Crooked House by Agatha Christie and a birthday toast

Today, September 15, is Agatha Christie's birthday. I won't give her age as it wouldn't be polite, but let's just say she would be pretty old if still alive. 

I have written before about my longtime enjoyment of Dame Agatha's fascinating mysteries starring Hercule Poirot (my favorite) and Miss Jane Marple (her favorite). I also wrote about researching her passion for archaeological splendors for a paper I presented to a group four years ago (here and here).

I recently read Crooked House for the first time and was struck anew by how pleasant it is to be in her world of stately homes, family secrets, afternoon teas, formal gardens, nannies, and tutors.  

I came to Crooked House through a column in The Guardian called Novel Recipes. It takes a look at certain foods mentioned in various works — say, the macaroons in The Enchanted April, or potted beef from The Wind in the Willows — and creates the recipes. For Crooked House, it was the ice cream sodas mentioned near the end of the book. 

This tale doesn't feature either of her famous detectives. Instead we have Charles and his fiancée Sophia trying to solve the murder of Sophia's grandfather Aristide Leonides. Sophia has put the marriage on hold until the murderer is unmasked. 

There are plenty of suspects. All of Aristide's family rub up against each other in the large house — two sons, two daughters-in-law, Sophia and two other grandchildren, a former mother-in-law, a nanny, a tutor, and the young new widow.

Fortunately, Charles's father is assistant commissioner of Scotland Yard so he is privy to the goings on both in the house and in the investigation. Ms. Christie writes in the prologue that Crooked House is one of her favorites. I can see why: the denouément is quite surprising and dark.

But back to the ice cream sodas — one of my favorite childhood treats. When I would spend the night with my grandparents, I would beg for one as an after-dinner indulgence. My grandmother kept those little glass bottles of Coca-Cola chilled in the refrigerator which combined with vanilla ice cream made for a cold, fizzy, foamy delight. 

So, in honor of Dame Agatha's birthday, I treated myself to an ice cream soda today. A very simple one from McDonald's — I ordered a vanilla ice cream and a small Coke. Combine, et voilà. 

I think she would approve. Happy Birthday!

Agatha Christie's Murder on the Links - DVD

I want to travel as Hercule Poirot does. He travels by train and always sits in a first class carriage. He only stays at the finest hotels -his basic requirement is that it employs an excellent chef. He never has to touch a piece of luggage. People recognize the famous detective everywhere he goes. Waiters and hotel staff cater to his every need. His fellow hotel guests are always fashionably dressed - nary a pair of jeans, flip-flops, or scuffed up athletic shoes in sight.

And his clothes never show a wrinkle.

Last night, in celebration of Dame Agatha Christie's birthday, I watched the DVD Murder on the Links. It stars David Suchet as Poirot and he couldn't have been more debonair. He and Hastings have come to Deauville, France; Hastings has just taken up golf and has booked them into a fine hotel with a fine golf course. 

But there is more to be found on the links than lost balls and sand traps. Hastings discovers a body and the mystery begins. 

In this story Hastings, although his golf game doesn't improve, does find romance and, Mon Dieu!, Poirot comes within a whisker of having to shave off his famous moustache to settle a bet.

I recently read this clever puzzler and wrote about it here, so I won't go into it too much, only to say that the film adaption has just as many suspects and surprises as did the book. A really big surprise is that, due to a change of characters, the murderer in the film is different from the killer in the book. Oh, well; I don't care. It is always such fun to see the fashions, room interiors, and location shots in these shows that the plot can take whatever turn it likes.
  
It was all great fun. The only thing missing in this birthday celebration was cake (sigh), and I do love cake.