My absence, again, is excused!

Either you have a wonderful view of the castle and the mountains - or you have shadow all day long. We opted for shadow. I have to make five steps to actually see the castle!

A title and a plot

45. THE LISTERDALE MYSTERY
Another collection of short stories by Agatha. Stories that include murder, theft, fraud, kidnap, good deed and even James Bond. Yes, James Bond. He does not drive an Austin Martin or drink Martinis, but there he is. The stories are very versatile but they have one thing in common: surprising ending.

Memorable quotes:
-"Just like one of those books that keep you up all night. The heroine always says „I can't explain“ in the first chapter. She explains in the last, of course, and there's never any real reason why she shouldn't have done so in the beginning – except that it would spoil the story."
-"...I'm intelligent and good-looking and well educated. What more does anyone want?"
-"That was the worst of taking girls out, They always wanted everything they saw."
-"The two essentials for a story were a title and a plot - the rest was mere spade-work..."

Favourite Guest Character: Sir Edward Palliser
Favourite Stories: Philomel Cottage and Mr Eastwood's Adventure
Mystery: **
Final Solution: ****
Entertainment: ***
9/15


44. THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES (Poirot)
A perfect start to a perfect carrier! Agatha's first published novel in which Hercule Poirot, Hastings and Japp are introduced. Hastings is invited to Styles by his friend John, who would inherit the country manor if his stepmom hadn't married a much younger and suspicious looking chap. One night, she is found dead behind locked doors and it seems that all the leads point to one person. Or do they? Maybe... Luckily Poirot is there to solve the mystery.

Memorable quotes:
-"Never trust a man, Dorcas, they're not worth it!"
-"Two is enough for a secret."
-"With precision of the fingers goes precision of the brain."
-"A man in love is a sorry spectacle."
-"We may hunt together again, who knows?"

Favourite Guest Character: Hm. Cynthia
Mystery: ****
Final Solution: *****
Entertainment: ***
12/15


43. CAT AMONG THE PIGEONS (a bit of Poirot)
A good looking gardener in a School for girls! A prince with jewels from the Middle East. A body in the new Sports Pavilion. A very effective headmistress. And a little bit of Poirot.

Memorable quotes:
-"To know when to go - that was one of the great necessities of life."
-"The awful thing is that one can't go by other people's experience, can one?"
-"Miss Bulstrode had another faculty which demonstrated her superiority over most other women. She could listen."
-"Life would be very dull if we agreed with each other on every subject."
-"A certain amount of tradition is good but never too much."

Favourite Guest Character: Miss Bulstrode
Mystery: **
Final Solution: ***
Entertainment: ****
9/15

Brown, brown, brown & brown

Brown is not my favourite colour. That's why it's quite surprising that currently four different brown fabrics are on my to-sew pile. They are as different as they can be.
Linen:

Jersey:


Cotton:


Viscose:



Expect more brown posts in the near future!

Derrière une porte

Can you imagine that a couple of years ago I was able to write stories in French? I certainly can't. But now I decided that it's time to so something about it so I started reading Le Petit Nicolas and Asterix again. In French.


A homework I wrote some years ago:

Derrière une porte

Dans un petit village du sud de la France il y a une petite rue. Les maisons au bord de la rue sont anciennes et rustiques. La rue pourrait être un monument culturel si elle était dans une ville célèbre ou s'il y avait un ancien cloître à son bout. Mais, ce n'est pas le cas. La rue et ses habitants sont ordinaires, authentiques, pas influencés par le tourisme.
Dans cette rue, il y a une porte. La porte est petite comme tout le village. Fabriquée en bois et toujours fermée, on ne peut pas voir ce qui se cache derrière elle. Si on rencontrait la propriétaire qui a les clefs, on pourrait ouvrir la porte et examiner l'intérieur, mais la propriétaire n'est jamais là. Donc, on ne verra jamais la cave à vin que restera enfermée derrière la porte. On ne verra pas les vieilles barriques, empilées jusqu'au plafond et pleines de vin. On ne verra pas non plus les bouteilles qui sont prêtes au remplissage et finalement, on ne verra pas la sortie de l'autre côté de la cave.
A l’instant, un homme est en train d’entrer dans la cave mais nous ne le voyons pas. Il est âgé et très maigre, il a du mal à y aller à pied. Il allume la lumière, le son de l’interrupteur résonne entre les vieux murs de pierre. Traversant des toiles d'araignée, il s’approche lentement d’une table sur laquelle on trouve des bouteilles.. Bien qu'il soit fatigué, ses yeux indiquent qu'il aime ce qu'il fait.
Aujourd'hui il va embouteiller du vin. Il va verser du vin dans les bouteilles et attentivement et prudemment installer des bouchons. C'est un travail qu'il adore. Embouteillant le vin il se rappelle des vignobles en hiver, des premières feuilles au printemps, de l'été et de la sécheresse et des fruits en automne. Ca le rend un peu mélancolique parce que c'est une nouvelle part de sa vie qui se termine. D'un autre côté, il est heureux parce qu’il a réussi tout seul : son vin est délicieux.
Enfin, il va prendre les étiquettes, que sa nièce a dessinées et préparées. Elles représentent un paysage rural avec des vignobles et un dessin de lui. En se regardant il se sent fier. Il signe les étiquettes en tremblant et les compte. Il sait que la séparation de ses bouteilles, ses enfants, ne sera pas facile, mais la vie doit continuer.
Les bouteilles seront vendues aux meilleurs restaurants de Paris. Elles rendront les clients heureux. Toute le monde se demandera où est celui qui fabrique un tel vin mais personne n’aura la réponse parce qu'elle reste cachée derrière une petite porte dans une petite rue dans un petit village dans le sud de la France.

Nothing's too late

42. WHILE THE LIGHT LASTS
A collection of early short stories, including her first one. Some romance, some mystery and a real treasure hunt on the Isle of Man. You can tell that she was not yet her real self but was getting there...

Memorable quotes:
-"It is useful to know the rules - if only to break them."
-"'Do you believe in dreams?'-'I believe in nightmares.'"
-"'Nothing's too late - ever', said the little lady, with the vehement earnestness of the very young."
-"Babies, whatever their mothers may think, do not always photograph well."
-"It is very necessary for a woman to lie, it is a good weapon."

Favourite Guest Character: Olga Stormer
Favourite Stories: The Mystery of the Baghdad Chest, Manx Gold
Mystery: *
Final Solution: **
Entertainment/Interestingness: ****
7/15


41. SPIDER'S WEB (a play)
A master of playing tricks finds herself in a pretty tricky situation. A bunch of friends help hiding a body without knowing who they're really helping. Secret drawers, secret passages, secret messages and a deal too good to be true.

Memorable quotes:
-"Nobody ever believes me when I'm speaking the truth."

Favourite Guest Character: Clarissa
Mystery: **
Final Solution: ***
Entertainment: ****
9/15


40. THE MAN IN THE BROWN SUIT
Anne witnesses an accident but something that was left just wasn't right. Her sense of smell brings her to an empty house and the sense for adventure brings her to South Africa. The story has it all: action, drama, comedy, mystery, romance, diamonds, remote islands and very enjoyable characters!

Memorable quotes:
-"It is really a very hard life. Men will not be nice to you if you are not good-looking, and women will not be nice to you if you are."
-"My object in life is to be thoroughly comfortable."
-"He had false teeth that clicked when he ate. Many men have been hated for less."
-"And all women, without in the least meaning it, consider every man they meet as a possible husband for themselves or their best friend."
-"Aqua calda certainly ought to be cold water - not hot."
-"A man who has shot lions in large quantities has an unfair advantage over other men."

Favourite Guest Characters: Anne, Suzanne, and Pagget are good but Sir Eustace Pedler is probably the funniest creature Agatha ever invented! Love him.
Mystery: ****
Final Solution: ****
Entertainment: *****
13/15

My absence is excused!

Just a sneak preview for the impatient:

Healthy neglect

39. DUMB WITNESS/POIROT LOSES A CLIENT (Poirot)
A will is written and later changed. A letter is received and a letter written. A client is lost but a dog is gained. Poirot discusses psychology of a dog but it is the psychology of the killer that solves the case.

Memorable quotes:
-"Well, what I say is, it's lucky when you're pleased with what the Lord has given you. It's usually the other way about."
-"... I prefer the life of the innocent to the conviction of the guilty."
-"It's a matter of reasoning," said Poirot. "The dog, he argues from reason. He is intelligent; he makes his deductions according to his point of view. There are people who may enter a house and there are people who may not - that a dog soon learns. Eh bien, I who is the person who most persistently tries to gain admission, rattling on the door twice or three times a day - and who is never by any chance admitted? The postman. Clearly, then, an undesirable guest from the point of view of the master of the house. He is always sent about his business, but he persistently returns and tries again. Then a dog's duty is clear, to aid in driving this undesirable man away, and to bite him if possible. A most reasonable proceeding."

Favourite Guest Character: Bob!
Mystery: **
Final Solution: ***
Entertainment: ***
8/15

38. FIVE LITTLE PIGS (Poirot)
Fourteen years after Mrs. Crale has been convicted, her daughter asks Poirot to investigate her father's death, a famous painter who died of poisoning. He hears five different stories, meets five witnesses, reads five narratives, learns that every little word counts and that one should discuss private things in private.

Memorable quotes:
-"Youth is so vulnerable. It is so ruthless - so sure. So generous and so demanding."
-"Trees grow faster than one thinks."
-"The best thing for a child, I am convinced, is to have what I should term healthy neglect on the part of both its parents."
-"The people who do us most harm are the people who shield us from reality."

Favourite Guest Character: Mrs. Crale
Mystery: **
Final Solution: ****
Entertainment: ***
9/15

37. MURDER ON THE LINKS (Poirot)
Things go wrong for Poirot. Things go wrong for the victim. Things go wrong for the victim's wife. Things go wrong for a stranger. Things go wrong for pretty much anyone involved. Except for Hastings who finds the love of his life.

Memorable quotes:
-"A woman, I consider, should be womanly."
-"Man is an unoriginal animal."
-"Poirot's incurable habit of making a mystery out of nothing never failed to irritate me."
-"For whom will a woman lie? Sometimes for herself, usually for the man she loves, always for her children. "

Favourite Guest Characters: Jack Renauld, Mr. Stonor
Mystery: ***
Final Solution: ***
Entertainment: **
8/15