Towards Zero (Agatha Christie)

Book Synopsis
Before a murder is committed, events collude and juxtapose in such a fashion as to set up the scene of the crime; indeed, it is only a matter of time until the clock points towards zero and violent death occurs...

The story begins as Lady Tressilian, an old and rich woman confined to her bed, invites several guests into her seaside home of Gull's Point for two weeks at the end of the summer. However, handsome tennis star Nevile Strange, former ward of Lady Tressilian's deceased husband, incurs her displeasure by bringing his new wife, Kay, and his ex wife, Audrey, under her roof together, thus causing no end of romantic misunderstandings. But events soon take on a much less whimsical turn when someone is killed and Superintendent Battle, who is vacationing nearby in the home of his nephew, Inspector James Leach, finds himself pawing his way along a labyrinthine maze of clues and deception...

Ups
An unusual Agatha Christie, with several seemingly irrelevant stories NOT involving the central characters, yet are woven together until the whole puzzle comes together at the end. What is the connection between the seemingly innocent death of an old solicitor from a heart attack, a failed suicide attempt, a wrongful accusation of theft against a schoolgirl, and a child who commits a calculated murder? None of it makes sense until the final chapters of the book. Also I enjoyed the atmosphere in this book and the tension in the household between the new wife and the ghost like presence of the ex wife both of which reminded me strongly of Daphne DuMaurier's Rebecca (one of my all time favourite books).

Downs
In my view Agatha Christie cheats in this book, as two key pieces of evidence only come to light in the final chapter, and they hold the key to the book's solution. Without these it is impossible for the reader to confidently surmise the murderer and motive. I much prefer Christie books where all the clues are presented to the reader interspersed throughout the book, so the solution is there in front of you and yet elusive at the same time. Also not sure why this is not a Hercule Poirot book - Superintendent Battle is very much inferior in his detection methods to the brilliant Belgian. Finally the intricacies of the whole plot take a long time to build - the first murder is not committed until well into the second half of the book.

Rating
Language & Style - 9 / 10
Memorability - 4 / 10
Re-readability - 3 / 10
Pageturner factor - 8 / 10

Overall - 7 / 10