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A review by crazygoangirl
Postern of Fate by Agatha Christie
mysterious
slow-paced
2.5
This might be the lowest rating I’ve ever given a Christie 😢 It is the final book in the Tommy and Tuppence series and the last book she wrote. She was over 80 when she wrote it and it shows. This is a re-read for me, but I do not think I’ll re-read it again.
Tommy and Tuppence have moved into a house in the country and are settling in. While going through a bunch of children’s books left behind by the previous owners, Tuppence stumbles on a secret message in a childhood favourite, The Black Arrow by Stevenson. The owner of the book, a 14-yr-old boy called Alexander Parkinson has left a message stating his belief that a certain Mary Jordan did not die naturally and hinting that he knows the killer.
Naturally Tuppence is curious and begins an investigation into the mystery. This is a cold case that predates WWI, and information is hard to come by but she soldiers on with the help of Tommy, Albert, helpful old villagers and Hannibal, her fiercely protective terrier who is also my favourite character in the book ☺️ He at least is not as confused as Tommy and Tuppence appear to be! Eventually they manage to find answers and there are some interesting clues such as the rocking horse Matilda, Oxford & Cambridge, and Truelove. However, for the most part, the narrative is uncharacteristically meandering and Christie deviates from her tight plotting and sharp repartee. It feels like Tommy and Tuppence are talking constantly without saying much. They never seem to get to the point unlike in their previous cases. I understand that they are now grandparents and older but what disappoints more than their age is how Christie’s shows through. I mean both Poirot and Marple were old from their beginnings but they never seemed lost or feeble. It’s almost like Christie has lost the plot and her heart isn’t in it 🙁 It pains me to say this about one of my favourite authors but that’s what it felt like.
The ending too is vague and frankly I didn’t really care about who killed a girl sixty years ago! The attempt to connect it to the present day felt half-baked and I wasn’t convinced of the killers motivation. I’ve read worse books but I think this is my lowest rated Christie. It is slow paced and lacks her usual pithy style. Tommy and Tuppence feel like shadows of their former selves and the mystery which had much potential, falls rather flat on its face. I don’t remember disliking it this much on previous occasions but I must confess this is one of my least re-read Christies. Disappointing 🙁
Tommy and Tuppence have moved into a house in the country and are settling in. While going through a bunch of children’s books left behind by the previous owners, Tuppence stumbles on a secret message in a childhood favourite, The Black Arrow by Stevenson. The owner of the book, a 14-yr-old boy called Alexander Parkinson has left a message stating his belief that a certain Mary Jordan did not die naturally and hinting that he knows the killer.
Naturally Tuppence is curious and begins an investigation into the mystery. This is a cold case that predates WWI, and information is hard to come by but she soldiers on with the help of Tommy, Albert, helpful old villagers and Hannibal, her fiercely protective terrier who is also my favourite character in the book ☺️ He at least is not as confused as Tommy and Tuppence appear to be! Eventually they manage to find answers and there are some interesting clues such as the rocking horse Matilda, Oxford & Cambridge, and Truelove. However, for the most part, the narrative is uncharacteristically meandering and Christie deviates from her tight plotting and sharp repartee. It feels like Tommy and Tuppence are talking constantly without saying much. They never seem to get to the point unlike in their previous cases. I understand that they are now grandparents and older but what disappoints more than their age is how Christie’s shows through. I mean both Poirot and Marple were old from their beginnings but they never seemed lost or feeble. It’s almost like Christie has lost the plot and her heart isn’t in it 🙁 It pains me to say this about one of my favourite authors but that’s what it felt like.
The ending too is vague and frankly I didn’t really care about who killed a girl sixty years ago! The attempt to connect it to the present day felt half-baked and I wasn’t convinced of the killers motivation. I’ve read worse books but I think this is my lowest rated Christie. It is slow paced and lacks her usual pithy style. Tommy and Tuppence feel like shadows of their former selves and the mystery which had much potential, falls rather flat on its face. I don’t remember disliking it this much on previous occasions but I must confess this is one of my least re-read Christies. Disappointing 🙁