One of the best, definitely. One of my favourites. And AC wrote waay more unlikely plots then the one here.

I love this book, yes, I think its one of Agatha Christies best. I admit I did suspect the murder(ers) but couldnt see how it was done. There are some great characters. I think there could be the Poirot book with the most murders at one time! Its strange how you can feel oddly sorry for Jacqueline de Bellefort, despite her actions.

Yes one does feel sort of sorry for Jackie and Simon. I feel this way because both of them let greed stand in the way of what really mattered to them most of all, which was: Love. And they had each other and at the end of the day that's all they really needed. I think they just got cocky and figured why couldn't they have their love and money. Very sad story for them and the victims.

This is one of Christie's best.  The only flaw is that it is the only Christie book to withhold a vital clue– the hole in the salon table.  Not to pick a fight with you, Bundle, but I think that Simon was the only one who let greed overwhelm him.  Jackie only went along with the scheme because she knew that Simon was determined to marry Linnet and inherit her money, and he would have used some stupid and obvious murder method, like arsenic poisoning.  As Poirot observed at the end, "[Jackie] had not coveted Linnet's money, but she had loved Simon Doyle, loved him beyond reason and beyond rectitude and beyond pity."  I think that Jackie could have lived without the money as long as she had Simon, but Simon was so desperate to have lots of money that he first embezzled himself out of a job, and then married and murdered himself into the grave.

You're right about that, GKC: Simon was the more greedy one between them, but she went along w/ his idea of bumping off Linette; she could have found some way of talking him out of it, after all she was clever and a first rate liar, but she didn't because she not only wanted to protect him but she wanted the money too.

But if I may also say, I think that Jackie is the more ruthless one between the two of them because she was cunning enough to think of the wicked way they could murder her, and after all Linette was her best friend and Jackie had the allegiance to Linette, whereas Simon had not.

Very true, Bundle. Jackie was more ruthless and able to detach herself from any fondness she may have had for Linette. Yes, she loved the fellow - but her love was a selfish love as it took no heed of how it affected anyone else. All she could see was what she wanted and that was Simon. As he wouldn't settle for love without the money, she was willing to plan the murder of her best friend to give him what he craved. Even if it had worked, and the pair of them had got away with it, I doubt any true happiness would have lain in store for them. Jackie would have spent the rest of her life deperately trying to keep Simon and give him all he wished. I'm not so sure Simon would have been able to love any one person more than he loved money.

Such a waste and a shame. Part of me feels sorry for them but, mostly, I feel they were greedy and selfish and, together, dangerous. Alone, they may have never turned to crime but the mixture of Simons' single-minded, childlike greed mixed with Jackies' cunning intelligence and lack of proportion meant they were doomed from the start.

That was wonderfully put, J.A. And I never really thought about Simon not staying w/ Jackie, that's interesting....But in my humble opinion I think he would have stayed w/ her because after all it would have been much easier for him to have remained married to a beautiful woman whom was wealthy, therefore deciding to do away w/ the plan and just forget about Jackie.

Of course Jackie would still have followed them around but all he would have to do was get a restraining order against her and she' be arrested or put in some sanitarium. So I do think he loved her- and that he would stay w/ her, though their relationship would be strained, like you said, because Jackie would constantly try to make him happy because she had gone to such lengths before that she might figure that he would always need her to do things to make him happy. And they'd probably get in arguments about what they did to Linette, and her maid, and Mrs. Otterbourne, always blaming one another for it all.

Their realtionship would be Hell! But I'd expect they'd get through it, they seem to love living on the edge. The crazy fools!

Great observations!  I love seeing this kind of discussion on the boards!  I do want to point out that Simon disliked Linnet personally– he considered her beautiful but bossy and possessive, and he hated that!  He wanted Linnet's money and couldn't bear staying with her longer than necessary.

I do wonder, what would've happened if they hadn't been caught and Simon's leg hadn't healed properly?  Simon would've been crippled for life, and I don't know if he would have considered the wealth a fair trade.  Plus, he would've resented Jackie forever for coming up with the plan, even though he did injure himself willingly for it to succeed.

Also, I think that Simon might have been too afraid to actually throw over Jackie for good– he'd gotten a glimpse of just how vengeful she could pretend to be– just imagine how crazy she could get if she wasn't acting!  He might've stayed with her purely out of fear, and just think how THAT might have poisoned the relationship!

I think Simon is too unimaginative to fear Jackie. I doubt he would even have considered the future at all. All he can feel is his want for money, which far outweighs any wish for human love. He knows Jackie adores him beyond all reason, but he is unable to see how damaging this could be, He wants what he wants, but would never of had the intelligence to put together a plan that would see him rich without having to remain married to a woman he disliked for the rest of his life.

Unfortunately, their plans don't run smoothly and, as they are in far too deep to stop, others lose their lives too. I think Jackie feels the strain of this and, had they managed to escape detection, would have been haunted for the rest of her life by what she had done. These murders would lie between them for the rest of their lives. With all her imagination, I feel Jackie would have struggled to live with these memories constantly on her mind - memories of murders she was willing to commit to give the man she loves all he wants. All she ever wanted was Simons love, and I can see her struggling to live with the realisation that, no matter what she did, he simply can't love her as she wants. Perhaps detection and a quick death was preferable than a future together filled with the realisation that what you have done actually distances you more from the one you love than binds you.

I like these conversations too!

GKC once again you have made valid points. I nearly forgot that Sion didn't like Linette. So perhaps that it why he never thought of staying w/ her. However it would be interesting to know if Linette made him sign a pre-nub...If she didn't then he could always have divorced her.

Jill you make very valid points too and I agree w/ you that Jackie would think about what she did for Simon a lot. And I'm going to stick w/ the notion that they would have arguments because I think they didn't see past the rewards which were getting all that money and being together forever.

I think that once they bought a mansion ,and purchased lots of things, perhaps have child, and were well established in their lives they would have time to think back at what they did. Jackie would probably feel more sorry about it all then Simon, because Simon isn't as emotional as Jackie is and being a man he wouldn't really come out right and admit that what he did was wrong. Jackie would probably ask him something like, "If you had to do it all over again, Simon, what would you do?" Then being selfish Simon would resent her asking him this and they'd get in fights.

Amd I do think Simon is in love w/ Jackie but not as passionately as she felt about him. I think that even still caring for her, after quite some time in their marriage, he would have an affair it would probably seem strange to hi that he should not: considering how rich and handsome he was: I'm sure wome would be ga-ga over him. Jackie being very clever would find out about them and they'd get into even more arguments! But I think they'd stay together forever: bonded by their past, and by the love that formed their realtionship.

What did everyone think of Simon and Jackie in the Suchet version? I thought JJ Fields as Simon, looked the part and the way he broke down at the end when Poirot confronted him was incrediably realistic. He was an excellent choice. On the other hand I didnt like the woman playing Jacqueline de Bellefort. I thought she was too restrained. Her voice didn't vibrate with emotion it stayed quiet and level. Her face was blank, not enfused with passion.

I thought Tim and Rosalie were meant to be a new hope after J&S died. I know Rosealie acting like a brat at times, but her mother would drive anyone mad! They cut the Tim and Rosalie plot from the Suchet version. I think it was implied that Tim was a homosexual? as he told her "your barking up the wrong tree" and his mother gave him a knowing smile.

Theres nothing like a tragic romance to capture the imagination! I know some people might not like the "romantic" subplots. But I enjoy most of them, though there not always needed.

MissQuin

What did everyone think of Simon and Jackie in the Suchet version? I thought JJ Fields as Simon, looked the part and the way he broke down at the end when Poirot confronted him was incrediably realistic. He was an excellent choice. On the other hand I didnt like the woman playing Jacqueline de Bellefort. I thought she was too restrained. Her voice didn't vibrate with emotion it stayed quiet and level. Her face was blank, not enfused with passion.

Oh I loved JJ Feild as Simon Doyle! He brought such intesity to the character, not to mention how absolutely Handsome he is!!

I liked Emma Malin as Jackie. Someone on the board said recently that she didn't look half latin but I disagree; at any rate, she certainly looks more latin than Mia Farrow did. And Malin also looks more like how AC descibed the character anyway.And that's interesting that you found her restrianed, MissQuinn. I felt just the opposite, I felt that her perfomance was theatrical and that she put a lot of rage into the part when it required it.

This interesting: I went to Wikipedia to read the synopsis of DOTN since I read the book about 3 years ago and didn't remember a few things, and then I compared the changes made to the Ustinov and Suchet version of DOTN to see which one was more faithful. And when I read about the Suchet version I read about the scene when Rosalie more or less tells Tim that she has feelings for him and he of course says, "Barking up the wrong tree, I'm afraid." Mrs. Allerton then opens up the cabin door and calls for Tim to come here. Now, Wikipedia says that this scene either implies that Tim was gay or that he has an inappropriate realtionship w/ his mother! So what does everyone suppose the adapters meant to imply by this?? That Tim is gay or that he is having an affair with his own mother!!!??

How about the simple solution that he just wasn't interested?

That's what I thought at first.

But it was the way in which he told Rosalie that he wasn't interested in her and his mother called him into her cabin in a very odd way, if you remember.

 That scene was very strange and unclear. I did percieve that Tim, in the programme was a homosexual. But I wouldn't put it past the programme makers to imply otherwise! We are shocked, arent we Bundle!?

Yes it is very shocking! Especially considering these are ruffly the same minds that made Miss Marple have had an affair w/ a married man!

And the smilies work now Yea!

Who knows what will be added next?! No characters are safe. I remember Murder is Easy had an added an incest plot as well...I just think the producers are going for shocks. Although I can't even tell what was even going on with Tim! Possibly he was pretending to be her son, but wasnt..  though I doubt it.

Its not like the Sleeping Murder book, where the inappropriate element was part of the main plot. Plus I felt that was dealt with sensitively by AC.

This was to be a Marple book at first, you know. I also like Mrs Otterbourne's reference to Agatha's first ever novel "Snow upon the Desert", she hsa a book named "Snow on the Desert's Face" or something like that.

I really enjoyed the television adaptation - i think that it was clear enough, they were implying that Tim and his 'mother' were having relations - my only conclusion was that they weren't relly related, i'm i too optimistic ?? or was it really as seedy as it suggests?? lol