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Sad Cypress

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	Topics Sad Cypress Topic Home *Sad Cypress* is a work of detective fictionDetective fiction Detective fiction is a branch of crime fiction that centers upon the investigation of a crime, usually murder, by a detectiv... by Agatha ChristieAgatha Christie Agatha Mary Clarissa, Lady Mallowan, DBE , also known as Dame Agatha Christie, was an English crime fiction writer.... and first published in the UK by the Collins Crime ClubCollins Crime Club Overview The Collins Crime Club was an imprint of UK book publishers William Collins & Co Ltd and ran from May 6 1930 to April 1994.... in March 19401940 in literature See also: 1939 in literature, other events of 1940, 1941 in literature, list of years in literature.... and in the US by Dodd, Mead and CompanyDodd, Mead and Company Dodd, Mead and Company was a publishing company in New York City.... later in the same year. The UK edition retailed at eight shillings and threepenceBritish Threepence coin The threepence, pronounced thruppence, was a denomination of currency, used by various jurisdictions in England, Irela... (8/3) - the first price rise for a UK Christie edition since her 1921 debutThe Mysterious Affair at Styles *The Mysterious Affair at Styles* is a detective fiction novel by Agatha Christie.... - and the US edition retailed at $$ The symbol $ represents the dollar currency.... 2.00. The novel is notable for being the first courtroom drama in the Poirot series. Explanation of the novel's title The title comes from a song from Act II, Scene IV of Shakespeare'sWilliam Shakespeare Summary William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright widely regarded as the greatest writer of the English language, as w... Twelfth Night which is printed as an epigraphEpigraph (literature) Summary In literature, an epigraph is a quotation that is placed at the start of a work or section that expresses in some succinct w... to the novel. Come away, come away, death, And in sad cypress let me be laid; Fly away, fly away breath; I am slain by a fair cruel maid. My shroud of white, stuck all with yew, O, prepare it! My part of death, no one so true Did share it. Plot summary The novel is written in three parts: in the first place an account, largely from the perspectivePoint of view (literature) In literature and storytelling, a point of view is the related experience of the narrator — not that of the author.... of the subsequent defendant, Elinor Carlisle, of the death of her aunt, Laura Welman, and the subsequent death of the victim, Mary Gerrard; secondly an account of Poirot’s investigation; and, thirdly, a sequence in court, again mainly from Elinor’s perspective. In the first part, distant cousins Elinor Carlisle and Roddy Welman are happily engaged to be married when they receive an anonymous letter claiming that someone is "sucking up" to their wealthy aunt, Laura Welman, from whom Elinor and Roddy expect to inherit a sizeable fortune. Elinor immediately suspects Mary Gerrard, the lodge keeper’s daughter, to whom Laura has taken a considerable liking. They go down to visit their aunt: partly to see her and partly to protect their interests. Laura is helpless after a stroke and speaks of a desire to die, most notably to Peter Lord, her physician. After a second stroke, she asks Elinor to ask the family solicitor to prepare a will under which it is clear that Mary is to be a beneficiary. Roddy has fallen in love with Mary, provoking Elinor’s jealousy. Laura dies intestateIntestacy Intestacy is the condition of the estate of a person who dies owning property greater than the sum of his or her enforceable... during the night and her estate goes to Elinor outright as her only surviving blood relative. Subsequently, Elinor releases Roddy from the engagement and makes moves to settle money on him (which he refuses) and two thousand pounds on Mary (which Mary accepts). At an impromptu tea party thrown by Elinor for Mary and Nurse Hopkins, Mary dies of poison that had supposedly been put into a fish-paste sandwich. Elinor (who has been behaving suspiciously) is put on trial. Worse, when the body of her aunt is exhumed it is discovered that both women died of morphine poisoning. Elinor had easy access to morphine from a bottle that apparently went missing from Nurse Hopkins’s bag. In the second part of the novel, Poirot is persuaded to investigate the case by Peter Lord, who is in love with Elinor and wants her to be acquitted at all costs. Poirot’s investigation focuses on a small number of elements. Was the poison in the sandwiches, which everyone ate, or something else, such as the tea that was prepared by Nurse Hopkins and drunk by them both? What is the secret of Mary’s birth, which everyone seems so keen to conceal? Was there any significance in the scratch of a thorn on Nurse Hopkins’s wrist? Is Peter Lord right to draw Poirot’s attention to evidence that someone watching through the window might have poisoned the sandwich, thinking that it would be eaten by Elinor? In the third part of the novel, the case appears to go badly for Elinor, until her Defence unveils three theories that might exonerate her. The first (that Mary committed suicide) seems thin, and the second (Peter Lord’s theory of the killer outside the window) is unconvincing. But the third theory is Poirot’s. A torn pharmaceutical label that the Prosecution supposed to have held morphine hydrochlorideMorphine Morphine is an extremely powerful opiate analgesic drug and is the principal active agent in opium.... , the poison, had in fact held apomorphine hydrochlorideApomorphine Summary Apomorphine is a type of dopaminergic agonist, a morphine derivative.... , an emetic. This was revealed because on an ampoule, the M in Morphine would be capital; Poirot finds a lowercase M - thus it isn't morphine. Nurse Hopkins had injected herself with this emetic, apomorphine, in order to vomit the morphine that she had ingested in the tea. Her claim to have scratched herself on a thorn is disproved when it is revealed that the rose tree in question was a thornless variety: Zephyrine Drouhin. If the means were simple, the motive is complex. Mary Gerrard is not the daughter of Eliza and Bob Gerrard. Instead – as Poirot has discovered from Nurse Hopkins in the course of the investigation - she is the daughter of Laura Welman and Sir Lewis Rycroft, which made her the heiress to Laura’s estate since she was actually a closer relative than Elinor. When Nurse Hopkins encouraged Mary to write a will, Mary named as its beneficiary the woman that she supposed to be her aunt, Mary Riley (Eliza’s sister), in New Zealand. Mary Riley married (and, as it happens, murdered) someone called Draper, and Mary Draper is none other than … Nurse Hopkins. Poirot ends the novel by rebuking Peter Lord for his clumsy efforts to implicate the hypothetical killer outside the window. He has planted evidence and led Poirot to it in a desperate bid to free Elinor. Peter’s momentary embarrassment is presumably alleviated by Poirot’s assurance that it is to him, and not to her former love Roddy, that Elinor is now likely to become married. Characters in “Sad Cypress” Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective Mrs. Laura Welman, a widow Mary Gerrard, her protégée Suspects: Elinor Carlisle, Laura’s niece Roddy Welman, Laura’s nephew by marriage Dr. Peter Lord, Laura’s doctor Nurse Jessie Hopkins, the District NurseDistrict nurse District nurses are fully qualified nurses who provide care within the community.... Nurse Eileen O’Brien, Laura’s nurse Mr Seddon, Laura’s solicitor Mrs Bishop, Laura’s housekeeper Horlick, the gardener Bob Gerrard, the lodge keeper and Mary’s father Ted Bigland, a farmer’s son Characters in the courtroom: The Judge Sir Edwin Bulmer, Counsel for the Defence Sir Samuel Attenbury, Counsel for the Prosecution Dr. Alan Garcia, expert witness for the Prosecution Inspector Brill, the investigating officer Mr. Abbott, a grocer Alfred James Wargrave, a rose-grower James Arthur Littledale, a chemist Amelia Mary Sedley, a witness from New Zealand Edward John Marshall, a witness from New Zealand Literary significance and reception Maurice Percy Ashley in The Times Literary SupplementThe Times Literary Supplement *The Times Literary Supplement* is a weekly literary review published in London by News International, a subsidiary of New... gave a positive review to the book in the issue of March 9, 1940: "In recent years the detective story-reading public has been so profusely drenched with thrills, 'wisecracks' and perverted psychology that one sometimes wonders whether there is still room for the old-fashioned straight-forward problem in detection. There are, however, a few first-class exponents of this art with us - though now that Miss SayersDorothy L. Sayers ... has, for the moment at any rate, turned moralist and others have entered the easier field of thriller writing there seem to be increasingly few. Mrs. Christie in particular remains true to the old faith; and it is pleasant to be able to record that her hand has not lost its cunning". The reviewer regretted that Poirot had lost some of his 'foibles' and HastingsArthur Hastings Captain Arthur Hastings, OBE, is a fictional character, the partner and best friend of Agatha Christie's Belgian detective, ... no longer featured in the plots but he ended on a high note: "Like all Mrs Christie's work, it is economically written, the clues are placed before the reader with impeccable fairness, the red herrings are deftly laid and the solution will cause many readers to kick themselves. Some occasional readers of detective stories are wont to criticize Mrs Christie on the ground that her stories are insufficiently embroidered, that she includes, for instance, no epigrams over the college port. But is it not time to state that in the realm of detective fiction proper, where problems are fairly posed and fairly solved, there is no one to touch her?" In The New York Times Book ReviewThe New York Times Book Review *The New York Times Book Review* is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to The New York Times in which current non-fict... of September 15, 1940, Kay Irvin concluded, "The cast of characters is small, the drama is built up with all this author's sure, economical skill. Sad Cypress is not the best of the Christie achievements, but it is better than the average thriller on every count." In reviewing several crime novels in The ObserverThe Observer *The Observer* is a United Kingdom newspaper published on Sundays.... s issue of March 10, 1940, Maurice Richardson began, "An outstanding crime week. No only is Agatha Christie shining balefully on her throne, but the courtiers have made an unusually neat artistic arrangement of corpses up and down the steps." Concentrating on Sad Cypress specifically, Richardson concluded, "Characterisation brilliantly intense as ever. In fact, Agatha Christie has done it again, which is all you need to know." The ScotsmanThe Scotsman *The Scotsman* is a Scottish national newspaper, published in Edinburgh.... s review in its issue of March 11, 1940 concluded, "Sad Cypress is slighter and rather less ingenious than Mrs Christie's stories usually are, and the concluding explanation is unduly prolonged. But it is only with reference to Mrs Christie's own high level that it seems inferior. By ordinary standards of detective fiction it is a fascinating and skilfully related tale." E.R. Punshon in The GuardianThe Guardian *The Guardian* is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group.... s issue of April 2, 1940 concluded, "The story is told with all and even more of Mrs. Christie's accustomed skill and economy of effect, but it is a pity that the plot turns upon a legal point familiar to all and yet so misconceived that many readers will feel the tale is deprived of plausibility." Robert BarnardRobert Barnard Robert Barnard is a mystery writer, critic and lecturer.... : "A variation on the usual triangle theme, and the only time Christie uses the lovely-woman-in-the-dock-accused-of-murder ploy. Elegiac, more emotionally involving than is usual in Christie, but the ingenuity and superb clueing put it among the very best of the classic titles. Her knowledge of poison is well to the fore, but the amateur will also benefit from a knowledge of horticulture and a skill in close reading" Film, TV or theatrical adaptations BBC Radio 4 Adaptation The novel was adapted as a five-part serial for BBC Radio 4 in 1992. John MoffattJohn Moffatt (actor) John Moffatt is an English actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Hercule Poirot in BBC Radio productions of Agatha... reprised his role of Poirot. The serial was broadcast weekly from Thursday, May 14 to Thursday, June 11 at 10.00am to 10.30pm. All five episodes were recorded in the week of March 16 to 20, 1992. Adapator: Michael BakewellMichael Bakewell Michael Bakewell is a British television producer.... Producer: Enyd Williams Cast: John Moffatt Margot Boyd John Church Eric Allan Pauline Letts Gordon Reid Keith DrinkelKeith Drinkel Keith Drinkel is a British actor. Born in York on November 14, 1944, he is now based in Brighton.... Emma Fielding John Webb David King David Thorpe Jonathan Adams Joanna Myers Ann Windsor John Evitts Gudrun UreGudrun Ure Gudrun Ure is a Scottish actress who portrayed Supergran.... David Mcalister Charles Simpson Peter Penry-JonesFacts About Peter Penry-Jones Peter Penry-Jones is a British actor.... Barbara Atkinson Susannah CorbettSusannah Corbett Susannah Corbett is a British actress, the daughter of Steptoe and Son star Harry H.... Alan Cullen Eamonn Fleming Agatha Christie's Poirot The book was adapted by London Weekend TelevisionLondon Weekend Television London Weekend Television was the ITV contractor for London and the South East, Friday 7:00pm/5:15pm to Monday, 5:59am.... as a one hundred-minute drama and transmitted on ITV in the UK on Friday December 26, 2003 as a special episode in their series Agatha Christie's PoirotFacts About Agatha Christie's Poirot *Agatha Christie's Poirot* is a popular British television series starring David Suchet as Agatha Christie's detective cha... . Adaptor: David Pirie Director: David Moore Cast: David SuchetDavid Suchet David Suchet OBE is an English actor best known for his television portrayal of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot in the tele... as Hercule Poirot Elisabeth Dermot-WalshElisabeth Dermot-Walsh Elisabeth Dermot-Walsh is a British actress.... as Elinor Carlisle Rupert Penry-JonesRupert Penry-Jones Summary Rupert Penry-Jones, sometimes credited as Rupert Penry Jones, is an English actor.... as Roddy Winter Kelly ReillyKelly Reilly Kelly Reilly is a British actress who, in 2004, became the youngest ever "best actress" nominee at the Olivier Awards.... as Mary Gerrard Paul McGannFacts About Paul McGann Paul McGann is an English actor who made his name on the BBC serial The Monocled Mutineer, in which he played the lead r... as Dr. Peter Lord Phyllis LoganPhyllis Logan Phyllis Logan is a Scottish actress.... as Nurse Hopkins Marion O'Dwyer as Nurse O'Brien Diana QuickDiana Quick Diana Quick, English actress.Diana Quick was born in London, England.... as Mrs. Laura Welman Stuart Laing as Ted Horlick Jack GallowayJack Galloway Jack Galloway is a British actor.... as Marsden Geoffrey BeeversGeoffrey Beevers Geoffrey Beevers is a British actor who has appeared in many different television roles.... as Seddon Alistair Findlay as Prosecuting Counsel Linda Spurrier as Mrs. Bishop Timothy Carlton as Judge Louise Callaghan as Hunterbury maid Ian Taylor as Turner Sad Cypress was filmed on locationOn location On location can refer to:Filming location, a place where some or all of a film or television series is produced... at Dorney CourtDorney Court Dorney Court* is an early Tudor manor house, dating from around 1500, located in the village of Dorney, Buckinghamshire..... . Publication history 1940, Collins Crime Club (London), March 1940, Hardcover, 256 pp 1940, Dodd Mead and Company (New York), 1940, Hardcover, 270 pp 1946, Dell Books, Paperback, 224 pp (Dell number 172 [mapbackMapback Mapback is a term used by paperback collectors to refer to the earliest paperback books published by Dell Books, beginning i... ]) 1959, Fontana Books (Imprint of HarperCollinsFacts About HarperCollins HarperCollins is a publishing organization owned by News Corporation.... ), Paperback, 191 pp 1965, Ulverscroft Large-print Edition, Hardcover, 239 pp 2008, Poirot Facsimile Edition (Facsimile of 1940 UK First Edition), HarperCollins, April 1, 2008, Hardback, ISBN 0-00-727459-9 The book was first serialised in the US in Collier's WeeklyCollier's Weekly *Collier's Weekly* was an American magazine founded by Peter Collier and published from 1888 to 1957.... in ten parts from November 25, 1939 (Volume 104, Number 22) to January 27, 1940 (Volume 105, Number 4) with illustrations by Mario Cooper. The UK serialisation was in nineteen parts in the Daily ExpressDaily Express The *Daily Express* is a conservative, middle-market British tabloid newspaper.... from Saturday, March 23 to Saturday, April 13, 1940. The accompanying instalments were uncredited. This version did not contain any chapter divisions. External links at the offici stie website