Hello, everyone! Welcome or welcome back to my blog. It has been a long time, but I am finally back with two new reviews, for two new Hercule Poirot books. Today I will be reviewing, as the title suggests, Three Act Tragedy and Death in the Clouds, which are also books number eleven and twelve in the Hercule Poirot series. If you haven’t already read the reviews to the previous books, you can check them out here. So without further ado, let us begin:
Three Act Tragedy:
The Three Act Tragedy opens at the Crow’s Nest. It is the country home of renowned but retired, and exceedingly good-looking actor, Sir Charles Cartwright. Sir Charles is a person for whom acting is inherent. Even at home, his subconscious mind plays some role or the other. Anyways, he has just informed two of his friends, Mr. Satterthwaite and Sir Bartholomew, of a dinner party. To it, he has invited a few friends, a former colleague, a few people from the nearby town, and the world-famous detective Hercule Poirot. Sir Bartholomew casually remarks that “events come to people – not people to events. In the same way, men like your Hercule Poirot don’t have to look for crime – it comes to them.”
The dinner party has commenced. People are talking and socializing. The cocktails soon arrive and everyone is handed one. Mr. Satterthwaite is looking around him, analysing people and observing human nature, when a sound cuts into his thoughts. Reverend Babbington, who was seated beside him, rose, swayed, and fell. He was dead. And that, is when Hercule Poirot steps in. He knows it is murder, but also correctly predicts that no poison will be found in the cocktail glass upon examination. And thus, the curtains fell on the first-act.
Babbington’s murder was followed by two others. It was Sir Bartholomew, and a certain Mrs de Rushbridger. The case was as obscure as ever, save one factor. The only thing that tied all three murders together, was the complete lack of any motive. Three Act Tragedy is a novel with a very ingenious plot, and a twist at the end which is characteristic of Agatha Christie.
Death In The Clouds:
Monsieur Hercule Poirot is travelling from Croydon, France, to London. His fellow passengers in the plane are an exciting lot – for someone who loves studying human nature. There is a young woman and a man sitting opposite each other, clearly infatuated with others. There are two French archaeologists, father and son. A doctor is sitting next to Poirot. And there are two countesses, a real one, and one with an obvious addiction of cocaine.
Poirot is sitting in his chair, unnecessarily muffled up, hoping that there is no turbulence. It affects his stomach a lot. Jane Grey is observing the others, and trying extremely hard not to look at the man opposite her. Countess of Horbury is debating whether or not she should take a smoke. The doctor is carefully polishing his collection of flutes. Just then, a wasp is spotted in the plane. It flies around erratically, attracting attention. Hercule Poirot pays a great deal of attention to it. Soon, everything goes back to normal.
The plane landed at Heathrow and everyone started getting up. It was then, that the discovery was made. Madame Giselle, occupant of seat no. 2 behind Poirot, was dead. She was murdered. And the only indication of murder, was a small mark upon her neck. It looked very much like a wasp’s sting. But wasp stings are not fatal to man. The end of Death in the Clouds can be predicted; but only by a very observant reader.
Outro:
So, that is it for today, everyone. I hope you liked the review and found it useful. Please subscribe to my blog, is you haven’t already. It is fun (even if I do say so myself), and it is free. Also, stay tuned for more. Until then, au revoir!