| Plot Summary of Ordeal By Innocence |
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"The Argyles have an adopted child who has been convicted of murdering their adoptive mother.
Jacko Argyle's alibi for the night of Rachel Argyle's killing falls through and he is convicted and soon after dies in prison. After all, while Jacko could be charming, he was always in trouble with the law and not very well-liked by his 'siblings'.
But Dr. Arthur Calgary comes forward with compelling evidence to the contrary. A bout of amnesia prevented Calgary from recalling where he was and what he had been doing the very night Rachel was killed. It turns out he can corroborate Jacko's alibi.
Now Scotland Yard is forced to re-open the investigation, which throws the Argyle family into turmoil. They must all confront the fact that if Jacko didn't do it, who did ?! The terrible truth is that one of the family surely is surely responsible. One is guilty and the rest are innocent. And it is the innocent who will suffer.
Was it Mary Durrant, the first child to be adopted into the family; married to Philip - paralysed due to a bout of polio and with too much time on his hands tries to determine the i.d. of the killer?
Was it Micky, the angry young man who always rebelled against the choices made for him by his well-meaning, socially-minded parents?
Was it Hester, the young drama queen of the family who hated that Rachel was always right about everything?
Was it Leo Argyle, Rachel's husband, who discovered that in her barren state, only children could satisfy her needs and he received zero warmth and affection from her in their marriage? With a beautiful secretary in his employ, Gwenda, perhaps he felt she would be his last chance for real companionship.
What about Tina, the graceful half-caste who may have been in the house the night of the murder but never admitted it? What did she have to hide? What is she covering up?
And then the last member of the 'family', Kirsty Lindstrom, who has cared for the adoptees since they were children. What dark grievances might she have harboured against Rachel during all the years she helped with raising the children?
Dr. Calgary continues to have an interest in the proceedings of the case since he feels responsible for Jacko's unfortunate end. While the Yard investigators conduct their own queries, he, too, meets with each member of the Argyle family in hopes of uncovering the truth.
But the killer cannot risk being found out and no one is safe in the family home where they have all gathered!
Christie expertly crafts this mystery that is as much about human nature as it is about finding out 'whodunnit'. It is worthwhile to note that 'Ordeal by Innocence' was one of Christie's own favourites, and it is easy to see why. 'Ordeal' has all the makings of a great mystery, and Christie never drops the ball in keeping up the reader's interest. The disparate characters and the unique English countryside setting give this tale a real depth, and it reaches a most satisfying conclusion."
tesubcalle, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Ordeal By Innocence |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 60%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%
Tone of story
- Dry-cynical
How difficult to spot villain?
- Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story:
- 1930's-1950's
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 60%
Kind of investigator
- amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- scientist
Age:
- 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
Ethnicity/Race
- British
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- none
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths?
- 2
Unusual forms of death
- perforation--swords/knives
Unusual form of death?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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