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Loading... One, Two, Buckle My Shoe (Mystery Masters) (original 1940; edition 2004)by Agatha Christie (Author), Hugh Fraser (Narrator)
Work InformationOne, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie (1940)
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. Summary: Poirot seeks the murderer of his dentist, found dead not two hours after Poirot visited him. Like many of us, Hercule Poirot does not like going to the dentist. But his appointment with Dr. Morley goes off uneventfully. Except for complaining of the unexpected absence of Miss Nevill, his assistant, their conversation, as much as was possible, was pleasant. Two hours later, Poirot learn Morley has died, in what was an apparent suicide. But Poirot is not so sure. Even after the inquest, when evidence came out that his last patient, a Greek man named Amberiotis, died in his hotel room of an overdose of the painkiller Morley used. The authorities believed that Morley killed himself for his mistake. But Poirot, having interacted with him, and talked with others who knew him, isn’t so sure. For one thing, the telegram calling Miss Nevill away was a decoy. There were several other patients, including successful financier Alistair Blunt, former actress Mabelle Sainsbury Seale (who Poirot briefly encountered), and Amberiotis. Also, an American, Howard Raikes came, and not wanting to wait, left. One other, who did not have an appointment, also came. Frank Carter was Miss Nevill’s fiancé, and not approved of by Dr. Morley. He had come to plead his case with the doctor, including the new job he’d just gotten. Finally, Dr. Reilly, his partner, appears to have a drinking problem, and his practice is not going well. More strange things happen. For one, Mabelle Sainsbury Seale disappears. A month later, police find a body in the lodgings of a Mrs. Albert Chapman. Mabelle’s clothing is found on the body, but dental records reveal her to be Mrs. Chapman. Both had been patients of Dr. Morley. Then Blunt, who had just survived one assassination attempt where Frank Carter was present, invites Poirot to his estate, to persuade Poirot to search for the missing Mabelle. While they are talking, a shot is fired, but misses Blunt. The gun, a match for the pistol by which Morley died, is at Carter’s feet. Carter’s “job,” as it turns out was as a gardener at the estate. Things are not looking good for Carter, who is hardly of the most exemplary character. But Poirot comes to think that a trap has been laid, not only for the hapless Carter, but for himself. Carter professes innocence to both crimes, saying he came upon Morley after he was shot. The key, Poirot believes, is finding the “missing Mabelle.” The title rhyme carries through the titles for each chapter. Poirot, as always, thinks as much as he “detects” and it is a reference to a Psalm that puts him on the trail of the killer. This was Christie at the height of her powers in 1940 in a well-paced mystery with a number of “red herrings.” Many of Agatha Christie's mysteries are timeless classics, but her action thrillers seem a bit naive and dated. This is a mystery, but it does have a few political themes that also seem naive. Nevertheless, that's easy to forgive because it's very a very enjoyable mystery, entertaining and with an unexpected solution. She leaned forward. “I’m going to tell you things, M. Poirot. You’re not the kind one can just string along. I’d rather tell you than have you snooping around finding out. Christie, Agatha. One, Two, Buckle my Shoe: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Hercule Poirot series Book 22) (p. 68). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition. Hercule Poirot is glad when his six month dentist appointment is over, but he's back there later that day when he finds out his dentist was shot dead and the police think it might have been an accident and the _target was actually Mr Alistair Blunt - head of a bank and a man of vast influence and wealth. This was an enjoyable read. The mystery was good and I loved how all the characters were busy hating on the dentist. It amused me that Poirot was so sad before his appointment, wishful during (he hoped the dentist doesn't notice his clearly decaying tooth) and elated afterwards. The ending was a surprise - as per usual - but it was fun to follow the path the investigation takes. I really did think I was happy that my two favourite characters - Inspector Japp and George the Valet both make appearances. And of course, they both gave some of my favourite lines; When Poirot reached home, George said: “Chief Inspector Japp is here, sir.” Japp grinned in a rueful way as Poirot came into the room. “Here I am, old boy. Come round to say: ‘Aren’t you a marvel? How do you do it? What makes you think of these things?’” “All this meaning—? But pardon, you will have some refreshment? A sirop? Or perhaps the whisky?” “The whisky is good enough for me.” A few minutes later he raised his glass, observing: “Here’s to Hercule Poirot who is always right!” “No, no, mon ami.” “Here we had a lovely case of suicide. H.P. says it’s murder—wants it to be murder—and dash it all, it is murder!” “Ah? So you agree at last?” “Well, nobody can say I’m pigheaded. I don’t fly in the face of evidence. The trouble was there wasn’t any evidence before.” “But there is now?” “Yes, and I’ve come round to make the amend honourable, as you call it, and present the titbit to you on toast, as it were.” “I am all agog, my good Japp.” Christie, Agatha. One, Two, Buckle my Shoe: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Hercule Poirot series Book 22) (pp. 125-126). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition. He looked encouragingly at George. “Now, my good Georges, what have you to say about the matter?” George pondered. He said: “It strikes me, sir—” “Yes, Georges?” “You will have to find another dentist to attend to your teeth in future, sir.” Hercule Poirot said: “You surpass yourself, Georges. That aspect of the matter had not as yet occurred to me!” Looking gratified, George left the room. Christie, Agatha. One, Two, Buckle my Shoe: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Hercule Poirot series Book 22) (p. 63). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition. A fun read, enjoyable read, 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 stars. no reviews | add a review
Is contained inThe Mysterious Affair at Styles / Peril at End House / The A.B.C. Murders / One, Two Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie Agatha Christie Crime Collection: Ordeal by Innocence / One, Two Buckle My Shoe / Adventure of the Christmas Pudding by Agatha Christie Poirot: The War Years: One, Two Buckle My Shoe / Five Little Pigs / Taken at the Flood by Agatha Christie Murder Preferred: A Murder is Announced, The Patriotic Murders, Murder in Retrospect by Agatha Christie One, Two, Buckle My Shoe ; The A.B.C. Murders ; The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side ; The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie Has the adaptation
Fiction.
Mystery.
Historical Fiction.
HTML: The meticulous detective Hercule Poirot suspects the worst of the death of a dentist in this classic mystery by Queen of Whodunits, Agatha Christie. Even the great detective Hercule Poirot harbored a deep and abiding fear of the dentist, so it was with some trepidation that he arrived at the celebrated Dr. Morley's surgery for a dental examination. But what neither of them knew was that only hours later Poirot would be back to examine the dentist, found dead in his own surgery. Turning to the other patients for answers, Poirot finds other, darker, questions.... .No library descriptions found.
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)823.912Literature English & Old English literatures English fiction 1900- 1901-1999 1901-1945LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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2.5 stars ( )