The ABC Murders, Agatha Christie

 The Book 

    Captain Hastings is back again and on the hunt with his good friend, Hercule Poirot. With the delightfully honest and naïve Hastings as our narrator, we embark upon a one of Poirot's most strange cases. When is a serial killer, not a serial killer? When they are just a cold, calculating murderer, who doesn't car how many people they kill. So we have a killer who kills, an old lady whose name is Alice Ascher in Andover, the flirtatious Betty Barnard, the boring Sir Carmichael Clarke, and the random  George Earlsfield. That's not a pattern, other than the names and the taunts sent to Poirot before each murder. It leaves Hastings delightfully baffled and Poirot worried. 

    As the case goes along, something strange emerges. A man, almost nondescript who is a door to door salesman of stockings. Could he be our serial killer? The Inspectors certainly seem to think so, but Poirot is not convinced. The salesman is invisible, causing almost nobody to notice him. The killer of the letters is loud and boisterous? Poirot cannot account for the two separate personas. And he wants to know, what does the ABC train schedule have to do with it? The clues are there, but they are difficult to put in the correct order? Has a ruthless serial killer finally bested Poirot, or will a timely, obvious observation by Hastings put Poirot on the right scent? 

My Thoughts

    So I accidentally ordered the Collins English Reader edition of this book. It's shorter, although from other reviewers I gather the book wasn't long to begin with. This one clocks in at 25 K words, or novella length. So it was a fairly quick read. These readers are for ESL adult learners, and contain both vocabulary help and cultural notes inside of the books. For example, I knew England had abolished the death penalty, the book tells me the year it took effect was 1965, or about 30 after this book was published. And on and on, more notes this little book gives us.

    Given that a century has passed since the publication of the first Agatha Christie novel, I am beginning to wonder is such little cultural notes should be published in future editions. Christie seems preoccupied with class, with servants making up a lot of characters in books. I wonder, if she were alive today, what would she be doing? 

    This is a delightful little puzzle mystery. But I was so caught up in the newness to me of the Collins readers, that I thoroughly forgot to try to solve the murders. I'm not sure it would have done any good. This is a story I clearly remember seeing a David Suchet adaptation of it. The only problem with a reread, or reading a mystery novel after having seen an adaptation, is I never know if I solved the mystery myself, of if I just remembered the end. Oh well. On to the next book. 

How Much My Library Card Saved Me

    This book was sent to me from Des Plaines. It entered their library on Jan 7, 2023. The cove3r is stiff, and the protective tape used to make the book more durable crinkled and cracked as I read it. The cover of this book is a paperback, but the cardstock seems to be laminated at the factory. I am certain this copy will last a long time, fi the book doesn't get lost and has gentle readers. I do not believe I am the first person to read this book, but I don't think it's been around the block either. This is by far the newest book we have seen to date. 

    Des Plaines told my library the book is worth $18.95. And considering all of the extras in it, I believe it is worth every penny. 

This Book                                                                         $18.95

Blogged  This Year                                                         $851.05

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