Third Girl, by Agatha Christie
The Book
Hercule Poirot sits at home, minding his own business, when a young, nondescript, woman breezes into his office asking to be seen. He agrees. She confesses that she believes she might have committed a murder and doesn't know what to do. But then, upon looking at Poirot, she says he's too old to help her and leaves, without telling her his name.
Poirot doesn't know how to handle it, so he calls his good friend, the novelist, Ariadne Oliver and tells her what has happened. Oliver says she recommended Poirot to a girl she met a party, but she doesn't remember the girl's name. After a bit of reconnoitering on Oliver's part, she finds out that the young lady is none other than Norma Restarick, the only child of Andrew Restarick, who is a wealthy heir of a successful business.
Andrew has led a colorful like, first dumping Norma's mother and moving to South Africa. Throughout the continent of Africa, Andrew has a lot of success, even if he is less lucky in love. Not long after his first wife's death, Andrew remarries, a woman named Mary who is much younger. When Andrew inherits, he returns to England and tries to patch things up with Norma. It does not go well. His young secretary arranges to take in Norma in her apartment as a roommate. From here, Norma's life seems to fall apart.
But Poirot sees things that others, including Ariadne Oliver miss. The question is can he figure out what's going on before it's too late for Norma?
My Thoughts
We have firmly entered the late stages of Agatha Christie's career. This book published in 1966 definitely shows Christie as she is declining. If the plot seems a bit all over the place, a bit too bold, and a bit...unbelievable, this is to be expected. By this time, Christie may not have the literary acclaim which she richly deserves, but she does have the commercial success to put her above any editor. It shows.
The problem with successful writers is that they are well, successful. They aren't like me and my friends, frantically worrying over every plot point to make sure it makes sense. Success breeds, well repetition. This book definitely falls along those lines. I don't find Norma to be original, and I guessed the plot a mile away. But then I can never be certain, have I just remembered it from watching Poirot, of did I just read what I should have read into it?
It's a quick read, whatever any of us may think of it. And there are nuggets to be learned if you are studying the art of mystery fiction. Even a bad Agatha Christie is much better than most people's best efforts.
How Much My Library Card Saved Me
Private Books
This Book $0.00
Total of Private Books $55.75
Total of All Items Reviewed This Year $464.57
Still Here?
Comments