Third Girl -- Agatha Christie [Book Review] [Spoilers Second Half]

A psychedelic romp around London (and the countryside) with Poirot, Ms. Oliver, and a mysterious girl who confesses to Poirot that she "may have committed a murder."
0:00 Intro
SPOILERS BEGIN
5:08 A fair puzzle mystery

[@stardustmemory000083]

*SPOILER BLOCK*
If there's one thing watching far too much Drag Race has taught me, it's that changing a wig can completely transform a person's identity. I think Christie did a decent job trying to get at the youth counterculture, considering she was in her mid-70s when she wrote this one.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Wow, the premise alone really sells me on this one. I've yet to read anything by Agatha Christie, so I'm especially looking forward to your back-to-back reviews! Thank you for drawing attention to this author, one whose name emerges constantly yet whose work I've yet to take seriously.

[@mikegseclecticreads]

Yeah I'd be curious what you think of her. The whodunit mystery is definitely a whole genre of its own, one that I usually think of as more of a casual entertainment when juxtaposed with heavier literature. But as I've spent more time thinking and talking about mysteries, I've come to really appreciate the craftwork involved in writing one really well.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

@@mikegseclecticreads Yes, absolutely. As I've grown older I've come to discard much of the separation between high- and low-brow literature. What matters is that the author cares for their story. With that care comes delicacy, even in the midst of spectacle there can be something tender to reach toward. In a good mystery there are so many moving parts the author has to deftly attend to, and that can be wonderful.

[@58christiansful]

The double life of Mary who is Frances in the city and N’s stepmother in the country, just by means of a wig and makeup, has always fascinated me as it is completely unlikely. In the same way as the fact that Mrs Leidner could have married the same man twice without realizing it in Murder in Mesopotamia.
The last chapter where Frances is unmasked as Mary - all that yawning she does - is also unconvincing.

[@naturalnaiad]

Good review! I finished Third Girl yesterday and my initial thoughts are very similar to yours. The novel started off strong with the unusual and puzzling entrance of Norma and her "statement". The insult, and Mrs Oliver's reaction to hearing about it, was pretty hilarious. I also enjoyed the juxtaposition of city v countryside, the various descriptions of architecture. Generally there weren't so many characters that I found it difficult to remember and follow. There were some clever little twists and turns in the storylines, but I wasn't satisfied with the ending. Like you said, the solution that Mary and Frances were one and the same seemed a bit too far a stretch for me personally. I think it's plausible for most the characters to fall for the disguise, but not all. Firstly, Claudia (who is portrayed as clever and astute) presumably met both Mary and Frances and didn't notice? Secondly, and more importantly, Norma spent decent chunks of time with both (and I doubt she was drugged 100% of the time) and surely she would notice. The background explanation of where the two criminals had met and hatched this plan was also too thin and felt rushed. Lastly, I agree that the side story of the uncle's papers and espionage felt a bit sloppily added into the main narrative. Christie could have incorporated those details in a more convincing way; that thread never seemed to have been tied up properly. Overall quite an enjoyable book, mainly because of the often amusing interactions between Poirot and Mrs Oliver, or Poirot and police. I don't think it ranks high against other Christie novels, but as a general book review I still rate it relatively high because Christie is such a brilliant writer. Anyway, please keep reviewing books 👍

[@mikegseclecticreads]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this one. It sounds like we're in general agreement. That's a good point that at least Claudia, if not Norma, should have noticed the imposter.