Death on the Nile
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| Death on the Nile | |
 Dust-jacket illustration of the first UK edition |
|
| Author | Agatha Christie |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Robin Macartney |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Crime novel |
| Publisher | Collins Crime Club |
| Publication date | November 1 1937 |
| Media type | print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages | 288 pp (first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | NA |
| Preceded by | Dumb Witness |
| Followed by | Appointment with Death |
Death on the Nile is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club on November 1, 1937[1] and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company the following year[2][3]. The UK edition retailed at seven shillings and sixpence (7/6)[4] and the US edition at $2.00[3].
The book features the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. The action takes place in Egypt, mostly on the Nile River.
Contents |
[edit] Plot introduction
While dining at chic restaurant, Chez Ma Tante, Poirot overhears Jacqueline de Bellefort and Simon Doyle speaking to one another, and is concerned by the depth of her love for him. When next he meets her it is far away, in Egypt, and Simon Doyle is married to the woman who was once Jacqueline de Bellefort's best friend: the wealthy and beautiful Linnet Ridgeway. Jacqueline seems determined to have her revenge on them both. Can Poirot persuade her to abandon a course of action that promises disaster to everyone?
[edit] Plot summary
Linnet Doyle and her husband, Simon Doyle are in Egypt for their honeymoon. Simon Doyle was once engaged to Linnet's best friend, Jacqueline De Bellefort. The Doyles boarded the S.S. Karnak along with other passengers such as Salome Otterbourne and her daughter, Rosalie, Mrs. Allerton and her son, Tim, Linnet's American lawyer and trustee Andrew Pennington, Linnet's maid Louise Bourget, Miss Van Schuyler and her niece Cornelia Robson, Miss Schuyler's nurse Miss Bowers, a mysterious man named Mr. Ferguson, the archeologist Signor Richetti, the silent man James Fanthorp, the Austrian Dr. Bessner, and Jacqueline De Bellefort. Also, Joanna Southwood and Charles Windlesham appeared in a couple of scenes but were left in England.
One night, Jacqueline De Bellefort told Hercule Poirot that she wanted to put her pistol against Linnet's head and gently pull the trigger. The day before, when they went ashore after boarding the Karnak, a boulder nearly fell on Linnet's head, but luckily it missed. Everyone thought Jacqueline had dislodged the boulder. Later, it was proven that she was on the ship at the time, so it may have been an accident after all.
In the salon one night, with Cornelia Robson, and James Fanthorp (but later left), Jacqueline who had been drinking heavily shoots Simon in the leg. Cornelia called James and they escorted Jacqueline back to her cabin. Simon was left struggling in the salon alone. Cornelia called Nurse Bowers, who was left with Jacqueline for the rest of the night. James, then called Dr. Bessner and asked him to look help Simon, who was taken to Dr. Bessner's cabin. Later, James reported that the gun was missing.
On the following day, Colonel Race told Poirot that Linnet Doyle was shot through the head in her sleep. While Race, Poirot and Dr. Bessner were in Linnet's cabin, Poirot saw a big letter "J" painted in blood on the wall. Later, Poirot noticed two bottles of nail polish in Linnet's room. One of the nail polish bottles was labeled "Cardinal", a deep, dark red. The other bottle was labeled "Rose", which was a shade of pale pink, but the few drops remaining in the bottle were not pale pink, but a bright red paint.
When investigating and questioning the passengers, Cornelia claimed that she witnessed Jacqueline shoot Simon. James heard the shot and Cornelia called him. Both Cornelia and James said that Jacqueline kicked the gun, and it slid under a settee. Later, the gun went missing. James heard a splash just before sleeping. Nurse Bowers said that she stayed with Jacqueline the whole night; therefore, Jacqueline had no opportunity to kill Linnet. Louise Bourget, Linnet's maid, waited in Linnet's room to undress her sometime after 11 p.m. Louise also gave Poirot, Colonel Race, and Simon (who was confined in Bessner's cabin) a hint that she saw the murderer in Linnet's cabin. She also said that a man named Fleetwood had a grudge against Linnet. Also, Linnet's pearls were missing. Mrs. Allerton went to sleep after half past ten, and she heard a splash and someone running. Tim, Mrs. Allerton's son, said that he heard Cornelia call James and also heard different voices, someone running, and a splash. The elderly Miss Schuyler told them that she heard a splash and saw Rosalie Otterbourne threw something into the water. Rosalie said that she never left her cabin and didn't throw anything overboard. Both the Otterbournes went to their cabin before 11 p.m but Mrs. Otterbourne couldn't tell if her daughter left their cabin or not. Richetti also heard a splash. Colonel Race said that there was a spy in the boat.
A wrapped handkerchief was found. Inside the handkerchief was Ms. Van Schuyler's missing velvet stole and Jacqueline's missing gun. Poirot revealed that it was Rosalie who had thrown her mother's liquors and caused a big splash. This is explained by the fact that Mrs. Otterbourne lied earlier that she was not drinking alcohol, but Rosalie discovered the truth.
During lunch, Colonel Race told the people in the dining saloon to stay while he and Poirot investigated each room to find the missing pearls. Nurse Bowers went to Poirot and Race and returned the missing pearls. Nurse Bowers told them that it was the elderly kleptomaniac, Ms. Schuyler who had taken them. However, the pearls Nurse Bowers returned were fake.
Louise went missing and later, she was found stabbed to death in her cabin. They saw a thousand-franc note in her hand and discovered that she blackmailed the murderer with a fatal consequence.
Soon afterward, Salome Otterbourne went into Dr. Bessner's cabin (with Simon, who was confined, Poirot and Race) to reveal Louise's killer. She told them that she went down to get something and saw someone enter Louise's cabin. This would mean that she saw the murderer. However, before she could reveal the name of that someone, she was shot through the open door. The gun was Andrew Pennington's.
Poirot revealed that it was Tim Allerton who stole the real pearls, with the help of Joanna. Tim replaced the real pearls with fake pearls. It was the fake pearls that Miss Schuyler took. It was Joanna who made an imitation to the real pearls. Poirot allowed him to give them back, and to marry Rosalie Otterbourne.
It was also Andrew Pennington who dislodged the boulder. Andrew, earlier, asked Linnet to sign a few documents, but failed. Mr. Richetti was the spy Race mentioned previously. Earlier in the Karnak, Linnet accidentally opened a telegram, and inside were vegetable names and every name was the name of a weapon. James went to Egypt to stop Linnet signing the documents Andrew Pennington gave her.
Poirot, soon afterward, revealed the murderers. Simon and Jacqueline had been working together. They named Cornelia as a witness. Cornelia saw Jacqueline shoot Simon, but the real zinger is that the bullet missed, and went through a table. As soon as Simon was left alone in the salon, he retrieved the pistol, ran to Linnet's cabin, and shot her while she was sleeping, and added the letter "J" as an incriminating (though unduly theatrical) detail. He then returned the red nail polish, which he tried to disguise as fake blood. He then retraced his steps, shot himself in the leg using Miss Schuyler's velvet stole to muffle the second shot and, incapable of moving, threw the pistol(covered in Miss Schuyler's velvet stole) through a window to dispose of it. Later, both Jim and Dr. Bessner returned to the salon and found Simon struggling. It looked as if he had been shot.
Jacqueline was forced to commit the second and third murders because the two passengers were witnesses. Louise had been wakeful, and saw Simon went in Linnet's cabin. Louise dropped this hint to Poirot in front of Simon because this was the only way that she could begin to blackmail him while Simon was confined to Bessner's cabin. Simon asked Poirot to see Jacqueline. When Jacqueline and Simon were alone in Dr. Bessner's cabin, Simon told Jacqueline that the maid was blackmailing him, so Jacqueline took Dr. Bessner's scalpel, went to Louise's cabin and pretended to give her the money. She stabbed Louise. Mrs. Otterbourne saw Jacqueline enter Louise's cabin. Mrs. Otterbourne went to Simon to tell him about it. When Simon realized that Mrs. Otterbourne was about to reveal Louise's murderer, he shouted out in an apparently fevered state, warning Jacqueline to make the desperate shot through the open door. Jacqueline heard it, got Andrew Pennington's gun and shot her through the open door. She then returned to her cabin and stepped out again, pretending that she only heard the shot.
All along, Simon married Linnet to gain her money. Jacqueline planned Linnet's murder, as she knew if Simon did it by himself, he would be caught, hence she must step in to protect him. Both Simon and Jacqueline pretended to hate each other. It seemed that they would only be united in court, but Poirot allowed them to escape justice. Then, she shot first Simon, and then herself, with a second pistol. Dr. Bessner asked Cornelia to marry him. Mr. Ferguson, a strident left-winger who proves to be a member of the British aristocracy traveling in disguise, was also a suitor for Cornelia's hand, but is quite possibly as surprised as the reader that he has lost out to the rather unprepossessing Bessner.
[edit] Characters in "Death on the Nile"
- Hercule Poirot, the famous Belgian detective
- Colonel Race, a friend of Poirot's with espionage connections
- Linnet Ridgeway Doyle, a very beautiful and rich heiress who is murdered aboard the luxury liner on her honeymoon
- Simon Doyle, Linnet's husband, Jacqueline's ex-fiancé
- Jacqueline de Bellefort, Simon's ex-fiancée and Linnet's former best friend; stalks the Doyles on their honeymoon
- Louise Bourget, Linnet's French maid
- Andrew Pennington, Linnet's American lawyer and trustee
- Marie Van Schuyler, an elderly, wealthy and American snob
- Cornelia Robson, Ms. Schuyler's niece
- Salome Otterbourne, writer of romantic sex novels and a drunk
- Rosalie Otterbourne, Salome's aggressive and moody daughter
- Mr. Ferguson, an Englishman
- Dr. Bessner, an Austrian doctor
- Mrs. Allerton, a British socialite
- Tim Allerton, Mrs. Allerton's son and Joanna Southwood's cousin
- Joanna Southwood, a friend of Linnet
- Charles, Marquess of Windlesham, Linnet's former fiance
[edit] Literary significance and reception
The Times Literary Supplement's short review of November 20, 1937 by Caldwell Harpur concluded, "Hercule Poirot, as usual, digs out a truth so unforeseen that it would be unfair for a reviewer to hint at it".[5]
In The New York Times Book Review for February 6, 1938, Isaac Anderson concluded after summarising the set-up of the plot that, "You have the right to expect great things of such a combination [of Agatha Christie and Hercule Poirot] and you will not be disappointed."[6].
In The Observer's issue of November 14, 1937, "Torquemada" (Edward Powys Mathers) started off by saying, "First this week comes Agatha Christie. She scored, I contend, two outers in her last three shots; but she is back on the very centre of the bull with Death on the Nile." He summarised the set-up of the plot and then continued, "Terrible things happen and, without the formality of breaking off her narrative to issue a challenge, the author allows Poirot to summarise his clues in one compressed paragraph sixty pages from the end. It is after that, until the retired but by no means retiring little Belgian chooses to tell us the truth, that we are very angry with ourselves indeed. When he does so, anger is swallowed up in admiration. The appearance of corpse after corse in the feast of death is entirely logical, and the main alibi, unshakeable except for Poirot, is of the first brilliance. It is no less likely than the run of such things in fiction, and is built not with many preliminary falsifications but almost in a single carefully premeditated flash of movement." He concluded, "Though less than secondary, the descriptive work is adequate and hits, as it were, the Nile on the head."[7]
The Scotsman of November 11, 1937 said, "An Agatha Christie story, and especially one with Hercule Poirot applying his 'little grey cells,' is always an event. It is a matter of opinion whether this author has a superior in giving an unexpected twist to concluding chapters, but it is arguable that she has none. In Death on the Nile, however, the solution of the mystery does not come with all that sudden shock of surprise to which Agatha Christie 'fans' are accustomed. At least it should not, providing that one carefully reads a certain chapter and is willing to pursue to their ultimate implications certain hints dropped by Poirot. Whether or not the reader will succeed in naming the murderer, by which is meant discovering how the crime was committed, and not just guessing at one of the least likely persons, is another matter. In any case, here is a problem eminently worth trying to solve." The review finished by saying that, "the author has again constructed the neatest of plots, wrapped it round with distracting circumstances, and presented it to what should be an appreciative public.[8]
E.R. Punshon of The Guardian in his review of December 10, 1937 began by saying, "To decide whether a writer of fiction possesses the true novelist's gift it is often a good plan to consider whether the minor characters in his or her book, those to whose creation the author has probably given little thought, stand out in the narrative in their own right as living personalities. This test is one Mrs. Christie always passes successfully, and never more so than in her new book." He went on to summarise the more outlandish traits of some of the characters and then said, "each and all of these, as well their more normal fellow-passengers, are firmly and clearly sketched, even if they are all a little too much types rather than characters and so miss that full rotundity of life a Dickens or a Thackeray can give." He finished by saying that, "M. Poirot's little grey cells had indeed been obliged to work at full pressure to unravel a mystery which includes one of those carefully worked out alibis that seem alike to fascinate Mrs. Christie and to provide her with the best opportunities for displaying her own skill. A fault-finding critic may, however, wonder whether M. Poirot is not growing just a little too fond of keeping to himself such important facts as the bullet-hole in the table. If he is to enjoy all, a reader should also know all."[9]
Mary Dell in the Daily Mirror of November 11, 1937 said, "Agatha Christie is just grand. Usually if you get a good plot there is something wrong with the writing or the characters. But with her – you have everything that makes a first-class book."[10]
Robert Barnard: "One of the top ten, in spite of an overcomplex solution. The familiar marital triangle, set on a Nile steamer. Comparatively little local colour, but some good grotesques among the passengers – of which the film took advantage. Spies and agitators are beginning to invade the pure Christie detective story at this period, as the slide towards war begins."[11]
[edit] References to other works
- Death on the Nile is also the title of a short story by Christie published in 1934 in the volume Parker Pyne Investigates. Apart from the setting and title, the stories are not similar.
- In Part II, Chapter 21 of the novel, Poirot mentions having found a scarlet kimono in his luggage. This refers to the plot in Murder on the Orient Express.
[edit] Film, TV and theatrical adaptations
[edit] Murder on the Nile
Agatha Christie adapted the novel into a stage play which opened at the Dundee Repertory Theatre on January 17, 1944[12] under the title of Hidden Horizon and opened in the West End on March 19, 1946 under the title Murder on the Nile and on Broadway on September 19, 1946 under the same title.
[edit] Kraft Television Theatre
A live television version of the novel under the name of Murder on the Nile was presented on July 12, 1950 in the US in a one-hour play as part of the series Kraft Television Theatre. The stars were Guy Spaull and Patricia Wheel.
[edit] Death on the Nile (1978 film)
The novel was adapted into a highly-successful feature film, released in 1978 and starring Peter Ustinov for the first of his six appearances as Poirot.
[edit] BBC Radio 4 adaptation
The novel was adapted as a five part serial for BBC Radio 4 in 1997. John Moffatt reprised his role of Poirot. The serial was broadcast weekly from Thursday, January 2 to Thursday, January 30 at 10.00am to 10.30pm. All five episodes were recorded on Friday, July 12, 1996 at Broadcasting House.
Adapator: Michael Bakewell
Producer: Enyd Williams
Cast:
John Moffatt as Hercule Poirot
Donald Sinden as Colonel Race
Amanda Barton-Chapple as Jacqueline de Bellefort
Robert Daws as Simon Doyle
Elaine Pyke as Linnet Ridgeway
Rosemary Leach as Mrs Allerton
Nicholas Boulton as Tim Allerton
Shirley Dixon as Mrs Otterbourne
Irene Sutcliffe as Mrs Van Shuyler
Teresa Gallagher as Cornelia
Stratford Johns as Pennington
Joanna Monro as Joanna Southwood
Sean Baker as Monsieur Blondin
Ed Bishop as Rockford
Roger May as Fanthorp
Keith Drinkel as Dr. Bessner
Robert Portal as Ferguson
Ioan Meredith as Richetti
Janet Maw as Miss Bowers
with Timothy Bateson, Chris Palvo, Christopher Scott and Ben Thomas
[edit] Agatha Christie's Poirot
Death on the Nile, a television adaptation shown in 2004 in the series Agatha Christie's Poirot, starred David Suchet as Poirot. This version remained largely faithful to the novel except for a few minor changes, for example - the romantic pairing of Tim Allerton and Rosalie Otterbourne: Instead of the pair ending up happily together, Tim gently refuses her, it being implied that he is homosexual.
[edit] PC adaptation
Death on the Nile was turned into a "hidden object" PC game, Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile], in 2007 by Flood Light Games, and published as a joint venture between Oberon Games and Big Fish Games.[13] The player takes the role of Hercule Poirot as he searches various cabins of the Karnak for clues, and then questions suspects based on information he finds.
[edit] Graphic novel adaptation
Death on the Nile was released by HarperCollins as a graphic novel adaptation on July 16, 2007, adapted by François Rivière and Solidor (Jean-François Miniac) (ISBN 0-00-725058-4). This was translated from the edition first published in France by Emmanuel Proust éditions in 2003 under the title of Mort sur le Nil.
[edit] Publication history
- 1937, Collins Crime Club (London), November 1, 1937, Hardback, 288 pp
- 1938, Dodd Mead and Company (New York), 1938, Hardback, 326 pp
- 1944, Avon Books, Paperback, 262 pp (Avon number 46)
- 1949, Pan Books, Paperback, 255 pp (Pan number 87)
- 1953, Penguin Books, Paperback, (Penguin number 927), 249 pp
- 1960, Fontana Books (Imprint of HarperCollins), Paperback, 253 pp
- 1963, Bantam Books, Paperback, 214 pp
- 1969, Greenway edition of collected works (William Collins), Hardcover, 318 pp
- 1970, Greenway edition of collected works (Dodd Mead), Hardcover, 318 pp
- 1971, Ulverscroft Large-print Edition, Hardcover, 466 pp ISBN 0-85-456671-6
- 1978, William Collins (Film tie-in), Hardback, 320 pp
- 2006, Poirot Facsimile Edition (Facsimile of 1937 UK First Edition), HarperCollins, September 4, 2006, Hardback, ISBN 0-00-723447-3
The book was first serialised in the US in The Saturday Evening Post in eight instalments from May 15 (Volume 209, Number 46) to July 3, 1937 (Volume 210, Number 1) with illustrations by Henry Raleigh.
[edit] References
- ^ The Observer October 31, 1937 (Page 6)
- ^ John Cooper and B.A. Pyke. Detective Fiction - the collector's guide: Second Edition (Pages 82 and 86) Scholar Press. 1994. ISBN 0-85967-991-8
- ^ a b American Tribute to Agatha Christie
- ^ Chris Peers, Ralph Spurrier and Jamie Sturgeon. Collins Crime Club – A checklist of First Editions. Dragonby Press (Second Edition) March 1999 (Page 15)
- ^ The Times Literary Supplement November 20, 1937 (Page 890)
- ^ The New York Times Book Review February 6, 1938 (Page 18)
- ^ The Observer November 14, 1937 (Page 7)
- ^ The Scotsman November 11, 1937 (Page 15)
- ^ The Guardian December 10, 1937 (Page 6)
- ^ Daily Mirror November 11, 1937 (Page 24)
- ^ Barnard, Robert. A Talent to Deceive – an appreciation of Agatha Christie - Revised edition (Page 192). Fontana Books, 1990. ISBN 0006374743
- ^ University of Glasgow page on play
- ^ http://www.bigfishgames.com/download-games/1521/agathachristiedeath/index.html?afcode=afd64f20f3f8
[edit] External links
- Death on the Nile at the official Agatha Christie website
- Murder on the Nile (1946) at the Internet Broadway Database
- Murder on the Nile (1950 television play) at the Internet Movie Database
- Death on the Nile (1978) at the Internet Movie Database
- Death on the Nile (2004) at the Internet Movie Database
