A Rule Against Murder

Example (Christie): The crime scene was short and undetailed compared to the investigation, which was slow-paced and built up to the ending.

Example (Penny): The crime scene was detailed, but the investigation focused more on the statue than the corpse itself. It focused more on how the statue fell which brought attention on the investigation more than the murder.

Main point 2:

· Connection(s) to Death on the Nile and A Rule Against Murder: Christie and Penny will often weave games within games to increase the dimension of their work. They use emotional distancing through additional unhelpful clues to make puzzle more challenging to the viewer.

Example (Christie): Most of the investigation focuses on the event of the first killing, Poirot is entirely focused on the person who might have witnessed Jackie shooting Simon right out of the room, distracting us from the truth.

Example (Penny): The investigation first revolves around mainly the family as it is assumed it was one of them who had committed the crime when it was actually the maitre d’. It was also assumed that the murder was personally against Julia when actually it rooted from his hatred towards David Martin.

Main point 3:

· Connection(s) to Death on the Nile and A Rule Against Murder: Christie and Penny exercise a concept of struggle to accomplish a goal or conclusion throughout the investigation.

Example (Christie): The writer uses the main murder and the setting to manipulate the characters into being considered all suspects. She uses unhelpful clues such as the pearls being stolen, and the snake in Poirot’s bathroom, as well as the J written in blood on the bedframe.

Example (Penny): Like Christie, Penny uses unhelpful clues such as the letters found in the fireplace and Elliot’s disappearance to deceive and confuse the reader.

Main point 4:

· Connection(s) to Death on the Nile and A Rule Against Murder: Agatha Christie likes to use nursery rhymes in their books. Penny however, uses poems and stories.

Example (Christie): When Jackie was on the bar, drunkenly talking; she uses this as a scheme to divert the attention off her possibly being the murderer.

Example (Penny): She uses the WW2 Aviator poem as well as the story of Pandora’s Box. She uses that to explore the relationships between the Morrows.

Main point 5:

· Connection(s) to Death on the Nile and A Rule Against Murder: The murderers in their books usually use a cover up (cover up victim), which is often the result of other murders or framing.

Example (Christie): Use of blackmailer to reveal the identity of the killer; Jackie kills Marie the chambermaid after she finds out she knows the truth and tried to use it against her.

Example (Penny): Use of Elliot, his disappearance and the crumbled-up notes found in the fireplace are used in an attempt to take the attention off Pierre and onto Elliot.

Main point 6:

· Connection(s) to Death on the Nile and A Rule Against Murder: Christie and Penny use character behaviour such as body language and specific quirks that reflects their personality as hints.

Example (Christie): In Simon’s room, Poirot investigates Marie the chambermaid and gives away personal emotions that gives away her knowledge on the murder mystery (sweating, nervous talking).

Example (Penny): Bean, who usually plays by himself in secluded spaces found himself playing by the statue where he got stung by a bee, which lead Gamache to figure out that there was sugar on the statue (which is what initially attracted the bees). He was then able to figure out the sugar is the reason the statue fell over, revealing it was Pierre.

Main point 7:

· Connection(s) to Death on the Nile and A Rule Against Murder: Agatha Christie she like to “handicap” or “blind” the readers from the truth to confuse the events.

Example (Christie): Dr. Sheppard was missing knives, first person to assist Simon after shot, he was rageful after accusation from Poirot.

Example (Penny): Chef Veronique’s love for Pierre is used to make us believe that she could have committed murder as a crime of passion. Also, it was mentioned that she was responsible for the beekeeping at the Manoir, making her a suspect until the disappearance of Elliot, which she reported.

Main point 8:

· Connection(s) to Death on the Nile and A Rule Against Murder: Christie and Penny like to use physical objects as evidence.

Example (Christie): The gun, the vinegar, the nail polish bottle, the necklaces, the bullets.

Example (Penny): The sugar (shortage of), the statue, the letters.

Citation

Guillermin, John, director. Death On The Nile. 1978. UK.

Maida, Patricia D. Spornick, Nicholas B. “The Puzzle-Game”. Mansfield-Kelley, Deane, and Lois A. Marchino. The Longman Anthology of Detective Fiction. Pearson/Longman, 2005.

Penny, Louise. A Rule against Murder. Sphere, 2011.