The Thumbnail Book Reviews
by John Q McDonald --- 17 February 1998
by Agatha Christie
This is the first Agatha Christie novel read and micro-reviewed here. Her broad appeal has intrigued this reader mainly through the visual richness of the period depictions one sees on so many PBS programs. In her writing, though, there is a sparseness that isn't quite expected. Writing for contemporaries, there is precious little Christie provides in terms of descriptions of pre-war Europe and late-Imperial Britain. The story, however, is an intriguing mystery in which a murder occurs aboard the airplane Prometheus, flying from Paris to London. One of the passengers must be guilty, but who? Hercule Poirot is aboard and will find out, despite the fact that he too is implicated. Overall, the chase in interesting, but lacked suspense despite its surprise ending. Poirot's character is the most filled-out, and the others seem to be seen through his impatient eyes.
Also by Christie: [Death on the Nile] [Cards on the Table]