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!

Death in the Clouds

Moderator1 05 Nov 09 at 10:07 a.m. GMT

Hercule Poirot is not a lover of air travel and he little expects a dead passenger to be in the seat behind him at the end of the flight from Le Bourget to Croydon.  At first it seems that Madame Giselle has been stung by a wasp but when a poisoned dart, shot from a blowpipe, is discovered beside the dead body Poirot realises he has to a murder to solve - and a limited number of suspects to choose from.

Is this story as relevant today - do people still not pay attention to those around them just doing their jobs?  Was there potential for Jane Grey to appear in future Christie stories?  Or perhaps she did, just in different guises...

Login or register to add posts and reply

44 replies

Reverse order

Vogue 03 Aug 11 at 9:44 a.m. GMT

I've just read this novel and it has seemed me a great one! I found wonderful the way Agatha hides the mystery until the end and I also loved the weird - but at the same time smart - methods that the detective Hercule Poirot uses to uncover the real assassin. I just want to encourage anyone who will read this post to read the novel becuase it inculdes some funny Poirot's phrases that make the book more entertaining.

MsBuckley 24 Jul 11 at 2:48 p.m. GMT

Great book, I was entertained the entire plot! All the details that appear in the story appear later,but still, never even crossed my mind that Gale was involved with the crimes, the film with David Suchet is also great, especially the part when Poirot says "You left your fingerprints on the bottle" and then Gale says "But this is absolutely impossible, because ... " and Poirot continues, "You wore gloves ... Indeed .... Thank you"

 5 STARS BOOK and book!

ErkutSoyer 15 Jul 11 at 8:23 a.m. GMT

I love France environment in book.Also I love night adventures in London.I didn't estimate the murderer again but I estimated murder method.Read this book in summer

Hercuel_Poirot_7 29 Jun 11 at 6:15 p.m. GMT

Definetily people are closing to them selves in our days and dont pay attention to anybody around.

poirotfan29 23 Jun 11 at 10:58 p.m. GMT

this story is interesting it is one of my favorite stories

Epsilon14 02 Jun 11 at 4:29 p.m. GMT

I just finished the book and man was I surprised till the very end. A very interesting book. I never would have thought Gale released the wasp. Christie amazed me in this book and will go on amazing me. 

Cicely 03 May 11 at 8:48 p.m. GMT

I thought these comments were supposed to be about the book, not the movie.  Several of you are commenting on the movie version.  I LOVE the movies, because I am a more visual person, but the book is the TRUE Agatha Christie story.  The movies take liberties ad nauseum and sometimes make a huge difference in the story AC created.  We have to remember that.  I wonder how AC would react to all the changes the movie versions make.  Just think of the time she spent working out every aspect of the crime.  I agree with the person who said AC stories are not supposed to be about making a social statement (or something to that effect), they are just entertaining who-done-its.  I believe that is why AC stories have always been so wildly popular over the years.  It is a recent phenomenon to have TV shows, movies and books to take a social position and be PC.  One of the reasons I love AC so much, especially Poirot, is that they are just endearing mysteries to be enjoyed for their own sake!  Death in the Clouds is one of the best, in my view.  I hope Jane Grey eventually found love with the young Frenchman, I forget his name, who was on the plane with his father - the archeologists.  That line was not covered by the movie and seems such a romantic part of the book, eve though AC did not favor romances in her stories.

Dulcie 07 Jan 11 at 8:25 a.m. GMT

About the wasp...

If the wasp was from Mr.Gale, then why does Poirot say at the end that 'our attention was drawn to it by the murderer'? Mr. Dupont was the one who went on about the wasp, he killed it with his cup, and when they saw Mdm. Giselle dead, he wanted desperately to make it seem like a wasp sting killed her.

About the 2 spoons.

This seems like quite an important part in the story. When Norman Gale pretended to be a steward, he carried a spoon to Mdm. Giselle so that it would be more convincing. But did he not notice the other spoon?

Prnbs 11 Nov 10 at 4:57 a.m. GMT

But it is mentioned that the murderer intended to pick up the dart. When he failed, he introduced the blowpipe so as to create the illusion of distance.

And it is also mentioned that the poison used was so rare as to be untraceable had the dart not been discovered.

GKCfan 11 Nov 10 at 4:31 a.m. GMT

Plan A was that the death would be attributed to a wasp sting (hence the released wasp).  Then no murder would have been suspected (and the dart would porobably have been ignored), but it was very likely that an autopsy would have proved murder by poison, so the dart was dropped in order to create the illusion that a blowipe sent the dart into the victim's neck.  If the dart was taken away, investigators would have suspected hand delivery of the dart earlier, and anyone who got up would have been suspected.  Bottom line, with no dart, ther'd have been no way the blowpipe could have been used.

Prnbs 11 Nov 10 at 4:05 a.m. GMT

Possible loophole? (Spoiler ahead)

Hi

I am a great admirer of Christie's style and I want to set my mind at rest about what seems to me a big loophole in this story.

Since the victim was pricked with the dart by hand, why or how did the dart fall to the floor? The entire story rests on the fact that the dart fell to the floor, the murderer was unable to retrieve it and hence the cover up of the wasp failed.

GKCfan 14 Sep 10 at 6:51 a.m. GMT

Cocaine is central to the plot of the original novel in Peril at End House.  There are two reasons for Poirot having Norman wear a disguise.  First, he wants to get Lady Horbury shaken up so she'll confide in him, and possibly become open to a divorce from her husband so he can marry his true love.  Second, he wants to see how well Norman handles a disguise and deception, since Poirot already suspects him.  And it's implied that Monsieur Dupont (the son) and Jane Grey will eventually get married, but it will take some time, since Jane has to get over Gale.

Cicely 14 Sep 10 at 1:11 a.m. GMT

There is also cocaine use in the adaptation of Peril at End House where Mrs. Rice uses it in a scene and three of them conceal it in certain areas that I won't name (no spoilers!).  I have been meaning to re-read the book and see if that is in the original.  I hate it when they add something like that to the movie versions.   I never understand the reason Poirot has Norman Gale wear the disguise and pretend to be a reporter to Lady Horbury.  Can anyone explain that to me?  Also, in the end of the book, I believe Monsieur Dupont and Jane Gray get together, am I correct?  I thought that would have been a nice ending to the movie since Gale was such a scoundrel.

Miss_Eylesbarrow 21 Jul 10 at 9:25 a.m. GMT

Thanks GKC, I saw your comments on the site just after I had posted my question, but then I had another look in the book, and I'm sure it's a term for make-up rather than the biscuit. 

The 'flapjack' is only found in the luggage of the three ladies - as you say Miss Quin, and the actual sentence is written like this: (Capital letter, starts sentence) Lipstick (comma), rouge (comma), flapjack (full stop). Could it be a cake-mascara type thing or face powder/foundation like Puffinjill suggests - Pancake?  I think we might have solved this one between us all, don't you?   Thanks everyone!

MissQuin 20 Jul 10 at 3:03 p.m. GMT

Suprised Lady H, Jane and Ventia would all eat flapjacks. I don't think we can rule out that it might be a old slang make up term.

GKCfan 20 Jul 10 at 12:18 a.m. GMT

We discussed this about a year and a half ago.  I posted my thoughts on this thread: 

http://www.agathachristie.com/forum/have-your-say/new-christie-website/glossary-section-on-website/paginationoff/

MissQuin 19 Jul 10 at 4:47 p.m. GMT

Ive been puzzled over this for years! It's in the luggage of Miss Kerr, Miss Grey, and Lady Horbry. But none of the men have any flapjacks! So maybe it is make up. One of had a toothpick, wihich would be handy if they had an oat flap jack.

Miss_Eylesbarrow 19 Jul 10 at 3:51 p.m. GMT

It's definately in at least one of the female passengers' luggage, but also appears elsewhere, I can't remember who though.  Perhaps I should have got more info before I started this one!  I'll have a look tonight and come back to you on it...

Puffinjill 19 Jul 10 at 3:34 p.m. GMT

Is it another word for foundation make up? I've certainly heard of foundation being called Pancake so I'm guessing (possibly wrongly!!) that Flapjack is the same. The trouble is, off the top of my head, I can't remember in who's luggage it was discovered and if it was one of the male characters it might open up a whole new side to their nature!!!!

Miss_Eylesbarrow 19 Jul 10 at 10:22 a.m. GMT

Okay, does anyone know what a 'flapjack' in the passengers' luggage is?  I'm guessing that AC wasn't saying that some passengers had half-eaten oaty biscuits hanging around.