Miss Lemon - a missed opportunity?.

mike1410mike1410 Franklin, New Zealand
in General Agatha Christie discussions
Seeing all the publicity on here about the "new" Poirot novel shortly to hit the bookshops has got me wondering if perhaps the powers that be in Christie land have missed out on a golden opportunity. In a lot of the Poirot stories we have the action narrated by Capt Hastings, with his peculiarly British slant on Poirot's actions. (Or inactions, given how he seems to think that Poirot should be out and about hunting for clues all the time). I would love to see a story relating one of Poirot's cases narrated by Miss Lemon. How would Poirot's actions appear as seen from Felicity's point of view? It's impact on her filing system for one thing would be an eye opener, and given her impeccable knowledge of what's what and who's who in London society (eg her knowledge of what Hell is in The Labours of Hercules when Hercule has no idea) it could prove most entertaining. Maybe a rewrite of Hickory Dickory Dock since she already has the family connection there?. Since the ITV screenwriters did such a good job of padding out the character and making her come to life when they wrote her into so many of the adaptations, if the tv Miss Lemon could have her voice do you think it would be worth listening to?

Comments

  • Interested PartyInterested Party
    A Toronto newspaper had a full page in the Arts & Life section "Sleuth of the Matter" where Pauline Moran "discusses her time as the second-smartest person in the Agatha Christie universe".  I would say that is Miss Marple BUT in the Poirot world I would agree.

    Miss Lemon's voice would definitely be worth listening to!
  • Tommy_A_JonesTommy_A_Jones Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
    I don't think Narrating a story would be Felicity's Forte, she is too much like a machine and she is Poirot's secretary and I think she would think this would be wrong, I can see Japp narrating a story or Ariadne, Spence or even Spence's Sister Elspeth but not George or Miss Lemon unless Hercule left a letter asking them to do so which he didn't. 
  • AgathasmykidAgathasmykid British Columbia, Canada

    Your idea maybe worth a try in a short story, however not sure it would work in a novel.  Ms. Lemon didn't really go with Poirot on his adventures, and that would make it very difficult to re-account a story. 

    Like Tommy suggested, a story from Japp's view would have been hilarious.  Japp acknowledging getting beat by Poirot would have given us lots of laughs I bet.

  • Tommy_A_JonesTommy_A_Jones Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
    Perhaps if Miss Lemon was typing up Memoirrs of The Police officer's that were on a certain Case it might work or if Miss Lemon had been linked in some way to the Policeman on a particular case and she was hearing it 2nd hand it might work but I agree with Agathasmykid, It might only work in a short story, It might have worked with Hickory Dickory Dock though as she was emotionally involved. 
  • AgathasmykidAgathasmykid British Columbia, Canada
    Tommy_A_Jones said:
    Perhaps if Miss Lemon was typing up Memoirrs of The Police officer's that were on a certain Case it might work or if Miss Lemon had been linked in some way to the Policeman on a particular case and she was hearing it 2nd hand it might work but I agree with Agathasmykid, It might only work in a short story, It might have worked with Hickory Dickory Dock though as she was emotionally involved. 
    Fair point Tommy.  I forgot Hickory Dickory Dock, it may have worked there. 
  • Interested PartyInterested Party
    Miss Lemon had a unique perspective on Poirot it would be interesting to hear some more from her.  But Agatha Christie did not choose to expand on her 'role' in Poirot mysteries more than the one time, but Miss Lemon definitely added to the "Poirot" personna. 
  • Tommy_A_JonesTommy_A_Jones Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
    I think it would have worked quite well in Hickory Dickory Dock in the same way that if Japp had narrated Death In The Clouds or One Two Buckle My Shoe it would have worked well morso with Miss Lemon and Hickory Dickory Dock because Miss Lemon is in a lot of the book where as there are huge bits of Death In The Clouds and One Two Buckle My Shoe that doesn't have Japp
  • FrankFrank Queensland, Australia
    mike1410  idea is great. I too would love to see a story relating to one of Poirot's cases narrated by Miss Lemon.  
  • Dr.SheppardDr.Sheppard Oxford, UK
    I'm not sure that Miss Lemon narration would bring out the Plot aspects of the case. In a great story the investigator needs to bounce his ideas off his sidekick to develop them. There are a number of novels that have chapters describing an individual's part of the story (Game of Thrones) and that would work. Miss lemon describing how she structured her filing system or her visits to a bank or solicitor as part of solving a case.
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