“There was a crooked man, and he walked a crooked mile.
He found a crooked sixpence against a crooked stile.
He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse,
And they all lived together in a little crooked house.”
Author: Agatha Christie
Page count: 302
Genres: Fiction, Crime, Thriller, Murder Mystery, Dysfunctional Family
Recommended age: 13+
*Spoiler Alert: The part grey text may contain a few spoilers, while the
black text is completely spoiler-free.*
Dive in wisely~
Is it possible to pass on moral or ethical failings? Is immorality or “crookedness” a by-product of inheriting an enormous fortune, or does prosperity only include all the joys of this world? Would you still want to inherit a fortune if you knew that you would constantly be in danger of losing your life?
Synopsis:
The year is 1950, and the 87-year-old Anglo-Greek business tycoon and the head patriarch of his house, Aristide Leonides, is dead—murdered in his own house. Born in Greece, a young and destitute Aristide came to England in 1884, worked his way up, and evolved into a self-made millionaire. Equipped with motive and opportunity, the suspicion inevitably falls on his family members, who were the only ones in the house during the time of the murder.
Aristide's second wife, Brenda, age 34, is the most suspected person. Her decision to marry such an elderly man was always viewed as being driven solely by money. Aristide’s two sons, Philip and Roger, along with their respective wives, Magda and Clemency, and Philip and Magda’s children - Sophia, Eustace, and Josephine are staying in the same mansion due to the blitz. Three generations—all living together under the same roof.
Charles Hayward, the main protagonist and beau of Sophia, has returned to London after being posted to the Far East. Upon returning, he comes across the recent death of Aristide Leonides in the local newspaper. Sophia tells him the only way they may get married is if the case is successfully solved. He is determined to unravel this mystery and marry his fiancée. Luckily, he has been assigned to the case along with Chief Inspector Taverner.
The plot unfolds, introducing all sorts of characters and their thought processes, including what motivates someone to carry out such a heinous deed against their own family, how one has their first kill, and how, after the deed is done, the killer grows even more formidable and self-assured and will not hesitate to carry out another murder.
Review:
I have been looking forward to writing this review for a very long time. This was my first time delving into the literary world of Agatha Christie’s works, and I was beyond excited. You may be a fan of any particular genre, but a good murder mystery story will surely pique your interest. Crooked House was also a personal favourite of Agatha Christie's, and she regarded it as “a pure pleasure to write.”
The story is written in the first-person POV, and we follow the plot solely through the eyes of Charles Hayward. The choice of POV provides the readers with only limited insight and understanding of our murder suspects. Since it was published in 1949, it contains some words that could be considered archaic, but overall, the language of the book was easy to follow.
‘Crooked House’ will challenge your preconceptions and force you to think critically. You will be prompted to ask questions that are seldom raised or discussed—Does crookedness run in the family or is that learned? Can we actually thwart a crime before it even happens? How far can criminal profiling prove to be useful? and the eternal debate of nature vs. nurture. Moreover, you become acquainted with the true meaning of the “Crooked House” (the Leonides mansion's informal title).
When I was halfway through the book, I had some theory as to who might have done it. While reading through the climax, I was left speechless and in awe. Nobody could have possibly guessed the identity of the murderer or their motivation. Each character rants and raves about the others throughout the plot. Each one had a distinct narrative to present and a distinct retelling of it.
It’s a great book if you want to learn what goes behind the process of killing someone for the first time, or if you are wondering whether people always need a strong motive to kill. Truth be told, humans frequently disregard and overlook the warning signs of narcissistic and psychopathic tendencies. Crooked House is a huge win for those who are keen on learning more about behavioural and criminal psychology.
Agatha Christie tried to shed light on a topic that isn't much covered. The book started off with a great deal of promise, but as it went on, it just felt like incessant rambling with no end in sight. The ending was flat and rushed. Possibly extending the climax or adding adequate specifics during the climax would have been better. I would give it a 3.5/5. Crooked House might not be the safest bet if you're intending to read an Agatha Christie novel for the first time.
Some Intriguing And Insightful Quotes
“What are murderers like? Some of them, have been thoroughly nice chaps.”
“Murder, you see, is an amateur crime. I'm speaking of course of the kind of murder you have in mind - not gangster stuff. One feels, very often, as though these nice ordinary chaps had been overtaken, as it were, by murder, almost accidentally. They've been in a tight place, or they've wanted something very badly, money or a woman - and they've killed to get it. The brake that operates with most of us doesn't operate with them.”
“But some people, I suspect, remain morally immature. They continue to be aware that murder is wrong, but they do not feel it. I don’t think, in my experience, that any murderer has really felt remorse … And that, perhaps, is the mark of Cain. Murderers are set apart, they are ‘different’—murder is wrong—but not for them—for them it is necessary—the victim has ‘asked for it,’ it was ‘the only way.”
“I think people more often kill those they love, than those they hate. Possibly because only the people you love can really make life unendurable to you.”
“Child's evidence is always the best evidence there is. I'd rely on it every time. No good in court, of course. Children can't stand being asked direct questions. They mumble or else look idiotic and say they don't know. They're at their best when they're showing off.”
“It is always a shock to meet again someone whom you have not seen for a long time but who has been very much present in your mind during that period.”
“Curious thing, rooms. Tell you quite a lot about the people who live in them.”
Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions or to write your review. Let me know your thoughts. Also, if you have any book recommendations, don't hesitate to mention them. I appreciate your time and patience if you have read this far.
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