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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Definitely not one of my favourite Christie novels, but it still held my interest all the way through. Some of this novel really reminded me of Hickory, Dickory, Dock, which also took place in an academy of sorts, and also focused on theft quite heavily. I wasn't super thrilled with either of the installments, but I would sooner recommend this one.
But one or two characters definitely saved this novel. One of them being Adam, of whom I'm dumbly surpirsed that anyone believed was a gardener. But I'll chalk it up to a suspension of disbelief. A necessary trait of all Christie readers.
Also, if you've picked up this novel strictly as a fan of Poirot, you'll probably be disappointed, as he's only in approximately the last third of the novel. But you won't remember that, as his bombasticness silences all.
Miss Lemon must have been a patient woman.
But one or two characters definitely saved this novel. One of them being Adam, of whom I'm dumbly surpirsed that anyone believed was a gardener. But I'll chalk it up to a suspension of disbelief. A necessary trait of all Christie readers.
Also, if you've picked up this novel strictly as a fan of Poirot, you'll probably be disappointed, as he's only in approximately the last third of the novel. But you won't remember that, as his bombasticness silences all.
Miss Lemon must have been a patient woman.
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
I like the girls school setting of this novel, but I think it would be more interesting without the political intrigue. Poirot also feels like a gratuitous addition here.
Nice mystery but Poirot is barely in it. I don’t love her version of international intrigue - I never know what she’s talking about. Who on earth was Colonel Pikeway? I think he was in another book but I’d have appreciated a memory jog. Add that to the fact that I don’t know how the British police/detective forces are set up and I was confused. He was some offshoot from Scotland Yard? Like the US FBI?
Poirot meets Mallory Towers with a dab of Modesty Blaise...
It's not a bad one, but reasonably formulaic and so I spotted many of the beats reasonably early. An odd mixture of some casual racism and some early proto-anti-racism in places. And the usual smattering of heavily implied Sapphic relationships that you get in Christie is more than a smattering because it's a girls' school with all women teachers.
Enjoyable but not essential.
It's not a bad one, but reasonably formulaic and so I spotted many of the beats reasonably early. An odd mixture of some casual racism and some early proto-anti-racism in places. And the usual smattering of heavily implied Sapphic relationships that you get in Christie is more than a smattering because it's a girls' school with all women teachers.
Enjoyable but not essential.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My main qualm with this one is the dismissive nature of miscarriage and stillbirth and presumption that women need to bounce back to life as normal after.
Christie takes a different approach with this one showing the reader in depth the motive before diving into the real mystery.
This book had governmental collapse, stolen jewels, murder, school-aged setting and lots and lots of twists.
It was probably 3 too many twists at the end for me. And I wanted more time with Poirot. He really only comes into this one in the last 25% of the book.
Overall Rating: 3.5/5.
TW: death, murder, robbery, miscarriage, stillbirth
Christie takes a different approach with this one showing the reader in depth the motive before diving into the real mystery.
This book had governmental collapse, stolen jewels, murder, school-aged setting and lots and lots of twists.
It was probably 3 too many twists at the end for me. And I wanted more time with Poirot. He really only comes into this one in the last 25% of the book.
Overall Rating: 3.5/5.
TW: death, murder, robbery, miscarriage, stillbirth
A complex and satisfying mystery that takes place in an exclusive girl's school in England where teachers keep getting murdered in the sports pavilion. A large cast of characters is handled masterfully, with distinct personalities, grudges, and mysterious pasts. The solution to the main mystery is a little obvious, but is followed by a couple very intriguing twists. The only fault is dragging poor old Poirot into this -- I love the guy, but he doesn't show up until 3/4ths of the book is finished and doesn't have much to do when he gets there. Calling this "A Hercule Poirot Murder Mystery" seems a bit tacked on.
I was entertained by this novel with touches of espionage along with lots of murder. I was amused when Poirot sails in only near the end of the story and tells everyone what’s been going on at a respected girls’ school where everyone seems to be after a bunch of jewels. Thank goodness one of the schoolgirls, Julia, is smart, observant and sensible enough to figure enough out of what’s going on to engage Poirot.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced