Friday, March 12, 2021

Cat Among the Pigeons: Agatha Christie

This novel in the Hercule Poirot series is set primarily at the prestigious Meadowbank School for Girls in England, but the action begins with international intrigue in the fictional country of Ramat. Prince Ali Yusuf and his pilot, Bob Rawlinson, are plotting their escape from the revolution that is brewing in Ramat. Bob is entrusted with Prince Ali's jewels, which he is to bring out of the country, to keep them out of the opposition's hands and to deliver them to someone outside of the country. The two story lines come together, although the focus is on the girls school setting.

In the paperback edition that I read, there were 350 pages and Hercule Poirot shows up after 250 pages. That is a pretty late entry for our hero. I did like the way he is pulled into the story, which I won't reveal because it is too close to a spoiler, but it makes sense that he can't come in before that. In fact, that part of the story is a high point in the novel for me. There is a lovely reference to an earlier novel. Yet I still missed his presence in the earlier parts of this story.


I enjoyed this book, but there are some negatives. There are a total of 33 novels featuring Hercule Poirot and, even though I love Poirot, all of them cannot be at the highest level. I would rate this one lower. I loved the girls school setting, but the espionage story was a bit too unrealistic for me. And there were too many coincidences. However, Cat Among the Pigeons still had lots to like. 

Julia Upjohn and Jennifer Sutcliffe, two students at the school, are very good characters, and I liked their letters home which moved the plot along. Julia is clever and notices things, Jennifer is more focused on herself, but together they are a good pair. Julia's mother is a good character also, although with a very small part to play. I liked the references to her traveling by bus in Anatolia... which I thought was a fictional place but actually existed.

Miss Bulstrode, the impressive head mistress, is dedicated to the school but looking to retire and to find a replacement. It is through her thoughts about this process that we learn many tidbits about the faculty and staff and the running of a school. 


Robert Barnard describes the book in A Talent to Deceive: An Appreciation of Agatha Christie (1980)...

"Girls' school background surprisingly well done, with humour and some liberality of outlook. Some elements are reminiscent of Tey's Miss Pym Disposes. Marred by the international dimension and the spy element, which do not jell with the traditional detective side. Fairly typical example of her looser, more relaxed style."

Do I recommend this book? I do, although I would not recommend it for someone starting out reading Christie or the Poirot series. Christie always has something to offer, and many reviewers count this among their favorite books by Christie.

For other viewpoints or more details about the story, see reviews at Clothes in Books, crossexaminingcrime, and ahsweetmysteryblog


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Publisher: Berkley Books, 2000. Orig. pub. 1959.
Length: 352 pages
Format: Paperback
Series:  Hercule Poirot
Setting: UK
Genre:  Mystery
Source: Purchased in January, 2021.




20 comments:

Cath said...

This one of the Poirot books I keep meaning to read, I've seen the TV drama but not read the book. I thought the drama was pretty good but that sometimes happens with Christie, where a TV adaptation comes over better than the book. I must admit I have a bit of a weakness for school or college based crime yearns, ie. Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey and another one I liked was Laurels are Poison by Gladys Mitchell.

TracyK said...

Cath, I agree that sometimes the Poirot adaptations starring Suchet improve upon, or at least equal, the book, using a different approach. With Cat Among the Pigeons, the choice for the adaptations was to bring in Poirot from the beginning at the school, which makes sense sort of.

It has been so long since I read Miss Pym Disposes that I remember little of the story. I really need to read it again. I read Laurels Are Poison last year and enjoyed it also. In April I am going to be reading Sunset Over Soho by Gladys Mitchell as part of a monthlong read along in April.

pattinase (abbott) said...

I like stories set in schools too. I am sure I read it and saw it but it didn't stick.

Lark said...

I really liked the school setting in this one...and how Poirot got dragged into the mystery, even though he doesn't really come into things until near the end. :)

Rick Robinson said...

This is one I read and probably won't reread, as it's not one I liked much. The reason is the same as yours: the international spy/politics parts.

Margot Kinberg said...

I know exactly what you mean about the coincidences and the espionage, Tracy. I agree that they didn't add to the story. But I really love Miss Bulstrode's character, and the school setting was done very well, I thought. It's an interesting look at the times, too, in my opinion.

CLM said...

I had forgotten Poirot was in this one. I have given some of my Christies away but I think I kept this because I liked the school story setting. I can see the similarities to Miss Pym Disposes, which I have been thinking about because I just read a long article about how the administrators at early women's colleges preferred gymnastics to basketball because it was an individual sport and they didn't have to worry about too much team spirit and camaraderie being focused against them!

TracyK said...

Patti, That is what happens sometimes with a long series, they all seem to run together. Whith exceptions of course, like Murder on the Orient Express. With the Poirot TV episodes I remember most of them at this point because we just started watching them about 6 months ago.

TracyK said...

Lark, I would have been happier had Poirot been introduced into the book earlier. The various well-to-do students were entertaining, though, and the differences among the school staff.

TracyK said...

Rick, I don't think espionage and politics were Christie's strong points. Not that I am an expert.

TracyK said...

Margot, this was a good depiction of a prep school for girls in the UK in the late 50s. I was in high school in Alabama a few years later, and the environment there was very different.

TracyK said...

Constance, I guess it is easy to forget Poirot's presence when it is a small part of the story. In Laurels are Poison by Gladys Mitchell, the physical education teacher was prominent in the story. In that case it was a women's training college. I avoided phys ed when I was in high school, that was before it was mandatory.

FictionFan said...

It's a long time since I last read this one and I'd pretty much forgotten about the espionage element. What stood out for me were the girls and Miss Bulstrode, and, like you, I loved the idea of the mother travelling to Anatolia on a bus - it seemed so exotic especially since I had no idea where Anatolia actually was! Haha, I'm not sure I know now... 😉

Christine said...

Yes, it has weaknesses, I agree, Tracey, but the school element is so enjoyable and Miss Bulstrode such a great character, that I love it all the same,

TracyK said...

Christine, Miss Bulstrode is a great character, and I love her ideas about education and schools.

Coincidentally, I am reading Stage Fright right now, and loving it. Cassandra James is a great character and I am enjoying the theatrical setting.

TracyK said...

FictionFan, This one did not have the same depth for me overall that some other Agatha Christie novels have but it had many small points I liked. I loved the reference back to a character from an earlier book who Poirot had taught to cook an omelet.

I looked up Anatolia and it said it was in the same area as a good portion of modern-day Turkey. I am terrible with geography, so that did not help a lot.

Ryan said...

Even her weaker books, are still better than most cozy mysteries today. The Big Four is one such book for me.

col2910 said...

Probably one for the die hard fans, which I'm not. I'm glad you found some things to like about it.

TracyK said...

Ryan, I agree. I did skip The Big Four when I was reading in order, but I am sure I will come back to it someday.

TracyK said...

Col, not one for you, I am sure. But still fun for me.