Supper at the Savoy! Hercule Poirot, the famous little detective, was enjoying a pleasant little supper party there as the guest of Lady Edgware, formerly Jane Wilkinson, a beautiful young American actress. During the conversation Lady Edgware speaks of the desirability of getting rid of her husband, Lord Edgware, since he refuses to divorce her, and she wants to marry the Duke of Merton. M. Poirot jocularly replies that getting rid of husbands is not his speciality. Within Twenty-four hours, however, Lord Edgware dies.
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My Review:
More than providing entertaining murder mysteries, Agatha Christie's novels - for me anyways- are a glimpse of the society of the early twentieth century. Hercule Poirot is suppose to be a well-informed and progressive detective, yet he makes a lot of generalizations about race, ethnicity and sex. When characterizing one of the main characters in this mystery he comments that she is a Jewess and thus shrewd and possesses a love of money.
In other novels, Poirot has made similar stereotypical comments about characters from various ethnic groups and in most brandishing some form of stereotype about women. I've come to the conclusion that Hercule Poirot and maybe Agatha Christie did not care much for actors. They are usually portrayed in less than a flattering light, and in this mystery it's no different.
Lord Edgware Dies is definitely one of Agatha Christie's best murder mysteries. The characters are all strange in their own unique way, and the plot is somewhat feasible which allowed me to actually solve the mystery on my own. And for once I can say there are no loose ends.
Another reason, I enjoyed this novel is Hastings. This time around his thoughts touch on Poirot annoying habits such a boasting and ridicule Knowing that he's just as annoyed with Poirot's arrogance, makes him that much more likable.
4/5
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