Dead Man's Folly

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Agatha Christie: Dead Man's Folly (1974, Pocket Books)

paperback, 192 pages

Published Feb. 27, 1974 by Pocket Books.

ISBN:
978-0-00-613241-7
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4 stars (1 review)

Whilst organising a mock murder hunt for the village fete hosted by Sir George and Lady Stubbs, a feeling of dread settles on the famous crime novelist Adriane Oliver. Call it instinct, but it's a feeling she just can't explain…or get away from. In desperation she summons her old friend, Hercule Poirot – and her instincts are soon proved correct when the 'pretend' murder victim is discovered playing the scene for real, a rope wrapped tightly around her neck…But it's the great detective who first discovers that in murder hunts, whether mock or real, everyone is playing a part…

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reviewed Dead Man's Folly by Agatha Christie

Review of "Dead Man's Folly" on 'Storygraph'

4 stars

A nice and cosy, very English whodunnit. The murder takes place during a pretend murder hunt at a summer garden fete. The whole thing feels like Christie having fun with the genre she has created. I like the Ariadne Oliver crime author as it's clearly Christie laughing at herself. I like the knowing touches, for example where she draws attention to people "SPEAKING IN CAPITALS". 

On the down side, I thought the characters were all stereotypes (maybe to be expected in this sort of book) and although I was able to predict a couple of twists the final solution would be too labyrinthine for any except Poirot to untangle. 

Some of the 1950s attitudes are a little shocking (eg. The idea that the murder might be a sex crime is dismissed because the victim wasn't very attractive).