My rating: 8.5/10
Well, I went back to an Agatha Christie novella after a long time. It was meant to take my mind off stuff - the not so good stuff going on in my life. I needed a break from serious readings. At least the results were as intended.
This book is typical Agatha Christie. She leads the reader to believe that they were so right from the beginning, the outcome was so obvious! But when the culprit is revealed in the end, well, you are taken aback. You sit back and just enjoy, and trust that the author knows her readers' minds better.
The story is set in the English countryside, where several murders take place and no one even suspects them as murders. An old spinster's long tale and her untimely demise lead an ex-policeman to the scene of the crime - a tucked away country village named Wychwood-under-Ashe, with the Ashe flowing beside it. He investigates the crimes accused of being committed, and finally zeroes in on the murderer, only to find himself being fooled by the actual murderess. The revelation of the murderer and her motives captures the attention of the reader.
Like every other Agatha Christie novel, this one never lets the reader guess the murderer till the very end. The plot is good, the twist at the end is brilliant, and over all it is an enjoyable read. It throws a slightly cynical light into human nature, which is typical of Agatha Christie. A sprinkling of romance brings the story closer to the reader with a more tender heart.
It is a nice one-time read for the lover of the mystery/crime-thriller genre. A gift from the queen of the genre herself.
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