I've recently been reduced to reading some Agatha Christie novels, and she is admittedly a good writer, who produces compelling characters. As for her mysteries, though, her plots range from “barely plausible” to “entirely ridiculous”! In The Mirror Crack’d, for instance, it ends with two murders unsolved, as if it was obvious who dunnit (but not to me)! In Toward Zero, we’re supposed to believe that the old lawyer knew all along who dunnit, but only referred to it in an allegory, and then conveniently died of a heart attack, after an “out of order” sign appeared on the lift, forcing him to climb some stairs (3 flights, which happen to be the same as for my apartment: I’ve seen no sign yet that it’s fatal!). As for Poirot, his solutions always require a bit of information that hadn’t featured in the earlier story. As for how his involvement was welcomed by by the police, that’s the last thing real police would want!
This may be down to my fuddled memory as it’s a long time since I read another of the series until Game of Thrones, but the same plots seem to repeat themselves, like Tyrion’s fate being decided by a combat of champions, and Big John having his fingers bitten off, which I think also happened after the dragons were full grown. I’ve seen that bit with the crown of gold too (but maybe in another work).
17 Sep 2025, 4:12 pm
