Agatha CHRISTIE : Cards on the table - Hercule Poirot #15, Colone l Race #2, Superintendant Battle #3, Ariadne Oliver #2

A flamboyant party host is murdered in full view of a roomful of bridge players… Mr Shaitana was famous as a flamboyant party host. Nevertheless, he was a man of whom everybody was a little afraid. So, when he boasted to Poirot that he considered murder an art form, the detective had some reservations about accepting a party invitation to view Shaitana’s private collection. Indeed, what began as an absorbing evening of bridge was to turn into a more dangerous game altogether…

 

 

In my opinion, one of her best.

 

Not only is there a restrained list of suspects (only four people could have murdered Mr Shaitana), a crafted mystery with lots of possibilities, but there was also the reappearance (she already figured in Parker Pyne investigates) of my beloved Ariadne Oliver, who thinks Scotland Yard should be ruled by a woman and believes firmly in feminine intuition - though she's often wrong. I love how Agatha Christie uses her to tell us about writing detective stories and the sometimes surprising reactions of fans. Of course, there were some twists and turns and I loved every second of it. 

 

There are some commentaries about men and women that are clearly dated (and I personally think Agatha Christie didn't like women much) and others about the "white man" that I didn't appreciate but could have been said by people in that period. Remember that Hercule Poirot, a white man, is often looked down upon by the British because he's a foreigner.

"I beg your pardon. But you're - you're so different from what I would have imagined."

" A disappointment, I expect," said Mrs Oliver serenely. "I'm  used to that. Never mind."

"He didn't do it, anyway ! Anne and I are quite sure of that."

Poirot twinkled at them.

"How fortunate - to have convinced two such charming young ladies of one's innocence."

"Oh, dear," thought Rhoda. "He's going to be French and it does embarrass me so."