Towards Zero (Agatha Christie Collection)

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Spanner in the Works: Angus MacWhirter ends up being this to Nevile Strange by manner of Contrived Coincidence of stopping Audrey from killing herself after being accused and then securing a critical piece of evidence in the form of a damp rope used by the culprit to climb into the house after swimming from the creek. Yes, I am puzzled, I must confess. The true feelings of the parties remain obscure, but in my opinion, there is gunpowder about. The explosion may come any minute. Mr Treves Superintendent Battle: Vacationing with his nephew, he is assigned to the case with him; husband and father of five children, youngest of whom gives him an insight useful to solving this case.

Thomas Royde: Audrey's cousin, on vacation from his work in Malaysia. Like Audrey, he is introverted and a person of few words. Red Oni, Blue Oni: Kay is the red to Audrey's blue. A character compares them to Snow-White and Rose-Red. Sibling Yin-Yang: Thomas Royde is a very quiet and unassuming man. It is said that his late brother Adrian was charming and good with words. half the people who spent their lives avoiding being run over buses had much better be run over and put safely out of the way. They're no good."

Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, came out in 1920. During her first marriage, Agatha published six novels, a collection of short stories, and a number of short stories in magazines. Done again when Audrey becomes the new prime suspect, with loud protestations, unconvincing suggestions that this new lead is another frame-up, and so on. False Confession: One of the opening chapters has Superintendent Battle being called to his daughter's school after said daughter confessed to stealing. A brief chat with the girl reveals that she was only confessing due to pressure, and the circumstances of her confession are what made the Superintendent later realize that Audrey's confession to Lady Tressilian's murder was also due to overwhelming pressure. This convinced him that Audrey was innocent.

The story itself jumps straight into classic Christie fare: a large number of people (read: suspects) are gathered together for an unimportant (to us) reason. Some of them obviously have pre-existing histories with each other; some of them (we believe) are meeting for the first time; and, of course, not everybody is necessarily who they claim to be. The zero of the title, it is explained, is the time of the murder we are moving towards. The murder itself is the time zero, the events and reasons that lead up to this point are as important as the murder itself. It was an April day such as usually occurs at least once in a month, hotter than most of the June days to follow. I do understand really. I’m just putting on an act because—well because I know I’m only allowed there on sufferance as it were. They hate me! Yes, they do! Lady Tressilian looks down that long nose of hers at me and Mary Aldin looks over my shoulder when she talks to me. It’s all very well for you. You don’t see what goes on.’ He said gently as he came towards her: ‘Last time I had my hands on you, you felt like a bird– struggling to escape. You’ll never escape now…’An adaptation for radio for the BBC Radio 4 was made in four episodes of 30 minutes each, first broadcast on 13 Jan 2010. Author Filibuster: Christie novels tended to have long Start to Corpse times, something which she was occasionally criticized for. She used the first chapter of Towards Zero to respond to these criticisms by having a character deliver a lengthy speech on how a murder is the culmination of a murderer's plot rather than the instigating point, and thus should come as late in the book as possible. Battle also has a secret professional life that is revealed in the denouement to The Seven Dials Mystery, but this is never referred to again. In this novel he states, that

I've never been a big fan of Agatha Christie but I generally like to read her book from time to time. However, I have read a few of them more than usual lately and I think I have had enough of them. The more I am pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this book. Nevile, after setting up a meeting with Audrey, arranges that all three Stranges would be present in Gull's Point during the summer holidays, a suggestion that doesn't sit well with any of the other guests. He then makes an over-the-top assertion that the whole thing was his idea, and no, Audrey had not put any ideas in his head about it. This only reinforces the idea that Audrey was the one who manipulated Nevile to let her meet his new wife, and that he's protecting her. Red Right Hand: Mr. Treves mentions that he could recognize his "little murderer" because the child has a very distinctive physical trait. This is a rather unusual example of the trope, since it turns out that most of the guests possess an outstanding attribute: Audrey Strange has a scar on her ear, Thomas Royde has a disfigured hand, Ted Latimer's head is of strange shape, and Mary Aldin has a skunk streak. But only after The Reveal will most readers realize that yet another peculiar physical characteristic was explicitly mentioned in the book - namely, the difference between Nevile Strange's little fingers.

Observers to the debacle - wise Mr Treves, silent Thomas Royde, and hardworking Mary Aldin - cannot see how this trip will end well. Needless to say it doesn’t! In the wake of a violent murder, Superintendent Battle is forced to cut short his own holiday to investigate. Evidence from an unconnected witness, Angus MacWhirter, lead the policeman and his Inspector nephew round in circles. Who will go to the gallows for the crime? Contrived Coincidence: A year before the murder took place, Angus MacWhirter attempted suicide and failed. Then, while he was pondering about his life in his "suicide location", he met Audrey Strange and became a key witness to the on-going murder investigation. Superintendent Battle even remarks that his involvement, and his subsequent assistance in solving the crime, was a "miracle". Christie adapted the novel into a play on two separate occasions. Her first version, written in 1945, was performed in Martha's Vineyard for one week. The second one was written in 1956 and had its premiere in London's West End later that year. The 1945 version would be performed again in 2019, at a theater in Norwich, England. Pascal Thomas began his career with estimable French comedies; then, in the naughties,he began to adapt Agatha Christie,with "Mon Petit Doigt M'a Dit" feat Thomas and Tuppence Beresford (the names were Frenchified ) and he used again the husband-and-wife detectives in his latest effort "Le Crime Est Notre Affaire".

Towards Zero is a bit different with Superintendent Battle as the main crime solver (mind you, influenced by Poirot's methods), and although he comes across as a bit bland with no distinct personality, the case itself is excellent (despite the creepy and pointless ending). The mood feels a bit darker for some reason, and the weather descriptions and the big house as the murder scene reminded me of And Then There Were None (1939). The relationships between the characters and the idea that certain events ultimately come together to point zero, the murder, add a little extra spice into the mix. The psychology in general behind people's behavior is at its best here.Framing the Guilty Party: Neville frames himself in a way that's easily explained away and makes Audrey look like she's framing him, and that she actually committed the murder. A Day in the Limelight: After a number of minor, supporting, and cameo roles, Superintendent Battle gets to be main detective in Towards Zero. They’re polite enough. But they know how to get under my skin all right. I’m the interloper, that’s what they feel.’ The novel was well received at publication, noted for the well-developed characters. A later review called it superb as to the plot, noting also how well the novel depicted the gentlemanly behaviour expected at the main tennis tournament in 1944. Nevile Strange was coming down the stairs. He was dressed in white flannels and held four tennis racquets under his arm.