"It's like a burr, something sticking into you, and you can't leave it alone. Yes. I would like to know. Because then, you see, I shouldn't have to think about it anymore" (55).
The intensely suspenseful and terrifying "killer at large" plots of And Then There Were None and Death on the Nile are some of Agatha Christie's most well-known. Elephants Can Remember is not a novel that I had heard of before finding it in a resale shop, but I think it has turned out to be one of my favorite Christie mysteries. A double death (Suicide? Murder?) occurs on the cliffs of the English coast. Decades later, Celia, the daughter of this ill-fated couple, is attempting to solve the case that left her parents' corpses cold in the ground without any answers. While Hercule Poirot does have a hand in investigating the mystery, a writer by the name of Ariadne Oliver (godmother of Celia) provides a woman's perspective and wisdom to the search for clarity.
1. "There is a proverb my grandmother used to repeat: Old sins have long shadows" (64).
A cozy mystery. Seeing as there is no bloody crime scene, no impending court case, and no present danger, this mystery is rather meandering and casual. The main character being a somewhat eccentric elderly mystery writer also offers a different vibe than some of Christie's other more famous novels. I enjoyed the simplicity of the story--it is an easy read and doesn't require immense emotional commitment or moral pondering to appreciate. All of the research takes place many years after the alleged crime, which means that Ariadne and Poirot must use more unconventional sleuthing techniques, hunting down enduring evidence.
2. "As I say, there are one or two things that I think could do with an investigation. An elephant investigation for you, shall we say?" (146).
The perfect length. While sometimes Christie's novels can include chapters of character interviews, lengthy recaps of all available evidence, or complicating factors (such as subsequent murders), this one contains none of those factors. It is straightforward and mercifully brief. A reader could finish it in an afternoon, which is refreshing considering the typical length of classics.
I don't have much more to say about the mystery, and in coordination with the book itself, I will keep my review brief and simple. I really liked the lightheartedness of this book and the unique mystery-solving techniques needed to investigate years after the initial incident. We don't always need long-winded and complex books to entertain us, and a well-written short novel can be a refreshing change!
