Book Club

Poirot Stories

Poirot is Agatha Christie's most famous and popular detective.  No doubt he would agree that he deserves that accolade!

Here is the place to discuss all of his stories in detail with other fans.  The most insightful comments will be added to the Stories pages.  But remember to beware spoilers!

If you can't find your favourite Poirot story here, don't worry - we'll be adding them all soon.

Warning: These discussions may contain spoilers!

Cat Among the Pigeons

Moderator1 09 Nov 09 at 1:14 p.m. GMT

Having a Middle Eastern Princess at Meadowbanks School certainly livens things up but when the school mistresses begin to turn up dead this is perhaps a little to much excitement.  Is there any connection between the Princess and the murders?  And what does Jennifer's new tennis racquet have to do with any of it?

Was Christie trying to combine a thriller with a murder mystery in this story?  And if so, did she succeed?  Given that he doesn't appear until almost the end of the story is there really a place for Poirot here?  Could Joan Sutcliffe have had a more prominent part instead of Poirot?

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49 replies

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melmank19 21 Apr 12 at 9:16 p.m. GMT

I actually enjoyed the book and how Poirot was introduced towards the end of the story and of course the phrase was really cool and the story was really good. When I heard that this was turned into another episode for television, I was a little worried since David Suchet's Poirot has always been prominent on the television version (not that I'm complaining) and wondered how the producers and writers going to change that.  I was pleasantly surprised by the episode, I really enjoyed it.  Enjoyed the acting and the storyline was well written and was relieved that very little was changed.  It was a great episode.

Monsieur_bob1 04 Jan 12 at 9:43 p.m. GMT

One of my favourite adaptations but one of my least favourite books  -in that (as already mentioned by previous comments) Poirot comes in to the book far to late for my liking.  Far from thinking that Joan Sutcliffe could have had a more prominent part, this book to me really belongs to Julia Upjohn and it was pleasing to see this played out to some extent in the tv adaptation.

xxchristielover123xx 16 Dec 11 at 6:52 p.m. GMT

I liked this, kinda.. I hated how Poirot didnt come in until the end though...

Tommy_A_Jones 26 Nov 11 at 1:35 p.m. GMT

Thankyou Popbubble, for the 1st time ever I have understood the Title which I think is the only thing which let this book down, having said that I prefer other Poirot books and prefer this one to others.

rossana 25 Nov 11 at 9:06 a.m. GMT

"A cat among the pigeons" is not one of my favourites. I liked it, but I didn't love it. I love Poirot and I missed him, when I was reading the book. All the same, I can't forget Poirot's theory about the knees!

xxchristielover123xx 20 Nov 11 at 12:31 a.m. GMT

hi

Hughsy 13 Oct 11 at 6:54 a.m. GMT

This is the first Agatha Christie novel I'm reading at the moment and I'm loving it since the beginning of the first page. The first half of the book I must say was very well detailed with introducing the setting, characters and the main plot. I think the book builds up with the main plot and the sub- surronding it that results in the murder of the unpopular, nosey Miss Grace Springer. I was still intrigued by the book without Poirot who I guess will later come in to book because there was a part in the book (THIS IS A SPOILER) where I think one of staff from the book sees Bob Rawlinson writes that note for his sister when he tries to smuggle Prince Ali's jewels in her luggage. As I read, I still hope that Poirot comes in at one point of the book.

popbubble 04 Aug 11 at 7:56 a.m. GMT

I like this book a lot! It might just be because of the idea of a murderer walking among the staff (a cat among the pigeons). It probably would be funny if they added Hastings. But I don´t think that the kids at Medowbank get a very good education that year, cause all the teachers end up dying. OK I´m exagerating, but quite a lot of them die! It is strange that miss. Springer ends up getting skewered in the Suchet film, rather than shot! I supose it is just more dramatic! And how does Poirot manage to work out that Ann did it?! He wasn´t even there when she killed miss. Springer!

Mr_west 13 Dec 10 at 9:01 p.m. GMT

pretty good story.

i didn't realy guess who the murderer was but is wasn't shock because every time someone talk about the murder i found myself imagine Ann in the position of the killer, something like a sixth sense for murder.

it's npt my favorite, but it was pretty good

Littlegirl 03 Sep 10 at 7:23 p.m. GMT

I have to admit that I didn't guess the murderer. When I started reading it, I didn't think that it was a Poirot mystery, and it surprised me at the end when he popped up. I would have liked to have Hastings there, maybe just for the comment on the knees.  It isn't one of my favorite novels, but I enjoyed it nontheless.

Tommy_A_Jones 31 Aug 10 at 3:53 p.m. GMT

Poirot has more of a Supporting Role in others too like The Clocks And if you didn't read the Prologue you would think the same with Taken At The Flood until you got to Book 2, Appointment With Death is another where he takes a Minor Role.

Li_Chang_Yen 04 Jul 10 at 6:47 p.m. GMT

As I was reading "Cat Among Pigeons", half way through I was wondering if this was really a "Poirot's mystery".  It almost seems Poirot is the supporting actor in the story. I love the story non the less. I SMILED when they mention Summerhayes' omlettes. 

I Luv Julia. I have always wonder what kind of a woman she would grown up to be.  To be that smart and bold at that age already.  I wish A.C. or other writers would have write a sequel on her. 

MissQuin 29 Mar 10 at 7:44 p.m. GMT

There's been some excellent casting in the Suchet Poirot. Pity I can't say the same for the Marples. But I think Roger Ackroyd and ABC had made some actor judgement errors. But I still love the ABC  murders though.

skart87 29 Mar 10 at 5:10 p.m. GMT

I have and I think they did a surprisingly wonderful job at choosing most of the actors for the movies!

David Suchet--looks EXACTLY like I imagined Poirot (though I think I imagined him having a tad lrger mustache)

ditto for Hugh Fraser and Pauline Moran :)

MissQuin 26 Mar 10 at 4:59 p.m. GMT

Have you seen Hugh Fraser as Hastings? I think he's perfect for the role.

skart87 24 Mar 10 at 7:36 p.m. GMT

Bundle_

It's okay, skart! Don't worry about it . We've all misspelled things on here or said one thing and meant another!

Unfortunately, I do that quite often!

Anyways, as much as I'd love to see the two (Hastings and  Mme Oliver) meet, I think that that would make one very hectic story!

By the way, does anyone here know of a decent Poirot time-line that has all the stories/novels in it?

Lone_Wolf 24 Mar 10 at 6:58 p.m. GMT

I like Ariadne Oliver, she's an amusing satire on Christie herself, though I don't like the books she appears in much, with the exception of "Pale Horse" - incidentally, the only novel in which she is without Poirot and takes less page time then usual.

MissQuin 24 Mar 10 at 6:42 p.m. GMT

Nicely put Bundle. I do like the the fact Mrs O loves apples, it's her trademark. I wonder is Hastings and Mrs Oliver been in the same book, what it would have been like.

Bundle_ 24 Mar 10 at 6:36 p.m. GMT

It's okay, skart! Don't worry about it . We've all misspelled things on here or said one thing and meant another!

skart87 24 Mar 10 at 6:34 p.m. GMT

Lone_Wolf

"but like Lone Wolf I like him (and his comments) in general :)"

Surely, you meant "unlike"?

And Hastings appears only in 8 of 33 Poirot novels, afaik.

ahh I thought I put down "unlike" sorry! :) I blame my astigmatism! haha!