Учебно-методическое пособие по работе с книгой А. Кристи «Избранная детективная проза»

5)Something extraordinary must have happened to this usually ____

man that made him talk ____ and judging by his ____ he didn’t sleep that night.

3.Find in the story the synonyms to the following words and expressions:

brilliant (p. 120), generously (p. 122), to work together (p. 124), companion (p. 124), wickedness (p. 124), immediately after smb. (p. 126), throbbing (p. 127), to give up / to let go (p. 127), offensive / shocking (p. 130), to obey (p. 130), to have a love affair (p. 131), to discover / to find out (p. 131), inscription (p. 133), accident (p. 134), imperative / compelling (p. 135), involvement (p. 135), hangman (p. 136), copy (p. 136), faithful (p. 136), at once (p. 137), to jump (p. 138), to run away (p. 138).

4.Use ex. 3 to make up 10–12 sentences of your own.

5.Give Russian equivalents to the following words and expressions from the story and use them in the sentences of your own:

to be common (p. 120), pretty hot place (p. 122), to drag out (p. 124), the girl in question (p. 124), to get down to things (p. 128), to pore over (p. 133), to be up against smth. (p. 138).

6.Translate using ex. 5:

1)Я только хотел сказать, что эта черта – общая для всех газет.

2)Там везде отдельные кабины, и должна сказать, это весьма злачное место.

3)Томми позабыл свою роль скучающего мужа, которого выта- щили в свет против его воли.

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4)Девушка, о которой шла речь, прошла в соседнюю кабину, со- провождаемая мужчиной в костюме "джентльмена, одетого в газету".

5)И теперь, я полагаю, полиция разберется с этим делом очень быстро.

6)Таппенс кивнула и начала сосредоточенно изучать принесенные инспектором фотографии.

7)Мы в Скотлент-Ярде хорошо знаем, что к чему, но когда име- ешь проблемы из-за фактов, становится неловко.

7.Make up a dialogue using as many words and phrases from ex. 1,

5as possible.

8.Explain the meaning of the following words and expressions. Reproduce the situations in which they were used in the story:

to remark witheringly (p. 119), to draw a red herring across the track (p. 120), gently with the butter (p. 121), to butt in (p. 122), to put smb. on the right track (p. 123), get up (p. 124), to get hold of smb. (p. 126), to slur over (p. 127), to turn nasty (p. 130), to come off (p. 131), to egg smb. on (p. 132), to give in to (p. 135), the kiss of a Judas (p. 136), to think as much (p. 137), to be at one's wits' end (p. 138).

9.Paraphrase:

1)She made the scathing observation that being interviewed was at least boring.

2)The speaker tried to urge the crowd on to show their opposition to the new law.

3)Please don’t flatter him on his knowledge of foreign languages, or he won’t ever study again.

4)They may interfere in elections by the use of corrupt means to bribe or intimidate the electors.

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5)The Minister tried to hush up his department's mistake although it had cost the taxpayers a lot of money.

6)He burglars were able to throw the police off the scent.

7)He reached a deadlock trying to make a new computer program work.

10. Translate the following passage into Russian:

p. 121. From "When I was a nice young girl…" to "… and go to bed at half past nine".

11.Retell the story on the part of:

1) Tuppence Beresford

2) Sir Arthur Merivale

3) Inspector Marriot

12.Act out the conversation between Sir Arthur Merivale, Inspector Marriot and Tuppence (pp. 128–131).

Discussion

Discuss the following:

1)Comment on Tommy's words: "Do you realise, Tuppence, that you and you alone are Blunt's Brilliant Detectives?" (p. 119). Speak about Tuppence's character traits.

2)What famous detectives are mentioned in the story? In what connection are they mentioned? What was the effect produced?

3)Comment on the statement: "He was always, profoundly mistrustful of Tuppence's brilliant ideas." (p. 122)

4)What in your opinion did Tuppence mean by saying: "I'm sure we're in a real den of iniquity"? (p. 124)

5)Comment on Tuppence's remark: "Greengrocers." (p. 138)

6)Comment on Tommy's words: "Marriot's right all round – that was

the way of it. A bold finesse for game and rubber." (p. 139)

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5. The Coming of Mr. Quin

Pre-reading tasks

1. Make sure you know how to pronounce these words:

subtlety, inordinate, covertly, calamitous, to intrigue, to fathom, solemn, brusque, prefunctorily, imperceptible, inexplicable, noncommittally, astounding, balustrade, brocade, fortuitous, hilarious, defiant, curmudgeon, exhumation, arsenic, strychnine, preconceived, overwhelming, hydrochloride, retribution, Harlequinade, alternately.

2. Find in the dictionary or encyclopaedia the information about the Harlequinade.

Comprehension

1)What presentiment did Mr. Satterthwaite have on the New Year’s Eve?

2)Who drove his special attention that evening?

3)What song did Lady Laura mention? What event did it remind to the party?

4)What superstition did Lady Laura mention?

5)Why did people say Royston was haunted?

6)What interrupted the men’s conversation?

7)What made Mr. Quin stop at the house?

8)Why was Mr. Quin able to gain the company’s confidence?

9)Who did Mr. Satterthwaite see at the gallery? What feeling did he get about what was going on?

10)How according to his friends Derek Capel feel at the beginning of his last day?

11)How and where did he kill himself?

12)What criminal case did his death follow?

13)Who and why killed Mr. Appleton?

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14)How was Mr. Appleton killed? How was his wife engaged in this case?

15)What made Derek Capel commit a suicide?

Vocabulary and Grammar

1. Find in the text the English equivalents to the following words and expressions:

радушный хозяин (p. 141), встречать новый год (p. 143), внезапно уехать (p. 146), прерывать / вмешиваться (p. 149), в расцвете сил (p. 149), комиссия по расследованию / следственная комиссия (p. 150), следователь, ведущий дела о насильственной или скоропостижной смерти (p. 155), Министерство внутренних дел Великобритании (p. 161), в крайнем изумлении (p. 163).

2.Find in the story the synonyms to the following words and expressions:

crowd (p. 140), excessive (p. 140), observer (p. 140), about / approximately (p. 141), perfect / healthy (p. 141), disastrous (p. 141), to understand (p. 142), calmly (p. 143), abrupt (p. 143), appreciation / gratitude (p. 144), agitated (p. 145), presentiment (p. 145), nonsense (p. 146), to listen (p. 147), calm (p. 147), extremely (p. 148), evasively (p. 149), form / appearance (p. 150), bold / daring (p. 153), obsession / absorption (p. 154), blocked / closed (p. 155), disappointed (p. 155), to get lost (p. 156), interval (p. 156), miser (p. 157), exactness (p. 157), prejudged (p. 160), emotion (p. 160), irregularly / unevenly (p. 160), convincing / demanding attention (p. 160), late (p. 160), punishment / justice (p. 163).

3.Find in the story the antonyms to the following words:

gloomy (p. 141), openly (p. 141), phlegmatic (p. 145), perceivable (p. 149), deliberate (p. 151), sad (p. 153), to aid / to facilitate (p. 160).

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4.Use ex. 2, 3 to make up the sentences of your own (7–10 sentences).

5.Give Russian equivalents to the following words and expressions from the story and use them in the sentences of your own:

devoid of imagination (p. 141), to come across (p. 142), to affect smb./smth. (p. 145), to break off (p. 148), a sweeping statement (p. 149), to challenge (p. 152), to be driving at smth. (p. 158).

6.Translate the following sentences using the words and expressions from ex. 1, 5:

1) Это было самое сердечное письмо, какое когда-либо было им написано.

2) Я наткнулся на эту старую фотографию на дне секретера. 3) "Но я же была там!" – вмешалась в разговор Джейн.

4) Последние события в семье сильно повлияли на него, он стал нервным и рассеянным.

5) Когда мне исполнилось восемнадцать, я решил, что пришла по- ра мне отселиться от родителей.

6) К моему сильному удивлению, он приехал вовремя. 7) Что ты, собственно, имеешь в виду?

8) Я скорблю не о тех, кто погиб во цвете лет, а о тех, кто их лю- бил и на них надеялся.

9) Само наше существование было поставлено на карту.

7.Make up a dialogue using as many words and phrases from ex. 1,

5as possible.

8.Explain the meaning of the following words and expressions. Reproduce the situations in which they were used in the story.

To run pretty true to type (p. 141), the fellow's all nerves (p. 142), to die down (p. 145), to bring up the subject (p. 146), to be dressed in every

46

colour of the rainbow (p. 147), to go against the grain (p. 149), the personal equation (p. 150), with strained attention (p. 151), to cool off (p. 153), to disconcert (p. 155), to do away with smb. (p. 157), to be acquitted (p. 159), to hang back (p. 162), to face the music (p. 163), alternately (p. 164).

9. Paraphrase:

1)There's no need to raise his past when we are considering him for employment.

2)They were hesitating between supporting us and opposing us.

3)Mr. Hope was initially convicted but then was exonerated on appeal.

4)My neighbour tried to do herself in by taking poison.

5)It confused us to learn that they had refused our offer.

6)She was apparently a very jumpy woman, and that affected her career.

7)You've caused us a lot of trouble.

10. Insert the necessary prepositions where necessary:

1)The elder members ____ the house party ____ Royston were assembled ____ the big hall.

2)He knew instinctively when the elements ____ drama were ____

hand.

3)He was a man ____ close ____ forty, fair haired, and blue eyed like all the Portals, fond ____ sport, good ____ games, devoid ____

imagination. Nothing unusual ____ Alec Portal.

4)Many dark women dye their hair ____ blonde; he had never before come ____ a fair woman who dyed her hair ____ black.

5)The wind rose ____ another terrific wail, and as it died ____ there came three loud knocks ____ the big nailed doorway.

6)Here’s a man ____ the prime ____ life, gay, light hearted, without a care ____ the world.

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7)Rumour grew and grew, and ____ the end, months later, some ____

his relatives applied ____ an exhumation order.

8)They stared ____ him ____ black amazement.

11. Retell the story on the part of:

1)Eleanor Portal

2)Alec Portal

3)Tom Evesham

4)Lady Laura Keene

5)Harley Quin

Discussion

1. Discuss the following:

1)What do you think about Mr. Satterthwaite's attitude towards young people? (p. 140)

2) Why did something about Mrs. Portal seem peculiar to Mr. Satterthwaite?

3)Comment on the statement "He was the friend of a friend, and as such, was vouched for and fully accredited." (p. 149)

4)In what connection is the expression "to defy Fate" used in the story? What is Mr. Harley Quin’s part in the story?

5)The name of Harley Quin is considered to be a speaking one. How is it expressed in the story? How does it contribute to the narration?

2.Pick out from the story the words and expressions connected with theatre. What does the author use them for?

3.Translate into Russian and comment upon the following passages:

1) pp. 140-141. From "Mr. Satterthwaite was sixty-two…" to "… was happening or going to happen."

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2)p. 143. From "He was a tall…" to "… with no great pretensions to brains."

3)p. 150. From "I disagree with you…" to "… a question of relativity."

4)p. 164. From “I know – I know.” up to the end of the story.

6. The Case of the Rich Woman

Pre-reading task

Make sure you know how to pronounce these words:

audacious, coup, languour, reminiscent, swarthy, seizure, rascally, docile, alias, penal servitude, attorney.

Comprehension

1)How did Mr. Pine’s client look like?

2)What problem did she come with?

3)Why didn’t she want to deal with charity?

4)How much did Mr. Pyne ask to pay in advance? How did he explain it?

5)What happened with Mrs. Rymer in Mr. Pyne’s office in a week?

6)Where did she wake up? Who did she see at her bed?

7)What had happened to her? How did she understand it?

8)What decision did she take? What influenced it?

9)What was her life on the farm like?

10)When did Mrs. Rymer meet Mr. Pyne again?

11)What was their meeting like? What did they talk about?

12)Did Mr. Pyne complete the case successfully?

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Vocabulary

1.Find in the text The English equivalents to the following words and expressions:

быстро и легко (p. 167), пожертвование (p. 168), приступ (p. 173), бредить (p. 173), недоверие / скептицизм (p. 173), родинка (p. 178), каторжные работы (p. 182), доверенность (p. 182), наглость (p. 183),

хитрый (p. 184).

2.Find in the story the synonyms to the following words and expressions:

to hide (p. 165), first-class (p. 167) (2 words), drink / beverage (p. 171), weariness (p. 171), joyfully (p. 171), embarrassed (p. 174), dishonest (p. 175), cowardly (p. 177), shabby (p. 179), cheat (p. 179), a farm laborer (p. 180), touchingly (p. 180), also known as (p. 181).

3.Find in the story the antonyms to the following words:

graceful (p. 165), cautious (p. 169), refreshed (p. 171), ungovernable (p. 177), imprudent / unwise (p. 183).

4.Use ex. 2, 3 to make up the sentences of your own (7–10 sentences).

5.Give Russian equivalents to the following expressions from the story and use them in the sentences of your own.

to take good care (p. 169), to take a few risks (p. 169), to give (smb.) a hand (p. 173), to be liable to smth. (p. 174), to run the risk (p. 177), to think out (p. 178).

6.Fill in the gaps using ex. 1, 5.

1)____ with the dishes. I can’t do it all by myself.

2)The areas near the river are ____ to flooding.

3)The exam turned out very easy, everybody did it ____.

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4)Non-governmental organizations get no financial aid from the state and have to take public ____.

5)The criminal has been found guilty and convicted to seven years of

____.

6)He had the ____ to talk to his parents like that.

7)After the murder of his sister he had been doing nothing but ____

his revenge.

7.Make up a dialogue using as many words and phrases from ex. 1,

5as possible.

8.Explain the meaning of the following expressions. Reproduce the situations in which they were used in the story.

To depend on (p. 166), to take up with smb. (p. 166), to fancy one's meal (p. 167), conventional (p. 169), to secure the services (p. 170), to grow hazy (p. 171), vaguely reminiscent (p. 172), to be up and about (p. 173), her brain was in a whirl (p. 175), to get hold of smth. (p. 177), a sporting decision (p. 179), to be easy in one's mind about smth. (p. 180), to take a drop too much (p. 180), to stick smb. down (p. 182), banns (p. 184), good-for-nothing lot (p. 184).

9.Paraphrase:

1)He’s got the gift to feel the delicate taste of wines.

2)All his friends were afraid he could get addicted to alcohol.

3)I don’t want you to date with that chap.

4)I doubt whether he will ever recover.

5)It was too misty to see anything in the distance.

6)What they saw was a usual imitation of philosophy.

7)Throw the boxes anywhere, we'll sort them out later.

8)Even insects in my path are not loafers, but have their special errands.

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10. Translate the following passages into Russian.

1)p. 165. From "Mrs. Rymer was a tall woman…" to "… tips of curled ostrich in her hat."

2)p. 170. From "The doctor was dressed…" to "… in their glance."

11.Retell the story on the part of:

1) Mrs. Abner Rymer

2) Mr. Parker Pyne

3) Mrs. Gardner

12.Act out the conversation between Mrs. Abner Rymer and Mr. Parker Pyne (pp. 181–185).

Discussion

1. Discuss the following:

1)Explain Mrs. Rymer's words: "You can open your mouth all right, can't you?" (p. 168)

2)Comment on Mrs. Rymer's statement: "Fools and their money are soon parted." (p. 169) Do you agree with it?

3)Why did the author call Mrs. Rymer "Hannah" when she met Mr. Parker Pyne for the second time? (p. 181)

4)Why in your opinion did Mrs. Rymer call Mr. Parker "Mr. Nosey Parker"?

5)Comment on Mr. Parker Pyne's statement: "You are a remarkable woman." (p. 185)

6)Why do you think did Mrs. Rymer decide not to return to London?

2.Give a character sketch of Mrs. Rymer.

3.Speak about Mrs. Rymer as if you were

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IV. FINAL QUIZ

1. Match the name of the character with the title of the story (stories) it is from:

7)Mr. Parker Pyne

8)Miss Marple

9)Madeleine de Sara

10)Miss Lemon

11)William Burgess

12)Tuppence Beresford

13)Margharita Clayton

14)Dr. Constantine

15)Bingo Hale

16)Commander McLaren

17)Alec Portal

2.Write in the gaps the name of the person who is speaking. Then, for each sentence, write who is meant by the underlined word(s).

1) ___ says: "I've known him ever since I was a child. He appears to be quite a dour person, but he's really a dear – always the same – always to be relied upon. He's not gay and amusing but he's a tower of strength – both Arnold and I relied on his judgement a lot."

2) ___ says: "Take these three copies of the Daily Leader. Can you tell me how they differ one from the other?"

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3)___ says: "He adores her, but sometimes he's – yes, afraid of her! That's very interesting. That's uncommonly interesting."

4)___ says: "You can open your mouth all right, can't you?"

5)___ says: "You must be very proud of him. How have you managed to keep him all those years? You must have been very clever."

6)___ says: "I don't suppose for a minute they've really gone to bed. They're probably putting hairbrushes or something in our beds."

7)___ says: "Give him money and you'd ruin him. I've got him off the drink now, and I'll keep him off it."

8)___ says: "You horrible vampire – stealing my husband from me."

9)___ says: "His chest was weak. They wouldn't take him for the war. He did well at home. He was made foreman."

10)___ says: "Already I have looked up your career. You passed high up into Sandhurst. You passed into the Staff College. And so on and so on. I have made my own judgement of you today. You are not a stupid man."

3. Complete each of the following sentences with the best response.

1)Mr. Reginald Wade came to Mr. Parker Pyne's office because

a)he wanted to divorce his wife

b)his wife wanted Mr. Wade to give her a divorce

c)he wanted somehow to get rid of his wife

2)Miss Lemon was Hercule Poirot's

a)secretary

b)wife

c)friend

3)Who killed Arnold Clayton?

a)Major Rich

b)Commander McLaren

c)Mr. Spence

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4)Arnold Clayton died because

a)he was poisoned with arsenic

b)he was stabbed through the jugular vein

c)he was stabbed through the heart

5)After her husband's death Margharita Clayton stayed

a)at the Spences'

b)at home

c)at Lady Chatterton's place

6)Miss Greenshaw left her money and her house to

a)Mrs. Cresswell

b)Alfred

c)Nat Fletcher

7)Sir Arthur killed his wife

a)because of her money

b)because of his jealousy

c)accidentally

8)When Sir Arthur understood that his guilt had been proved, he

a)jumped through the window

b)drank some poison

c)shot himself

9)What about Eleanor Portal seemed strange to Mr. Satterthwaite at once?

a)her behaviour

b)the fact that she came from Australia

c)the fact that she dyed her hair

10)Old Appleton was

a)poisoned with arsenic

b)poisoned with strychnine

c)strangled

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11)Mrs. Rymer had

a)four children

b)three children

c)no children

4. Identify the following quotations:

1)The contemporary historian never writes such a true history as the historian of a later generation.

2)It is necessary for a woman to lie sometimes.

3)She will take you at your own evaluation – and you deserve it.

4)That is, I believe, the modern tendency. All these wars, and having to joke about funerals.

5)So many men are tied to such dull wives.

6)The perfect murder has been in vain.

7)If you want to know the time, ask a policeman.

8)Do you think if I had all the money in the world it would make me a lady? I don't want to be a lady, thank you; a helpless, good-for- nothing lot they are.

9)Positively scintillating, my dear Watson.

10)Fools and their money are soon parted.

5. Give the English equivalents for the following phrases from the book:

Самый настоящий мошенник, обанкротиться, внебрачный ребенок, страстно желать, с некоторым опасением, быть в хорошем настрое- нии, убитый горем, две недели, минимальная вероятность, радуш- ный хозяин, в расцвете сил, принимать как должное, недоделки в работе, подводить кого-либо, быстро и легко, наглость.

56

6. Give the synonyms to the following expressions:

In the heat of rage, to have got a way with somebody, to face the music, to pave the way, to butt in, to succumb to the pleasures of frankness, to be acquitted, to give a flea in the ear, to be up and about.

7. Give the antonyms to the following expressions:

Gospel truth, on an impulse, to take a drop too much, not to care a pin, to egg smb. on, to buy for a song, to be engaged in.

8. Translate the sentences, paying special attention to the words in italics:

1)В общем-то я понимаю молодую красивую женщину, которая сыта по горло жизнью с таким болваном, как я.

2)Более того, она увидит, что Вы смогли привлечь внимание кра- сивой молодой женщины, и Ваши ставки немедленно вырастут.

3)В следующей заметке говорилось, что майор Рич был обвинен в убийстве Арнольда Клейтона и взят под стражу.

4)В последний момент мистера Клейтона вызвали в Шотландию по срочному делу, и предполагалось, что он уехал поездом в

8.15.

5)Нужно, чтобы никто не знал, что здесь происходит, и я пообе-

щала слугам очень большие премии, если они не проговорятся.

6)Ее отец был водопроводчиком, так что ей не с чего зазнаваться.

7)Как она сама говорила, ее брак закончился полным провалом, и она осталась с двумя детьми и без денег на их воспитание.

8)Там везде стоят отдельные кабинки, и, надо сказать, это весьма злачное место.

9)Он на что-то намекал в своем рассказе, но пока было непонят- но, на что.

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V. SUPPLEMENTARY READING

Pre-reading task:

Find in the dictionary the definition of modernism, its main features and representatives. You can use the information from www.britannica.com.

Read the article and do the tasks.

The Christie Mystery

Too long have we been taken in by the deceptively comfy image of Agatha Christie. Twenty-five years after her death, it's time to look again at a true modernist with dark obsessions.

By Peter Conrad

Sunday September 16, 2001

The Observer

This summer, while the rest of you were reading Proust or Thomas Mann at the beach, I spent my holiday tussling with another abstruse, knotty, neglected modernist: Agatha Christie. She died 25 years ago, so reappraisal is due.

The NFT had a brief season of her films in July, and at Westcliff- on-Sea a plucky repertory company spent three months performing all of her plays. But Christie is an export industry, having sold a billion copies in translation into 44 foreign languages, and not surprisingly the most lavish and intriguing commemoration was abroad.

We tend to consider Christie fusty and old-fashioned. With their vintage trains and their equally antique stars, films such as Sidney Lumet's Murder on the Orient Express or the television series with Joan Hickson as Miss Marple tweak our nostalgia. Christie herself exploited

58

more metaphysical regrets: a longing for the peaceful Eden, with barbered golf courses and cheery village streets, that predated the first murder.

Modernity – defined by one of her primmer characters as the habit of "sing freely in public the most unpleasant words you can find in the dictionary" – induced an abrupt fall. In Passenger to Frankfurt, a fascist crone incites revolution by subsidising "modern philosophy, modern thought", with its agenda of dissent and destruction.

Christie knew all about the modern mental revolt, which murdered God and assassinated all other sanctities. In Ordeal by Innocence, a local amateur company puts on Waiting for Godot a year or two after the play's premiere. The woman killed in Murder in Mesopotamia has been reading an introduction to relativity, and Hercule Poirot derives his forensic method from Einstein's physics, considering crimes from all possible angles. Murder on the Orient Express and Witness for the Prosecution arrive at relativistic solutions, since truth is always partial and subjective.

Freud also haunted Christie. A character accuses herself of wishful matricide, and confesses "I'm often very violent in dreams". Once the lights are out and the reason dozes off, we are all potential murderers. The curate in The Murder at the Vicarage, while carving tough beef and masticating a doughy dumpling, wishes one of his obnoxious parishioners dead; almost at once, God – who, if he still exists, enjoys lethal practical jokes – answers the unChristian prayer.

Technically, Christie shared the modernist fascination with symbols, ciphers, arcane structural puzzles. The ABC Murders takes its secret code from the alphabet; other books use telltale quotations from Shakespeare, or mnemonic motifs from Wagner's operas.

Poirot, seeing through appearances, treats reality as Picasso did. "Take the abstract point of vision," he recommends in Appointment with Death. "Then the absolute logic of events is fascinating and orderly."

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Elsewhere he remarks on an innocent bystander's "great natural ingenuity", which gives him "the makings of a very fine criminal". It is the highest, the most amorally Nietzschean of compliments.

During a discussion of Christie at the NFT in July, the novelist H.R.F. Keating wrongly called her "an extremely ordinary person – bright, shrewd, but not intellectual". She may have cultivated this dowdy camouflage, but we should not be taken in by it.

Christie, as Keating went on to say, is "one of the world's bestselling brands", and brand recognition depends on familiarity. Every year her publishers used to announce "a Christie for Christmas" (as if admitting the deadliness of the sanctimonious holiday). Like The Mousetrap, which next year celebrates a half century in the West End, she seems always to have been with us – except for 10 days when, suddenly and inexplicably, she was not. In December 1926, she disappeared. After a national search, she was found, befuddled by amnesia, at a hotel in Harrogate. She had bolted after the collapse of her first marriage; though she recovered her memory, she preferred to forget the incident, and left it a blank in her autobiography.

The episode makes it clear that Christie herself was a mystery. We can only speculate about her motives, as Michael Apted did in his 1979 film Agatha. Vanessa Redgrave here plays a distraught Christie who, while apparently planning to murder her husband's trashy mistress, devises her own suicide, ritualistically preparing to electrocute herself during a session of massage.

The surmise had a poetic plausibility. Christie more than once identified the writer as a guilty party, who conspires to alter and perhaps destroy reality. The narrator in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, whom we instinctively trust, turns out to be the killer, and in Death Comes as the End – a detective story set in ancient Egypt – a scribe contemplates his papyrus and balefully warns against the spread of literacy.

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