The A.B.C. Murders
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| Author | Agatha Christie |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Hercule Poirot |
| Genre(s) | Crime |
| Publisher | Harper Collins |
| Released | 1936 |
| Media Type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Preceded by | Death in the Clouds |
| Followed by | Murder in Mesopotamia |
The A.B.C. Murders (published in 1936) is a detective novel by Agatha Christie featuring Hercule Poirot, Arthur Hastings and Chief Inspector Japp. The form of the novel is unusual, combining first-person and third-person narrative. Christie had previously experimented with this approach (famously pioneered by Charles Dickens in Bleak House), in her novel The Man in the Brown Suit. What is unusual in The A.B.C. Murders is that the third-person narrative is supposedly reconstructed by the first-person narrator, Hastings. This is a clumsy approach, but shows Christie's commitment to experimenting with point of view, famously exemplified by The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.
In Great Britain Penguin Books published a paperback edition (#683) of The ABC Murders (sic) in August 1948. It cost one shilling and sixpence.
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[edit] Plot summary
A serial killer is murdering apparently random people in order of their names: first Alice Ascher of Andover, second Betty Barnard of Bexhill-on-Sea, third Sir Carmichael Clarke of Churston (a small village). The killer sends a letter to Hercule Poirot before each murder, telling him where and when each murder will take place, but Poirot and the police always arrive too late. The killer signs himself 'ABC' and at the place of each murder, leaves an ABC Railway Guide next to the body.
Poirot and the police are baffled until a series of clues lead them to suspect the murderer is travelling as a stocking salesman. Then the 'D' murder in Doncaster goes awry and a stocking salesman called Alexander Bonaparte Cust walks into a police station and surrenders.
The case seems closed, but although Cust has confessed to the crimes, he claims not to have heard of Hercule Poirot and can not explain the letters, although they were written on his typewriter. Cust suffers from epilepsy is subject to blackouts. He claims he can not recall committing the murders, but he believes he committed them because he was in the vicinity of each crime scene. Poirot is suspicious and is later able to prove that Cust is innocent of the crimes.
In a twist ending Poirot reveals Franklin Clarke committed the crimes in order draw attention away from the murder of his brother, Sir Carmichael Clarke. Franklin had met Cust by chance and decided to use him as part of his plan. He arranged for Cust to be hired as a stocking salesman and gave him a travel itinerary that ensured he was at the scene of each murder. He also sent Cust a box of ABC Railway Guides and a typewriter, on which he had already typed the 'ABC' letters.
[edit] Characters
The story features various characters, associated with the victims, who need to be investigated for possible means and motive for the murders:
- Franz Ascher - estranged husband of the first victim, Alice Ascher.
- Mary Drower - niece of the first victim, Alice Ascher.
- Donald Fraser - jealous boyfriend of the second victim, Betty Barnard.
- Megan Barnard - sister of the second victim, Betty Barnard.
- Franklin Clarke - brother of the third victim, Sir Carmichael Clarke.
- Thora Grey - attractive secretary to the third victim, Sir Carmichael Clarke.
- Alexander Bonaparte Cust - a salesman who visited the home of the victims shortly before their murders.
[edit] Trivia
In chapter three of the novel, Poirot lays out the plot of what he considers a perfect crime, a crime so challenging that 'even he' would find it hard to solve. This exact murder - where someone is murdered by one of four people playing Bridge in the same room with him - is the subject of Christie's Cards on the Table, which was published later in the same year. Similarly, in chapter one of The A.B.C. Murders Poirot alludes to a situation in the immediately preceding novel, Three Act Tragedy.
[edit] Film adaptations
The novel was adapted in 1992 for the television series Agatha Christie's Poirot with David Suchet playing the role of Hercule Poirot. The adaptation remains faithful to the novel, with some minor changes and characters omitted. The cast included:
- Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings
- Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp
- Donald Sumpter as Alexander Bonaparte Cust
- Donald Douglas as Franklin Clarke
- Nicholas Farrell as Donald Fraser
- Pippa Guard as Megan Barnard
It was previously adapted for the 1966 film, The Alphabet Murders, with Tony Randall as Hercule Poirot. The film varies significantly from the novel and adds a comedic flavour to the story. The film includes a brief appearance by Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple, who does not feature in the original novel. The cast included:
- Anita Ekberg as Amanda Beatrice Cross
- Robert Morley as Hastings
- Maurice Denham as Police Inspector Japp
- Guy Rolfe as Duncan Doncaster
- Sheila Allen as Lady Diane Clarke
- James Villiers as Franklin Clarke
- Julian Glover as Don Fortune
- Stringer Davis as Mr. Stringer
- Margaret Rutherford as Miss Jane Marple
[edit] External links
- First chapter
- Agatha Christie's Poirot, The ABC Murders (1992) at the Internet Movie Database
- The Alphabet Murders (1965) at the Internet Movie Database
