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Poirot Stories

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

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Three-Act Tragedy

Moderator1 05 Nov 09 at 9:55 a.m. GMT

During a dinner party given by Sir Charles Cartwright the guests are appalled at the death of the Reverend Babbington who choked on his cocktail.  When Sir Bartholomew Strange, who was also at the dinner party, dies of nicotine poisoning some months later Satterthwaite, Poirot, Sir Charles and Egg Lytton Gore join forces to track down a devious murderer.

Is Satterthwaite as effective here without Harley Quin's gentle nudging?  Should Egg have been put in further stories?  How does she compare to, say, Tuppence, Victoria Jones and Anne Beddingfeld?

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26 replies

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MissQuin 05 Feb 10 at 3:20 p.m. GMT

I'm fond of Three act tragedy, mainly because I like the fact that no-one seems to have a motive for the murderers. It's fun to find out who did and and why. I read this before Mr Quin stories, so didnt know MR S had appeared alsewhere. Satterthwaite didn't do as well this time without his friend. We get to know more about Mr S's great one true love, during his youth.

I don't think Egg would have been the same after Charles had gone. She seemed so shocked, I think she wouldn't be so naive and more world weary.

HeiseiHolmes 17 Feb 10 at 10:49 a.m. GMT

Oh, it's the same with me about not knowing that that was the Mr. Satterthwaite. But now I know~♥ It clears a lot up.

phlipper 01 Apr 10 at 8:40 p.m. GMT

Has Harley Quinn and Mr S been made into a TV series yet? David Jason as Mr S maybe?

MissQuin 02 Apr 10 at 10:19 a.m. GMT

I don't think it's ever been made into a series. It was made into a film in 1930's. I would love to have it made as series-on the condition that nothings too altered from the book.

I never thought of David Jason as Mr S, but it's a possibilty. Mr S is snobby and posh, so it would be a great deal different to the characters David usually plays.

Agathasmykid 14 Jun 10 at 7:11 a.m. GMT

Just finished this one as I read through the Christie Cannon.  I liked this book, and thought the pacing was good.  The two deaths seemed to have no link until of course Poirot finds one.  The only draw back for me was that I guessed the murderer pretty much right away, and felt logically there were no other choices.  I also liked the Egg character and I hope she shows up again in another story, however form what I have heard and read, I doubt that she does.

The highlight of the book maybe the very last line. I won't spoil it here however it is serious and somewhat funny at the same time.

Grade: B

MissQuin 14 Jun 10 at 3:10 p.m. GMT

No Egg doesn't appear in any other Chrisite books. I think she would have been slightly different in character afterwards anyway. Not so energetic and ingenuous.

Mr_west 14 Jun 10 at 3:37 p.m. GMT

i like the egg too, in spite of it's been a while since i read it so i don't remember the all story but i remember it was very good, i think that the figures were more convincing and "strong" then the murder and the plot. the murder wasn't realy interesting or original (but still good).

grade: 4 out of 5

Agathasmykid 17 Jun 10 at 1:08 a.m. GMT

MissQuin

No Egg doesn't appear in any other Chrisite books. I think she would have been slightly different in character afterwards anyway. Not so energetic and ingenuous.

It is hard to tell.  She may have likely matured.  She also loved to investigate things so it would have been nice if her and Poirot crossed paths again.

Miss_Eylesbarrow 17 Jun 10 at 3:50 p.m. GMT

Egg reminds me of some other Christie characters, such as Anne Beddingfield in 'The Man in the Brown Suit', Nick Buckley in 'Peril at End House', Bundle ('The Secret of Chimneys' & '7 Dials') and early versions of Tuppence.  She must be some kind of 1920s/1930s 'Bright Young Thing' stereotype, and in these guises she does, therefore, turn up in other stories.  I think she fits in well in her own time zone, however an Egg Lytton Gore in later books from the more sober 1950's say would perhaps be very irritating and unbelievable?

MissQuin 17 Jun 10 at 5:14 p.m. GMT

One of my favourite AC heroines is Bridget in Murder is Easy. I think it's because there aren't any other female characters like her in AC stories. She doesn't fit into the "bright young things" catergory. She's independent, but mysterious and inscrutable. She's not so perky.

I think the my favourite out of the typical AC females is Bundle, although ive only read about her in dials. I didn't like Nick actually. She was pretty tough.

Ive not read Brown suit. The characters are very much of their time, which is part of the essence of the stories. I don't tink any of that type appear after 1940's. Lynne Marchment was much tougher and world worn than her 1930's couterparts.

The characters in third Girl appear different to the early characters.  They are more fitting for their time too.

Miss_Eylesbarrow 18 Jun 10 at 12:30 p.m. GMT

I find the characters in 'Third Girl' far less likeable than the girls in, say,  'The Clocks' - also a 1960 book.  And I love Miss Marple's comment in 'A Caribbean Mystery' on the girl in the book she was reading at the start - "...her hair smelt of chip fat.  I wondered why I found her so maddeningly attractive", "so do I" thought Miss M....just how I feel about the 'heroine' in Third Girl! 

MissQuin 18 Jun 10 at 12:46 p.m. GMT

I remember the opening od ACM. I think my version has "rancid fat" urg! It's a startling statement, I think the book Miss M was trying to be perverted and shocking. It's the only explanantion I can come up with! It is quiet funny, altough I didn't enjoy the book much. It's a lighthearted one. I liekd the Hickson adapt better than the actual story.

Third Girl spoilers: What was hunky David Baker doing with that drip Norma? Well, I think her fortune may have been something to do with it... She was just mooching about, taking drugs, being stupid. Shame that such a handsome young man The Peacock, was a rotter. But I did feel really sad about what happened to him. As for the other two girls, I didn't mind Frances, (though not later on).  Claudia wasn't that different to some of AC's cool competent young women, from early books. It's  only the mention of taking drugs and hanging round people with flick knives, is what makes them different to earlier female characters.

But overall the young people were mainly portayed as strange and frightening. It's how Agath Chrisite must have seen them.

Miss_Eylesbarrow 21 Jun 10 at 12:57 p.m. GMT

You are quite right, Miss Quinn, it is 'rancid fat'  I was going from memory, which is never a very clever thing to do!

Isn't it interesting how young people/teenagers are still today portrayed as strange and frightening?  I wonder what Dame Agatha would have made of today's hoodies and gang culture?

MissQuin 21 Jun 10 at 5:10 p.m. GMT

Actually, I'll post a reply on the third girl post, if that's ok Miss E?

Miss_Eylesbarrow 22 Jun 10 at 9:58 a.m. GMT

no worries Miss Quinn, catch you there!

216816 04 Sep 10 at 8:45 p.m. GMT

I must say that after reading this, I spent about five minutes in utter shock! I have read about fifteen AC books, each with a surprise ending. I had resolved to not let my guard down and to suspect everyone, and what happened? I was hit with the biggest surprise in my entire history of reading (which is saying a lot) I don't know, maybe I'm blowing this all out of proportion, but I still couldn't believe the ending. I reccomend this to any AC fan who likes a good surprise.

xrysoula 04 Sep 10 at 11:02 p.m. GMT

SPOILERS!

Personally, after having read about forty of her novels, this one was the first ever to guess the murderer in advance! I just finished it and I can 't say I enjoyed it very much. I found it rather boring and predictable, neither the plot nor the characters being original or attractive. Egg appeared a little more interesting but still not enough, it was a wise choise not to place her in any other stories. To me she seemed unreal, somehow.As for her comparison to the other amateur female detectives, I can 't remember any of them in love with the criminal! This shocking experience probably left her with an inextricable repulsion towards crimes and mysteries for the rest of her life. I think I prefer Lucy Eylesbarrow in this category.

Mr Satterthwaite seems very pale without Mr Quin 's support, too. Once again, it is up to Poirot to save the day. 

Nofret 01 Dec 10 at 12:24 p.m. GMT

I disagree, thought the characters were very interesting and varied - the Dacres couple, Oliver Manders, the outsider, Angela (why was she omitted from the TV adaptation when there are so many excellent actresses of a certain age who could have played her, eg Cheri Lunghi or Stephanie Beachem.) Yes, I did work out the identity of the murderer, but couldn't fathom out his motive, so it kept me engrossed to the end.

Best character IMO and one I wished Christie had used again is Miss Muriel Wills, the playwright with the male nom de plume! She's a loner, out of her element amongst these flamboyant characters, yet she still observes and takes notes for her personal use - I'm sure she had no intention of blackmailing the murderer once she tricks him into revealing himself.

Should have been a volume of short stories - Miss Wills Investigates!

MissQuin 02 Dec 10 at 10:58 a.m. GMT

I agree with Nofert about varied chaarcters. Miss Wills is very peculiar! But I quite like her. She is different to the norm. In the adaptation she seemed rather more normal and less perverse, a shame ;)

Mr Satterthwaite I never have anything bad to say about him! I loveable old gentleman. His recollections of his doomed romance, aww sweet!

Mr_Graves 06 Feb 11 at 9:43 p.m. GMT

A question: I read somewhere that the motive for the murder in the American version, "Murder in Three Acts", was different to the British version. Can anybody enlighten me?