The twist in this, the fourth story in the Crime Club Choice selection is that Hercule Poirot appears to anticipate a murder – all on account of a blackberry pie reminiscent of the Four-and-Twenty blackbirds in the “Sing a Song of Sixpence” English nursery rhyme that inspired Agatha Christie to write the piece.
The regular waitress of the Gallant Endeavour at which the Belgian Detective dined one day with his friend Bonnington, shared the friend’s impression that men, like me, rarely change their meals in their favourite restaurants, so, when she told these two men that ‘Old Father Time’ had suddenly done so, and what is more, deviated from one of his normal two particular days a week over ten years, this piqued Poirot’s interest.
We were kept waiting and wondering how Hercule could have predicted the crime, the victim, and the perpetrator, until he confronted the killer with definite proof.
“They nodded to each other, swaying about, hanging on to adjacent straps. Then at Piccadilly Circus there was a general exodus……” is just one example of Dame Agatha’s descriptive encapsulation of location as she presents the two friends travelling in a crowded tube train.
A fun twist on the nursery rhyme.
Thanks very much, Laurie
Great review. One question is the word really change or rarely change? “The regular waitress of the Gallant Endeavour at which the Belgian Detective dined one day with his friend Bonnington, shared the friend’s impression that men, like me, really change their meals in their favourite restaurants, so, when she told these two men that ‘Old Father Time’ had suddenly done so, and what is more, deviated from one of his normal two particular days a week over ten years, this piqued Poirot’s interest.”
Thank you so much, Pat. Off to correct typo.
Sounds great. I’ve finished the first story 😀
I’ve read this one multiple times!
Thanks very much, Liz. 🙂
Sounds like another excellent story!
And only 16 pages. Thanks very much, Merril
You’re welcome, Derrick!
I really must rectify the situation. I have never read an Agatha Christie!
That’s what I am doing, Dale. And I’ve had the books for years. Thanks very much
Boy, do I get that. I have some old ones, too. Every now and again, I pick one out. Last one was Rumer Godden’s Five for Sorrow, Ten for Joy, that I found in a pile at my mother’s house. I love discovering new to me authors.
Thank you very much, Dale. You might like this post and the comments: https://derrickjknight.com/2015/09/14/the-peacock-spring/
Thank you, Derrick. Sow we both had a Hidden book sitting on our bookshelves waiting for us!
Fabulous review! I’ve been reliving my Agatha Christie reads and movie-watches through your reviews. I need to do some rereading now. She was such an amazing story teller…sharing remarkable characters, fascinating adventures, intriguing mysteries, twisty-twists and twisty-endings. Ha! 🙂
(((HUGS))) ❤️❤️
PS…”The best time for planning a book is while you’re doing the dishes.” – Agatha Christie 🙂
Thanks very much, Carolyn
An excellent review, Derrick. Hercule Poirot (Agatha Christie) was a good lateral thinker!
Thank you very much, Lavinia
Anything by Agatha Christie is worth reading. Crime thrillers/Who Dun It have been at the top of my reading list since I was an eleven-year-old babysitter in a home without television but with a full bookcase belonging to the father.
Thank you very much, Sue. What a bonus for a babysitter
Absolutely!
The publisher needs you to boost the sales
Thank you very much, Sylvie
Great review Derek I enjoyed it immensely. I am reading Agatha Christie for the 1st time. The 1 I’m reading is The Mysterious Affair at Styles