Crooked House

Clearly, this is a post long overdue. I think the winter snap has frozen me from the world wide web. And the Spring Thaw has been just enough to distract me. I seem to only get to the computer when I have other business to attend to. I have even read e-mail without making a reply because other matters have stepped in just as I finish reading. But, today, my routine has slowly come back into allowing me this "free time." So, if you would like to still be a part of my pseudo book club, please continue reading.

I debated whether to write this post as if you've all read the book (and since it's been so long since I announced the book, you very well may have read it.) But I thought if I spoke in vague terms, folks who haven't read it will be intrigued, go pick it up and then perhaps come back and comment (hint, hint). Plus it was such a shocker that I don't want you to find out the ending if you haven't read it.

Crooked House, as I said before, is one of Agatha Christie's 10 ten personal favorites. She had this to Crooked House  was pure pleasure... Practically everybody has liked Crooked House,  so I am justified in my own belief that it is one of my best." (Author's Forward)
say about it: "This book is one of my own special favourites. I saved it up for years, thinking about it, working it out, saying to myself: 'One day, when I've plenty of time, and want to really enjoy myself--I'll begin it!' I should say that of one's output, five books are work to one that is real pleasure.

This book totally side-swiped me. After I finished reading it, I sat and wondered about it. I even had the thought, "Did Agatha Christie know who did it when she started writing it?" Now, that would be absurd, to write a murder without knowing who your murderer was. But I was so surprised, that I couldn't help wondering if it was a surprise to the author as well.

Aristide Leonides has been murdered in his own home. He lived in his own wing of the house with his second wife, a woman 50 years younger than he. In another wing, is his oldest son, Roger, and his wife. They have no children. In the third wing of the house is another son, Philip, his wife, and their three children, Sophia, Eustace, and Josephine. In her own quarters is Miss De Haviland, the sister of the first Mrs. Leonides.

The cause of death? Poison injection. Mr. Leonides took insulin on a daily basis. The vial that was supposed to contain insulin was instead filled with the poison and injected directly into his body. Any member of the family had access to the poison, which was actually Mr. Leonides' own eye drops, and the insulin, which was kept in the bathroom cabinet.

Charles Hayward is engaged to Sophia, but they cannot move forward until the murderer is discovered. Charles is inclined to see if he can help get to the bottom of the mystery. He and Chief-Inspector Taverner are on the case. Who did it? Can you figure it out before it is revealed? You'll want to go back and read it again, as soon as you finish it.

 

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I know that I announced And Then There Were None as my next read, however, I have since been distracted from it. I may get back to it later. But upon looking about at my bookshelves, I have noted so many "shiny" things, that I have a growing stack. I intend to post about them as I get through them, so stay tuned. I hope not to be offline for such a long space of time again.