About Appoinment with Death!!!

Mystique

Hello There,

I just finished reading 'Appointment with Death' where Hercule Poirot features as detective. Its a good read and the climax was totally unexpected as is the case with most of Christie's novels/stories. I was just wondering about the cover page of this book which features a snake although there is no mention of any such thing in the whole story. Could this be an indicator to the puncture mark of the syringe on Mrs Boynton's wrist in the story/Mrs Boynton's attitude,behaviour may be...I am not sure though..I am interested to know what you guys think

Best Regards,

Mystique

Tommy_A_Jones

SPOILER Didn't Poirot invent a Snake to show how impressionable the Spinster is? I know he did invent something but not sure if it was a Snake.

tudes

 I don't remember. But, maybe, it could be because of the scenario? A trip to Petra where  occurs an excavation?

MatthewHawn

The cover I have has a syringe and ball of yarn.  My book is rather old - probably printed in the mid-80's. 

Mystique

Hi All,

Thanks for the sharing your views...

Syringe and a ball of yarn is more apt I think..

Anyways, reading "Murder in the Mews' at present...have a good day...

taliavishay-arbel

Poirot invents a spider, not a snake,- spoiler! -  to show that miss pierce is suggestible, and therefore, could have imagined Mrs. Boynton snorting.

Tommy_A_Jones

ThanksTaliavushay, I knew it was something like that.

GKCfan

I think that that Poirot tells Miss Pierce about the fictional spider in the Peter Ustinov movie version.  In the book, he asks Miss Pierce if he remembers her sneezing, but he did not sneeze.

HerculeAndAchille

I did find it quite interesting that, to me, the snake did bring to mind Mrs Boynton herself - sly, slippery and quietly seeping venom into the minds and hearts of her stepchildren. She seemed quite content with the silent poisoning of her children's minds (at first) until she suddenly struck! (As snakes do, especially the cobra given on the cover)