reset

This is probably the most obvious statement in the world to anyone who knows me or has read this blog for any length of time, but here you go: my reading/reviewing game has been way off. I mean WAY off. I can be something of a completest, so when I started to fall behind on reviews last summer my reading slowed to a crawl, in part, I think, because I kept telling myself I'd "catch up" eventually. Add in various personal, work, and family issues, and the backlog just kept growing as fast as my TBR pile. Well today my friends we are letting that pipe dream go. :)

What follows is my attempt to "review" some of the books that have been queued for ages. There are novels that I'd like to discuss in more depth, but at this point that will probably require a re-read in order to do them justice, so they are not represented here.

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard:

Philadelphia 1876. The Dead are rising. A zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor Fitt. Whoever controls the Dead Army has her brother. She avoids her mother's choice of husband for the lab of Spirit Hunters, including the maddeningly stubborn yet handsome Daniel. The situation threatens her reputation, and the lives of everyone in the city.

Spunky female heroine, late nineteenth century setting, gorgeous dress on the cover, and ZOMBIES. I liked Eleanor, liked the concept...but ultimately this book wasn't for me...far too much zombie-related gore (which is ironic, since I love the CW show iZombie with everything in me). 3 Stars.

I Married the Duke by Katharine Ashe:

I Married the Duke begins the Prince Catchers series by Katharine Ashe, award-winning author of historical romance.
 
Arabella Caulfield, one of three orphaned sisters, has clung to an ancient gypsy prophecy as the only way to save her family from endless heartbreak. Now she has twelve days to reach a remote French castle and fulfill her destiny: to marry a prince.
 
Along the way, Arabella meets Lucien Westfall, decorated naval captain and the new Duke of Lycombe. She thought he was a pirate. He thought she was a governess. Two wrongs have never made such a scandalously perfect right.
 
Readers of Regency romances and the works of Eloisa James and Lisa Kleypas will fall in love with the Prince Catchers books by Katharine Ashe.

While I thought the "gypsy prophecy" conceit unnecessarily stretched the bounds of credulity, Ashe is a gorgeous writer. Articulate prose, well-drawn characterizations, and a lush romance make this a memorable read. I look forward to revisiting Ashe's world and discovering the stories of Arabella's sisters. 4 Stars.

Endless Night by Agatha Christie:

When penniless Michael Rogers discovers the beautiful house at Gypsy’s Acre and then meets the heiress Ellie, it seems that all his dreams have come true at once. But he ignores an old woman’s warning of an ancient curse, and evil begins to stir in paradise. As Michael soon learns: Gypsy’s Acre is the place where fatal “accidents” happen.

I wanted to read Endless Night after seeing the deliciously creepy Masterpiece adaptation (which inserted Julia McKenzie as Miss Marple into the storyline). This has to rank as one of Christie's best standalone mysteries, a masterful study in the use of the unreliable narrator from the Queen of Crime. Well worth reading for a fresh perspective on Christie's capabilities, especially if -- like me -- you tend to gravitate towards Poirot or Marple stories. 4 Stars.

Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James:

A rare meeting of literary genius: P. D. James, long among the most admired mystery writers of our time, draws the characters of Jane Austen’s beloved novel Pride and Prejudice into a tale of murder and emotional mayhem.
 
It is 1803, six years since Elizabeth and Darcy embarked on their life together at Pemberley, Darcy’s magnificent estate. Their peaceful, orderly world seems almost unassailable. Elizabeth has found her footing as the chatelaine of the great house. They have two fine sons, Fitzwilliam and Charles. Elizabeth’s sister Jane and her husband, Bingley, live nearby; her father visits often; there is optimistic talk about the prospects of marriage for Darcy’s sister Georgiana. And preparations are under way for their much-anticipated annual autumn ball.
 
Then, on the eve of the ball, the patrician idyll is shattered. A coach careens up the drive carrying Lydia, Elizabeth’s disgraced sister, who with her husband, the very dubious Wickham, has been banned from Pemberley. She stumbles out of the carriage, hysterical, shrieking that Wickham has been murdered. With shocking suddenness, Pemberley is plunged into a frightening mystery.
 
Inspired by a lifelong passion for Austen, P. D. James masterfully re-creates the world of Pride and Prejudice, electrifying it with the excitement and suspense of a brilliantly crafted crime story, as only she can write it.

I love mysteries and I love Jane Austen, particularly Pride and Prejudice, so theoretically this book should be full of win, no? Alas, that was not to be. I wanted to read this prior to the premiere of the Masterpiece adaptation last fall, and let me tell you that film is superior in every way in my view, particularly as regards pacing and characterization. There are moments in this book that I liked, particularly James's view of an older and more settled Darcy and Elizabeth (even stripped as they are of the spark they possess in Austen's work), but the execution was so uneven that in the end I was left wondering why James was considered such a popular mystery author to begin with and with no desire to further investigate her work. When a book clocks in at a a mere 300-odd pages and that feels about 30% too long, you have a problem. 2 Stars.

Well, this is all the catch-up I have time for at the moment. Going forward there may be more short review posts, but I really hope I can also get back into the rhythm of writing longer, more in-depth pieces as well. 

this weekend on Masterpiece...

This weekend on Masterpiece sees the premiere of season two of The Paradise followed by a new Miss Marple mystery entitled Endless Night (reading the book now, which is a non-Marple tale, and boy is it trippy...can't wait to see how they translate THIS to the screen)! I'll be watching The Paradise later next week On Demand, because Sunday ALSO sees the start of Once Upon a Time's fourth season, and priorities, priorities, I need to reconnect with Captain Hook. *wink* Enjoy!

The Paradise Season 2 Preview:



A scene from Endless Night:

Miss Marple returns!

This Sunday, Miss Marple finally returns to Masterpiece with two -- TWO!! -- back-to-back mysteries:

A Caribbean Mystery

Greenshaw's Folly

Both star Julia McKenzie as Agatha Christie's famous sleuth, and while she's never managed to equal Geraldine McEwan's portrayal in my book, she did finally grow on me...so I'm really looking forward to these new films! You can check out trailers and clips below:

A Caribbean Mystery trailer:



A Caribbean Mystery sneak peek:



Greenshaw's Folly trailer:



Greenshaw's Folly sneak peek:

Review: Sparkling Cyanide by Agatha Christie

Sparkling Cyanide
By: Agatha Christie
Publisher: Harper Collins
ASIN: B000FC13WW

Review:

One year ago, everything changed for a seemingly close-knit group of friends and family -- for it was one year ago that one of them died. Seven went to dinner in a celebratory mood, and only six returned, for the seventh -- sparkling, effervescent, attractive Rosemary Barton -- drank champagne laced with cyanide. Rosemary was a golden girl, with everything to live for, and her suicide shocked the circle of survivors, for although suicide emotionally out of the question as a viable option for the inexplicable, horrific events of the evening, it was the verdict. For who would want to kill Rosemary? It must have been the depression she'd suffered as a result of a particularly nasty bout of flu. As horrible and tragic as it was, depression was the only option, the only way to bring order and reason from chaos. The only other option was even more unthinkable...that one individual who walked away from that fateful dinner was a killer...

As the anniversary of Rosemary's death approaches, the six other attendees begin to reminisce about their respective relationships with Rosemary...for as time has distanced them from the immediacy of her passing, so too has it dulled their comfort level with the suicide verdict, giving rise to uncomfortable questions. George, the long-suffering, dully respectable husband, has his doubts fanned by anonymous letters claiming Rosemary was murdered. Iris has begun to fear that she never truly knew her sister at all, while the mysterious Anthony bitterly regrets his onetime flirtation with Rosemary for jeopardizing his secrets and his hope of a relationship with her sister. Stephen, an up-and-coming politician, fears his long-time liaison with Rosemary may have jeopardized his career and his marriage, all the while wondering if his wife Sandra might have taken drastic steps to eliminate her rival. And last but not least, the quietly efficient Ruth, George's secretary, begins to ponder just how much she hates her employer's late wife. All connected, all harboring secrets...but only one with enough vitriol to kill Rosemary...and the ripple effect of that rash action threatens to strike again as the anniversary and the questions it raises inches ever closer...

When I first started reading Agatha Christie years ago, I almost exclusively confined myself to the Poirot mysteries, having fallen in love with the mustachioed, fastidious detective in no small part thanks to David Suchet's portrayal in the long-running television series. Thankfully, as the years passed I learned to broaden my reading horizons and discovered the gems that lay waiting in the other corners of Christie's extensive backlist. Sparkling Cyanide has long been high on my list of Christie standalones to read, especially since it is based on one of my favorite Poirot short stories: "The Yellow Iris." (The episode is one of my favorites among the television series' hour-long adaptations.) And when I finally tracked down a copy of the elusive 1983 film version, starring my much-loved Anthony Andrews and transplanting the story to Los Angeles (!!), I knew that at long last I had to read the source material.

There is something irresistibly compelling about a dinner table set mystery. Similar to a locked room tale, the dinner setting (also employed by Christie in Lord Edgeware Dies) immediately limits the pool of potential suspects. There is something extraordinarily creepy about the thought of sitting at table with a killer. The very idea of taking a meal with someone (typically) implies a certain conviviality, one Christie happily turns on its head by taking her limited guest list and making them question everything they thought they knew about each other.

As the novel opens, Rosemary Barton has been dead nearly a year, the approaching anniversary leading her family and friends reminisce about their acquaintance with Rosemary. It becomes quickly apparent that no one knew Rosemary as well as they'd thought...nor any other member of the group that witnessed her shocking death. I loved how Christie structured the novel, beginning with chapters told from each survivor's viewpoint, building tension as the mystery of Rosemary's relationships with each and her true state of mind at the time of the fateful dinner gradually click into place. At the one-third mark, Christie brings the story into the present, building towards the anniversary and the ramifications of George's insistence that his wife didn't commit suicide as widely assumed, leading him to plan a second -- and equally fateful -- dinner party.

The multiple viewpoints utilized aren't the neatest method I've ever seen Christie use for a mystery of this ilk, but the characters are engaging and I loved watching the secrets of their relationships and views of each other unfold in all their scandalous glory. This novel marks the final appearance of Colonel Race (also seen in The Man in the Brown Suit and as Poirot's friend in Cards on the Table and Death on the Nile), who, while never a star investigator, ably plays the assistant role, facilitating the investigation and here the dashing Anthony's creative breakthrough in recognizing the murder method.

Each and every main player in the cast is deliciously over-the-top in the best soap opera fashion (with the exception of Colonel Race), and though Sparkling Cyanide may not be Christie's most tightly-plotted mystery, in spite of -- or perhaps because of -- it's eccentricities it is one of her most delightful. This book was sheer, unadulterated fun to read from start to finish. This mystery is all about relationships, running the gamut from love to loathing and everything in between, replete with Christie's signature droll sense of humor and a dash of romance between Iris and Anthony. I would love to see this tale get a proper film adaptation, playing up the period elements and keeping the characters true to their time period and scripted histories. This is pure, delicious soap opera as only the Queen of Crime can deliver, a diverting breath of fresh air for mystery lovers looking for something a little different from a favorite author.

About the book:

Agatha Christie's genius for detective fiction is unparalleled. Her worldwide popularity is phenomenal, her characters engaging, her plots spellbinding. No one knows the human heart - or the dark passions that can stop it - better than Agatha Christie. She is truly the one and only Queen of Crime.

Sparkling Cyanide

"Rosemary that's for remembrance" Six people are thinking about beautiful Rosemary Barton, who died nearly a year before. There's the loving sister, the long-suffering husband, the devoted secretary, the lovers, and the betrayed wife. None of them can forget Rosemary But did one of them murder her? 

Poirot's final bow

This Sunday, David Suchet returns in the first of his final run of mysteries as Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot in "The Big Four." This is SO bittersweet for me, as Poirot was one of my first introductions to British film...and now to see Suchet in the final episodes? When they broadcast Curtain (which isn't yet scheduled on Masterpiece's website), I will BAWL MY EYES out.

Review: The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie

The Man in the Brown Suit
By: Agatha Christie
Publisher: William Morrow
ASIN: B007XIE0H6

Review:

Anne Beddingfeld has always longed for adventure. But as the only daughter of an eccentric professor more content to dwell on the peculiar charms of the Paleolithic period than modern times, she feared her dreams of adventure and romance would always remain just out of reach. When her father unexpectedly passes away, leaving her with a small inheritance, Anne -- equal parts practical and romantic -- seizes the chance to leave her small-town life behind forever and go in search of her own adventure. Traveling to London, she witnesses a man fall to his death on the tracks at a tube station, an incident the police are willing to attribute to a tragic accident -- but the look of terror on the man's face, coupled with the mysterious presence of a man in a brown suit who vanished after examining the victim, leaving behind a scrap of paper with a cryptic appointment written on it, leave Anne convinced of foul play. Determined to discover the truth of the matter, Anne launches an unofficial investigation, linking the man in the brown suit and his apparent tube station victim to the murder of a mystery woman whose body is found in a house for let, the unfortunate rental property the only apparent commonality between the eclectic trio. 

When the scrap of paper points to a liner preparing to voyage to South Africa, Anne impulsively books passage, determined to uncover the mystery of the man in the brown suit. There she befriends the charming Mrs. Blair and her handsome, enigmatic companion Colonel Race (who allegedly works for the Foreign Office), an eccentric clergyman, and the humorous Sir Eustace Pedler, owner of the unfortunate rental property, who seems to live in a constant state of befuddled harassment at the hands of his all-too-officious secretary Pagett. The deeper Anne investigates the man in the brown suit, a dangerous web of intrigue is revealed, involving stolen diamonds and a mysterious Colonel, a criminal mastermind whose influence soon threatens Anne's life and that of the man she's fallen in love with -- a man whose own secret past points to his identity as the very brown-suited murder suspect she's chased across continents. Anne is about to discover that real-life adventures are never so neatly wrapped up as the serials she's loved all her life, and if she's not careful this first excursion into sleuthing could be her last.

In browsing iTunes a few weeks ago I stumbled across an audiobook recording of The Man in the Brown Suit, a Christie novel I'd never heard of much less read. Having predominantly read several of her "series" novels -- i.e., those featuring Poirot and Marple, I'm nevertheless always interested in her standalone mysteries as they provide such interesting, oft-times experimental, departures from her norm. On that score, The Man in the Brown Suit delivers in spades. One of Christie's early efforts (only her fourth novel, first published in 1924), this novel showcases Christie's penchant for "bright young things" seeking adventure in exotic locales, besting traditional investigators with a combination of sheer nerve and intelligence. Anne is a winning character, very reminiscent of the serial film heroines to whom Christie seems to be paying homage here -- i.e., The Perils of Pauline and the like -- spunky, well-intentioned romantics.

Christie splits her narrative between Anne's reminiscences and Sir Eustace's journal entries, the latter of which are frankly some of the funniest narrative I've ever encountered in a Christie novel. People, he is HILARIOUS. The dual narrative works well here, particularly considering how fast and furiously Christie throws red herrings and misdirection at the reader along Anne's journey. I do think this novel lacked some of the finesse that would manifest itself in Christie's later work -- the plot was a bit too convoluted for even me as an avid aficionado of her mysteries -- but as an early example of her genius the humor and energy in this storyline is not to be missed. Featuring exotic locales, whip-lash fast plot twists, and a dash of romance (which develops out of thin air, basically, but WHO CARES because Anne is LIVING THE DREAM), The Man in the Brown Suit is an early Christie gem.

About the book:

Pretty, young Anne came to London looking for adventure. In fact, adventure comes looking for her—and finds her immediately at Hyde Park Corner tube station. Anne is present on the platform when a thin man, reeking of mothballs, loses his balance and is electrocuted on the rails.

The Scotland Yard verdict is accidental death. But Anne is not satisfied. After all, who was the man in the brown suit who examined the body? And why did he race off, leaving a cryptic message behind: "17-122 Kilmorden Castle"?

Review: The Clocks by Agatha Christie

The Clocks
By: Agatha Christie
Publisher: Berkley Mystery
ISBN: 0-425-17391-7

About the book:

As she waits in her new employer's living room, typist-for-hire Sheila Webb stumbles upon a strange scene: a well-dressed corpse surrounded by six clocks - clocks set to the wrong time. Even more mysterious is the fact that no one claims to have requested Miss Webb's services. One thing's for certain - it's time for Hercule Poirot to piece together a baffling mystery.

Review:

When Sheila Webb, a typist-for-hire, is particularly requested for her latest assignment, she expects a routine hour of work, not the discovery of a recently murdered elderly man behind the sitting room sofa, surrounded by clocks set to the wrong time. Horrified, she flees from the scene and straight into the arms of intelligence agent Colin Lamb, pursuing his own line of investigation, on the tail of a nest of spies. The victim has no identification on him, and both Sheila and her would-be-employer, a Miss Pebmarsh, claim to have no knowledge of the victim's identity. Even stranger, Miss Pebmarsh claims to never requested a typist's services. Colin feels an immediate kinship with Sheila, and determines to see the investigation through and the lovely stenographer cleared of all suspicion. But as the investigation progresses, and lead after lead fails to reveal motive or the victim's identity, Colin turns to his old friend Hercule Poirot for help in unraveling the tangled web of murder, lies, and deceit that have taken up residence in the seemingly genteel neighborhood of Wilbraham Crescent...

The Clocks is one of Christie's later Poirot novels, and I feel like it shows. Most obviously, Poirot barely appears in the novel, and the need for his investigative acumen feels a little forced as opposed to an organic part of the storyline. I also found the narrative style a bit cumbersome. Christie alternates between third-person narration and first-person narration, from Colin's point-of-view, and with the exception of the prologue, I would've preferred to read the entire novel from Colin's perspective. In many respects Colin is a classic Christie hero, a bright young thing, burdened with questions about the nature of his profession. Whether from his viewpoint or third-person, experiencing the entire story in one narrative style would have, I believe, tightened the narrative flow and raised the suspense factor.

In this adventure Christie employs an interesting mix of international espionage and neighborhood dynamics. The latter is more effective than the former, as Christie was a master at misdirection and an adept at slyly suggesting danger or subterfuge in that most genteel of locations - the proper English village or neighborhood. I particularly enjoyed the scenes where Colin and Inspector Hardcastle attempted to glean clues about the murdered man from the odd assortment of neighbors surrounding Miss Pebmarsh's home. I wish Poirot had been given more "screentime," if you will, but I enjoyed the detective's lengthy discussion of contemporary crime fiction (including Christie creation Ariadne Oliver) and its reliance on coincidence and chance. In a novel perhaps over-populated with red herrings, Poirot's commentary is perhaps Christie's own sly comment on the conventions of a genre she largely helped define in the twentieth century. Ultimately while not one of my favorite Poirot novels, The Clocks benefits from a strong, unique opening while providing a showcase for Christie's trademark red herrings and carefully constructed, twisting plotlines.

Book vs. Film:

There are several substantial differences between the book and the recent Masterpiece Mystery film version of The Clocks, not the least of which is transferring the setting from the 1960s Cold War to pre-World War II. In many respects, including the time period change, I feel like the film improves a bit on the novel's storyline. While I felt that the film got a little crazy plot-wise, over-packed, if you will, with red herrings, it's not nothing on the book. *wink* I do wish that the script hadn't invented a previous love interest for Colin, and had instead let his burgeoning romance with typist Sheila Webb unfold as the investigation progressed. One of the reasons I loved Colin's interest in Sheila in the book is that almost from the first he recognizes Sheila as his girl, despite knowing nothing about her and her propensity for stretching the truth.

I am so thankful the script gave Poirot a greater role than he possesses in the novel. David Suchet gives one of his strongest performances in recent years as Poirot in The Clocks, brimming with the detective's trademark idiosyncrasises, warmth, understated wit, and intelligence. In the novel, Poirot is relegated to three or four scenes, while the film allows Poirot to develop a real rapport with Colin which is a lot of fun to watch. While both the novel and film have their merits, in this case I think I have to give the edge to the film adaptation for giving Poirot a greater role and tightening the narrative flow of the storyline.

Miss Marple: The Pale Horse

Masterpiece Mystery concluded the Agatha Christie portion of its season with a Miss Marple episode entitled The Pale Horse. For some reason, Masterpiece elected to hold this episode in reserve from the 2010 season, so this is the only Marple episode we're getting this year which feels a little odd. But that aside, The Pale Horse was one of Julia McKenzie's better outings as Miss Marple in my opinion, and an enjoyable ninety minutes of 1950s period drama bliss. Here's the story summary from the PBS website:

Fair is foul and foul is fair in the hamlet of Much Deeping, where the Pale Horse Inn is run by a trio of entrepreneurial witches, and the annual celebration of the town's witch trials of 1664 is about to commence. Arriving just in time is Miss Marple (Julia McKenzie, Cranford), who has set her knitting aside to pursue the murderer of her old friend, Father Gorman. Armed with a cryptic list of names sent to her by the good clergyman just prior to his death, Miss Marple follows clues as she joins the assemblage of eccentric guests and infiltrates the witches' sanctum santorum. But when a fellow guest at the Pale Horse Inn is found dead, the tidily tailored and unassuming sleuth must determine whether black magic or something even more sinister is at work. The Pale Horse is based on the novel by Agatha Christie. (One episode; 90 minutes)

The Pale Horse is another case of filmmakers taking a standalone Agatha Christie novel and inserting Miss Marple into the storyline. Sometimes this plot device works better than others. :) I haven't yet read The Pale Horse, so I have nothing with which to compare the film adaptation - and that said, I really enjoyed watching the mystery unfold. The story opens with Father Gorman (Nicholas Parsons) called to the bedside of a dying woman (Elizabeth Rider), tormented by guilt and knowledge of "wickedness." She entrusts Father Gorman with a list of names and dates, which he immediately mails to his old friend (HAHA so convenient) Miss Marple for safe-keeping, with a promise of a phone call the next day. Father Gorman's only addendum to the list is a biblical reference - Revelation 6:8 ("And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.") - a cryptic clue for Miss Marple to decipher as the next day she receives the news that the priest was brutally murdered.

Miss Marple cannot, of course, leave her friend's murder investigation to the police, no matter how capable or interested in the case the assigned detective, Inspector Lejeune (Neil Pearson) seems to be. Pearson is another Inspector Lewis veteran, having appeared in the episode And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea (my review). I really  enjoyed Lejeune's interactions with Miss Marple. Whether face-to-face or through the telephone, his befuddlement and exasperation at Miss Marple's insistence on getting involved in the investigation provided some of the episode's most humorous moments. I cackled when Miss Marple played the old "bad phone connection" gag on him - one doesn't expect that in 1950s-era films. :) Pearson had a great rapport with McKenzie, definitely one of the better Marple/Inspector pairings in this film series.

The investigation leads Miss Marple to The Pale Horse Inn, which she discovers is run by a pair of self-styled (and stylish - HA) witches, Sybil (Susan Lynch) and Thyrza (Pauline Collins). It was great to see Collins on-screen again - she gave a memorable turn as Queen Victoria in Doctor Who, as well as playing Miss Flite in Bleak House and most recently, an appearance in the BBC series Merlin. Led by Thyrza, the witches have made a business of their reputation to "will people to death." This fits in nicely with the atmosphere of their town, Much Deeping, which makes a living drawing tourists for re-enactments of their version of the Salem witch trials. Individuals place "bets" with Thyrza's lawyer, Mr. Bradley (Bill Paterson), on whether or not the unlucky target will live past a certain date. If they don't, the death is credited to their "black magic" and the wager is paid off. It was fantastic to see Paterson on Masterpiece again - he's appeared in Wives and Daughters, Amazing Grace, Little Dorrit, and Doctor Who, to name just a few of his credits. And I really got a kick out of Collins's scenes with McKenzie - hedging around the issue that Thyrza is convinced Miss Marple has come to The Pale Horse to take advantage of her little "murder club," they dance around the issue in conversation resulting in Thyrza's hilarious puzzlement.

I was really looking forward to seeing JJ Feild's return to Masterpiece, even if he didn't play quite the heroic role I expected. :) Feild is a longtime favorite of mine, as I think he's just too adorable for words. He's appeared in a slew of Masterpiece productions, starting with The Railway Children, the Poirot episode Death on the Nile, The Ruby in the Smoke, and Northanger Abbey (my review), as well as the oustanding film O Jerusalem (my review). Looking forward, we'll get to see Feild in Captain America as Montgomery Falsworth/Union Jack and Austenland (squee!). Feild's character, Paul Osbourne, is introduced as an early investigative ally for Miss Marple - and he so adorable in his 1950s clothes, and so cute and respectful towards Marple, you can't help but like him - even if he seems a little *too* nice, if you know what I mean. :) All things considered, by the end of this episode it was a real treat to see Feild "flip" in his portrayal of Osbourne and play against his good guy, heroic image.

On the other hand, Jonathan Cake gave a much more satisfactory appearance as Mark Easterbrook, the godson of one of the names on Father Gorman's list. Cake is notable for having one of my all-time favorite guest stints on Chuck, playing spy Cole Barker in a two-part story arc. Considering Easterbrook's character is the hero of the actual novel, I was a bit surprised by just how much the script sidelined him in this production. I would've liked to have seen his reasons for "shadowing" Miss Marple's investigation better articulated - that way, when he jumps in to stage a death request, his willingness to participate would have seemed more organic to the storyline. But what the heck does Mark care about motivation, since he gets a love interest (Amy Manson)? :P

I can't forget to mention the appearance of Tom Ward as the unlucky Captain Cottham, staying at The Pale Horse with his wife and secretary after being displaced by a fire. Ward made an indelible impression on me in the A&E miniseries The Lost World (based on the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle novel), where he played the dashing adventurer Lord Roxton. It's been ages since I've seen him in anything, so his appearance in this episode was a real treat. And if you've never seen that version of The Lost World, I highly recommend it - it's highly watchable and wildly entertaining.

The whole "murder, inc." storyline was wildy intricate, and by its very nature threw red herrings left and right at the viewer, doing its best to leave you unsure of the identity of the man behind the curtain, pulling the strings of the suspicious deaths found on Marple's list. I thought the idea of using consumer research surveys to collect ideas for how to kill people was really terribly, fiendishly clever - the idea that an anonymous killer strikes with poisoned everyday products is rather unsettling, no?

This episode of Miss Marple was colorful, fast-paced, and nicely atmospheric. Despite the fact that Miss Marple was inserted into this storyline, I think this was one of McKenzie's better outings as the venerable sleuth, and one of the more effective examples of reworking a Christie plot to include one of her iconic characters. I loved watching this story unfold. McKenzie seemed genuinely, emotionally invested in her quest to bring justice to Father Gorman  - and since I have no idea if new episodes are going to be produced for this film series, if this is McKenzie's last appearance as Miss Marple it's a fitting coda to her tenure in the role. Though I sincerely hope that we'll see Miss Marple back on our screens as part of Masterpiece Mystery sooner rather than later!
 
If you've read the novel, I'd love to hear your take on how this film adaptation stacked up to the book. And if you're a Miss Marple film fan, where does this episode stand in your series ranking?

• Watch The Pale Horse online through 8/10/11
• Order the original novel from Amazon
• Order the DVD from Amazon

Miss Marple returns to Masterpiece

I can't believe I almost forgot to mention this. :) Miss Marple returns to Masterpiece Mystery tomorrow night with a brand-new episode entitled The Pale Horse (based on a non-Marple Agatha Christie novel). Here's a bit about the story:

Julia McKenzie (Cranford) is back as Miss Marple in the all-new The Pale Horse, premiering Sunday, July 10, 2011 on MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! Miss Marple's old friend is found murdered, and when she receives a list of names sent by the victim before his death, Miss Marple seeks justice.

What the above blurb neglects to mention is that this episode features a favorite of mine - the one and only JJ Feild of Northanger Abbey fame!

Poirot: Hallowe'en Party

Poirot concluded what - in my opinion - has been its most entertaining run in years on Masterpiece Mystery with a rather out of season, but wildly entertaining, adaptation of Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie. Here's the story summary from the PBS website:

"I saw a murder once...I did! I did!" boasts a clumsy, disliked girl at a Halloween party. For this, she is ridiculed and dismissed. But before the party's end, she is dead, snuffed out in an apple-bobbing tub. Party guest Ariadne Oliver — never again to consume another apple — summons her old friend Hercule Poirot for help and the gallant sleuth is only too happy to oblige. With the dubious help of the grisly old village witch and the wildly speculative mystery writer Oliver, Poirot must investigate old sins and discover the connections between a years-old stabbing, a Russian au pair, and a forgery to unmask a dangerous killer, all before another corpse surfaces. Adapted by Mark Gatiss (Sherlock) and based on the novel by Agatha Christie, Hallowe'en Party stars David Suchet as Hercule Poirot, Zoë Wanamaker as Ariadne Oliver, and Deborah Findlay (Cranford).

I never really paid that much attention to the name Mark Gatiss until Sherlock aired on Masterpiece last year, and I was smacked full upside the head with the realization that the man is, apparently, a genius. So I went into Hallowe'en Party with high expectations after learning that Gatiss penned the script, and I have to say I was not disappointed in the least. This episode was based on yet another Agatha Christie novel I have yet to read (shocking, I know), but I loved this presentation. The story and characters felt fully realized and the sense of drama and atmosphere was superb. I've never been one for "celebrating" Halloween, but I like I good spooky film (in the Christie vein, anyways), and this film did such an excellent job evoking fall, the fun of costumes, and spooky stories that I can see myself making an annual tradition of watching Hallowe'en Party.

This story once again features the mystery writer Ariadne Oliver. Fantastically played by Zoe Wanamaker, Oliver is really a delightful foil to the always proper and reserved Poirot. It seems a little odd to say that Poirot has "chemistry" with anyone, but Suchet and Wanamaker play off each other so well in their respective roles that their scenes together are a joy to watch. They bring a real sense of camraderie and history to Oliver and Poirot's friendship. Wanamaker has appeared three previous times as Oliver in a Poirot adaptation - the first time in Cards on the Table, back when A&E was airing Poirot films, and the second and third outings on Masterpiece in Mrs McGinty's Dead and Third Girl. When McGinty initially aired on Masterpiece two years ago (my review), I was not that impressed with the episode (though I will admit it improves on DVD). I am planning to review Third Girl soon (I promise! *wink*). As far as Ms. Oliver goes, the fourth time may be the charm, as I thoroughly enjoyed Wanamaker's sly humor and dry asides throughout the storyline.

Hallowe'en Party opens with a motley assortment of children and adults gathered at Rowena Drake's home for a party. The opening twenty minutes or so were fantastic simply on the basis of the sheer amount of period detail crammed into every frame of film. From the home and its decor to the costumes and games the children played, Mrs. Drake's party was like a little time capsule of 1930s Halloween festivities. Rowena Drake is played by Deborah Findlay, who should be a familiar face to fans of Masterpiece. Findlay played Miss Phoebe in Wives and Daughters, appeared in episodes of Foyle's War and Inspector Lewis, and plays Miss Tomkinson in Cranford. It's a credit to both the script and Findlay's acting talent that I totally bought into her character arc for this film (look at me, trying to avoid spoilers...). :P Rowena's children are basically filler (and largely unlikable) characters, but it's interesting to note that Edmund is played by Ian Hallard, who appeared in Marple: The Sittaford Mystery, while Frances is played by the much more familiar Georgia King, who has appeared in Jane Eyre, The Shadow in the North, and Little Dorrit.

When the universally maligned Joyce (Macy Nyman) is found dead, face-first in the apple-bobbing tub (how's that for drama?), Ariadne calls Poirot for assistance in the investigation, since she's laid up with a bad cold. Just prior to her death, Joyce claimed to have seen a murder once - an assertion that's universally dismissed as ridiculous until she's found murdered. I found this crime pretty shocking - perhaps some fellow Christie aficionadoes can help me out. I can't recall another story where a child's murder is central to the investigation. Surely I'm forgetting something - so please chime in!

En route to investigate, Poirot meets gardener extraordinaire Michael on the train, who suggests that he talk with the local gossip Mrs. Goodbody (Paola Dionisotti) to see if there could be any truth to Joyce's incredible claim. Michael is played by Julian Rhind-Tutt (isn't his name AWESOME?!), who I must confess to thinking is rather handsome here - and more's the pity since he seems to have a predisposition to playing less-than-heroic characters. *sigh* He's appeared in Marple, Stardust, The Shadow in the North, and Merlin, to name a few of his credits.

Mrs. Goodbody wastes no time in enlightening Poirot as to the town's dark secrets - and this, people, is one of the many reasons I love Agatha Christie's stories (and these films, even when they deviate from the source material). NO ONE could take a seemingly idyllic small-town setting such as we find in the beginning of Hallowe'en Party and slowly peel back layer by layer of subterfuge and secrets to reveal the dark and tangled motives for murder found beneath a cheerful veneer. *delicious shivers all around*

There are a couple of notable cast members that I simply cannot go without mentioning. First up, it was great to see the venerable Timothy West as the town's Reverend Cottrell. West appeared in the quiz show-themed episode Your Sudden Death Question of Inspector Lewis last year (my review) and played Sir Leicester Dedlock in the absolutely sublime Bleak House. It was also fantastic to see Sophie Thompson, Emma's sister, on-screen again, even if it was in a rather thankless and under-utilized role as the unfortunate Joyce's mother. Thompson should be a very familiar face to fans of period drama - she played Miss Bates in the 1996 Emma, and appeared in Gosford Park and Nicholas Nickleby.

As Poirot uncovers the roots of Joyce's murder, he discovers that the foolish words that doomed her were rooted in a history of affairs, forged documents, and murder - juicy stuff here people, these are the ingredients of Masterpiece Mystery melodrama at its best! *wink* I thoroughly enjoyed watching this episode unfold, and high praise to Gatiss for a sharp script and to the actors and production team for delivering such a delicous, atmospheric period piece. If you watched this episode, or you've read the novel, I'd love to hear your thoughts. This has to rank as a favorite Suchet-as-Poirot performance - he really seemed to be on fire this episode, and Poirot was by turns positively brimming with his trademark incisiveness, dry wit, warmth, and quirkiness. :)

This run of Poirot episodes has been simply outstanding. I will always find something to enjoy in even less-than-perfect Poirot films (can't really beat David Suchet in his element, eh?), but the three films aired on Masterpiece Mystery this season have really set the bar high as far as quality and sheer entertainment value. Here's the link round-up:

• Watch Hallowe'en Party online through 8/2/11
• Read my review of Three Act Tragedy
• Read my review of The Clocks
• Preorder Hallowe'en Party on DVD as part of Poirot Set 6
• Order the original novel from Amazon

Review: The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie

The Secret of Chimneys
By: Agatha Christie
Publisher: Minotaur Books
ISBN: 0-312-97974-6

About the book:

A bit of adventure and quick cash is all that good-natured drifter Anthony Cade is looking for when he accepts a messenger job from an old friend. It sounds so simple: deliver the provocative memoirs of a recently deceased European count to a London publisher. But the parcel holds more than scandalous royal secrets. It contains a stash of letters that suggest blackmail - and lead to the murder of a stranger who's been shadowing Anthony's every move. Discovering the dead man's identity means retracing his steps - to the rambling estate of Chimneys where darker secrets, and deadlier threats, await anyone who dares to enter.

Review:

When good-natured adventurer Anthony Cade accepts two commissions from his friend Jimmy McGrath, he little realizes that the simple delivery jobs will throw him into a web of international intrigue and danger. His first task is to deliver the recently deceased Herzoslovakian Count Stylpitch's memoirs to his London publisher - a manuscript whose secrets warring political factions will do anything to prevent being published. Anthony's second task is to return a package of indiscreet love letters to one Virginia Revel. From the moment he returns to England his every movie is shadowed, and when the letters are stolen and the thief turns up murdered in Virginia's home, he discovers a surprising connection between the Count's secrets and the scandalous letters, with the thread tying them together being the famed Chimneys estate. Political alliances are formed and careers made within Chimney's famous - and scandal-ridden - walls. As the players in the Herzoslovakian business gather, Anthony finds himself in a race against time to catch a killer, unmask a thief, and determine his future.

I was first introduced to Agatha Christie through her most famous sleuths, Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple. It's only in recent years that I've delved into her standalone fiction, and now The Secret of Chimneys has rocketed to the top of my favorites list. It's a dizzingly fast-paced read, chock-full of enough of Christie's trademark plot twists and turns to give the reader whiplash. The political intrigue-saturated storyline is reminscent of a Hitchcock film, but it's the characters that set this little gem apart. Anthony Cade is an absolutely delightful hero - self-assured, intelligent, snarky, and humorously irreverent, Christie had me in stitches with his every scene. The country house setting provides a nicely isolated setting for Christie to examine a microcosmic slice of early twentieth-century English stereotypes - the devlishly smart amateur investigator, the glittering socialite, the unflappable inspector, and the long-suffering, eccentric British nobleman - all are forced to confront secrets, lies, and threats within the walls of Chimneys.

The Secret of Chimneys requires a healthy suspension of disbelief as the royal intrigue aspect of the storyline is a bit more far-fetched than some of Christie's other country house-set mysteries. However, the red herrings and dizzying plot twists, combined with intelligent, appealing leads, a well-drawn, humorous supporting cast of characters, and sparkling dialogue make Chimneys one of Christie's most delightful, entertaining standalone mysteries.

Book vs. Film:

A few weeks ago I reviewed the Masterpiece Mystery presentation of Miss Marple: The Secret of Chimneys. Besides the glaringly obvious insertion of Miss Marple into the storyline, I'm not sure I know where to even begin discussing the differences between the book and the film. The film rewrite of The Secret of Chimneys is peppered with outlandish plot twists, but when compared to the original novel I can't say they're worse or more ridiculous, only different. :) The novel's Inspector Battle is transformed into Inspector Finch, played by Stephen Dillane, and though the names were changed the essence of Christie's inspector is kept alive in Dillane's screen version. I loved Finch's interactions with Miss Marple (Julia McKenzie), but the insertion of Marple in this storyline forced Anthony Cade's character to be significantly diminished and his motivations rewritten. This is a crying shame, because now that I've read the novel I think Jonas Armstrong would've done a superb job playing the Cade of the novel if given the chance. While the storyline for Lord Caterham was signficantly re-written for the film, Edward Fox absolutely nails the essence of Christie's character. He's overwhelmed, long-suffering, and humorously out-of-touch, all in keeping with his bookish counterpart.

Though the novel was significantly revised, in many respects the film does a fairly creditable job of remaining true to the adventurous spirit of Christie's book. I only hope that some day we'll get to see Christie's brilliant Anthony Cade brought to life on-screen and allowed to retain the humor, intelligence, and appeal that makes the novel such an enjoyable read.

Poirot concludes tomorrow...

Tomorrow night Poirot concludes this year's run on Masterpiece Mystery with a brand-new episode entitled Hallowe'en Party. Here's a bit about the episode:

Mark Gatiss (Sherlock) adapts Agatha Christie's Hallowe'en Party in the final new Hercule Poirot episode of the season, Sunday, July 3, 2011, on MASTERPIECE MYSTERY!. Ariadne Oliver (Zoë Wanamaker) joins forces with Poirot (David Suchet) to investigate a drowning. They soon uncover more mysterious deaths. Are they all related?

I'm looking forward to the return of Wanamaker as Ariadne Oliver, and with a script by Mark Gatiss, this season of Poirot should end on a high note!

Poirot: The Clocks

Masterpiece Mystery continued last night with another thoroughly enjoyable Poirot mystery entitled The Clocks. I don't know if it's just because I haven't been familiar with this latest slate of Agatha Christie mysteries, or if there's been a genuine up-tick in episode quality (irregardless of faithfulness to the source material), but I'm enjoying the broadcast runs of these episodes much more than previous years of Poirot offerings. Is it just me? Anyways, here's the episode summary from the PBS website:

A lovely young stenographer, Sheila Webb, is greeted at a job not by her client but by an eerie assembly of clocks all frozen at the precise same moment in time and, behind the couch where she sits waiting, a corpse. Horrified, she scrambles screaming into the street, straight into the arms of Naval Lieutenant Colin Race. In Race, she finds a protector who takes her story to Hercule Poirot, and together they set about exonerating her, all the while trying to unearth a German mole who masterminded Race's botched spy mission at Dover Castle. But when a second murder is discovered, the mystery becomes more "dagger" than "cloak" and the evidence mounts against Sheila. Faced with enduring a pint of beer, the rubbing of cats against his legs, and being mistaken for a Frenchman, will Poirot prevail in revealing the killer and the mole? Joined by Tom Burke (Dracula), David Suchet stars as Hercule Poirot in this adaptation of the novel by Agatha Christie. (One episode; 90 minutes; TV-PG)

The Clocks opens with a bang, a suspensful set-up involving stolen intelligence documents that was reminscent of The 39 Steps. It's the end of the workday in a maze of tunnels beneath Dover Castle, and Fiona Hanbury (Anna Skellern) witnesses her co-worker, Annabel Larkin (Olivia Grant)
filch documents from a private office. Unable to rally her fiance, Lt. Colin Race (Tom Burke), engrossed in an after-hours poker game, Fiona nervously tails the thief. While jotting down the address, she's seen by her target, and in her attempt to flee the scene both women are struck dead by a passing car. That has to be one of the most action-packed openings to a Poirot episode of all time - *BAM* and you have two actresses vaporized. I'm unfamiliar with Skellern's work, but Grant may be familiar to fans of the show Lark Rise to Candleford, where she played the character Lady Adelaide Midwinter. Tom Burke may be recognizable to fans of the mystery series Jericho from a couple of years ago, when he appeared in the episode A Pair of Ragged Claws. I'd love to see more from Burke in the future, I think he's got a lot of period drama potential.

Race is - as he should be!! - guilt-ridden over dismissing Fiona's last frantic phone call. Within a few days, Race is seeking out his old friend (I can't help it, I find Poirot's never-ending supply of "old friends" hilarious) Hercule Poirot (David Suchet) for help with a curious mystery that literally ran him down in the street while he was attempting to decipher Fiona's hastily scrawled clue identifying the German spy. Sheila Webb (Jaime Winstone) runs into Race, screaming from a house where she found a dead body. Sheila, a typist, was sent to the location after a phone call to her agency specifically requested her services. Suspicion falls on Sheila when the owner of the home, the blind Miss Pebmarsh, claims she never made the phone call requesting the typist's services, and doesn't know Sheila or the victim. Race has a chivalrous streak, and is determined to clear Sheila's name. It's blindingly apparent that this is due to equal parts chivalry and the fact that he's quite taken with Sheila, nevermind that his fiance has been dead for less than a week. *rolls eyes*

Winstone does the period look extremely well. I've only ever seen her in one other film - Made in Dagenham, where she exhibited a great deal more spunk, and I've got to say I think the role of Sheila would've benefited from a dash of the sass she exhibited in that film. Miss Pebmarsh is played by the absolutely divine Anna Massey. Massey has appeared in everything from the Around the World in 80 Days miniseries, where she played Queen Victoria, to The Importance of Being Earnest, where she played Miss Laetitia Prism, as well as a memorable turn in Inspector Lewis.

This is where things start to get a little crazy plot-wise, and I'm sure that the novel streamlines the investigations (because Christie was a genius, and some of these reworked scripts...aren't *g*). However, jumps in logic and red herrings aside, what saves this adaptation for me is the period detail and engaging performances. Race's superior, Vice Admiral Hamling (Geoffrey Palmer), is convinced that the stolen government documents and the dead man are connected, and urges the investigation to proceed along those lines. Palmer is a long-time favorite of mine, and it was a real treat to see him in a Poirot film. If you've never checked out his work, I highly recommend the long-running series As Time Goes By, which Palmer headlined opposite Judi Dench. Sadly for this film, I felt like Palmer's presence was really under-utilized.

Accompanied by the long-suffering local Inspector Hardcastle (Phil Daniels), Race and Poirot interview the odd assortment of neighbors in the vicinity of the murder. While I enjoyed the appearances of actors like Guy Henry as the academic Matthew Waterhouse (Henry plays Pius Thicknesse in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Mr. Collins in Lost in Austen) and Jason Watkins as the deceptively-named Joe Bland (Bland is perhaps best-known for his role as Plornish in Little Dorrit and Herrick in the series Being Human), the number of unnecessary-to-the-plot neighbors the script throws at the viewer tends to muddy the waters of the investigation's on-screen flow. However, from the perspective of looking at a microcosm neighborhood life, the juicy gossip uncovered in the interviews provides the neighbors with a fun excuse to dish on each other.

Regarding the agency Sheila works for, I was thrilled to see Lesley Sharp appear in The Clocks as the agency's proprietress Miss Martindale. Sharp is a Masterpiece veteran, having appeared in The Diary of Anne Frank as Petronella van Daan and Cranford as Mrs. Bell, as well as a memorable appearance in the Doctor Who season four episode entitled Midnight. I really enjoyed Sinead Keean's appearance as Sheila's ill-fated co-worker Nora. Keenan played Addams in the Doctor Who special The End of Time, and currently is probably best-known as George's girlfriend Nina in the supernatural sci-fi drama Being Human. She was the perfect choice to play the bold and brassy Nora, and handled the period aspects of the role extremely well.

While this script throws red herrings at the viewer left and right, and the resolution of the two disparate cases is nice and convenient, overall I still really enjoyed this film and look forward to investigating Christie's orginal novel soon (hopefully...there's so many things I want to read "soon"!). Whether or not the Miss Pebmarsh storyline plays out in the novel in the manner it does on-screen is irrelevant to my appreciation of her spy-related plot twist in the film. I thought it was interesting and pretty effective to have Pebmarsh turn to spying following the deaths of her sons in the Great War - the same conflict that also led to her blindness.

I'm a total sucker for the romances in this mystery films, but there was a missed opportunity with the Colin and Sheila storyline. From what I've read about the novel's storyline, the Colin character doesn't have a fiancee, so any romantic interest doesn't have, oh, I don't know, RECENT TRAUMATIC DEATH hanging over its development. *sigh* The script gives Sheila a ton of emotional baggage, and since Colin very clearly has a hero complex in the world of The Clocks they are destined to be together. I like Colin as an emotionally sensitive hero, and I do think that's what Sheila needs, but I would've liked him - maybe respect is a better word - better if he hadn't been making out with needy Sheila a week after Fiona gets squashed by a car. That said, this little romance leads to one of the funniest moments in Poirot series history in my opinion - when Poirot basically asks Colin if he needs a kick in the pants to go after Sheila, Colin pauses, and then pats Poirot on the arm in a hilariously condescending, no-of-course-not-papa type moment. I was rolling. :)

Overall, I found The Clocks is another solidly entertaining entry in the Poirot portion of the Masterpiece Mystery season. I love the attention to period detail, the cast chock-full of familiar faces, and the briskly-paced, engaging storyline. I'd love to hear your thoughts! :)

• Watch The Clocks online through 7/26/11
• Pre-order The Clocks on DVD as part of Poirot Set 6
• Order the original novel from Amazon

Poirot continues on Masterpiece

Tomorrow on Masterpiece Mystery, Poirot continues with a brand-new episode entitled The Clocks, based on the novel by Agatha Christie. Here's a bit about the story:

In Dover on the cusp of war, cloak meets dagger when Hercule Poirot is called on to uncover a German spy network and exonerate a beautiful stenographer accused of a grisly murder. David Suchet stars as Poirot in a new episode of an Agatha Christie whodunit, The Clocks, airing Sunday, June 26, 2011 on MASTERPIECE MYSTERY!

I'm really looking forward to this story, especially since it sounds vaguely reminscent of The 39 Steps!

Poirot: Three Act Tragedy

Masterpiece Mystery (finally) kicked off its new season properly last night with a brand-new Hercule Poirot episode entitled Three Act Tragedy. I found this episode to be a thoroughly enjoyable, stylish entry into the Poirot film canon. Now, I have yet to read the original novel by Agatha Christie, but a cursory glance at the book's Wikipedia page reveals that - shockingly - this film seems to be a pretty faithful adaptation of Christie's story. Is this a new trend? (I'm not going to hold my breath. *wink*) Here's the episode summary from the PBS website:

When an elderly Cornish vicar suddenly drops dead at a party, everyone looks to fellow guest Hercule Poirot to solve the murder. But the Belgian super-sleuth sees no foul play, correctly predicting that analysis of the clergyman's glass will yield nothing more than the remains of an excellent dry martini.

Before long, however, Poirot is summoned back to England from his boredom among the palms and irksome children of Monte Carlo. Another death among the same revelers has occurred, this time, indisputably, murder.

With the help of two enthusiastic amateurs — his old friend, the retired stage actor Sir Charles Cartwright, and Charles's jaunty love interest, Miss "Egg" Lytton Gore, Poirot questions the dramatis personae, as Sir Charles calls the party guests. And as Sir Charles embraces his role, donning a pair of patent-leather spats, Poirot works to unravel a perplexing mystery, building a house of cards, tracking a missing butler, and even hosting his own sherry party — "That is a fashionable thing to do, n'est-ce pas?" David Suchet portrays the fastidious detective Hercule Poirot, with Martin Shaw as Sir Charles Cartwright and Art Malik (Upstairs Downstairs) as Sir Bartholomew Strange, in this adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel. (One episode; 90 minutes; TV-PG)

First of all, I just have to point out the hilarity in having Poirot conveniently be "best friends" with yet another random person who doesn't seem to know any of Poirot's other "best friends" from his previous stories (much like the penchant for having Miss Marple distantly related to everyone in England). The friend in question this time around is Sir Charles Cartwright, a famous stage actor on the brink of retirement, who has gathered Poirot and an assortment of other friends and acquaintances to his home for a cocktail party. Cartwright is played by Martin Shaw, who I love and adore because of his memorable portrayal of Chauvelin in The Scarlet Pimpernel television film series. Cartwright aspires to a May/December romance with young ingenue Miss Lytton Gore, known to her friends as Egg (I kid you not). Egg is played by Kimberley Nixon, who got her start on Masterpiece playing Sophy Hutton in Cranford, followed by a small role in the hilarious film Easy Virtue (my review). It is a testament to my love for Shaw that the forty year age difference between him & Nixon didn't seem *completely* unbelievable. The man has charisma. :)

Cartwright's other best friend is nerve specialist Dr. Bartholomew Strange, played by Art Malik - last seen in Upstairs Downstairs as Mr. Amanjit, and here is nearly unrecognizable without all that hair. Dr. Strange, Egg, and Poirot are the guests of honor at Cartwright's cocktail party, and the shocked witnesses to the sudden death of the kindly vicar Reverend Babbington (Nigel Pegram). The reverend was elderly and harmless - despite the suddenness of his passing, Poirot writes off his death as an unhappy coincidence - until Cartwright brings him the news that his friend Dr. Strange has dropped dead in the same manner at a similar party, held for almost the identical guest list as the first. A closer investigation reveals that a murderer is on the loose - but the disparities between the victims, and the broad assortment of potential motives among the partygoers raise more questions than answers. With the help of his friends and "the little grey cells" Poirot is in a race against the clock to discover the murderer before he can strike again.

As is the norm for this series, the cast is packed with a slew of familiar British acting talent, though in this case most of them serve as investigative red herrings. In addition to the main players I've already discussed, Kate Ashfield, a Masterpiece vet, appears as the ambitious playwright and astute observer of human nature Miss Wills. Ashfield played the role of Miep Gies in The Diary of Anne Frank (my review) and appeared opposite Douglas Henshall in Collision (my review). Anastasia Hille is a Mystery veteran, having appeared in memorable episodes of Inspector Lewis and Foyle's War. Here is plays high-end fashion designer Cynthia Dacres, which is really just an excuse to show case some AMAZING period fashions - seriously, the clothes in this episode were fabulous! Cynthia's husband is a wastrel gambler played by Ronan Vibert, who played a critical role in the Inspector Lewis universe, and is also a Scarlet Pimpernel veteran along with Shaw, where he played THE BEST ROBESPIERRE EVER.

My favorite random cast appearance is Tom Wisdom in the largely thankless role of Egg's rejected lover Oliver Manders. TOTAL EYE CANDY (at least he provides Egg with a nice back-up plan). Wisdom has appeared in modern classics like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (just so you know, I loved that movie) and in the category of so-bad-they're-awesome movies, The Dragon Chronicles: Fire & Ice. The latter is hilariously, wonderfully bad and I love every second of it. Wisdom also bears a more than passing resemblance to Ben Barnes, a.k.a. Prince Caspian. Thoughts?

 Barnes is on the left, and Wisdom is on the right. Amazing, no?

Three Act Tragedy is a stylish, well-constructed little film, and it ranks as one of my favorite Poirot episodes to be released in recent years. I loved the impression the film gave, that it was very intentionally filmed like a play - right down to Shaw's tendency to deliver his lines as though he's declaiming Shakespeare from the stage of the Globe Theatre. From the "scene change" moments featuring items like critical newspaper headlines, to the spotlights that stopped the action to shine on a murder victim, the whole film felt like a deliciously stylized 1930s-era play. And the "reveal" at the end of the investigation is perhaps one of my favorite Poirot moments ever. Suchet lets Poirot relish, just a bit, the detective's moment in the spotlight when he hijacks a play rehearsal. I've always gotten the feeling that Poirot thinks the world revolves around him, and for a few fantastic moments in Three Act Tragedy it does, and my favorite Belgian detective holds his audience captive.

If you caught this episode, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Especially if you've read the novel - based on the summary info online, I'm still rather shocked by how faithful the film seems to have remained to the book's essential elements. I thoroughly enjoyed this episode and look forward to revisiting it in the future!

• Watch Three Act Tragedy online through 7/19/11
• Preorder Three Act Tragedy as part of Poirot Movie Collection Set 6