Murder is Mesopotamia
by Agatha Christie
Fiction - Cozy Murder Mystery
Fiction - Cozy Murder Mystery
288 pages
SUMMARY:
Nurse Amy Leatheran accepts a post in the exotic middle east to care for the "nervous" wife of an archeologist on a dig in ancient Mesopotamia. Everyone believes Lovely Louise is a bit mad until she is actually murdered. Fortunately, Poirot appears on the scene and must determine which member of the small and remote archeological team is responsible for the murder.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK:
I'm finishing up my last 5 star review from this summer's reading on the
first official day of fall. Slowing completing the transition of our home life from summer to school along with the changing season...
Published in 1935, this book is classic
Christie in all the right ways. Pure bliss.
Interestingly, the book is dedicated to Christie's archeological friends in Iraq and Syria. In 1935, Christie is now firmly in the second part of her life as an established author after her infamous disappearance in 1926 and subsequent divorce, followed by remarriage in 1930 to a new (archaeologist) husband. This book takes on a new and ultimately iconic setting for Christie - archeological digs. I love how she drew interesting and elegant elements from her own life and times and preserved them in her novels. While reading, I often paused to wonder how she personally viewed her characters and the situations in her books. Christie successfully maintained an enigmatic quality throughout her life.
This book is narrated by nurse Amy Leatheran with a forward by Dr. Giles Reilly (all characters in the novel). The forward sets the stage for the novel in an interesting and enjoyable way. The nurse narrator proved to be competent, reliable and extremely likeable as a character. I read the book in many bits and pieces by the pool (during my daughter's swim team practices) and sometimes had trouble remembering where I left off after days away, but it was always fun and relaxing to pick back up. Though, I was repeatedly surprised to remember that the nurse was the narrator and not Hastings!
Around page 75, I had a premonition of the ending (who the murderer was) which ultimately proved to be true. But I wasn't 100% sure until the final reveal. It was a fun adventure to read the novel regardless. Christie effectively creates an environment that is just fun to dwell within and ponder. The setting of this novel ignited my imagination and daydreams.
Interestingly, the book is dedicated to Christie's archeological friends in Iraq and Syria. In 1935, Christie is now firmly in the second part of her life as an established author after her infamous disappearance in 1926 and subsequent divorce, followed by remarriage in 1930 to a new (archaeologist) husband. This book takes on a new and ultimately iconic setting for Christie - archeological digs. I love how she drew interesting and elegant elements from her own life and times and preserved them in her novels. While reading, I often paused to wonder how she personally viewed her characters and the situations in her books. Christie successfully maintained an enigmatic quality throughout her life.
This book is narrated by nurse Amy Leatheran with a forward by Dr. Giles Reilly (all characters in the novel). The forward sets the stage for the novel in an interesting and enjoyable way. The nurse narrator proved to be competent, reliable and extremely likeable as a character. I read the book in many bits and pieces by the pool (during my daughter's swim team practices) and sometimes had trouble remembering where I left off after days away, but it was always fun and relaxing to pick back up. Though, I was repeatedly surprised to remember that the nurse was the narrator and not Hastings!
Around page 75, I had a premonition of the ending (who the murderer was) which ultimately proved to be true. But I wasn't 100% sure until the final reveal. It was a fun adventure to read the novel regardless. Christie effectively creates an environment that is just fun to dwell within and ponder. The setting of this novel ignited my imagination and daydreams.
Poirot doesn't enter the
novel around page 78. He stumbles
upon the scene while enroute between other locations and adventures. It
is interesting that so much of the story occurs without him. I wonder if this
was Christie's attempting to get away from his character even when
required to write another "Poirot novel". I remember hearing that she
came to dislike his character and favor Jane Maple, but had to yield to
public demand for certain characters.
The
book ends with all the main characters being gathered for a grand
reveal. Everyone is shown to possibly be the murderer before the real
murderer is unveiled.
My random thoughts and observations from this book:
- The book makes professional women (ie the nurse) seem glamorous and adventurous without disparaging stay-at-home mothers.
- Poirot professes to be Catholic and states that monks and priests are not usual to him.
- The book had interesting physiological insight into age versus beauty in women.
- Around page 199, the statement is made that you can understand a person by the books they read.
- Around page 210, the statement is made that both women and nature abhor weak men.
RECOMMENDED FOR:
Fans of Agatha Christie and cozy murder mysteries! Adult readers who love to escape into the refinement of life in a previous era.
No comments:
Post a Comment