If there are some geniuses in our midst who are able to guess the murderer of a Marple or Poirot's mystery cases, I would like to challenge you in guessing the murderer for superintendent Battle stories. The writing style for Battle's stories is very much different from Marple and Poirot. The lead character in Battle's stories is Bundle. Alot of attention is being focused on Bundle, a girl who is hot-headed in seeking justice and solving mystery on her own. Bundle's investigation often overshadows Battle's and causes reader to have little knowledge on what is going on in Battle's investigation. And of course, we will be taken by surprise on how Battle's solve the mystery at the end of the book.
Character:
Well, some of Battle's books had been filmed but the detective was not Battle himself, but Marple. It hasn't been in the record of who starred Battle before. Hence the photo of 'Battle' is hard to find. To my delight, there are many other fans who are also eager to watch a Agatha Christie film, featuring Battle and his stories.
Superintendent Battle lives in Scotland Yard. He is a big man, stolid-looking with a wooden face. (That is the often expression Agatha Christie uses.) He looks extremely unintelligent and looks more like a commissionaire than detective. Commissionaire is often being referred to Hotel's porter and messenger in Europe. No doubts, Agatha wanted to mock another of her brilliant detective to the fullest.
Battle's cases (being revealed in seven dials mystery) are more political in nature. He largely being involved in cracking down of syndicates. However, the irony is that he maintains a bizarre relationship with the syndicates. He would join them over a coffee table top talking about the rivalry in gangster hood and would only come in when there is a crime.
In some angles, Battle may be no more than what he looks. He would have given Bundle a list of syndicate if she asked for it from him. That is so much of a trouble inviting; allowing Bundle to meddle around in her own investigation despite knowing the danger.
Nevertheless, Battle never need to kill steal (KS) Bundle's credit in the investigation of the murderer.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Poirot Bk : Double Sin and other stories (1/5)
Double Sin
Mystery: Poirot met Mary Durrant on a coach. They had lunch together at a peak stop. Mary Durrant ran after a man whom she thought taking her suitcase. However, Mary Durrant she found that his suitcase was not hers. Just when she thought everything seems fine, she found out that her dispatch suitcase's lock was broken and it's content, the valuable miniatures was stolen. The miniatures have managed to reach the designated buyer's hand 30 minutes before Mary reached the station where she wanted to meet the buyer, Mr J.Buklet Wood. An old tall woman, with grey hair brought the minatures, and sold them to Mr J.Buklet Wood.
Victim: Mary Durrant is working for her Aunt, Miss Penn, trading valuable miniatures. Miss Penn, was old lady but wheel chair bounded. The stolen miniatures worth 500 pounds.
- She seems to be foolish to confide to strangers about her assets and her purpose of travel so quickly. (Thinking that theif will only steal money)
- Her Aunt have had a rough time taking over the business left behind by her late father. However, she became successful in this business.
- When she was in the resturant having lunch, she saw a man taking a suitcase which was similiar to hers through the window.
Suspects:
1) Mr Nortan Kane, a rude man with a grown moustache, had alighted early at the peak stop despite paying for the full ride. He was seen by Mary taking his own suitcase from the coach at the peak stop. He could have overheard easily about the value of the miniatures from Mary. He met a lady at the peak stop and drove a fast car. It seems possible for them to steal the miniatures and went on a fast car to sell them to Mr Wood before Mary.
2) Mr J.Bucklet Wood, rich and ostentatious man, could have gotten someone to steal the miniatures and lie about buying the miniature with good faith.
Curious:
->Mr Nortan Kane took something from his luggage shortly after he put his in while the rests are eating lunch.
-> Mary sitting facing the window in a restaurant, not a feminine manner.
-> The thief would have stolen the whole dispatch suitcase contenting the miniatures from Mary's luggage, rather than spending the effort of breaking the lock of the dispatch suitcase.
Leads:
The return trip is faster because the coach goes in a loop.
Mystery: Poirot met Mary Durrant on a coach. They had lunch together at a peak stop. Mary Durrant ran after a man whom she thought taking her suitcase. However, Mary Durrant she found that his suitcase was not hers. Just when she thought everything seems fine, she found out that her dispatch suitcase's lock was broken and it's content, the valuable miniatures was stolen. The miniatures have managed to reach the designated buyer's hand 30 minutes before Mary reached the station where she wanted to meet the buyer, Mr J.Buklet Wood. An old tall woman, with grey hair brought the minatures, and sold them to Mr J.Buklet Wood.
Victim: Mary Durrant is working for her Aunt, Miss Penn, trading valuable miniatures. Miss Penn, was old lady but wheel chair bounded. The stolen miniatures worth 500 pounds.
- She seems to be foolish to confide to strangers about her assets and her purpose of travel so quickly. (Thinking that theif will only steal money)
- Her Aunt have had a rough time taking over the business left behind by her late father. However, she became successful in this business.
- When she was in the resturant having lunch, she saw a man taking a suitcase which was similiar to hers through the window.
Suspects:
1) Mr Nortan Kane, a rude man with a grown moustache, had alighted early at the peak stop despite paying for the full ride. He was seen by Mary taking his own suitcase from the coach at the peak stop. He could have overheard easily about the value of the miniatures from Mary. He met a lady at the peak stop and drove a fast car. It seems possible for them to steal the miniatures and went on a fast car to sell them to Mr Wood before Mary.
2) Mr J.Bucklet Wood, rich and ostentatious man, could have gotten someone to steal the miniatures and lie about buying the miniature with good faith.
Curious:
->Mr Nortan Kane took something from his luggage shortly after he put his in while the rests are eating lunch.
-> Mary sitting facing the window in a restaurant, not a feminine manner.
-> The thief would have stolen the whole dispatch suitcase contenting the miniatures from Mary's luggage, rather than spending the effort of breaking the lock of the dispatch suitcase.
Leads:
The return trip is faster because the coach goes in a loop.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Marple Bk 13: Sleeping murder
Gwen, a newly wed, came to a house at the hillside in England to prepare to settle in with her husband. She could not remember if she had been to England before. But in her night stay in the house, she felt eerie after seeing a dead woman on the ground floor in her dream. She felt that she had been here before. Later she found out that she had once lived in this house when she was four. If Gwen had been here before, then the she woman she saw in her dream was a recollection of the young Gwen's memory or it was just a scary nightmare?
Murdered?: Helen Spenlone Kennedy
She was the second wife of Kelvin Halliday, whom was Gwen's father. Thus Helen became Gwen's stepmother when Gwen was four.
-> It was just Gwen's dream that caused her to come to this conclusion. Gwen felt that the dead woman's face was very familar but could not recall who was she until she saw the photo of Helen.
-> But strangely, there was no dead body found in the house back then.
Mystery
-> Kelvin Halliday, Helen's husband, had the impression of him strangling Helen to death in the bedroom till he died in a nursing home. (Could have committed suicide?)
-> There was a letter written by Helen from aboard with her genuine hand writing after the mysterious disappearance of Helen.
Victim->
Helen was seemed to be flirtatious. She was a beautiful dancer and had many suitors, Walter Fane, Jackie Afflick and Mr Erskine. There is no reason to rule out any possibilties of Helen having any secret affair with anyone of them.
Suspects:
1) Kelvin Halliday-> He thought that he did really killed her.
- Woke up from a hangover and found Helen stangled to death in the bedroom, he ran to Dr Kennedy's house not far away. Kelvin and Kennedy went back to the crime sence, the bedroom, and strangely, they could not find Helen anymore.
- he believed himself that the reason why he could have done it was the€ Helen's letter to suggest parting with him.
- remembered that Helen had onced asked him to move out of the town together.
- Dr Kennedy, Helen's brother, found Kelvin to have some psychological disorder, after having received Helen's letter from aboard suggesting that she left with anyother man. Dr Kennedy refered Kelvin to a psychiatrist.
- Dr Pencose, Kelvin's psychiatrist, could not find any psychological problems in Kelvin. He would have believed that Kelvin was not mad and did committ a murder, if Dr Kennedy had not provided the evidence that Helen leaving with someone else.
2)Walter Fane-> A Lawyer
- Helen changed her mind about marrying him when she reached India.
- claims to have only friendship relationship with Helen.
- (his account): Helen had mentioned to him that she feared her brother, Kennedy, who was over protective for her.
3) Jackie Affrick-> was one of the member of a entertaining comical group;'Funnybone'.
- shows affection towards Helen
4) Richard Erskine-> a married man with a jeolous wife.
- fully convinced that Helen was dead.
- He could not reached Helen anymore after her mysterious disappearance.
- convinced by Kelvin's story of murdering her.
Witness:
-> Edith Pagett, a housemaid. She heard Helen had a fiece argument with a man.
->Leonie, a swiss girl. She could have possibly saw the murder.
- had bad english
-went back to switzerland.
-told Lily who the murderer could have been.
2nd Victim: Lily Kimble.
Marple had scheduled for Lily Kimble to return to help in the investigation. However, Lily was strangled at a train station before the designated train station. She had also boarded an earlier trian as opposed to the timing writter in Dr kennedy letter. Lily could have possibly met up with the murderer to blackmail him and the murderer died her.
Leads:
-there are some changes in the layout of the house. The stairs to the main door were changed.
-Helen's letter was proved to be geniunely written by her, by her brother, Dr Kennedy.
A possible 20 years ago mystery that was thought to be solved, was awakened. And it claimed one more life. Should the mystery case be left asleep?
Murdered?: Helen Spenlone Kennedy
She was the second wife of Kelvin Halliday, whom was Gwen's father. Thus Helen became Gwen's stepmother when Gwen was four.
-> It was just Gwen's dream that caused her to come to this conclusion. Gwen felt that the dead woman's face was very familar but could not recall who was she until she saw the photo of Helen.
-> But strangely, there was no dead body found in the house back then.
Mystery
-> Kelvin Halliday, Helen's husband, had the impression of him strangling Helen to death in the bedroom till he died in a nursing home. (Could have committed suicide?)
-> There was a letter written by Helen from aboard with her genuine hand writing after the mysterious disappearance of Helen.
Victim->
Helen was seemed to be flirtatious. She was a beautiful dancer and had many suitors, Walter Fane, Jackie Afflick and Mr Erskine. There is no reason to rule out any possibilties of Helen having any secret affair with anyone of them.
Suspects:
1) Kelvin Halliday-> He thought that he did really killed her.
- Woke up from a hangover and found Helen stangled to death in the bedroom, he ran to Dr Kennedy's house not far away. Kelvin and Kennedy went back to the crime sence, the bedroom, and strangely, they could not find Helen anymore.
- he believed himself that the reason why he could have done it was the€ Helen's letter to suggest parting with him.
- remembered that Helen had onced asked him to move out of the town together.
- Dr Kennedy, Helen's brother, found Kelvin to have some psychological disorder, after having received Helen's letter from aboard suggesting that she left with anyother man. Dr Kennedy refered Kelvin to a psychiatrist.
- Dr Pencose, Kelvin's psychiatrist, could not find any psychological problems in Kelvin. He would have believed that Kelvin was not mad and did committ a murder, if Dr Kennedy had not provided the evidence that Helen leaving with someone else.
2)Walter Fane-> A Lawyer
- Helen changed her mind about marrying him when she reached India.
- claims to have only friendship relationship with Helen.
- (his account): Helen had mentioned to him that she feared her brother, Kennedy, who was over protective for her.
3) Jackie Affrick-> was one of the member of a entertaining comical group;'Funnybone'.
- shows affection towards Helen
4) Richard Erskine-> a married man with a jeolous wife.
- fully convinced that Helen was dead.
- He could not reached Helen anymore after her mysterious disappearance.
- convinced by Kelvin's story of murdering her.
Witness:
-> Edith Pagett, a housemaid. She heard Helen had a fiece argument with a man.
->Leonie, a swiss girl. She could have possibly saw the murder.
- had bad english
-went back to switzerland.
-told Lily who the murderer could have been.
2nd Victim: Lily Kimble.
Marple had scheduled for Lily Kimble to return to help in the investigation. However, Lily was strangled at a train station before the designated train station. She had also boarded an earlier trian as opposed to the timing writter in Dr kennedy letter. Lily could have possibly met up with the murderer to blackmail him and the murderer died her.
Leads:
-there are some changes in the layout of the house. The stairs to the main door were changed.
-Helen's letter was proved to be geniunely written by her, by her brother, Dr Kennedy.
A possible 20 years ago mystery that was thought to be solved, was awakened. And it claimed one more life. Should the mystery case be left asleep?
Marple BL2: Thirteen problems (13/13)
Death By Drowning (Colonel Bantry's account)
Under maintenance......
Under maintenance......
Monday, June 21, 2010
Marple Bk2: Thirteen problem (11/13)
The Affair at the bungalow (Jane Helier's account)
Mystery: Leslie being mistaken as burglar of Miss Mary Kerr's bungalow. The jewellery, locked up in jewel case, was stolen. The drawers opened and the content were rifled through.
Marple Bk2: Thirteen problems (11/13)
The Herb of death (Mrs Bantry's account)
Victims: A girl, from Toomie's family, died of ptomaine poisoning- a type of food poisoning while eating on the same table with her family. The rest of the Toomie family members fell ill after Mrs MacArthur sending some herbs to Mrs Toomie for cook.
Was the dead girl targeted to die while the others were to be kept alive?
Sir Ambrace was older and weaker than the girl. The poison in the food should have killed Sir Ambrace before her. Was Sir Ambrace the target, but the unfortunate girl died in his place?
Suspects:
1) Mrs MacArthur
2) Mrs Toomie
3) Sir Ambrose
4) Syliva-> her daily job is to pluck the leaves for cooking.
5) Jerry-> absence when the poisoning took place.
Leads-> Sir Ambrose was sticking against Sylvia's marriage with Jerry Lorimer.
-> Sir Ambrose was believed to be suffering from heart pain.
-> The poison was caused by foxglove- digital leaves which acts on the heart. However it is a valuable drugs for heart trouble.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Marple Bk 2: Thirteen problems (10/13)
A Christmas Tragedy (Miss Marple's account)
Death=> 1. Hall porter-> die of bronchitis's & pneumonia.
2. Housemaid-> had an infection on her septic finger and died in 24 hrs.
3. Mrs Sanders found dead on the floor in a room, facing downward dead.
Was it accident? Mr Sanders lost his balance, fell down against his wife, sending her head first down the stairs. Fortunately, a strongman caught her.
Suspects:
Mr Sanders-> came to the room with Marple's group of ladies to the room and discovered that her wife was dead.
=> could not have possibly killed his wife
-> Mrs Sanders left after playing bridge at 6.15pm. She should reach home at 6.30pm.
-> Mr Sanders went out from 5.30pm and shopped till 6.45pm with Hitchcock and Spender. Later he met Miss Marple's group of ladies and was with them all the way.
Gladys-> Her hat was found on the floor.
Lead-> Pearls below the brim of the hat.
-> Jewel case was rifled
-> Hat cupboard which was in the scene of crime, was locked and no one could have hidden inside.
-> Mrs Sanders' hand was icy cold.
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