Akiva Reads

The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot, #1)

by Agatha Christie

I should have known that a woman described as "mannish" and very direct could never be anything but the villain. Also, the brilliant doctor is tainted by "his Jewish blood." And he's a German spy. Good job.

Other than icky British aristocracy stuff like that, this was quite good and fun. Poirot makes me think of Miles Vorkosigan for some reason... maybe the combination of being brilliant, short, and hyperactive.

Relisten April 2020, on "Phoebe Reads a Mystery" podcast:

  1. I still ship Poirot/Hastings, there's reams of subtext. Hastings proposes marriage to a girl he barely knows, and it's equally funny to the girl and to me.

  2. What is it with brilliant detectives being super-condescending to their assistants? Especially since the assistant is the reader stand-in? It's obviously a winning formula, see also Sherlock Holmes.

  3. Did Phoebe Judge censor the part where the doctor is Jewish? I vaguely remembered that and was listening for it.