Reading the Detectives discussion

Opening up the second of our two Poirot books for this month - this one has a seasonal theme, as Poirot is called in after a death at a Hallowe'en party.

Please don't post spoilers in this thread.

I've just started this one and look forward to the reappearance of Ariadne Oliver.

Finishing this book, I'm a bit sad to think of the lost possibility of an Ariadne series of books. I would have gobbled those up! But perhaps she works better as a sidekick and sounding board for Poirot.
I was amused reading about the young men with their long hair and outrageous fashions. I suspect Christie neither understood or approved.

Just remembered we had a previous group read of this book for a previous Halloween, in October 2016 - here is a link to the general thread for anyone who is interested:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I've never read this one, as Halloween is not something celebrated in the Netherlands and I don't usually seek out scary stuff. Though of course this is safe territory with Poirot!

The Dutch translation of this book translates back to English as "the decorated broomstick"... hmm I'll go with the audiobook narrated by Hugh Fraser!

This will be the first one I read. It sounds interesting and doesn't scare me away with the amount of pages. Thank you for the book reminders, I would have missed it.

Hope you enjoy it, Kay. :)

Jessica, that's interesting that Halloween isn't celebrated in the Netherlands. I also love your translation of the Dutch title - do you have a broomstick on the cover?

Tara wrote: "I was amused reading about the young men with their long hair and outrageous fashions. I suspect Christie neither understood or approved."

I love reading Christie's works of the 60s and 70s; you get a good idea of her perspectives and opinions of the culture at that time, quite a cultural shift for her where everything she once knew had dramatically changed, either for best or worst depends on the beholder, but for Agatha, some aspects took a turn for the latter. She isn't that different from many older generations that have differing opinions of the current generation they see before their very eyes. And it's understandable looking from that angle.

I like reading Third Girl, Halloween Party, The Pale Horse, The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side, and other books that reflect Swinging London. Would have been interesting to see her views of the 80s if she had lived longer.

When reading a book, I don't need to know the opinion of every character on Care in the Community, Mentally Disordered Offenders, and psychiatric reports before sentencing. I did rather feel that Christie didn't realise quite how often she had made her point!

Rosina wrote: "When reading a book, I don't need to know the opinion of every character on Care in the Community, Mentally Disordered Offenders, and psychiatric reports before sentencing. I did rather feel that C..."

Yes, I keep getting hit over the head with that! As Tara says above, I certainly get the impression Christie did not approve of a lot of things in post-war England.

This is a reread for me, I am not one who enjoys horror, so I’ve enjoyed rereading this one as a Halloween read the last few years, since I found a used hardcover at a used book sale. I like that the spy stuff is not in evidence, and Poirot is back on the case, interviewing and investigating.

One of the things that always strikes me in this book is that Christie didn't really seem to know much about children. In the opening scene, the fact that there are so many children of different ages mixing happily together seems unrealistic. And in particular, the willingness of the teenage boys to help organise the party surprises me. Perhaps I just know the wrong sort of teenage boys!

I am also amused by the description of what a proper teenage party would be like, as spoken by one of the middle-aged characters: 'They push us out and say they'll do it all themselves and then they forget to order things and order a lot of other things that no one likes...' I really struggle with this concept of teenagers who want to throw a party ordering all the food and drink in advance. By phone? And from where??

Annabel wrote: "One of the things that always strikes me in this book is that Christie didn't really seem to know much about children. In the opening scene, the fact that there are so many children of different ag..."

Perhaps wishful thinking Annabel. I got the impression, at least from the boys who helped, that they took it as an opportunity to have one over on the girls, so it was more of a prank on their part than helping out per se.

Tara wrote: "Annabel wrote: "One of the things that always strikes me in this book is that Christie didn't really seem to know much about children. In the opening scene, the fact that there are so many children..."

Yes, I’d agree with that, they seemed to think it was funny and good fun doing the dress up and hair, etc., for the pictures.

Annabel wrote: "One of the things that always strikes me in this book is that Christie didn't really seem to know much about children. In the opening scene, the fact that there are so many children of different ag..."

I thought of it as something like an organisation such as Scouts. I know when my kids were in Scouts, at different levels, they had some joint events where kids were all different ages and the older kids did much of the organising

I'd never heard of the game Snapdragon, after looking it up, I can certainly see why it is no longer a popular children's party game. Catching raisins in flaming brandy is probably not a good idea!

Yes, I couldn't really imagine children playing this now!

I can imagine children really enjoying it!

Judy - I've just read the thread you posted from the previous read. I certainly have done apple bobbing (in the late 80s in England), and Christie's flour game sounds very familiar.

I imagine Snapdragon would lead to either the children burning themselves, or the teenagers making off with the brandy!!!

In Trollope's Orley Farm, the children play snapdragon, with burning raisins, soaked in brandy!

Trays of burning raisins are carried into a darkened room by 'ghosts'

"But the ghosts are kept standing over their flames, the spirit is becoming exhausted, and the raisins will be burnt.

"At snap-dragon, too, the ghosts here had something to do. The law of the game is this—a law on which Marian would have insisted had not the flames been so very hot—that the raisins shall become the prey of those audacious marauders only who dare to face the presence of the ghost, and to plunge their hands into the burning dish. As a rule the boys do this, clawing out the raisins, while the girls pick them up and eat them. But here at Noningsby the boys were too little to act thus as pioneers in the face of the enemy, and the raisins might have remained till the flames were burnt out, had not the beneficent ghost scattered abroad the richness of her own treasures."

Orley Farm (p. 195). Kindle Edition.

What a great passage! Thanks for finding this, Rosina.

I read Orley Farm at the end of last year, and remembered the game with raisins, though I hadn't recalled that it was called snapdragon there too!

I like the imagery of the ghosts bringing in the flames.

I've never heard of this game either, and I think adults should bring it back!
I did apple bobbing as kid in the 80s, but I was never very good at it. Certainly not a game for these infectious times.

Rosina wrote: "I can imagine children really enjoying it!"

Of course, food, fire, what’s not to love?! (While the parents hover, cringing, nearby, clutching the phone in one hand to call the fire brigade, and burn cream in the other to apply as needed...)

I’ve read of Snapdragon in several Victorian era books, I always feel it would send modern helicopter parents into swoons! Can you imagine trying to explain the burned hands to the pediatrician?! And then to Social Services, or police? Eek!

Rosina wrote: "I read Orley Farm at the end of last year, and remembered the game with raisins, though I hadn't recalled that it was called snapdragon there too!"

Thanks, Rosina, I was on a Trollope kick years ago, picked up several paperback novels at a used book sale, including Orley Farm! Now you’ve reminded me, I’ll have to dig it out...

Tracey wrote: "I like the imagery of the ghosts bringing in the flames."

Oh, yes, kids would love that - it would give them delightful shivers! Every scene I’ve read about Snapdragon involves whoops and shouts and lots of laughter- must have been a fun opportunity to Victorian children to let loose and whoop it up!

I’m really enjoying the throwbacks to so many different cases we have solved with Poirot!

Especially his association of Ariadne with apples and trouble and the reminiscing of his match making success in the Mcginty case

I really feel, even with “lesser Poirot’s”, Christie never disappoints me! It may not be a favorite, but I am entertained.

That's true Susan! My love for Poirot it also pulling me through here.

That said, it is a bit confusing what happens in this book. It start off so well! Perfect atmosphere, there's tension, a horrible crime and yay! Poirot gets involved so early on.

But then, in stead of solving the crime in efficient fashion. Poirot is reminiscing of previous adventures, which I loved by the way, rather than working his little grey cells. In fact did he mention his grey cells at all in the book? I don't know.

The last scene between Ariadne Oliver en Poirot was lovely again!

All in all, entertaining enough journey for me.