Reading the Detectives discussion

Welcome to the first book in our 'Assorted Christies Challenge,' Why Didn't They Ask Evans? Why Didn't They Ask Evans? This was first published in the United Kingdom by the Collins Crime Club in September 1934 and in the United States by Dodd, Mead and Company in 1935 under the title of The Boomerang Clue.

While playing an erratic round of golf, Bobby Jones slices his ball over the edge of a cliff. His ball is lost, but on the rocks below he finds the crumpled body of a dying man. With his final breath the man opens his eyes and says, ‘Why didn’t they ask Evans?’

Haunted by these words, Bobby and his vivacious companion, Frankie, set out to solve a mystery that will bring them into mortal danger.

Please do not post spoilers in this thread. Thank you.

Happy New Year - welcome to our new challenge. We will be completing the final two PD James novels as buddy reads, opening mid-month.

Great to be back with Christie for our new challenge! I'm listening to this one on audiobook, read by Emilia Fox, and am really enjoying it so far.

Judy wrote: "Great to be back with Christie for our new challenge! I'm listening to this one on audiobook, read by Emilia Fox, and am really enjoying it so far."

I also did the audiobook read by Emilia Fox. It was fun to listen to her.

I'm a little disappointed by Emilia Fox's high voice for Frankie - but otherwise yes, this is just so much fun! I'm nearing the end now.

I’m looking forward to reading this book.

Judy wrote: "Great to be back with Christie for our new challenge! I'm listening to this one on audiobook, read by Emilia Fox, and am really enjoying it so far."

Me, too! I like Emilia Fox for this, I think she generally did a great job, but some of the dialogue between Frankie and Bobby reminded me of Susan’s phrase, “jolly hockey sticks” and I couldn’t get that out of my head! Not sure exactly what it means, but I suspect these two characters “gosh, a murder! I say, let’s investigate! Jolly good fun!” dialogue typifies it. Kind of Bertie Wooster investigates...but I enjoyed it, glad to read Christie mysteries I either forgot or overlooked.

I have always thought the phrase, 'jolly hockey sticks,' related to those sporty girls in Enid Blyton books - the good sports, who were boisterous, hearty and enthusiastic.

I have only just started re-reading, or re-listening rather, to this, but I like the misunderstandings between Bobby Jones and his father. It makes you aware that there has always been problems with communication between different generations.

Just finished this, but found it rather unpolished for a Christie. Maybe that is because we have read many of her latest books in recent months.

Susan wrote: "I have always thought the phrase, 'jolly hockey sticks,' related to those sporty girls in Enid Blyton books - the good sports, who were boisterous, hearty and enthusiastic.

I have only just start..."

Yes! It really touched a cord for me, as my son is in a similar position, graduated from college a couple years ago, has a “starter” job but not really sure what he wants to do.

Thanks for explaining about the “jolly hockey sticks”, that makes sense! I thought it was the “I say”, “rather, jolly good” kind of juvenile dialogue.

Jill wrote: "Just finished this, but found it rather unpolished for a Christie. Maybe that is because we have read many of her latest books in recent months."

I saw in another review on GR, the reader said the same, and wondered if Christie actually wrote it! Another reader responded it was an earlier effort, but Christie got better, and this book showed early glimpses of her later skill.

I also got the audiobook, as my libraries are closed, so I hope it´s not too bad. ;)

I think the audiobook is good, Michaela - I always tend to find audio a bit frustrating as it is so slow, but Emilia Fox does read it very well, I think. Hope you enjoy it.

She published this in 1934, when she moved to her house in Wallingford with Max Mallowan, and seems to have been very productive that year. She wrote Murder on the Orient Express that year, as well as this and a Mary Westmacott title! I can forgive her not being perfect in this novel for writing Orient Express :)

I do like Bobby and Frankie though. I am about halfway through and I feel that Christie had fun writing the characters.

Susan wrote: "I have always thought the phrase, 'jolly hockey sticks,' related to those sporty girls in Enid Blyton books - the good sports, who were boisterous, hearty and enthusiastic.

I have only just start..."
I liked the conversations and misunderstandings between Bobby and his father too.

Susan wrote: "She published this in 1934, when she moved to her house in Wallingford with Max Mallowan, and seems to have been very productive that year. She wrote Murder on the Orient Express that year, as well..."

She was very productive in the 1930s - I counted 12 novels published in those years. many she wrote while on the dig in Syria -between working on photos etc! She was certainly prolific.

Yes, for sure, Robin. She wrote a great memoir about her time on various expeditions too. Come, Tell Me How You Live: An Archaeological Memoir. I highly recommend it for those who haven't read it.

Oh, I agree about Come Tell Me How You Live! I don’t usually enjoy memoirs much but this was a delight to read.

Glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer. I think it's charming :)

I have just got a Kindle copy from Amazon - looking forward to reading it!

I am only in Chapter 6 but I am getting Tommy and Tuppence vibes, as well as the Man in the Brown Suit. Looking forward to the rest of the read.

Marie, it definitely reminded me of Tommy and Tuppence too. I haven't read The Man in the Brown Suit yet, but we have it coming up in the challenge in April, so I will bear your comment in mind then. :)

Susan wrote: "Yes, for sure, Robin. She wrote a great memoir about her time on various expeditions too. Come, Tell Me How You Live: An Archaeological Memoir. I highly recommend it for those who h..."
Yes, it is excellent. I enjoyed reading it and thinking about They Came to Baghdad and the young woman and the archeologist in this novel.

Jill wrote: "Just finished this, but found it rather unpolished for a Christie. Maybe that is because we have read many of her latest books in recent months."

Likewise, I finished in the last couple of day, and really enjoyed it. Having been reading Marple and Poirot for the last 4 years, I was looking forward to non Marple/Poirot Christies, and this didn't disappoint.

As to Jolly Hockey Sticks, my understanding is that it was coined by the British Actress Beryl Reid in the early 50s when she was acting on the radio with a ventriloquists dummy (Yes, radio and dummy - what a great concept).

I've just started this and it is rather fun having amateur detectives only this time around. 2 Christies in one month put me close to the end but I hope to finish this weekend.

Oh the luxury of not running a monthly challenge yourself la die da... not finished yet!

But am enjoying the adventure. Even though I had to opt for a Dutch edition (online library catalogue is weirdly sparse in English editions which I think is a shame but must be due to some kind of publishers right limitations), the Dutch translation is from the 60s or something and cringy yet delightfully old fashioned which I think works well for this story (though of course it is meant to be a quite serious translation 😅)

Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Adrian, and that you are both enjoying it too, Frances and Jessica.

Adrian, I hadn't heard that about Beryl Reid, what a fascinating snippet.

Susan wrote: "I have always thought the phrase, 'jolly hockey sticks,' related to those sporty girls in Enid Blyton books - the good sports, who were boisterous, hearty and enthusiastic.

I have only just start..."

Sometimes I feel as though the best parts of Christie novels are the bits in between the mystery, where you have a character expound on their loneliness, or their deep feelings of love. She really understood humanity so well.

Tara wrote: "Sometimes I feel as though the best parts of Christie novels are the bits in between the mystery, where you have a character expound on their loneliness, or their deep feelings of love. She really understood humanity so well. ..."

Brilliantly put Tara and oh so true.

Judy wrote: "I think the audiobook is good, Michaela - I always tend to find audio a bit frustrating as it is so slow, but Emilia Fox does read it very well, I think. Hope you enjoy it."

I always speed it up, so it sounds like normal speaking speed - keeps me moving along if I’m reading a physical book at the same time!

Rosina wrote: "I have just got a Kindle copy from Amazon - looking forward to reading it!"

I picked up an old hardcover copy years ago at a used book sale, good to hear!

Tara wrote: "Susan wrote: "I have always thought the phrase, 'jolly hockey sticks,' related to those sporty girls in Enid Blyton books - the good sports, who were boisterous, hearty and enthusiastic.

I have o..."

So true, I’ve recently watched some documentaries about her on PBS - “Agatha Christie’s England”, and “Inside the mind of Agatha Christie”, she was such an interesting person, seemed shy and self-effacing and rather amazed at it all (fame, success). She’s definitely one of those people I’d choose for that question, “ if you could have dinner with a person, living or dead, who would it be?”

Susan in NC wrote: "Rosina wrote: "I have just got a Kindle copy from Amazon - looking forward to reading it!"

I picked up an old hardcover copy years ago at a used boo..."

I did enjoy it - and it's interesting as background for , where she obviously drew on her own experiences.

Thanks, good to know, I will plan to read it before I read They Came to Baghdad.

I generally prefer Christie's mysteries to her thrillers, but this one was just too delicious not to enjoy. Perhaps a bit obvious if you've read her other thrillers, but still clever storytelling and captivating reading.

Tara wrote: "I generally prefer Christie's mysteries to her thrillers, but this one was just too delicious not to enjoy. Perhaps a bit obvious if you've read her other thrillers, but still clever storytelling a..."

Well said Tara.

Tara wrote: "I generally prefer Christie's mysteries to her thrillers, but this one was just too delicious not to enjoy. Perhaps a bit obvious if you've read her other thrillers, but still clever storytelling a..."

Yes! I thought it was fun, like an Indiana Jones movie!

I just posted this in the Agatha Christie thread, but copying it here too:

Just noticed that a new production of Why Didn't They Ask Evans? is being filmed for BritBox, directed by Hugh Laurie and starring Will Poulter and Lucy Boynton. Not sure if this has already been mentioned in the group - apologies if so!

I've found a couple of articles about it but neither mentions who is doing the script, unless I missed it.

https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/whats-on/...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...