DEAD MAN'S FOLLY............

Rounak Ghosh

Unlike a lot of Agatha Christie books, it takes almost half of the book until someone is murdered. In her classic style of writing, Agatha Christie gives us plenty of possible suspects to choose from. I constantly was changing who I though knocked off the girl and couldn't quite figure out what had happened to Hattie Stubbs. Was she really as stupid as she appeared to be, or does a intelligent woman lurk in the shadows?I found all of this to be quite intriguing, as I do with most of Agatha Christie's novels. There is a list of the cast of characters at the beginning of the story with a brief description of each person. This is helpful for remembering who the characters are, since there are so many.As with all Hercule Poirot tales, I really enjoyed this one. I would have liked to have had more interaction with Hercule since I always enjoy his deductive reasoning, but I do realize that Detective-Inspector Bland is in charge of the case, not M. Poirot.Agatha Christie spins a wonderful yarn about a fake murder that turns out to be real in Dead Man's Folly, a must read for all murder mystery fans.

Sir George and Lady Hattie Stubbs, the hosts of a village fete, hit upon the novel idea of staging a mock murder mystery. In good faith, Ariadne Oliver, the well known crime writer, agrees to organize the Murder Hunt. Despite weeks of meticulous planning, at the last minute Ariadne calls her friend Hercule Poirot for his expert assistance.Instinctively, she suspects that something sinister is about to happen and wants the retired detective there under cover as the person who will hand out the prize to the winner, but is really there to prevent foul play. He soon discovers that the former owner of a Victorian mansion in Devonshire, Mrs. Folliat, still lives on the property, but sold the place to Sir George Stubbs because she could no longer afford the upkeep. During the fete, the 14-year old girl who was playing the victim in the Murder Hunt is found strangled, and Hattie Stubbs has also disappeared. Now, Poirot has to weave his magic and find out why the young girl was murdered and if Hattie is dead too.Dead Man's Folly is a classic Hercule Poirot murder mystery book by Agatha Christie. This story takes place after M. Poirot has retired. The cast of characters includes: Hercule Poirot, Miss Lemon, Mrs. Ariadne Oliver, Superintendent Baldwin, Miss Amanda Brewis, Detective-Inspector Bland, Elsa, Amy and James Folliat, Marilyn Gale, Robert Hoskins, Alec and Peggy Legge, Mrs. Connie Masterton, Major Merall, Merdell, Etienne de Sousa, Sir George and Lady Hattie Stubbs, Marilyn and Marlene Tucker, Captain Jim Warburton, Michael Weyman.

Tommy_A_Jones

I always assumed that all the books took place after Poirot had Retired and he solved Cases just because he was on the spot but now I think of it MINOR SPOILERS he had just finished a Job when boarding The Orient Express and I think he had just finished a job when called upon Murder In Mesopotamia and I thought he solved Five Little Pigs just out of Curiosity, I don't think it matters much though.

StathisZavitsanos

Rounak I loved Dead man's folly

Tommy_A_Jones

I am reading this Great book as I have said and I think it could have been a Miss Marple Book, with one of the Wives creating the Murder Hunt instead of Mrs Oliver but there again what is wrong with Ariadne being in a Miss Marple Book? They both know Dane Calthorp after all, What do others think? 

Sad_Cypress

I tried to imagine Ariadne meeting Miss Marple. Then she would be a bridge between Poirot and Marple. There would be a thin line and those two could even meet. It would be thrilling... But then again I don't think I would want that. It's nice to have different worlds in the books. The Poirot world, the Marple world... Two completely different universes

And for me "Dead Man's Folly" is great with Poirot being the main detective. Not sure how to argument my statement. He just sticks with the story...

Tommy_A_Jones

Mrs Welman or the other wife could be Miss Marple's Friend and phone Miss Marple in the same Panic that Ariadne Phoned Poirot or someone like Mrs Welman could introduce Ariadne to Miss Marple in the same way Jane Hellier ingroduced thatyoung Couple toMiss Marple in Strange Jest

Tommy_A_Jones

Ithink it is nice to think of Miss Marple and Poirot in the same Universe just like some Wodehouse Characters appear in Bertie Wodehouse Books and Blanding Books

Tommy_A_Jones

I finished Dead Man's Folly at 12.50 this morning,It didn't disappoint, I loved it, I loved the Plot, Characters and would recommend it to anyone, I am quite often Irritated with the books which have Pages and pages without Poirot but Bland kept me interested, He is aBrilliant alternative to Jap, Battle and Spence and I feel he could have held his own and been in a Book without Poirot, some Christie Policemen need Poirot or Miss Marple, not Bland didn't IMHO. 

JS88

I really enjoyed this, however I can't work out if the secretary was in on it?

JS88

By 'in on it' I mean did she know he was the son and air?

GKCfan

***spoilers***

JS88, since Poirot doesn't mention it, it's assumed that the secretary had a crush on her boss, but she knew nothing about his true identity or crimes.

JS88

Thanks. After posting the question I went back and read the last part and think I that yes, she was innocent of any involvement. It was just that at the beginning they say she has been working for him for some years, but I suppose it is set over a decade since the end of the war.

GKCfan

You're welcome!