It was an open and shut case. All the evidence said Caroline Crale poisoned her philandering husband, a brilliant painter. She was quickly and easily convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Now, sixteen years later, in a posthumous letter, Mrs. Crale has assured her grown daughter that she was innocent. But instead of setting the young woman's mind at ease, the letter only raises disquieting questions. Did Caroline indeed write the truth? And if she didn't kill her husband, who did?
MY THOUGHTS:
The earnest young woman says, 'I've got to have the best,' to which the private detective replies, 'Rest assured, I am the best.' This is one of my favourite Hercule Poirot mysteries so far.
Amyas Crale, the brilliant artist, was murdered by poison, and his wife, Caroline, was convicted of the crime. Sixteen years later, their daughter, Carla, hires Hercule Poirot to prove her mother's innocence, since she feels her future happiness with her fiance depends on having it all cleared. After such a long time lapse, all tangible evidence is long gone, so Poirot must solve the crime purely by thinking about it. He interviews each of the five main witnesses who were on the spot, and asks for their written testimonies regarding the crime scene. He reasons, 'With the passage of time, the mind retains a hold on essentials and rejects superficial matters.'
To help keep things straight, Poirot can't help slotting each of these witnesses into the framework of 'This Little Piggy,' the fun rhyme we've all played with our babies' toes. He knows, as do we, that if Caroline Crale didn't kill Amyas, it must surely have been one of them.
1) Philip Blake, a stockbroker and Amyas's best friend. (This little piggy went to market.)
2) Meredith Blake, Philip's brother, the country squire, a homebody who dabbles in herbalism and potions. (This little piggy stayed home.)
3) Miss Elsa Greer, a ravishingly beautiful 20-year-old, who is Amyas's fling and the muse for his most recent masterpiece. (This little piggy had roast beef.)
4) Miss Cecilia Williams, the governess of Caroline's teenage sister, Angela. She now lives in straitened circumstances. (This little piggy had none.)
5) Miss Angela Warren, Caroline's 15-year-old stepsister, who is highly original but somewhat wild and tempestuous. (This little piggy went wee wee wee.)
Even though both Amyas and Caroline have been dead for years, a compelling composite picture is formed of the pair of them from the collective memories of these five, although they contradict each others' opinions and emphasize different aspects. All 'little pigs' seem genuine and credible, which thickens the plot nicely. Poirot shines at his best here too. Despite his high opinion of himself he comes across as both considerate and compassionate. And his personal musings on the true nature of both happiness and success are worth noting down.
For example, he compares the struggling, working class Miss Williams with the filthy rich Lady Dittisham, formerly Miss Greer. Elsa, who starts out with every possible advantage, is now empty like a 'flower overtaken by untimely frost.' (This character strikes me as a type of Scarlet O'Hara, high on energy and restless drive, but not so much on imagination or overall contentment.) Miss Williams, on the other hand, sits in her tiny dwelling with perfect satisfaction. 'Miss Williams' life had been interesting to her - she was still interested in people and events. She had her memories, her small pleasures made possible by stringent economies, and sufficient health and vigour to enable her still to be interested in life.'
The murderer turned out to be the 'little pig' I hoped it was, which leaves a favorable impression. I'm taking off half a star only because the finish seems rather abrupt following the big revelation. I would've liked to have seen how the remaining innocent 'pigs' would have reacted to the big announcement, but the curtain comes down too fast.
Finally, I wonder whether this particular story was a cathartic exercise for Agatha Christie, exorcising the hurtful bombshell of her own past, when her first husband abandoned her for her best friend. (That bit of real-life literary scandal is well known to her fans over the years, and so long ago now, I don't feel gossipy for writing it here.) Amyas Crale has the same initials as her own cheating hubby, Archibald Christie. For any other author I'd be willing to believe that could be purely coincidental, but since Dame Agatha wrote so many plots which hinged on apparent subtleties like this, no way!
The guy she describes as a 'ruthless, selfish, good tempered, happy egoist,' brimming over with brilliance gets what was coming to him, at least in this story.
Nicely done.
🌟🌟🌟🌟½
(Update: I've now also watched the TV version starring David Suchet as Poirot. I was impressed by the casting of characters, accurate presentation of the era, and best of all, sticking to the plot.)
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