Agatha Christie Lovers discussion

Originally published in 1955. Features Hercule Poirot (#30).

An outbreak of kleptomania at a student hostel was not normally the sort of crime that aroused Hercule Poirot's interest. But the list of stolen items - including a slashed rucksack and a diamond ring - made no sense. And why was everyone so afraid?

I fear that, now that we have hit the mid-1950's, that the quality of the Poirot novels is going to slide deeper and deeper. This and the next book, while they of course have their charms, don't strike me as particularly good mysteries. Nor is the opening hook of this book nearly as interesting as what's coming up in Dead Man's Folly (which, to me, has a great beginning and then falls apart.)

The biggest problem for me is that Christie really seems to be at a loss depicting "modern youth." Young kids, particularly girls, are done well (I am very fond of Cat Among the Pigeons, coming up in December.) But the young people in this book seem awfully middle-aged to me. Even worse, Christie's limited willingness to transcend stereotype with her international characters makes some of the residents of Hickory Road rather offensive. (Sorry, Mr. Akibombo!)

Not that there isn't humor here, and it's nice to see that Miss Lemon has a family. I won't talk about the book anymore until others have read it. I think that, from now on, Christie's talents will be focused more on Miss Marple and some of the stand alones.

I liked this one quite a bit more than Destination Unknown. I don't remember ever reading it before and I got the identity of the killer wrong and since I've managed to figure out way too much of what was going on long before the denouement in the last several mysteries I've read finally being surprised again was enjoyable.

The one thing I have trouble with is the knowledge Poirot gains at the end, (view spoiler)[...when he learns that Nigel killed his mother, his father knew, and allowed him to get away with it. I just can't find it believable, that a man of his character (though admittedly we only get a brief description of Nigel's father) would let his wife's murderer go free, son or not. (hide spoiler)]

But other than that, I think this was a solid entry for Poirot. Maybe not among the best, but still good.

I read this one not too long ago - I really love it. I guessed who the killer was and was surprised that I was right - but in saying that I never actually hated said character. All of the students were really interesting, and I enjoyed the appearance of Miss Lemon's sister, and her interactions with Poirot. The plot is very clever & it's definitely one I'll re read :)

I enjoyed the TV episode too. Brilliant cast.

I enjoyed reading this one. I did not guess who the killer was until the end. Ienjoyed the interaction between Poirot and the students and Miss Lemon's sister.

It was really interesting story but i was missing Poirot precense.

I know :( he wasn't in every page :( but when he was, he was great :D

Uncle Hercule always is :D

I don't think Dame Agatha agreed with you, Brooklyn! She got pretty tired of the Belgian. In the next book, though, he IS on every page. (I just wish that book was better!)

Brooklyn you are right he's great and i like when he is in every single page :)

Well that's true, but she acknowledged that she owes him :D

Thank you Sunny :D

It's August 21st and I'm just getting started on our August book, Hickory Dickory Dock. I've been immersed in Harry Potter, having just read my first one last month and finished the fifth one this morning. Although I am late to the Harry Potter craze, I am enjoying the books very much. However, I figured I would take a little rest from them and read my Christie book of the month and a few other books that have been waiting for me.

I'll let you know what I think of Hickory Dickory Dock as soon as I've finished it. I like that it's a Poirot book--I agree with Brooklyn and Sunny there!

No worries, Sarah. I hope you enjoy this Poirot book & that you've been enjoying Harry Potter :)

Finished this one at three in the morning.

It is really interesting to reread Agatha Christie in chronological order, as we are doing here. Hickory Dickory Dock was published in 1955 and is set in a student hostel in London. Smuggling plays a part in the story, with students being used unwittingly because of their perceived innocence, as Poirot points out to a police superintendent:

"Who is the person who is least vulnerable to suspicion these days? The student. The earnest, hard-working student. Badly off, travelling about with no more luggage than what he can carry on his back. Hitch-hiking his way across Europe."

Students hitchhiking with backpacks (or rucksacks, as the English Christie called them) were a post-war phenomenon. In 1955 students were seen as innocent and earnest; they certainly wouldn't be so described in the 1960s!

And the students in this novel were certainly an earnest lot!

Another sign of the post-war era was an interest in psychology, and in this novel Agatha Christie frequently pokes fun at the explanations of psychology. One of the girls has been pilfering, and Poirot tells Inspector Sharpe that she was neither a kleptomaniac nor a petty thief, but a girl on a mission.

"She was desperately in love with Colin McNabb. Colin never noticed her. Instead of a nice, pretty, well behaved young girl, she displayed herself as an interesting young criminal. The result was successful. Colin McNabb immediately fell for her, as they say, in a big way."
"He must be a complete fool, then."
"Not at all. He is a keen psychologist."
"Oh," Inspector Sharpe groaned. "One of those!"

Allied to this interest in psychology was a concern with "unhappy childhoods," which a number of the students had apparently experienced. This was another contemporary fashion which Christie apparently had little patience with, as suggested by this conversation between one of the students and the good inspector:

"Her childhood had been particularly unfortunate. It had set up an emotional block..."
"Quite so, quite so." Inspector Sharpe was desperately anxious to avoid hearing the story of yet another unhappy childhood.

Then there are the frequent mentions of communism, the witch hunts and furor over spies.

All in all, an interesting period piece, and some renewed vitality on Christie's part, compared to the books of the opening years of the 1950s, although Hickory Dickory Dock doesn't have the verve of Christie's novels from the 1930s and 40s.

That was fascinating to read, I didn't quite pick up on those points in such detail myself! Thanks for sharing, Sarah :)

Brooklyn wrote: "That was fascinating to read, I didn't quite pick up on those points in such detail myself! Thanks for sharing, Sarah :)"

Brooklyn, that's because you are a lot younger than I am! I don't remember the 1950s but I was born then.

Ah. I was born in the early 90s.

I do love history though, so thanks! :D