Death Comes as the End, Agatha Christie

 The Book

Set in Ancient Egypt, Renisenb returns to her father's (Imhotep) house eight years later after her much beloved husband Khay dies. She brings their four year Tati home with her. She encounters life much as she left it, with her older brothers and their wives feuding with her father and each other. She remarks to Hori, her father's bookkeeper that nothing has changed. And Hori tells her he fears much is rotten underneath the surface. She does not understand him. 

Not long after Renisenb returns home, her father returns from a trip with a young concubine, Nofret, who is about the same age as Renisenb. The young, beautiful Nofret is malicious and manipulative. Soon the household has turned against each other. When Imhotep goes away again on business, it is not long before Nofret is found dead at the bottom of the cliff. The household accepts the explanation that it was an accident, for she much have fallen on the most treacherous part of the cliff. 

But now that death has visited the household, strange things begin to happen. The wives personalities begin to change. And one by one, wives, brothers, grandmother, and aunties alike all meet with death. It is clear a killer is on the loose, but who could it be? 

Renisenb finds out that the new scribe, and man Nofret loved, Kameni loves her, but then so does Hori. Renisenb must choose between them, for if she chooses wrong, the killer will take her out as well. 

My Thoughts

This is a quick, light read. How many times can I read an Agatha Christie and tell you I know why she sold so many books? This story is simple, and as a mystery, there are not many clues to be followed. But, if you are a lover of human behavior, then this book is a delightful read. Christie presents a story that could take place anywhere and at almost any time. Except, maybe these days, it could not take place in a large city, where there are too many cameras for the killer to go undetected very long. Still, nothing in human nature has changed. And these dynamics, many of which I have seen played out among the soccer families of the kids I coached, are real. 

Christie's singular talent is to weave that which we know to be true, the worst and best of human nature, and create a story that draws us in. In a world, where the truth is not rewarded, and really, honestly, when has that ever been the case? We all must learn to look to our own behavior and act wisely. 

Even today, any detective will tell you, the secret to solving a murder frequently lies in the strife the victim caused in life. The richness of Christie's world is that we rarely have sympathy for the victim, and yet we can still hold that murder is wrong. 

How Much My Library Card Saved Me

This book came to me from Waukegan Public Library, which is run by the city of Waukegan. There's a difference in my state in municipal libraries, which are mostly funded by sales taxes, and public district libraries, which are funded by property taxes. Just a bit of library trivia from the state of Illinois for you. 

Anyway, Waukegan does not tell me the date this book entered their library, but it has been lightly read. The price on the cover says $14.99, which is the price I will use. I am likely to estimate that this book was an early pandemic buy, given the light wear and tear and the fact that later books are running about $17.00, so pre the latest inflation spike. 

This Book                                                         $14.99

Items Reviewed this Year                                $77.98

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