Five Little Pigs by
Agatha Christie
hbk out February 00
Published by Collins Crime
at £15.99
This miscarriage of justice novel is regarded by many as one of Christie's masterpieces. Indeed, the critic and crime writer Robert Barnard rates it as her finest achievement. This is high praise for a story told in a relatively leisurely manner, with limited suspense, but the plaudits are justified because the characters are drawn in more depth than usual and the revelation of the truth about Amyas Crale's last portrait is chilling and memorable in the extreme.
The book opens when Carla Lemarchant calls on Hercule Poirot. She is the daughter of Crale, a famous painter, and his wife Caroline. Sixteen years earlier, Caroline had been convicted of poisoning her husband; she died in prison. Carla believes her mother was innocent and wants the great detective to find out what really did happen.
Poirot is intrigued and accepts the challenge. He begins by talking to the lawyers and policemen who were concerned in Caroline's trial and then turns his attention to Crale's circle: the 'five little pigs', an old friend, a herbalist, a governess, Crale's mistress and Caroline's sister. Even with this limited cast, Christie contrives to keep the reader who shares Carla's belief in her mother's innocence guessing as to motive and means until the very end.
(
Martin Edwards
- author of the highly acclaimed Harry Devlin Mysteries)
