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A review by thaurisil
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie
3.0
While I read through Agatha Christie's novels with the Appointments with Agatha group, I'm putting a templated synopsis of each novel in my review. It has spoilers!
Book: 28 of Christie's novels, 21 of Hercule Poirot novels
Setting: London
Detective and Companions: Hercule Poirot, Inspector Japp
Crime: Poirot's dentist, Mr Morley is found dead. It appears to be a suicide, but Poirot does not think so.
Suspects:
- Frank Carter, boyfriend of Mr Morley's secretary Gladys Nevill
- Mabelle Sainsbury Seale, a missionary returned from India
- Mr Amberiotis, a crook and a patient of Mr Morley's who is later found dead
- Mr Barnes, a retired member of the Home Office
- Mr Reilly, Mr Morley's young partner
- Alistair Blunt, a powerful banker
- Julia Olivera, Alistair Blunt's niece-in-law
- Jane Olivera, Alistair Blunt's grandniece-in-law
- Howard Raikes, Jane's boyfriend and a political activist
Twists and Turns:
- It initially seemed that Mr Morley's death was the main murder to be solved, until Mr Amberiotis and another lady Mrs Albert Chapman were found dead.
- First Miss Sainsbury Seale's body was found in a trunk with the face battered. Then Poirot's tip helped the police discover through dental records that it was actually Mrs Chapman's body. Later it was found that it was Miss Sainsbury Seale's, and "Mrs Chapman" had misled them.
- Through Mr Barnes' tip, the reader was led to believe that there was a plot against Mr Blunt, but Mr Blunt was actually the criminal.
Written in 1940 at the start of the Second World War, this book has a decidedly political tone. Alistair Blunt represents conservative ideals, and Frank Carter and Howard Raikes represent fascism and socialism respectively. The tone of the book is gloomy, with none of the silly lightheartedness of her early books. Poirot ruminates about himself getting old, and his revelation leaves him with more sadness than triumph. None of the couples give Poirot any of his usual romantic joy. And the fact that Alistair Blunt is guilty while Frank Carter and Howard Raikes are not perhaps reveals Christie's fears about anticipated changes in the government.
The story itself was not the best. While the premise for the murder was that only a man like Blunt with unlimited financial capabilities and power could carry it out, it was convoluted and difficult to follow.
Book: 28 of Christie's novels, 21 of Hercule Poirot novels
Setting: London
Detective and Companions: Hercule Poirot, Inspector Japp
Crime: Poirot's dentist, Mr Morley is found dead. It appears to be a suicide, but Poirot does not think so.
Suspects:
- Frank Carter, boyfriend of Mr Morley's secretary Gladys Nevill
- Mabelle Sainsbury Seale, a missionary returned from India
- Mr Amberiotis, a crook and a patient of Mr Morley's who is later found dead
- Mr Barnes, a retired member of the Home Office
- Mr Reilly, Mr Morley's young partner
- Alistair Blunt, a powerful banker
- Julia Olivera, Alistair Blunt's niece-in-law
- Jane Olivera, Alistair Blunt's grandniece-in-law
- Howard Raikes, Jane's boyfriend and a political activist
Twists and Turns:
- It initially seemed that Mr Morley's death was the main murder to be solved, until Mr Amberiotis and another lady Mrs Albert Chapman were found dead.
- First Miss Sainsbury Seale's body was found in a trunk with the face battered. Then Poirot's tip helped the police discover through dental records that it was actually Mrs Chapman's body. Later it was found that it was Miss Sainsbury Seale's, and "Mrs Chapman" had misled them.
- Through Mr Barnes' tip, the reader was led to believe that there was a plot against Mr Blunt, but Mr Blunt was actually the criminal.
Written in 1940 at the start of the Second World War, this book has a decidedly political tone. Alistair Blunt represents conservative ideals, and Frank Carter and Howard Raikes represent fascism and socialism respectively. The tone of the book is gloomy, with none of the silly lightheartedness of her early books. Poirot ruminates about himself getting old, and his revelation leaves him with more sadness than triumph. None of the couples give Poirot any of his usual romantic joy. And the fact that Alistair Blunt is guilty while Frank Carter and Howard Raikes are not perhaps reveals Christie's fears about anticipated changes in the government.
The story itself was not the best. While the premise for the murder was that only a man like Blunt with unlimited financial capabilities and power could carry it out, it was convoluted and difficult to follow.