Elephants Can Remember

 

"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!

The Floating Admiral

 

"Inspector, there are many things connected with this tragedy that I cannot tell you. My lips are sealed by the confessional" (204).

Every time I go to Half-Price Books, I make my way to the mystery section and search for any Dorothy Sayers or Agatha Christie novels that I have not, as of yet, come to own. The older the copy, the better. This time, I found a book that I did not know existed until I pulled it from the shelf. A collaborative effort between both of 20th century mystery's premier mistresses! Sayers, the head of the Detective Club at the time, wrote a prologue detailing the impetus behind the undertaking. Each member of the club would add one chapter, testing the hypothesis that a number of viable solutions can be found to any one murder.

The resulting experiment, although not a fully realized example of the many impeccable works that each author produced by him or herself, is yet still an interesting read and exploration into the anatomy of a murder mystery. Despite not necessarily being a book that I will pick up again, I enjoyed the novelty of it and appreciated the purpose behind such a literary exercise. I personally would love to participate in such a group writing activity, so any other word sleuths (i.e. literature nerds), please make yourselves known!

1. "Whether the game thus played for our own amusement will succeed in amusing other people also is for the reader to judge" (4).

An interesting literary exercise. The number one reason for this book's existence is stated at the very beginning: it was meant to be a fun game amongst author friends. Not necessarily meant to be published, I'm glad that it exists! Such a collaborative mix of voices and ideas is rare, and observing the transition between writing styles was of great interest to me. A reader who is enthralled by the personal artistry of writing will enjoy this aspect of the book.

An appendix at the end also contains each author's intended solution. It is a rare occurrence that one is able to read such a wide range of plot variations for a single story, and such content probably teaches more about the writing process than reading a "normal" book with a singular plotline. What makes each scenario effective? How can an outside influence completely change the direction or read between the lines some eventuality that was not meant to be found? This book provides some very good teachable moments on the theory and practice of writing.

2. "My theory is that the murder was committed several miles up-stream and that before the boat reached Whynmouth the tide turned and it floated back to where it was found" (49).

Lack of continuity. As for the actual story itself, there are, as to be expected, some continuity issues. If the book were written by a single author, it would be considered a pretty poor mystery novel, as the plot is schizophrenic in many cases. Each new chapter produces variations on characters' personalities, adds some previously un-heard of context, and often leaves the threads of seemingly important clues hanging. Far be it from me to criticize published writers, but if I were their teacher, I would have encouraged them to introduce fewer new elements and focus on one or two aspects of the previous writer's chapter that stood out most. This change may have improved the readability of what was merely meant to be a private game amongst friends.

Unfortunately, one of the novelists chose to make a list of every element of proof that had been presented thus far. By way of creating a legitimate novel, it is obvious where this addition becomes a problem--I legitimately skipped most of these pages, because I'd rather forget a plot point than read more than twenty summary items of what just took place in the book. Perhaps such a list could also be considered cheating? It isn't my game, after all, but I do feel that a numbered recounting of every chapter goes against the spirit of such an activity.

3. "I didn't want to tell you about that because you might stop us from going to town. But I'll come clean now. I saw the Admiral alive here in his study" (128).

No "real" solution. Most of my critiques can be explained away by the context of the book, but it is still worth mentioning that the final solution is not really a satisfying one. An additional murder in the final chapters and the misdirection (if it can be called that) promoting certain suspects over others are solid moments, the ending is not one I would have chosen. The actual culprit was absent for most of the book, and the ending that he meets is less than satisfying.

I make this comment continually, but my idea of a good mystery novel is one in which the solution (at least to some extent) can be deduced through the information presented. Maybe in a second round of such an activity, the authors could improve their ability to simplify each chapter. I think part of the problem may have been that several of the participants wrote dozens of pages, while others only wrote ten or so. At this point, I am criticizing the parameters of the game rather than the book itself, but I think the point still stands that a page limit would ultimately produce a more readable novel.

I would recommend this book to writers and teachers, but casual reader, be warned! The Floating Admiral is not a polished novel, but rather an opportunity for a diagnosis of the task and practice of writing.

Murder on the Orient Express

 

"He awoke some hours later, awoke with a start. He knew what it was that had wakened him--a loud groan, almost a cry, somewhere close at hand" (40).

Detective novels were not much part of my reading list up until the last few years, as I have never been very adept at identifying a mysterious killer amongst droves of suspects. After reading copious amounts of Dorothy Sayers for my master's thesis, I decided to take on more literature from the genre. This novel, Murder on the Orient Express, is the most recent in a decently sized list of Agatha Christie novels that I have thrifted in all of their beloved, ragged glory. I have been tackling her most popular novels first, and this excerpt is the final one that has been made into a major motion picture of dubious quality (depending on who you ask).

I was not extremely pleased with its caliber, unfortunately. While Madame Mystery herself has long been lauded with having deciphered a winning formula for any mystery novel, this particular installment lacks some of the plot development and satisfying twists and turns of the others that I have read. There is an immense focus on the mechanics of the crime--everyone is gathered in an inescapable location (a train stranded in a snowbank), the murder occurs, and the remaining two-thirds of the novel are utilized to interview the suspects and go over the many details of everyone's origin stories. While there are some interesting aspects that make it a unique and memorable story, for me, the redeeming qualities do not outweigh the detractions.

1. "I know the dead man's real name. I know why he had to leave America" (71).

Plot twist. Agatha Christie often toys with the idea of true guilt, culpability, and poetic justice. In this novel, she presents a murder victim who had previously escaped justice at the hands of a technicality. He was the perpetrator in a kidnapping and murder case involving a young child, and several other individuals died or were killed as well in the aftermath. Everyone seems to hate him, and even Hercule Poirot refuses to help him when he entreats the detective for some type of protection against his own suspected demise. Of course, he turns up dead the following morning, and the mystery unfolds. This perspective is an interesting one, as there are a great many suspects, and no one seems to feel much of anything other than relief or resignation at hearing of his murder.

2. "'You suspect her,' said M. Bouc slowly. 'But why? She seems a very charming young lady--the last person in the world to be mixed up in a crime of this kind'" (151).

Everyone is suspicious. Leading into the second common tactic in Christie's novels, everyone is a suspect. It becomes rather rote after a few chapters, but Poirot gradually uncovers connections amongst each of the train's passengers to one another and also to the original kidnapping crime. Of course, these relationships are not a coincidence whatsoever, but they do muddy the waters quite a bit when it comes to being able to decipher who, in fact, is responsible for this brutal stabbing on the Orient Express.

3. "'I swear to you, M. Poirot--and my husband knows and will swear also--that much as I may have been tempted to do so, I never lifted a hand against that man" (215).

Feeling cheated by the ending and lack of plot. I like a mystery novel that is solvable. It bothers me when, at the big reveal of the guilty party, details are revealed about the crime that could have never been surmised by the reader. I feel that this book unfortunately falls into that category, and it felt a bit like cheating to arrive at the end and find out that there was essentially very little chance of figuring out the perpetrator along with the detective. Overall, I was underwhelmed, and slightly surprised that this novel is one of Agatha Christie's most popular and well-known.

While there are positive aspects in changing the status quo of the murder mystery genre, and Murder on the Orient Express certainly completes that task, it also lacks some of the critical thinking aspects that create fans in the first place. Sitting down and having "a good think," as Poirot himself puts it, will not necessarily result in the answer, and that feels like manipulation in order to achieve a shocking conclusion. Perhaps it is not the resolution that creates a problem for me, but rather the way that it is executed, with far too much exposition and not enough narrative.

Death on the Nile

 

"Her eyes met his, just for a swift moment. Thinking it over the next day, he came to the conclusion that there had been appeal in that glance. He was to remember it afterwards" (144).

Mystery's unmatched mistress, Agatha Christie, produced work that was uniquely set, but with casts of characters that formulated a suspenseful crime-scape with consistency. What successful blueprint did Agatha land upon, one might ask? I believe her success has to do with, number one, the inclusion of all elements that attract fans of the genre. The reader can nearly check them off of a list: stock characters with too many secrets, strange occurrences that can be written off as coincidence until the shocking crime is produced, red herrings that drive suspicion and distrust within the investigation, and the internal machinations of a mercurial detective piecing together what the audience hopes to understand before the grand reveal.

And yet, despite all of these expectations, mystery novel readers don't want the plot twist to be revealed to them too readily. They come in order to have very specific desires fulfilled within the text, but if the perpetrator is too obvious, then the satisfaction of reading is compromised. To write a classic mystery thus requires a very talented author, as one is given specific and nearly un-varying tools with which to work, but must produce something surprising enough to be thrilling. Death on the Nile does this task through subverting expectation enough that the reader begins to question his or her own logic, until the ending reveals that the secrets were within reach all along.

1. "They came out from the shade of the gardens on to a dusty stretch of road bordered by the river" (40).

The setting. Egypt is a land ripe with majestic awe. The cultural elements add an exotic and unfamiliar background, and the contrast between the ancient monuments and modern accoutrements of the characters adds to the thrill. Almost one hundred years ago, those sandy Nile shores held a fascinating escape for the European traveler. It has remained a stalwartly striking setting for the modern reader.

2. "The body of the dead woman...lay on the floor of her cabin. The two men bent over it" (258).

Bonus murders. The primary murder is obviously portrayed and advertised before one can even crack open the book. The bonus murders are a perfect addition, as they add trepidation and throw complications into whatever thought process the reader may have concerning the guilty party. Of course, many of the characters have reason to despise the life of the wealthy heiress. But what relationship would any of them have with the other corpses?

3. "But now that she is dead and that her husband, as you have just pointed out, inherits, the whole thing is different" (302).

Missing shock factor? There were many twisting turns that my mind took as I was reading, and several of them resulted in musings over climaxes that could have been quite unexpected. The resolution is one that perhaps could (and should) have been assumed from the beginning, but Christie has the habit of causing one to doubt oneself continually. Was I unsatisfied with the result? Perhaps partially. I was quite attached to some of the hypotheses that I constructed along the way. But I also feel a certain amount of gratification in the fact that my suspicions from the beginning were confirmed, albeit put under heavy scrutiny as so many other possibilities crowded my mind. On both accounts, Christie remains triumphant.

And Then There Were None

"It is perfectly clear. Mr. Owen is one of us..." (150).

This novel is the first Agatha Christie that I read. It also happens to be one of her most famous works, adapted time and again into movies, plays, and other mysteries that owe their existence to Christie's influences. What makes the simple recipe of her cliffhangers so addictive? As she wrote, she had not even deciphered the enigmas for herself. Her process was one of writing without thought for how the book would end--she let the mystery run away with itself, as it were. Christie is quoted as saying that she would often change her decision on who the murderer was in the midst of drafting her stories. The simple, stock characters, all with something seemingly sinister to hide, sever the idea of absolution from the ending. Everyone is guilty! The question becomes, who is guilty of this crime? Murders are being committed in increasingly mind-boggling ways, and there is a psychological underpinning that invokes a certain terror as the reader contemplates the meaning of true culpability. However frustrating the process may sound to me, her recipe for a satisfying mystery seems to be working...

I read an article a few months ago about some tourists visiting her home and becoming stranded there during a storm that blocked the only road to her isolated residence. How they felt about being stuck, miles from any civilization, was not recorded in the report--but I couldn't help thinking, This is exactly what she would have wanted. The really interesting aspect of such a real-life occurrence is the simultaneous oddity and predictability of it all. Of course, one of the most famous mystery novel writers of all time would live in a foreboding mansion on the other side of a harrowing, single road. But an unsuspecting group of mystery novel fans being told they are victims of a sudden storm and will be inhabiting this home for an unforeseeable number of hours? A plot twist of astronomically ironic proportions.

1. "Outside the rain poured down and the wind howled in great shuddering gusts against the windowpanes" (167).

The foreshadowing. Agatha Christie's pacing is impeccable. Her revelations of each murder and subsequent descriptions of the guests descending into madness alongside each other extend just long enough to drive the reader to his or her own form of insanity. She manages to reveal the next clue at exactly the right moment, either before or after the reader (or the characters) expect it. I finished this book in two days; the chapters are neither too long nor too short. Christie has defined the perfect framework for a satisfying riddle. 

2. "Mr. Justice Wargrave was sitting in his high-backed chair at the end of the room. Two candles burned on either side of him. But what shocked and startled the onlookers was the fact that he sat there robed in scarlet with a judge's wig upon his head" (222).

The theatricality. There is something to be said about the camp and hyperbole of the mystery genre. The best mysteries are the ones that embrace such drama and use it to their advantage. Imaginations are captured by the enduring commotion of the inscrutable, the strange, and the quizzically outlandish. Christie's descriptions provoke an image: she triggers emotion through the atmosphere of the scene. The balance between subtlety and sensation is where a successful mystery lies.

3. "...writing my confession, enclosing it in a bottle, sealing the latter, and casting it into the waves" (285).

A mystery too subtle? One possible critique is the extremely detailed back story given to explain the motivation for such seemingly passionate bloodlust. It is possible that a serial killer, à la Dexter, kills for psychotic reasoning that is a combination between commonly accepted morals and the need for personal vindication in some form. And Then There Were None is not the story of such a murderer. The architect of this nightmarish scenario may turn out to inhabit that realm, but the book itself does not endeavor to explore such a conscience. Christie focuses on the reactions of the victims as they try to decipher a scheme that is not rooted in common sense. The ending may feel unsatisfying when many of the clues to the identity of the enemy are unknowable outside of the context of his or her personal background.