Dead Man's Folly -- Agatha Christie [Book Review] [Spoilers Second Half]

[@johncrwarner]

The David Suchet adaption was filmed at Greenway House where Agatha Christie lived (It was given to the National Trust in 2000 so can be visited) I think that helped tremendously but also led to the interiors not being used so much as it is (I suspect) laid out as Agatha Christie left it.

[@mikegseclecticreads]

Well that explains it! Thanks for sharing that, I didn't realize it :)

[@58christiansful]

Wonderful- like your other reviews. Mrs Ffolliatt is the most memorable character

[@robertthomson1587]

I've always thought that Christie cheated unfairly in this one. In the final exposition of the case to Mrs Folliat - a wonderfully portrayed character by the way - Poirot describes Marlene repeating her "batty" grandfather Merdell's comments about the history of Nassecombe and the Folliat family. One of those comments explicitly identifies the impersonation that has been taking place. Yet Marlene doesn't mention it to the readers during the one scene in which she appears and makes references to her grandfather's reminiscences. A solution which relies on evidence that is mentioned for the first time during the solution itself is a cheat.

[@stardustmemory000083]

Yes, Dead Man's Folly works is infinitely cleaner in its original novella form, "Greenshore Folly". One of Christie's frustrations was that novellas weren't commercially viable--too long for magazines, too short to be published serialized or standalone. One gets the sense we the readers would have been spared some of the more trope-y or ridiculous characters without the need for a novel's word count.

[@mikegseclecticreads]

Yeah that's too bad -- I actually really enjoyed the stories in the Murder in the Mews collection, which are the only ones I've encountered so far that seemed to fit that novella length. And I think it was for that reason: enough time for the characters to shine but without ever growing tedious. E.g. Jane Plenderleith from the title story in that collection is one of my favorite Christie characters.

[@danecobain]

I feel like this is an under-rated Christie. Funnily enough, I first experienced this one through an item finding video game :D

[@mikegseclecticreads]

Nice! I can definitely see this one working as a game, exploring the grounds for clues

[@Sebastian-lw5qb]

I remember this game and played it as well. There were similar ones for Death on the Nile and Peril at End House, I think.

[@danecobain]

@@Sebastian-lw5qb Yeah! I played those too!

[@user-pf6yx3su4p]

Mike, I wonder how you understand the title of the book, 'cause it's quite puzzling - 1. If we take folly to mean architectural construction, and if the folly belongs to George Stubbs ,i.e, Folliatt's architectural construction, then why is it a dead man's folly, if George Stubbs i.e., George Folliatt is actually very much alive? Can it possibly refer to the fake persona of George Folliatt, who pretended to be dead, so he could dodge the war? 2. Does it possibly refer to the woman buried underneath, Hattie Stubbs, and if so, shouldn't the title rather be Dead Woman's Folly? 3.if we take folly to mean "foolishness", then it must refer to George Stubbs' foolishness, or silliness in building a useless and out-of-the-way architectural construction - in that case why "Dead man's folly", when George Stubbs is very much alive? There is no indication by the end of the novel that he dies, unless he is tried and convicted for the murder of the real Hattie Stubbs , which can only be surmised.

[@mikegseclecticreads]

Good question -- I like to think there was a bit of both meanings of the word "folly" intended with the title. I had the same thought about (2) but I can understand why she didn't make it Dead Woman's Folly since that would have been a dead giveaway 😂 Hadn't thought so much about (1), but I like that interpretation. I guess it was also a bit of folly for him to build the folly in such a weird place since this ended up being a clue leading to his own demise.

[@58christiansful]

You never did Cat Among the pigeons, did you?

[@mikegseclecticreads]

Not yet ... but I've recorded that one and it'll be my next one up!

[@dwayne_2023]

🤍☺️