Reading the Detectives discussion

Oh my goodness look at the plot summary for our next book:

"An outbreak of apparent kleptomania at a student hostel arouses Hercule Poirot's interest when he sees the bizarre list of stolen and vandalised items. These include a stethoscope, some lightbulbs, some old flannel trousers, a box of chocolates, a slashed rucksack, some boracic powder and a diamond ring later found in a bowl of a soup..."

And the famous miss Lemon plays as big a part here as those who watch the TV episodes are accustomed to by now.

Enjoy!

I just started this the other night, to see if I remember it, I don’t think I do - may have seen the tv version, but not sure. Ought to be interesting!

I read it when awake one night, and recall enjoying it far more years ago. However, it will be fun to discuss in this group.

I got a chuckle out of how easily Celia played young delinquent to draw in the budding psychologist - I hope he becomes a bit better judge of human nature before he embarks on treating patients! I’m almost half through, now, and this still doesn’t seem familiar, so I don’t know if it’s new to me, but appreciative of how, even in this modern setting, Christie manages to keep the interesting “types” for her suspects! The pretty girl, the mean girl, mean boy, saintly girl, big bluff guy, etc. I think I’ll always be a bigger fan of her earlier, classic country house, or glamorous travel mysteries, but I appreciate her on point observations of human nature (love, greed, jealousy, etc) that stay the same and motivate behavior, no matter the time or place of the setting.

"Miss Lemon's sister, whose name was Mrs. Hubbard, had a definite resemblance to her sister. She was a good deal yellower of skin..."

???

If anything, Singapore should result in browning! But, I guess, that is for India and Africa.

I love the opening chapter introduction of Poirot and Miss Lemon:

Order and method had been Hercule Poirot’s watchwords from many years ago. With George, his perfect manservant, and Miss Lemon, his perfect secretary, order and method ruled supreme in his life. Now that crumpets were baked square as well as round, he had nothing about which to complain.

And a bit later: That was what places like Singapore were for. The sisters of women like Miss Lemon married men in Singapore, so that the Miss Lemons of this world could devote themselves with machinelike efficiency to their employers’ affairs (and of course to the invention of filing systems in their moments of relaxation).

I do love that, even after all these novels, she still has fun with her detective and his staff.

Haha, I love square crumpets.

I was surprised to see that Miss Lemon was also/originally secretary and file organiser to Mr Parker Pyne. Clearly, although Christie doesn't give her as much page time as she has screen time in the TV series she thought she was too interesting a character to abandon to a single book of short stories (and only a couple of them!)

Bicky wrote: ""Miss Lemon's sister, whose name was Mrs. Hubbard, had a definite resemblance to her sister. She was a good deal yellower of skin..."

???

If anything, Singapore should result in browning! But, I ..."

Bicky, I think the author meant comparing The two sisters, Mrs. H. had more sallow (yellowish undertones) to her skin tone then her sister. I often heard this growing up, I am a twin, but we are fraternal, as opposed to identical, and people would comment on the difference in our looks to our parents. My twin had very light blond hair and blue eyes, and a very pinkish complexion (like our mother’s family) , but I was smaller with brown hair and brown, almost black hair, and a more sallow complexion (like my father’s family).

If older relatives couldn’t remember our names, they just referred to me as, “the little dark one” and Patty as “the blonde”!

Frances wrote: "I love the opening chapter introduction of Poirot and Miss Lemon:

Order and method had been Hercule Poirot’s watchwords from many years ago. With George, his perfect manservant, and Miss Lemon, hi..."

Lol, that was funny, reminded me of all the episodes with Miss Lemon I had watched over the years! Gave a lot of insight into the characters, and Christie’s humor. What would Britain have done for efficient secretaries if there’d been no Singapore?

Rosina wrote: "I was surprised to see that Miss Lemon was also/originally secretary and file organiser to Mr Parker Pyne. Clearly, although Christie doesn't give her as much page time as she has screen time in th..."

Thank you! I don’t remember reading Parker Pyne, and I don’t recall many of these later Poirot books - I mostly remember Miss Lemon and George from the TV episodes. Now I know where she came from (besides the Singapore connection). Miss Lemon struck me as a fun character, I mean the name, her very astringent humor, etc. - I bet Christie didn’t want to lose her, figured she’d get much more use/page time in the Poirot books.

I like this one very much, interesting characters and the youth hostel setting is something different. Great 50s atmosphere. I think it’s the only story in which Miss Lemon is shown to have any interest in anything other than her work.

I've started this and enjoy getting to know Miss Lemon and her hobby to improve filing. And square crumpets! They go so well with the square tea sandwiches.

Miss Lemon is certainly the perfect secretary for Poirot, with his order and method proclivities. I particularly liked her in The Nemean Lion, from The Labor of Hercules.

Every time I start a new one I think to myself: 'well this one cannot possibly be just as enjoyable as the previous one which surely must be my favorite'

Seems like there is a new favorite on the way though! I really loved the first chapters. Though you often read that Agatha Christie didn't really like Poirot surely he must have grown on her, the descriptions are almost endearing. And when he comes to the 'startling realisation' that miss Lemon has the first name Felicity! Haha pure humor

Jessica wrote: "Every time I start a new one I think to myself: 'well this one cannot possibly be just as enjoyable as the previous one which surely must be my favorite'

Seems like there is a new favorite on the ..."

You just made me think about her name being Felicity, and how that doesn't seem to match her personality at all! Perhaps that is the point.

There's felicity to be had in well-ordered files!

There surely is!