Title: Cat Among the Pigeons
Author: Agatha Christie
First published November 2, 1959
352 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780425205969 (ISBN10: 0425205967)
Rating: 3.86
Overview
Sophy Metcalfe has always been the black sheep of her family, especially when it comes to relationships. In a moment of weakness, she invents the perfect boyfriend named Dominic to appease her mother, but things start to unravel when her sister’s wedding looms.
With Dominic nowhere to be found, Sophy desperately hires Josh Carmichael, an escort, to play the part. But as the wedding day approaches, Sophy begins to see that maybe Josh isn’t just a fake boyfriend.
With unpredictable twists and turns, Asking for Trouble will take you on a journey of love, laughter, and self-discovery. This clever and charming novel is a must-read for anyone looking for a delightful romantic comedy.
About the Author
Agatha Christie, known as the best-selling author of all time, wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, 14 plays, and six romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. Her books have sold over a billion copies in English and translation, making her the most-translated individual author in history, having been translated into at least 103 languages.
Christie’s enduring characters, Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple, are celebrated in crime literature, and her play, The Mousetrap, holds the record for the longest-running play in modern theatre history.
Born in Torquay, Devon, England, Christie was the youngest of three siblings, with a sister named Madge and a brother named Monty. Before starting a family in London, Christie served in a Devon hospital during World War I and later worked at a hospital pharmacy.
Her experience with poison at the hospital influenced her work, with many of the murders in her books carried out using poison. During World War II, Christie worked as a pharmacy assistant at University College Hospital, London, further enhancing her knowledge of poisons.
Christie’s first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, was published in 1920, and she went on to publish six more novels, a collection of short stories, and many short stories in magazines during her first marriage. In 1926, Christie’s husband, Archie, revealed that he was in love with another woman and wanted a divorce.
On December 8, 1926, after a quarrel with her husband, Christie disappeared from her home, leaving a letter for her secretary stating that she was going to Yorkshire. Despite a massive manhunt, she was not found for eleven days.
In 1930, Christie married archaeologist Max Mallowan, and their travels together contributed background to several of her novels set in the Middle East. Christie’s 1934 novel, Murder on the Orient Express, was written in the Hotel Pera Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, where a room is maintained in her memory.
The Greenway Estate in Devon, which Christie and Mallowan acquired as a summer residence in 1938, is now in the care of the National Trust.
Christie frequently used familiar settings for her stories, with Abney Hall in Cheshire serving as inspiration for country-house life, which is woven into her plots. To honor her literary achievements, Christie was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1956 New Year Honours and became President of the Detection Club the following year.
Editoral Review
Agatha Christie, the queen of the detective genre and creator of the legendary detective Hercule Poirot, needs no introduction. Her legacy to the genre is unparalleled, and her works are still celebrated even today.
One of her most beloved novels, Cat Among the Pigeons, first published in 1959, is a must-read for any fan of the genre. Set in an all-girls boarding school in the heart of the English countryside, the novel is a classic Christie whodunit that revolves around a murder investigation amidst a backdrop of espionage, mystery, and intrigue.
When the headmistress is found dead, and a princess goes missing, the school is thrown into chaos, with everyone under suspicion. Enter Miss Marple, the unassuming and shrewd detective, who must navigate the school’s intricate social hierarchy to uncover the killer’s identity before he strikes again.
Cat Among the Pigeons is a classic Christie mystery with sharply drawn characters and a gripping plot. The novel is crafted with such finesse that the reader cannot help but be drawn into the story.
The boarding school setting is excellently done, with vivid descriptions that transport the reader to the world of the novel. Christie masterfully plays with the reader’s expectation, keeping them on their toes all the way through to the end.
The novel is full of twists and turns and surprises that leave the reader gasping for breath. One of Christie’s strengths as a writer is her ability to make even the most undecipherable characters fascinating.
In Cat Among the Pigeons, she introduces a wide range of characters, from the eccentric and mysterious foreign dignitaries to the snobbish and entitled schoolgirls, each with their own secrets and motives. Christie slowly peels off their layers one by one, revealing their innermost desires and secrets, making the reader feel invested in the outcome of the story.
The novel is replete with Christie’s signature wit, observation, and intelligence, making it a treat for both mystery lovers and general readers. One of the significant themes of the novel is the damage done by war, with several characters suffering the aftereffects of WWII.
The novel explores the interplay of privilege, power, and corruption in post-war England, offering a glimpse into a society in turmoil. Although Cat Among the Pigeons is an excellent read, it does suffer from a few shortcomings.
The pacing is a bit uneven, with sections that seem to drag and others that feel too rushed. Some of the characters are not fleshed out as well as they could have been, which makes it challenging to empathize with them.
However, these flaws are insignificant compared to the overall quality of the novel. Christie’s writing is timeless, and Cat Among the Pigeons is a testament to her brilliance as a writer.
The novel is an absolute must-read for anyone who loves a good mystery and is a fitting tribute to the legendary author. Overall, Cat Among the Pigeons is a delightful read that transports the reader to a world of glamour, intrigue, and murder.
It is a must-read for anyone who loves a good mystery and is an excellent introduction to the work of Agatha Christie. I highly recommend this novel, and would give it a rating of 4.5 out of 5.
