Philosophical Musings of a Book Nerd

I'm not really all that sure about these Agatha Christie mysteries. I guess it has something to do with me never really being all that interested in your stock standard mystery, of which Christie was an absolute master. Okay, I do enjoy Sherlock Holmes, but then that probably has more to do with the guy being a coke fiend who regularly frequents brothels (as well as the brilliant rendition that Guy Ritchie produced – well, okay the first one at least because Game of Shadows was pretty ordinary). However, these books of Christie's I'm not really sure if I can say that they really appeal to me. Look, the story is great, and the plot is incredible with lots of twists and turns which leave you guessing right up to the point that Hercule Poirot reveals all, however there is something about the good old murder mystery that I simply don't enjoy.

Anyway way, poor Poirot just doesn't seem to be able to have a holiday in peace (okay, this is only the second Poirot book that I have read, but the other one, [book:Evil under the Sun], also had him on a nice relaxing holiday where he ends up getting caught up in a murder mystery. He even makes it clear at the beginning that he is on holidays and he doesn't want to get involved with anything. Mind you, why he couldn't have let Colonel Race do all the hard work is beyond me, but it probably has something to do with Race not being anywhere near as good as Poirot at solving mysteries.

So, this time Poirot is going on a holiday down the Nile where he visits the tombs at Abu-Simbal. They even have a nice chat about the statues there. It is on the way back that the murder occurs: that of the young wife of Simon Dolye. As it happens Simon's ex-girlfriend is also on the boat, one Jacqueline, who has been stalking the young couple since they got married. Well, that, and the fact that a huge 'J' was painted on the wall of the victim's room pretty much indicates that Jacqueline is the guilty party (though that massive 'J' is probably a dead give away that she isn't). She had also shot Simon in the leg earlier that night. So, she has the motive, the murder weapon, and thus must be the guilty party. Well, I'm sure that there are lots of detectives out there that would have left it at that, but not Poirot. He's no dummy, and instead of taking the easy way out and arresting Jacqueline he decides to get to the bottom of the mystery.

I won't say anymore simply because this is a murder mystery and you are supposed to be guessing right up until the end (despite the fact that I know that I will never work it out so I simply wait until Poirot tells all – anyway you can always find out who the murder is by looking at the synopsis on wikipedia, but that will destroy the mystery). Mind you, I was somewhat surprised that there wasn't just one murder, but three, but then again there is no such thing as the perfect murder, and murders always try to cover their tracks with more murder. Anyway, if you are able to kill one person, then the next couple tend to be a lot easier.