Evil Under the Sun: Surprises One after One

The story starts with Poirot taking a vacation to a cruise resort and the background story of the resort, Leathercombe Bay, was written in the first chapter as the prologue of the novel.

Besides Poirot and the policemen, there are 14 characters involved in the related party. The victim of the case is Arlena Stuart Marshall, an extremely beautiful ex-actress that married a quiet, proud and responsible man, Captain Kenneth Marshall. However, Arlena’s reputation is poor among people at the resort. According to the comment of Rosamund, Kenneth’s smart and all-time sweetheart, Arlena, is a “gold-digger” and a “man-eater”. The one who shows obviously the hatred toward Arlena is Linda, whose stepmother is Arlena; another person is Christine Redfern, the wife of Patrick Redfern, the later falls in love with Arlena.

First, it seems that the death of Arlena on a remote small island is an accidence; however, after the tension between each related party is observed, the accidence turns out to be premeditated murder.

This is the second novel I read that is written by Agatha. I read the Murder on the Orient Express back in London, but I didn’t read it constantly and it took me a long time to finish the book; therefore, I didn’t build a strong emotion toward her novel back in the time. This time, however, I finished the novel within a month, and I have to say, I’m so impressed with the story. As a non-expert in crime and mystery novels, perhaps this genre of the story is usually written in the constant dialogue of the characters, still, I’m intrigued by the narrating design in the book that makes me feel like I am joining or eavesdropping on their conversation.

Even though there are more than 14 characters in this novel, Agatha developed so well the background and the characteristics of each role; as a result, it’s not too difficult to remember each of them. Especially, some of the main characters definitely are having a distinctive way of behaving and talking.

SPOILER ALERT

One of the most impressive parts of the novel is the plot where Poirot pointed out that it is bizarre for Mrs Redfern to say that Arlena was being blackmailed when no one ever mentioned it. As Poirot finishes his sentence, the rest of the page is left with a huge blank, without any continuation. I remember so well that the design of this page gave me goosebumps while reading it in the middle of the night in bed, I certainly felt the chill on my back.

The other part that I love, is that Agatha makes us believe that Linda, Rosamond and Captain Marshall are the murderers; NONETHELESS, she quickly overthrows Poirot’s reasoning one by one. All of a sudden, at the end of chapter 12, she finally makes Poirot reveal the real murderer – Patrick. Contrary to the handsome and timid image he had throughout the book, Patrick becomes furious like a totally different man:

Patrick Redfern had risen. His handsome face was transformed, suffused with blood, blind with rage. It was the face of a killer – of a tiger. He yelled:

‘You damned interfering mudering lousy little worm!’

He hurled himself forward, his fingers stretching, and curling, his voice raving curses, as he fastened his fingers round Hercule Poirot’s throat…

p. 253, CHAPTER 12

It’s also brilliant that the whole of chapter 13 is dedicated to Poirot’s final reasoning, almost without the interruption of other characters; moreover, there is no mention of what happens to Patrick at the end of the story, because, of course, he is arrested.