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[thx1978]

I thought it was interesting that in the last 4 Agatha Christie books that I read she makes comments about fantastical ideas that people get when they read detective stories! In some of them she makes such strong and clear statements that such and such could never happen in real life-- which is funny because we are actually reading her mystery! It's an interesting commentary. Has anyone else noticed this and what do you think about it? By the way, the books were: The Secret Adversary, Partners in Crime, Crooked House, and Sparkling Cyanide.

[James]

Good comment and question, thx1978. Agatha I think really believed that her fantastical ideas can never truly be repeated in real life. Example: we don't hear about 10 guests going to a dinner party and the cops finding everyone of them dead!

Anyway, I know what you're saying, although I can't pinpoint an example right now. thx1978, you really picked a difficult question to answer.

I remember reading in two or three places that a young man named Grahame Young actually committed murder in the same way AC devised it in the excellent book "The Pale Horse". I have a book titled "The World of Agatha Christie"; in it, the author Martin Fido says this about the young man's murdering spree (no spoilers here): "A younger Agatha would have robustly laughed off the silly press suggestion that her writing had taught Young how to kill." (Fido, incidentally, claims that Agatha did blame herself for Graheme Young's modus operandi.)

Anybody else can think of an example that thx1978 is asking about? thx, share with us an example or two that you picked up in those 4 great novels!

[thx1978]

Thanks, James, for responding. My comments were actually directed more toward the irony that she pokes fun at people who read "detective stories," when we're actually reading hers. Is she making fun of us? I don't really believe that that is true. But what is she trying to say about "us"? I think that maybe she's commenting on people who take these stories literally or something. Anyway, I'll come up with an example later.

By the way, I like the examples that you used. I had never heard of that guy who committed the similar murder. What novel is the other story you mentioned from?

[JCB]

my psychopathic music teacher is called Graham Young! And my R.E. teacher used to be in "The Darkness".
_________________
www.jamescbernthal.tk
www.expage.com/poirotandmarple

[James]

JCB, that's too funny!

thx1978, there was another place I read that someone imitated the murder done in the last Marple story, "Sleeping Murder". Unfortunately, I have not read that one yet.

I do have an announcement to make to the few visitors of this humble discussion board: I have now read all of the Hercule Poirot books. Early this morning I finished reading the last one on my list, "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe". Nice way to finishing reading out the Poirot canon. thx, incidentally, there's an interesting dialogue in this novel I just finished. A character is traveling with Poirot to the countryside, and he says to Poirot: "I've been looking forward, M. Poirot, to hearing a few of your adventures. I read a lot of thrillers and detective stories, you know. Do you think any of them are true to life?" Interesting, isn't it?