Appointment with Death [#books #review]

by Agatha Christie

Poirot
← Murder in the Mews
Hercule Poirot's Christmas →

Rating: 7/10

Poirot: I am interested in everything!

Colonel Carbury: Yes. That's the only way to react to life.

(Page 95)

The final revelation is a little too hasty while the introduction, on the contrary, is too long. Nevertheless I really enjoyed reading this novel. Mind you, it's not at all like one of Christie's masterpieces, but I hadn't guessed virtually anything about the case, so the discovery of the murderer surprised and satisfied me. All in all I consider this a good book.

Quotes

'You do see, don't you, that she's got to be killed?'

[incipit]

'In America,' he [Mr Cope] said, 'we're great believers in absolute freedom.'

Dr. Gerard rose also. He was unimpressed by the remark. He had heard it made before by people of many different nationalities. The illusion that freedom is the prerogative of one's own particular race is fairly widespread.

(Page 37)

Colonel Carbury: Tell me, d'you ever find your own special job has a way of following you around?

Poirot: Pardon?

Colonel Carbury: Well - to put it plainly - do you come to places expecting a holiday from crime - and find instead bodies cropping up?

Poirot: It has happened, yes; more than once.

(Pages 95-96)

'And [...] after you've sifted the evidence and done some reasoning and paddled in psychology - hey, presto! - you think you can produce the rabbit out of the hat?'

'I should be extremely surprised if I could not do so,' said Poirot calmly.

(Page 109)

I always say a cup of tea makes all the difference.

Miss Pierce

(Page 130)

'You are [...] a very well-known detective?'

'The best detective in the world,' said Poirot, stating it as a simple truth, no more, no less.

(Page 166)