Cat among the Pigeons - Agatha Christie - Book Review

 

                    This week end I chanced upon 'Murder on Oriental Express' movie (based on Agatha Christie book of the same name). After a long read of Moonstone; I felt a quick Agatha Christie novel would be a welcome change to avoid reading fatigue and chanced upon this book at the library.

                    The story starts with a revolution in one of the middle east countries and the Prince Ali Yusuf taking help from his English pilot friend Bob in secretly smuggling his diamonds out of the country. Bob secretly places them inside one of his niece Jennifer's' belongings without her knowledge. Both try too escape the country in a plane but ends their lives in a crash. The scene shifts to Meadowbank School, a prestigious girls preparation school in England run by Miss Bulstrode and Miss Chadwick. The school is attended by mostly girls from very affluential families with the likes of businessmen, royal families etc. Jennifer also attends this school. As the plot unfolds; one of the unpopular teachers; Miss. Springer is found murdered in the sports pavilion. The police investigation is underway; but there are a series of murders and a kidnap which paints the school in bad light and the students and staff are in a state of panic. Are all these related? Does any of these incidents have a connection with the diamonds? Is there anything more happening in the school than what seems to the outside world? all these pretty much make up the mystery of the story.

                    The first thing about the novel is that this is not an out and out Poirot story. Poirot comes well after halfway of the story when his help is sought out. The starting part of the novel was a drag and extremely slow moving for me. It took quite some time to pique my interest. There were ample characters in the story and A.Christie keeps the reader in the dark on the characterization of some of them. Poirot's quick and small role was indeed very enjoyable. The language was simple and I really liked the way the story unfolded towards the end. There were some interesting twists and turns once Poirot steps in. I did not expect the particular person to have committed the crime. I liked the characterization of Julia, Miss Bulstrode and Miss Angele Blanche. I did encounter some logical loopholes which can be overlooked over the course of the story.

                    For a mystery story, this is a slow burner and definitely not what I expected from Agatha Christie. But nonetheless, once Poirot arrives at the scene, he lights it up even though for a small time. A book that you might enjoy if you can sit through an initial drag.