Evil Under the Sun

Wonderful writing with such flair. Her ability to express the value of any situation is excellent. Her command of the English language is without question, exceptional!

Evil Under the Sun takes place at a secluded seaside resort in England. Arlena Stuart Marshall, is young and beautiful and one of those Agatha Christie characters who seems to inspire all she meets to wish her dead. So it is small surprise when she is killed and none other than Hercule Poirot is called upon to solve the case using little more than his famous little grey cells. This is a very typical Christie novel in many ways. It happens in a "bottle" environment where no one else comes and goes, it has an eclectic cast of characters almost all of whom seem to have a motive, and the crime seems impossible to solve. It is, however, different from many of Dame Agatha's works in the sense that it is executed so very well. Not to say that most of her novels are poor, but this one really shines. The suspects are both interesting and entertaining. Poirot is at his best as he works through things in his fashion with his little remarks raining dry humor at just the right moments. The location of secluded island resort is a refreshing change, and the mystery itself definitely kept me engaged from start to finish. I've read a number of Hercule Poirot novels, and found some very good and a few not so good. Evil Under the Sun is an excellent mystery novel that I would recommend as a great starting point to readers new to Agatha Christie as well as established fans of her work. It's both funny and compelling and features one of the best fictional detectives at his very best. Other Christie novels that are well worth trying include Death on the Nile: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Agatha Christie Collection) and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Agatha Christie Collection).

Poirot has traveled to a seaside resort seeking a vacation. Naturally a murder soon occurs and Poirot is quickly doing what he does best, sorting through suspects to track down the murderer. The search leads him through drug dealing, adulteries, family conflicts, blackmail and witchcraft.The descriptions of the people at the resort are wonderful, the interactions among them are delightful. The crime is done in a clever manner, the motives are plausible and, as always, Christie plays fairly with the reader. All the clues are there among the red herrings for the reader to sort out.

This book, first published in 1966, gives us a very different look at London than the wonderful novels Christie wrote in the 40's did. Poirot amongst the swinging Bohemians? Well, it happens. Christie and Poirot both changed with the times and the result is interesting, although probably not her best work. The term "third girl" refers to a way of leasing flats, very similar to the term "roommates" in the US. One girl rents a flat, then advertises for a second and third girl to share accommodations and expenses. Ariadne Oliver once more assists Poirot in this tale of impersonation, drugs, smuggling, forgery, blackmail, and a young girl who can't remember committing a murder. This is a great commentary on English life in the sixties and, as always, excellent plotting and character development in the Christie tradition.

In this novel, Agatha Christie does what she does best: assembles a group of diverse characters on holiday, has one of them murdered, and provides the rest with plenty of opportunity and motive to have committed the crime.Arlena Marshall is a beautiful woman known for her affairs with men, both before and during her marriage. While on holiday at the Jolly Roger Hotel on England's South Coast, she openly cavorts with Patrick Redfern while her husband and his wife watch helplessly. Tragedy is inevitable and few are surprised when Arlena is murdered.What sets Christie apart from other mystery writers is the wonderful skill she exhibits with characterizations. This novel, one of her best in my opinion, is complete with many well-developed ones which make for a believable crime. Miss Rosamund Darnley, a talented dress designer, and Mr. and Mrs. Odell Gardener, the outspoken American woman and her long-suffering husband, are just a few of the many who fill this story. And of course, the famous detective Hercule Poirot also happens to be on holiday here at the time of the murder. Everybody is a suspect as voodoo practices, drug-smuggling, religious mania, and two murders from the past add intrigue. The book was adapted to the big screen in 1982 with Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot, Dianna Rigg as Arlena Marshall, and Maggie Smith, Roddy McDowall, James Mason, Colin Blakely, and Jane Birkin also starring. A new made-for-tv version will air in 2001 with David Suchet as Poirot and Hugh Fraser as Arthur Hastings.

Agatha Christie has always done well in depicting characters and their traits. Third Girl is another example of this great ability. Hercule Poirot once again unravels a mystery of deep undercurrents and seemingly unanswerable questions. Third Girl is a winding tale of suspense and intrigue.