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1930: Agatha Christie has a mystery to solve on the Isle of Skye
1930: Agatha Christie has a mystery to solve on the Isle of Skye
Who saw him die?
I, said the fly,
with my little eye.
I saw him die.
An astonishingly beautiful setting on the island of Skye.
A gathering of fascinating guests at a hunting lodge set to enjoy abundant hospitality. And a double murder.
A household in chaos . . . No one is allowed to leave.
A tantalising new case for Agatha Christie to solve.
It’s a treat to go to the Isle of Skye at anytime, but when you go back in the 1930s with Agatha Christie herself then it’s a real treat. A grand Scottish lodge which has been turned into a mighty fine hotel. Think wood panels, stag heads and weapons hanging off walls. The views from the lodge are captivating and as you can imagine, vast and luscious green land abound. There is a distinct Scottish feel and since this is an island, not easy to get to, but it’s worth it. Agatha goes for a break but finds herself involved in murder, as you do.
Oh if Dalloch Lodge in the novel was real! Timeless and elegant it would be a great place to spend time. A locked room mystery feel to the novel with the island and lodge setting.
I really enjoy Andrew’s books where he puts Agatha Christie as a lead in crime investigations similar to those she writes about! A genius idea and one that works very well indeed. The style of the writing and the nuances are very Christie-esque. I believe I am reading about the very woman herself and this is how she would have been like.
In this novel, she’s due to marry Max and before the wedding, she is invited to go to Orkney to help her policeman friend investigate a crime that has been announced. Not a murder announced as in the real Christie book, but a similar premise. She heads up to the Isle of Skye knowing that someone might get injured or threatened, only to find out that the other members of the gathering have all had letters inviting them to witness something.
The rest of the novel is a locked room kind of mystery as Agatha goes all out to help track the killer. Except they sit in plain sight. Someone admits to an accident but that’s just the strange start to this whole affair. The hotel where the novel is set then becomes a court, police station and general public arena for all the dirty washing to be seen. These characters are a funny bunch with more secrets than they care to admit. Add all of these ingredients together and you have a darn good mystery and a denouement that would look good in any Christie novel.
I really think this series needs to get to more people so they can appreciate the joy of such stories with the most famous author of all time at their core. I’d love to see this on TV and I’ve cast the characters already in my head. It’s worked well since book one so if anyone needs suggestions?
Destination/location: Isle of Skye Author/guide: Andrew Wilson Departure Time: 2000s, 1930s
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