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A review by thaurisil
The Sittaford Mystery by Agatha Christie
4.0
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: 11 of Christie's novels
Setting: Dartmoor in winter
Detective and Companions: Emily Trefusis, Charles Enderby, Inspector Narracott
Crime: Captain Trevelyan is killed in his rented house in Exhampton, shortly after this is predicted in a table-turning event held in the Sittaford House that Mrs Willett has rented from Trevelyan. Trevelyan's nephew, Jim, is arrested for the murder. His fiancee Emily Trefusis sets out to discover the truth and clear his name.
Suspects:
People present in the table-turning
- Mrs Willett, a mysterious wealthy newcomer to Sittaford
- Violet Willett, her daughter
- Mr Rycroft, an elderly man with interests in ornithology and criminology
- Ronald Garfield, a young man visiting his aunt Miss Percehouse
- Mr Duke, a nice mysterious burly man
- Major Burnaby, Captain Trevelyan's best friend
Beneficiaries of Trevelyan's will
- Jim Pearson, Trevelyan's nephew and Emily's fiance
- Sylvia Dering, Trevelyan's niece
- Martin Dering, Sylvia's husband and an arrogant author
- Brian Pearson: Trevelyan's nephew who lives in New South Wales
- Jennifer Gardner, Trevelyan's sister who dotes on her invalid husband
- Robert Gardner, Jennifer's husband
- Evans, Trevelyan's devoted servant
Other people in Sittaford
- Mr and Mrs Curtis, a friendly couple who host Emily and Charles
- Miss Percehouse, a nosy and intelligent invalid lady
- Captain Wyatt, a grumpy old invalid
- Abdul, Captain Wyatt's Indian servant
- Freddy, a convict who escapes from Dartmoor Prison
Twists and Turns:
- The presence of Mrs Willett and Violet in Sittaford in the dead of a snowy winter when the village is cut off from other civilisation is suspicious, especially when the pair claim they have always lived in South Africa but a tag from Australia is found on their luggage. This is coupled with mysterious behaviour, such as Violet fainting when she hears Pearson's name. Their presence is as much of a mystery as the murder, and it is eventually explained that the escaped convict is Mrs Willett's husband.
- Brian Pearson's appearance late in the novel is equally mysterious, especially when he refuses to explain what he has been doing in Sittaford. It is finally revealed that, in love with Violet, he helped the convict escape.
- Major Burnaby was at the table-turning at the estimated time of Trevelyan's murder, and he walked to Exhampton, so he seems to have an alibi. This is broken when Emily realises that he skied to Trevelyan's house.
- Martin Dering claims he was at a dinner party, but he never was. The reason for the false alibi is revealed to be related to divorce proceedings.
- The beneficiaries of Trevelyan's will are investigated, but all turn out to be red herrings.
- Identities are revealed in surprising ways but ultimately play no role in the mystery. Jennifer Gardner is Ronald Garfield's godmother, Sylvia Dering is Mr Rycroft's niece, and Mr Duke is the ex-chief inspector of Scotland Yard.
Courageous, intelligent, bold, young heroines could make up a whole category of Agatha Christie's novels. I really liked Emily's spirit. This book references Arthur Conan Doyle, using the same snowy Dartmoor setting as in the Hound of the Baskervilles, and with Emily as Sherlock Holmes and Charles and Watson. I found it strange that Major Burnaby was the killer, and the explanation that he wanted £5000 didn't seem a sufficient reason for him to kill his best friend, but otherwise this was a delicious and entertaining mystery, with plenty of red herrings and puzzles.
Book: 11 of Christie's novels
Setting: Dartmoor in winter
Detective and Companions: Emily Trefusis, Charles Enderby, Inspector Narracott
Crime: Captain Trevelyan is killed in his rented house in Exhampton, shortly after this is predicted in a table-turning event held in the Sittaford House that Mrs Willett has rented from Trevelyan. Trevelyan's nephew, Jim, is arrested for the murder. His fiancee Emily Trefusis sets out to discover the truth and clear his name.
Suspects:
People present in the table-turning
- Mrs Willett, a mysterious wealthy newcomer to Sittaford
- Violet Willett, her daughter
- Mr Rycroft, an elderly man with interests in ornithology and criminology
- Ronald Garfield, a young man visiting his aunt Miss Percehouse
- Mr Duke, a nice mysterious burly man
- Major Burnaby, Captain Trevelyan's best friend
Beneficiaries of Trevelyan's will
- Jim Pearson, Trevelyan's nephew and Emily's fiance
- Sylvia Dering, Trevelyan's niece
- Martin Dering, Sylvia's husband and an arrogant author
- Brian Pearson: Trevelyan's nephew who lives in New South Wales
- Jennifer Gardner, Trevelyan's sister who dotes on her invalid husband
- Robert Gardner, Jennifer's husband
- Evans, Trevelyan's devoted servant
Other people in Sittaford
- Mr and Mrs Curtis, a friendly couple who host Emily and Charles
- Miss Percehouse, a nosy and intelligent invalid lady
- Captain Wyatt, a grumpy old invalid
- Abdul, Captain Wyatt's Indian servant
- Freddy, a convict who escapes from Dartmoor Prison
Twists and Turns:
- The presence of Mrs Willett and Violet in Sittaford in the dead of a snowy winter when the village is cut off from other civilisation is suspicious, especially when the pair claim they have always lived in South Africa but a tag from Australia is found on their luggage. This is coupled with mysterious behaviour, such as Violet fainting when she hears Pearson's name. Their presence is as much of a mystery as the murder, and it is eventually explained that the escaped convict is Mrs Willett's husband.
- Brian Pearson's appearance late in the novel is equally mysterious, especially when he refuses to explain what he has been doing in Sittaford. It is finally revealed that, in love with Violet, he helped the convict escape.
- Major Burnaby was at the table-turning at the estimated time of Trevelyan's murder, and he walked to Exhampton, so he seems to have an alibi. This is broken when Emily realises that he skied to Trevelyan's house.
- Martin Dering claims he was at a dinner party, but he never was. The reason for the false alibi is revealed to be related to divorce proceedings.
- The beneficiaries of Trevelyan's will are investigated, but all turn out to be red herrings.
- Identities are revealed in surprising ways but ultimately play no role in the mystery. Jennifer Gardner is Ronald Garfield's godmother, Sylvia Dering is Mr Rycroft's niece, and Mr Duke is the ex-chief inspector of Scotland Yard.
Courageous, intelligent, bold, young heroines could make up a whole category of Agatha Christie's novels. I really liked Emily's spirit. This book references Arthur Conan Doyle, using the same snowy Dartmoor setting as in the Hound of the Baskervilles, and with Emily as Sherlock Holmes and Charles and Watson. I found it strange that Major Burnaby was the killer, and the explanation that he wanted £5000 didn't seem a sufficient reason for him to kill his best friend, but otherwise this was a delicious and entertaining mystery, with plenty of red herrings and puzzles.