Product Description

As a condemned murderess stands before the court, her eyes meet those of the only man who believes in her innocence. But Hercule Poirot must prove it before it's too late.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #123566 in Books
• Published on: 1986-09-15
• Released on: 2004-04-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780425098530
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Library Journal
This recording of Sad Cypress features Christie's super detective, Hercule Poirot (e.g., Murder on the Orient Exress, Audio Reviews, LJ 4/1/94), and a reading by David Suchet, who is well known for playing Poirot on BBC television. The story concerns Elinor Carlisle, accused of murdering another young woman while in a jealous rage. The evidence against Elinor is overwhelming, and she seems destined for prison until a friend and admirer engages Poirot. What follows is the usual Christie puzzle, which listeners are invited to help solve. Suchet reads superbly and provides each character, especially Poirot, with a distinct personality. While this is not Christie's best book, it is nonetheless entertaining. Recommended for mystery collections.
Nancy R. Ives, SUNY at Geneseo
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
Elegiac, emotionally involving and the ingenuity and superb cluing put Sad Cypress among the very best of [Christie's] classic titles. -- Robert Barnard

The clues are placed with impeccable fairness, and the solution will cause many readers to kick themselves. -- Times Literary Supplement

About the Author
Agatha Christie was born in Torquay in 1890 and became, quite simply, the best-selling novelist in history. Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, written towards the end of the First World War, introduced us to Hercule Poirot, who was to become the most popular detective in crime fiction since Sherlock Holmes. She is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and another billion in over 100 foreign languages. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 19 plays, and six novels under the name of Mary Westmacott.

Customer Reviews

A Neglected Classic
Agatha Christie is reknowned for creating apparently simple murder mysteries that unexpectedly twist for completely unexpected conclusions--and no where is this better seen than in SAD CYPRESS, a cleanly written tale about a romantic triangle that leads to murder with only one possible suspect.

The novel opens with Elinor Carlisle actually in the dock, accused of double murder in an effort to hold the affections of her distant cousin and fiance Roderick Welman. When called into the case by a local doctor, Hercule Poirot discovers that Elinor behaves exactly as if she is guilty of the crime. Nonetheless, he agrees to investigate... and as Poirot works to uncover the truth, he finds that virtually everything about the crime indicates that Elinor did indeed commit the crimes--a circumstance which, almost perversely, makes him begin to question the guilt others have taken for granted.

This is one of Christie's least known but most effective novels, a work that deserves to be ranked with the likes of MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, THE ABC MURDERS, and A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED. The characters are among her most vivid, the story has an unpretentious atmosphere, and the solution is both absolutely reasonable and absolutely unexpected. Christie writes with considerable clarity, and the simplicity of her approach makes the story all the more effective. An impressive work, sure to please both old fans and newcomers alike; recommended.

SUPERB READING OF AN ABSORBING STORY
"Sad Cypress" is often referred to as one of the most outstanding of Christie's classic titles. To my mind, that's a bit like trying to say which flawless diamond shines the brightest. Nonetheless, this absorbing story is set in an English country house.

As for Hercule Poirot - who else but David Suchet? He is acclaimed by many as the quintessential Poirot. Those who have seen his PBS performances will readily agree. His voice treatment of this tale brings to vivid reality all the nuances and eccentricities of the characters involved.

"Sad Cypress" presents Elinor Carlisle as a woman blessed with beauty and brains reinforced by wealth - she also finds herself on trial for murder. She stands accused of killing her rival, Mary Gerrard, by poison. Poirot is the only one who believes in her innocence. He needs to prove she is not guilty or Elinor will be hung.

As with other Christie mysteries clues are liberally sprinkled throughout the tale. What fun to try to find them!

- Gail Cooke

Love Story Complete with Poisoning Is One of Christie's Best
"Sad Cypress" deals with the eternal triangle which always ends with sadness for someone. In this case, Elinor Carlisle is the odd girl out as her fiance and distant cousin Roderick Welman falls madly in love with his and Elinor's childhood friend, Mary Gerrard, after Mary returns from years abroad. The three of them had been great friends at Hunterbury, the lavish estate of Mary's aunt Mrs. Laura Welman. Mrs. Welman had hoped Elinor and Roderick would marry one day and live at Hunterbury. Mrs. Welman dies suddenly without leaving a will. As her next of kin, Elinor inherits all. Although Mrs. Welman had spoken frequently of providing for Roderick and Mary, the lack of a will leaves them without recourse. In the midst of all this upheaval, Elinor prepares lunch for Mary one day, and Mary dies of morphine poisoning. With suspicion falling heavily on Elinor, the body of Mrs. Welman is exhumed and found to also contain morphine poisoning. All fingers point to Elinor for having killed Mary out of jealousy and her aunt in order to get the full estate. Only one person, Dr. Peter Lord, believes in Elinor's innocence and he calls in the inimitable Hercule Poirot to investigate.

An excellent courtroom sequence and outstanding characters make this one of Christie's best, in my opinion.