemed so certain that one of the family members has committed it. The story revolved so smoothly among the house members, like always I was trying to solve the mystery on my own and challenged myself if I could solve it before the denouement. As usual, i failed, and i was utterly surprised. I felt as if my gray cells had reached their limit, it was so intellectually assuaging. :-)

taliavishay-arbel

In a way it is "cheating" - or rather writing outside the box. Since the murderer belongs to a category that "should" be beyond suspicion. However, no-one is beyond suspicion, and once we learn who the murderer is it all makes sense. I liked this book for several reasons, among them this surprise.

SPOILER: AC isn't the only one to use this device - Georgette Heyer used a similar device in "A blunt instrument".

By the way, "Pilar" here (who comes from Spain) and Gina from "They do it with mirrors" (who comes from Italy) share a lot of characteristics - charm, beauty, very self-aware femininity, honest selfishness and a lack of empathy. Is this some kind of stereotyping of "latin" characters? Does anyone remember a character in AC's books who is female, young, comes from a latin country and has a different character?

ashunigion

The murderer, belonging to a category beyond suspicion, reminds me of "Murder of Roger Ackroyd". The unexpected murder, made that novel quite interesting. Perhaps that is the reason why the plot was considered, a masterpiece. The murder here in Poirot's Christmas, has a similar character.

Your comment about the young female character reminds me of the excerpt from a debate, that was organized by oxford union. One of the speakers categorized AC's book as Prejudiced. And i agree with your opinion that AC's novels promoted such ideas. Though, they might have been so, because of the social norms of her era.

Yes, the female character from "The Murder on the links".

Tommy_A_Jones

It isn't really Cheating because SPOILER ALERT!!!
We know that Simeon has illegitimate Children so it isn't beyond the realms of possibility that the Murderer is the Murderer and he goes away and comes back, I think The Adaptation did the Book a disservice as none of the Brothers looked like Simeon or each other.

taliavishay-arbel

Tommy_A_Jones said:

It isn't really Cheating because SPOILER ALERT!!!
We know that Simeon has illegitimate Children so it isn't beyond the realms of possibility that the Murderer is the Murderer and he goes away and comes back, I think The Adaptation did the Book a disservice as none of the Brothers looked like Simeon or each other.

My feeling is that the "cheating", or rather going out of the box, is not in the fact that SPOILER the killer is Simeon's illegitimate son, but rather his profession. That is replicated in Hayer's book. 

Tommy_A_Jones

I haven't ever read Hayter's Book.

taliavishay-arbel

Tommy_A_Jones said:

I haven't ever read Hayter's Book.

She wrote several detective stories, In a style similar to ACs. I really like her mystery stories, and definitely recommend them.

Tommy_A_Jones

Oh, Do you mean Georgette Heyer? I have some of hers I shall read some at some point, I might read one after Evil Under The Sun, my next AC Book.

taliavishay-arbel

Tommy_A_Jones said:

Oh, Do you mean Georgette Heyer? I have some of hers I shall read some at some point, I might read one after Evil Under The Sun, my next AC Book.

Yes, I meant Georgette Heyer. The book I was talking about is "A blunt instrument"

Tommy_A_Jones

Oh.