Plot
A sleepy town, Sittaford is witnessing peak winter season. A gathering of some persons are involved in calling the spirits around a table. To the horror of some and thrill of others, spirits do come and answer their playful queries. Things turn nasty when suddenly a spirit announces that a certain Captain Trevalyn (their landlord in a sense) will be murdered at five and twenty minutes past five.
Captain Trevalyn, has a few relatives and fewer friends. He is a bachelor and a rather difficult customer. He has amassed a lot of money but is loathe to share it with his relatives and friends…. very foolish of him…..for he is murdered alone in his house; and as the investigating inspector guesses rightly the murder is for money. A nephew of his who was visiting him on the fateful day has been arrested on suspicion, but his fiancée is determined to rescue him.
Discussion
The novel is not of a conventional detective mystery style of Agatha Christie. There are very few hints (unlike Murder on Orient Express) and only a single murder. Story is also quite straightforward and does not have psychological complexities like “Ordeal of Innocence”.
How blood relatives are actually relieved by the news of death and think immediately of their good fortune ahead; has been brought about in a rather matter-of-fact manner.
Agatha Christie had also written a number of romantic novels under the pseudonym of Mary Westmacott. In a number of her crime novels, the romantic element comes to forth and the distinct bias of the author towards the romantic endings streams through.
One such example is “The Sittaford Mystery”. Make no mistake with the mystery word; it is a romantic novel all right. The fiancée of the suspect uses her charm and tact to get to the bottom of the affair. The ruthlessness and determined pursuit of a lady to get to the truth to exonerate her lover seems to be a bollywood formula in reverse but interests the romantic in us deeply. The reader at once sides with her and really starts backing her as she moved doggedly in her pursuit.
One can sense a slight autobiographical touch in the portrayal of character of this lady. Along with the reader, the author also seems to like her own character. Her character is no he-man, rather essentially feminine. She can “cry her heart out”, when she feels like it, but can also use her considerable charm on an unsuspecting male to accomplish her final goal without a second thought.
Coming to the mystery part, the beauty of the novel lies in the creation of suspense regarding a certain family “The Willets”. As one reads through the novel, almost entire attention is riveted on them and one cannot help feeling that something is definitely wrong with this gang.
This novel in a sense is quite deceptive. In its slightly slow pace coupled with romantic touch, one journeys rather cosily and tends to miss out some important hints that the author drops here and there. Only in the end when the mystery unfolds, does one remember, Ah!! I had read about that. …Shit!!!
In fact this novel is one of those in which you will definitely want to read once more to know, which points were missed; and once the murderer is known, one really cannot help but admire the ingenuity of this master detective writer