Kindle British Mystery Book Club discussion

Finished this one yesterday and then watched the Poirot episode, The Yellow Iris, that adapted it from the short story it was originally based on. I really enjoyed it!

Another Agatha Christie story to enjoy. Like her others, it is a straight up mystery. There is a character who is new to me by the name of Colonel Race....an older man who was a British spy. He is the mystery solver. He joins with Scotland Yard and another ...hmm young retired spy of the American persuasion. I really enjoyed this book. It brought to life the woman who would soon be dead -- whether it was murder or suicide, we will know later. If murder, there are plenty of suspects, each laid out individually and each with plausible motives for her murder. Clues begin popping up and another murder/suicide happens? Good twists all the way till the end of the book.
This is why Agatha is the biggest selling author in the world after the Bible and Shakespeare. She always delivers.
I also enjoyed that the crime solves guessed as often as I did and we got it right in the end.

I hope others enjoyed this book as much as I did.

I really enjoyed this one. I like the fact that even though Rosemary is dead at the start of the book, her character is really brought to life through all the details revealed about her. We really learn a great deal about the drama she leaves in her wake and the type of person she is through each person's little memories of their interactions of her. It was great character work. I liked the red herrings that kept me guessing throughout especially about the American spy. The Colonel Race character was a good sleuth.

AngryGreyCat wrote: "I really enjoyed this one. I like the fact that even though Rosemary is dead at the start of the book, her character is really brought to life through all the details revealed about her. We really ..."

I agree, an interesting way to know the victim. Very effective. More and more easy to see why she IS the first victim.

I enjoyed the story as well. I thought Colonel Race was OK but didn't have the personality of Miss Marple or Poirot. Did any one else fell sorry for Sandra Farraday the wife of MP Stephen? Besotted by a man who clearly married her for her connections rather than love. My.favourite character was Lucinda Drake, she could of played a bigger part in the story.

Clare wrote: "I enjoyed the story as well. I thought Colonel Race was OK but didn't have the personality of Miss Marple or Poirot. Did any one else fell sorry for Sandra Farraday the wife of MP Stephen? Besotted..."

I started out feeling sorry for Sandra but I feel that by the end her husband realized he had grown to love his wife. He originally married her for the connection but when he realized he might lose her he recognized that he actually loved her with a real love, not infatuation or crush. Lucinda was a good character as well and definitely gave the reader something to think about.

I really liked this book, it was a good read.

AngryGreyCat wrote: "Clare wrote: "I enjoyed the story as well. I thought Colonel Race was OK but didn't have the personality of Miss Marple or Poirot. Did any one else fell sorry for Sandra Farraday the wife of MP Ste..."

Funny, I didn't even think to feel sorry for Sandra. She seemed to get what she wanted, too.
Well, except the affair her husband had. lol

It was just Sandra was utterly devoted to Steven. She knew he was having an affair and decided to keep quiet instead of confronting him. Of course this book was published in 1945 when divorce was uncommon.

Clare wrote: "It was just Sandra was utterly devoted to Steven. She knew he was having an affair and decided to keep quiet instead of confronting him. Of course this book was published in 1945 when divorce was u..."


I agree--different world then.
But she also didn't confront him because she didn't want to risk losing her place in political society.
But, you're right, that is sad.

Thanks to everyone who has participated in the discussion. :-)