Murder is Easy, Agatha Christie

 

The Book

    Luke Fitzwilliam, formerly a detective in the Mayang Straights, is home from India for good. And the first thing he does is forget how to ride a train properly, and is left at a random station in the middle of nowhere when he disembarks to get a paper, but the train isn't actually stopped at the wayside at all. He gets on the next train to London, where, in his carriage an old lady sits with him. Miss Pinkerton (I see what you did there Agatha) tells him she is on her way to Scotland Yard to tell them she believes a murder is loose in her tiny village. Luke indulges her because she reminds him of one his aunts and just listens to her. He begins to take her more seriously when she is hit by a car and killed before she reaches Scotland yard.

    A week later, there is a tiny article in the paper about the death of the very next person Miss Pinkerton said would be murdered. Despite the fact that the doctor was said to die of natural causes, Luke is uneasy. His friend Jimmy happens to have a cousin in that town, and Jimmy arranges for Luke to go. There Luke investigates all of the people he suspects might have done the deed. After several days, and one more murder, her feels he has the case solved, and oh yeah, he also stole the fiancée of the man he suspects. He alerts Scotland Yard who dispatches Inspector Battle to the town. But is Luke correct, and can he an Battle corner the murderer before his fiancée is killed? 

My Thoughts

    This is a book dedicated to Agatha Christie's daughter and her best friend. Rosalind (her daughter) was 20 at the time of publication. And I believe I understand this book, just a little bit. I too, have a 20 year old daughter. Although there are those who say they miss Hercule Poirot in this book,  I think Luke Fitzwilliam is a fine choice as an investigator. I certainly think this is the type of man Christie wanted her daughter to fall in love with. Fitzwilliam is polite, serious, even tempered, and humors old ladies. (Was she feeling old in 1939? She was nearly 50 at that time.)  Perhaps he is a little too--dashing. And she already had a married couple in Tommy and Tuppence. I think that's why he make just this one appearance. It would be easy to claim, that poor Luke doesn't get his series because he's underdeveloped. But M. Poirot had only a collection of eccentricities when he first appeared and his character was honed over a number of stories.

    Certainly Christie could have turned him into a recurring character, like she did Colonel Race and Inspector Battle, who also makes an appearance in this book. But, he feels a bit like the heroes of her thriller works, except less so. I found him to be delightful, if a bit boring.

How Much My Library Card Saved Me

    This book is the property of Northbrook Public Library and entered into the their collection on Sept 27, 2019. The paperback is in excellent condition with almost no signs of wear and tear. The cover says that it cost $14.99 at that time. This is the number I will use. 

This Book                                                     $14.99

Items Reviewed This Year                           $52.99

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