The A B C Murders by Agatha Christie

The A B C Murders by Agatha Christie

Review of the novel The A B C Murders by Agatha Christie

Published by William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd

First Published: 6 January 1936

Dedication: To James Watts. One of my most sympathetic readers.

Cost: £2.50 (UK Paperback September 2017)

ISBN: 978-0-006-16724-2 (Paperback Edition - 224 pages – starts on page 9)

This is a Hercule Poirot story, narrated by Hastings, however, there are chapters which are written in the third person, which Hastings is able to vouch for the accuracy of the story. I must say up front that this review I will be discussing SPOILERS, as the nature of the plot makes it impossible to do otherwise.

When the story opens, we find that Hastings has just returned from his ranch in South America and is chatting to Poirot about his appearance, suggesting that he has not aged at all in the time they have been apart. After a while, Poirot produces a letter and asks Hastings, ‘What do you make of this?’.

Mr HERCULE POIROT, - You fancy yourself, don’t you, at solving mysteries that are too difficult for our poor thick-headed British police? Let us see, Mr Clever Poirot, just how clever you can be. Perhaps you’ll find this nut too hard to crack. Look out for Andover, on the 21st of the month.

Yours, etc.,

ABC.

And so begins a series of murders that Poirot has to understand, not solve. I say understand because in most murder mysteries there is one murder that the private investigator, or police officer, has to grasp why the victim was murdered and what is the motive. In this story there does not seems to be any reason to link the series of murders that take place or a motive for one person to have committed an individual crime.

Poirot shows the letter to his old friend, Chief Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard. Everyone waits patiently, as the 21st of June gets nearer, but as the day goes by there is nothing to report. It is on the 22nd of June that Japp contacts Poirot. The owner of a newsagent in Andover, a Mrs Ascher, has been struck down by a heavy blow to the head. There is also a Bradshaw railway guide at the scene of the crime, (which is also known as an A B C guide).

Hastings comments:

I think I can date my interest in the case from that first mention of the A B C railway guide. Up till then I had not been able to raise much enthusiasm. This sordid murder of an old woman in a back-street shop was so like the usual crime reported in the newspapers that it failed to strike a significant note. In my own mind I had put it down the anonymous letter with its mention of the 21st as a mere coincidence.

The thought that the murder of Mrs Ascher is an isolated case was a feeling reflected by all but Poirot. As further murders take place, he struggles to understand why he has become involved - drawn into the case by the letters from the murderer. As you would expect, this case is fully investigated by the local Andover police officer, an Inspector Glen, and for almost twenty pages, they are no nearer solving the crime.

Almost a month later a second letter arrives on the doorstep of Poirot’s home. A B C advises Poirot to focus on Bexhill-on-Sea on the 25th of July. Everyone involved in the investigation realises they have a possible serial killer on the loose that will challenge their ability to solve the crimes. On the 25th of July a young female waitress, called Elizabeth Barnard, has been found on the beach at Bexhill. The medical evidence gives the time of death between 11.30pm and 1 am, which raises the question of whether the murder is linked to A B C until a railway timetable is discovered under the body. Poirot asks himself why he is receiving the letters; sending them to the police or a national newspaper would get greater attention; there must be an underlying reason.

Just over a month later, a third letter arrives.

Poor Mr Poirot, - Not so good at these little criminal matters as you thought yourself, are you? Rather past your prime, perhaps? Let us see if you can do any better this time. This time it’s an easy one. Churston on the 30th. Do try and do something about it! It’s a bit dull having it all my own way, you know!

Good hunting. Ever yours. A B C

To everyone’s surprise, the letter was dated the 27th of August but was addressed to the wrong building, and was forwarded twice before being delivered to Poirot on the 30th August. Hastings and Poirot join Inspector Crome on a train heading down to Devon. However, as they leave London, the inspector receives a note informing him of the death of Sir Carmichael Clarke, a resident of Churston.

As a result of such a prominent figure having been murdered, the national newspapers run a story on the incident and with help from the police, link it to the series of murders under the heading of 'The ABC Murders'. Poirot and Hastings argue about the method Poirot is taking to solve the crimes as nothing seems to be happening. In defence Poirot explains his behaviour:

‘My force, Hastings, is in my brain, not in my feet! All the time, while I see you idle, I am reflecting.’

‘Reflecting?’ I cried. Is this a time for reflection?’

‘Yes, a thousand times yes.’

‘But what can you possibly gain by refection? You know the facts of the three cases by heart.’

‘It is not the facts I reflect upon – but the mind of the murderer.’

At this point in the narrative, Hastings introduces relatives of the victims as he and Poirot discuss possible motives for the crimes and the story takes a new turn as the brother of Sir Michael Clarke suggests they can assist the police by pooling their ideas together.

There is one other aspect of the narrative that Christie introduces into the tale that is important. At the very end of chapter two, there is a half-page introduction to an Alexander Bonaparte Cust, a travelling salesman. We next hear more about him in chapter sixteen, where the character is developed and again towards the end of the story, brief chapters describe his behaviour. Christie teases her readers with these insights about Cust and how he makes a living, and which towns he visits.

As a possible fourth murder is on the horizon, Poirot, Hastings and Inspector Crome (having replaced Inspector Japp in the story), begin to get frustrated, questioning each other’s interpretation of the evidence. However, when a fourth letter arrives, they begin to believe they will catch A B C before he commits the crime. The letter reads:

Still no success? Fie! Fie! What are you and the police doing? Well, well, isn’t this fun? And where shall we go next for honey?

Poor Poirot. I’m quite sorry for you.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again.

We’ve a long way to go still.

Tipperary? No – that comes further on, Letter T.

The next little incident will take place at Doncaster on September 11th.

So long. A B C.

The investigation appears to conclude very quickly; the police charge their murderer, only to have Poirot question their reasoning. In typical Christie fashion, Poirot gathers a list of possible suspects together and challenges them to explain their part in the unravelling story of the A B C murders. There were two aspects of the series of murders that have bothered Poirot throughout the investigation; the motive for each crime and the link between the victims. In his solution, he feels that he should have treated it as a one-person murder, but he was led astray by the impossible association between the individual murders.

Christie has presented her readers with a number of red herrings as the story unfolds and kept their interest in her characters, particularly Alexander Bonaparte Cust. She also provides hints and clues to other Poirot stories, which is amusing. This is the eleventh full-length Poirot story, but perhaps one which gives the reader a more detailed insight into his character, as he challenges himself to solve the series of murders. This is an excellent story, which has the reader guessing to the end, even though all the facts have been presented, the final solution still amazes the acute murder mystery reader. Rating: 5 stars.

Dr Sheppard

22 January 2019