Agatha Christie

I’ve been buying old Agatha Christie paperbacks. I do enjoy reading her mysteries. I think she was very good at creating these little puzzles.

One thing I find interesting about reading older books is how different the culture was or the language–especially when it involves non-American sources. So it was, while reading her 1950 novel, “A Murder Is Announced” that I came across the following passage of a conversation between Sir Henry Clithering, an ex-Commissioner of Scotland Yard and Inspector Detective Dermott Craddock briefly discussing the village of Chipping Cleghorn:

“I know,” said Sir Henry. “Nice old pussies and retired colonels. Yes, if they noticed that advertisement they’d all come sniffing around at 6:30 to see what was up. Lord, I wish I had my own particular old pussy here. Wouldn’t she like to get her nice ladylike teeth into this? Right up her street it would be.”

“Who’s your own particular pussy, Henry? An aunt?”

“No,” Sir Henry sighed. “She’s no relation.” He said reverently: “She’s just the finest detective God ever made. Natural genius cultivated in a suitable soil.

He turned upon Craddock.

“Don’t you despite the old pussies in this village of yours, my boy,” he said. “In case this turns out to be a high-powered mystery, which I don’t suppose for a moment it will, remember that an elderly unmarried woman who knits and gardens is streets ahead of any detective sergeant. She can tell you what might have happened and what ought to have happened and even what actually did happen! And she can tell you why it happened!”

The “old pussy” that Sir Henry references is of course, Miss Marple–Agatha Christie’s other great detective.

I will see if any future novel refers to Hercule Poirot as an “old dick”.

In any case–I’m looking forward to “Murder on the Orient Express”. I love the story. The film looks like it will be a pretty good adaptation.

• This topic was modified 7 years ago by PA Ram.