Review by pbraue13 - Death in the Clouds

pbraue13 's review for:

Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie

3.5

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

“Sensationalism dies quickly, fear is long-lived.”

This is one of those Poirot novels that promises more than it ultimately delivers, but still manages to linger in the imagination long after the last page. I was always drawn to this particular title, first because of the "Doctor Who" episode “The Unicorn and the Wasp,” which cheekily referenced it, and second because of Tom Adams’s striking cover art of the wasp hovering over a passenger airplane remains one of Christie’s most memorable visual pairings. The premise itself is equally gripping: a woman is murdered mid-flight, a wasp buzzing through the cabin provides a false lead, and Poirot just so happens to be seated among the suspects.

The claustrophobic atmosphere of the opening chapter is superbly handled. Few settings could be as confined and unnerving as a passenger airplane in the 1930s, and Christie makes the most of it, at least initially. As the investigation progresses, however, the story settles into a more conventional detective rhythm. There is one electrifying moment when suspicion briefly turns on Poirot himself, but otherwise the detection unfolds predictably, with neat deductions that tie everything up in a way familiar to seasoned Christie readers. The ultimate solution is clever, hinging on a device she had already used in "Three Act Tragedy", and while meticulously planned (complete with Christie’s own diagrams), it lacks the shock value of her best reveals.

The novel does mark an evolution in Christie’s craft, particularly in her growing attention to psychology as both motive and clue. We are invited not only to consider alibis and timings but also the hidden thoughts of characters, though not always with much depth. Inspector Japp makes a return but remains disappointingly flat, still playing the foil in a Holmes-and-Watson dynamic that feels increasingly tired. Meanwhile, some of the attitudes in the book (xenophobia and casual misogyny) are jarring to modern readers, though they remain lodged in the mouths of characters rather than the author herself.

What the novel does succeed in is its sense of continuity. References to earlier Poirot cases ("Three Act Tragedy", "Murder on the Orient Express", "The Murder on the Links") give his universe a lived-in feel, grounding the detective in a career of accumulated fame. Interestingly, this is the first time critics began to question Poirot’s age, since placing him in the modern setting of an airplane raised the question of just how long he could keep going. In retrospect, "Death in the Clouds" feels like a precursor to "The ABC Murders", which would follow and push Christie to innovate with the serial killer form and reckon with Poirot's fame.

While not top-tier Christie, "Death in the Clouds" is nevertheless memorable, less for its middle chapters than for its haunting imagery, unusual setting, and the promise of what came next in Christie’s evolution. It is a middling entry in Poirot’s canon, but one I am glad I read, if only for that unforgettable wasp on that plane.

Content Warnings