Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

I wanted to get this book in before the movie came out and the book was rebranded with movie pictures and the cast is on the cover. I was not disappointed, the characters and multiple murders were a treat. The reader is kept in suspense while possible suspects are eliminated and then finally a few twists are revealed that put everything in place.

Poirot is enjoying a much deserved vacation and stumbles into a not one, not two, but three murders on a boat going down the Nile. With a few plot twists thrown in and side stories that make you smile the book is a fantastic example of how Agatha Christie wrote timeless tales of murder and the motives are as current as they were when the story was originally written. The reader will dread putting down the book as the possible suspects are limited to who is on the boat and seems to narrow and then expand at each murder. This book might be my favorite murder mystery that Agatha Christie wrote.

Character List/Book Summary:

Hercule Poirot = recognizes Simon Doyles  voice, realizes Linnet is upset and hiding something, has an idea of who the agitator/murder is that Col. Race is looking for

Linnet Ridgeway = daughter of Melhuish Ridgeway, inherits from her father Leopold Hartz, going to announce an engagement to Lord Windlesham, but ends up marrying her friend’s fiance instead, is murdered on her honeymoon.

Joanna Southwood = borrows Linnet’s pearl necklace, tells Linnet to drop Jackie, cousin to Tim Allerton, helps with a jewelry ring

Jackie de Bellefort = terrible bad luck, knew Linnet from Convent, broke for 2 years, asks Linnet to give her fiance, Simon, a job. Shows up on Linnet’s honeymoon and threatens her and Simon with a gun

Simon Doyle = Jackie is engaged to him, he is a poor man who just signs what is infront of him. Marries Linnet and doesn’t understand why Jackie can’t heartbreak like a man and not cause a fuss, gets shot in the leg by Jackie one night on the boat

Tim Allerton = likes gossiping with Joanna who tells him Linnet will marry and be on a cruise in Egypt.

Mrs. Allerton = Tim’s mom, does not like Joanna, is interested in people, thinks Rosalie is hurting, scared of Jackie, asks that Poirot be seated at her table so she and Time can talk with him

Cornelia Robson = Marie’s cousin, there when Simon is shot

Marie Van Schuyler = asks her cousin to go to Egypt with her, claims she saw Miss Otterbourne look over the rail when she heard the splash (was really throwing alcohol overboard), her stole is wrapped around the recovered pistol

Andrew Pennington = Linnet’s American trust manager, finds out she is married and plots to intercept her on the cruise to sign paperwork

Jim Fanthrop = Linnet’s English trust manager sends him to Egypt to make sure nothing funny is signed. Complements Linnet on reading all documents before she signs them, there when Simon is shot and claims he is unable to find the pistol.

Rosalie Otterbourne = going to Egypt after reading about Linnet’s wedding announcement

Guido Richetti = claims to be an archaeologist.

Salome Otterbourne = Rosalie’s mother, has a secret, author of fantasy novels, not nice to her daughter

Dr. Bessner = on the boat and provides aid to Simon after he was shot in the leg