Dumb Witness: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition

By Agatha Christie

In Agatha Christie’s Dumb Witness, Hercule Poirot investigates the very suspicious death of an elderly spinster who, fearing the very worst, had written to the great detective prior to her demise.

Everyone blamed Emily Arundell’s accident on a rubber ball left on the stairs by her frisky terrier. But the more she thought about her fall, the more convinced she became that one of her relatives was trying to kill her.…

On April 17th she wrote her suspicions in a letter to Hercule Poirot. Mysteriously, he didn’t receive the letter until June 28th…by which time Emily was already dead.…

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Jan 25, 2005
• ISBN: 9780061741425

Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her books have sold more than a billion copies in English and another billion in a hundred foreign languages. She died in 1976, after a prolific career spanning six decades.

Book preview

One

THE MISTRESS OF LITTLEGREEN HOUSE

Miss Arundell died on May 1st. Though her illness was short her death did not occasion much surprise in the little country town of Market Basing where she had lived since she was a girl of sixteen. For Emily Arundell was well over seventy, the last of a family of five, and she had been known to be in delicate health for many years and had indeed nearly died of a similar attack to the one that killed her some eighteen months before.

But though Miss Arundell’s death surprised no one, something else did. The provisions of her will gave rise to varying emotions, astonishment, pleasurable excitement, deep condemnation, fury, despair, anger and general gossip. For weeks and even months Market Basing was to talk of nothing else! Everyone had their own contribution to make to the subject from Mr. Jones the grocer, who held that blood was thicker than water, to Mrs. Lamphrey at the post office, who repeated ad nauseam that there’s something behind it, depend upon it! You mark my words.

What added zest to the speculations on the subject was the fact that the will had been made as lately as April 21st. Add to this the further fact that Emily Arundell’s near relations had been staying with her just before that date over Easter Bank Holiday and it will be realized that the most scandalous theories could be propounded, pleasurably relieving the monotony of everyday life in Market Basing.

There was one person who was shrewdly suspected of knowing more about the matter than she was willing to admit. That was Miss Wilhelmina Lawson, Miss Arundell’s companion. Miss Lawson, however, professed herself just as much in the dark as everyone else. She, too, she declared, had been dumbfounded when the will was read out.

A lot of people, of course, did not believe this. Nevertheless, whether Miss Lawson was or was not as ignorant as she declared herself to be, only one person really knew the true facts. That person was the dead woman herself. Emily Arundell had kept her own counsel as she was in the habit of doing. Even to her lawyer she had said nothing of the motives underlying her action. She was content with making her wishes clear.

In that reticence could be found the keynote of Emily Arundell’s character. She was, in every respect, a typical product of her generation. She had both its virtues and its vices. She was autocratic and often overbearing, but she was also intensely warmhearted. Her tongue was sharp but her actions were kind. She was outwardly sentimental but inwardly shrewd. She had a succession of companions whom she bullied unmercifully, but treated with great generosity. She had a great sense of family obligation. On the Friday before Easter Emily Arundell was standing in the hall of Littlegreen House giving various directions to Miss Lawson.

Emily Arundell had been a handsome girl and she was now a well-preserved handsome old lady with a straight back and a brisk manner. A faint yellowness in her skin was a warning that she could not eat rich food with impunity.

Miss Arundell was saying:

Now then, Minnie, where have you put them all?

Well, I thought—I hope I’ve done right—Dr. and Mrs. Tanios in the Oak room and Theresa in the Blue room and Mr. Charles in the Old Nursery—

Miss Arundell interrupted:

Theresa can have the Old Nursery and Charles will have the Blue room.

Oh, yes—I’m sorry—I thought the Old Nursery being rather more inconvenient—

It will do very nicely for Theresa.

In Miss Arundell’s day, women took second place. Men were the important members of society.

I’m so sorry the dear little children aren’t coming, murmured Miss Lawson, sentimentally.

She loved children and was quite incapable of managing them.

Four visitors will be quite enough, said Miss Arundell. In any case Bella spoils her children abominably. They never dream of doing what they are told.

Minnie Lawson murmured:

Mrs. Tanios is a very devoted mother.

Miss Arundell said with grave approval:

Bella is a good woman.

Miss Lawson sighed and said:

It must be very hard for her sometimes—living in an outlandish place like Smyrna.

Emily Arundell replied:

She has made her bed and she must lie on it.

And having uttered this final Victorian pronouncement she went on:

I am going to the village now to speak about the orders for the weekend.

Oh, Miss Arundell, do let me. I mean—

"Nonsense. I prefer to go myself. Rogers needs a sharp word. The trouble with you is, Minnie, that you’re not emphatic enough. Bob! Bob! Where is the dog?"

A wirehaired terrier came tearing down the stairs. He circled round and round his mistress uttering short staccato barks of delight and expectation.

Together mistress and dog passed out of the front door and down the short path to the gate.

Miss Lawson stood in the doorway smiling rather foolishly after them, her mouth a little open. Behind her a voice said tartly:

Them pillowcases you gave me, miss, isn’t a pair.

What? How stupid of me….

Minnie Lawson plunged once more into household routine.

Emily Arundell, attended by Bob, made a royal progress down the main street of Market Basing.

It was very much of a royal progress. In each shop she entered the proprietor always hurried forward to attend to her.

She was Miss Arundell of Littlegreen House. She was one of our oldest customers. She was one of the old school. Not many about like her nowadays.

"Good morning, miss. What can I have the pleasure of doing for you—Not tender? Well, I’m sorry to hear that. I thought myself it was as nice a little saddle—Yes, of course, Miss Arundell. If you say so, it is so—No, indeed I wouldn’t think of sending Canterbury to you, Miss Arundell—Yes, I’ll see to it myself, Miss Arundell."

Bob and Spot, the butcher’s dog, circled slowly round each other, hackles raised, growling gently. Spot was a stout dog of nondescript breed. He knew that he must not fight with customers’ dogs, but he permitted himself to tell them, by subtle indication, just exactly what mincemeat he would make of them were he free to do so.

Bob, a dog of spirit, replied in kind.

Emily Arundell said Bob! sharply and passed on.

In the greengrocer’s there was a meeting of heavenly bodies. Another old lady, spherical in outline, but equally distinguished by that air of royalty, said:

Mornin’, Emily.

Good morning, Caroline.

Caroline Peabody said:

Expecting any of your young people down?

Yes, all of them. Theresa, Charles and Bella.

So Bella’s home, is she? Husband too?

Yes.

It was a simple monosyllable, but underlying it was knowledge common to both ladies.

For Bella Biggs, Emily Arundell’s niece, had married a Greek. And Emily Arundell’s people, who were what is known as all service people, simply did not marry Greeks.

By way of being obscurely comforting (for of course such a matter could not be referred to openly) Miss Peabody said:

"Bella’s husband’s got brains. And charming manners!"

His manners are delightful, agreed Miss Arundell.

Moving out into the street Miss Peabody asked:

What’s this about Theresa being engaged to young Donaldson?

Miss Arundell shrugged her shoulders.

Young people are so casual nowadays. I’m afraid it will have to be a rather long engagement—that is, if anything comes of it. He has no money.

Of course Theresa has her own money, said Miss Peabody.

Miss Arundell said stiffly:

A man could not possibly wish to live on his wife’s money.

Miss Peabody gave a rich, throaty chuckle.

"They don’t seem to mind doing it, nowadays. You and I are out of date, Emily. What I can’t understand is what the child sees in him. Of all the namby-pamby young men!"

He’s a clever doctor, I believe.

"Those pince-nez—and that stiff way of talking! In my young days we’d have called him a poor stick!"

There was a pause while Miss Peabody’s memory, diving into the past, conjured up visions of dashing, bewhiskered young men….

She said with a sigh:

Send that young dog Charles along to see me—if he’ll come.

Of course. I’ll tell him.

The two ladies parted.

They had known each other for considerably over fifty years. Miss Peabody knew of certain regrettable lapses in the life of General Arundell, Emily’s father. She knew just precisely what a shock Thomas Arundell’s marriage had been to his sisters. She had a very shrewd idea of certain troubles connected with the younger generation.

But no word had ever passed between the two ladies on any of these subjects. They were both upholders of family dignity, family solidarity, and complete reticence on family matters.

Miss Arundell walked home, Bob trotting sedately at her heels. To herself, Emily Arundell admitted what she would never have admitted to another human being, her dissatisfaction with the younger generation of her family.

Theresa, for instance. She had no control over Theresa since the latter had come into her own money at the age of twenty-one. Since then the girl had achieved a certain notoriety. Her picture was often in the papers. She belonged to a young, bright, go-ahead set in London—a set that had freak parties and occasionally ended up in the police courts. It was not the kind of notoriety that Emily Arundell approved of for an Arundell. In fact, she disapproved very much of Theresa’s way of living. As regards the girl’s engagement, her feelings were slightly confused. On the one hand she did not consider an upstart Dr. Donaldson good enough for an Arundell. On the other she was uneasily conscious that Theresa was a most unsuitable wife for a quiet country doctor.

With a sigh her thoughts passed on to Bella. There was no fault to find with Bella. She was a good woman—a devoted wife and mother, quite exemplary in behaviour—and extremely dull! But even Bella could not be regarded with complete approval. For Bella had married a foreigner—and not only a foreigner—but a Greek. In Miss Arundell’s prejudiced mind a Greek was almost as bad as an Argentine or a Turk. The fact that Dr. Tanios had a charming manner and was said to be extremely able to his profession only prejudiced the old lady slightly more against him. She distrusted charm and easy compliments. For this reason, too, she found it difficult to be fond of the two children. They had both taken after their father in looks—there was really nothing English about them.

And then Charles….

Yes, Charles….

It was no use blinding one’s eyes to facts. Charles, charming though he was, was not to be trusted….

Emily Arundell sighed. She felt suddenly tired, old, depressed….

She supposed that she couldn’t last much longer….

Her mind reverted to the will she had made some years ago.

Legacies to the servants—to charities—and the main bulk of her considerable fortune to be divided equally between these, her three surviving relations….

It still seemed to her that she had done the right and equitable thing. It just crossed her mind to wonder whether there might not be someway of securing Bella’s share of the money so that her husband could not touch it….She must ask Mr. Purvis.

She turned in at the gate of Littlegreen House.

Charles and Theresa Arundell arrived by car—the Tanioses, by train.

The brother and sister arrived first. Charles, tall and good-looking, with his slightly mocking manner, said:

Hullo, Aunt Emily, how’s the girl? You look fine.

And he kissed her.

Theresa put an indifferent young cheek against her withered one.

How are you, Aunt Emily?

Theresa, her aunt thought, was looking far from well. Her face, beneath its plentiful makeup, was slightly haggard and there were lines round her eyes.

They had tea in the drawing room. Bella Tanios, her hair inclined to straggle in wisps from below the fashionable hat that she wore at the wrong angle, stared at her cousin Theresa with a pathetic eagerness to assimilate and memorize her clothes. It was poor Bella’s fate in life to be passionately fond of clothes without having any clothes sense. Theresa’s clothes were expensive, slightly bizarre, and she herself had an exquisite figure.

Bella, when she arrived in England from Smyrna, had tried earnestly to copy Theresa’s elegance at an inferior price and cut.

Dr. Tanios, who was a big-bearded jolly-looking man, was talking to Miss Arundell. His voice was warm and full—an attractive voice that charmed a listener almost against his or her will. Almost in spite of herself, it charmed Miss Arundell.

Miss Lawson was fidgeting a good deal. She jumped up and down, handing plates, fussing over the tea table. Charles, whose manners were excellent, rose more than once to help her, but she expressed no gratitude.

When, after tea, the party went out to make a tour of the garden Charles murmured to his sister:

Lawson doesn’t like me. Odd, isn’t it?

Theresa said, mockingly:

"Very odd. So there is one person who can withstand your fatal fascination?"

Charles grinned—an engaging grin—and said:

Lucky it’s only Lawson….

In the garden Miss Lawson walked with Mrs. Tanios and asked her questions about the children. Bella Tanios’ rather drab face lighted up. She forgot to watch Theresa. She talked eagerly and animatedly. Mary had said such a quaint thing on the boat….

She found Minnie Lawson a most sympathetic listener.

Presently a fair-haired young man with a solemn face and pince-nez was shown into the garden from the house. He looked rather embarrassed. Miss Arundell greeted him politely.

Theresa said:

Hullo, Rex!

She slipped an arm through his. They wandered away.

Charles made a face. He slipped away to have a word with the gardener, an ally of his from old days.

When Miss Arundell reentered the house Charles was playing with Bob. The dog stood at the top of the stairs, his ball in his mouth, his tail gently wagging.

Come on, old man, said Charles.

Bob sank down on his haunches, nosed his ball slowly and slowly nearer the edge. As he finally bunted it over he sprang to his feet in great excitement. The ball bumped slowly down the stairs. Charles caught it and tossed it up to him. Bob caught it neatly in his mouth. The performance was repeated.

Regular game of his, said Charles.

Emily Arundell smiled.

He’ll go on for hours, she said.

She turned into the drawing room and Charles followed her. Bob gave a disappointed bark.

Glancing through the window Charles said:

"Look at Theresa and her young man. They are an odd couple!"

You think Theresa is really serious over this?

Oh, she’s crazy about him! said Charles with confidence. Odd taste, but there it is. I think it must be the way he looks at her as though she were a scientific specimen and not a live woman. That’s rather a novelty for Theresa. Pity the fellow’s so poor. Theresa’s got expensive tastes.

Miss Arundell said drily:

I’ve no doubt she can change her way of living—if she wants to! And after all she has her own income.

Eh? Oh yes, yes, of course. Charles shot an almost guilty look at her.

That evening, as the others were assembled in the drawing room waiting to go in to dinner, there was a scurry and a burst of profanity on the stairs. Charles entered with his face rather red.

Sorry, Aunt Emily, am I late? That dog of yours nearly made me take the most frightful toss. He’d left that ball of his on the top of the stairs.

Careless little doggie, cried Miss Lawson, bending down to Bob.

Bob looked at her contemptuously and turned his head away.

I know, said Miss Arundell. It’s most dangerous. Minnie, fetch the ball and put it away.

Miss Lawson hurried out.

Dr. Tanios monopolized the conversation at the dinner table most of the time. He told amusing stories of his life in Smyrna.

The party went to bed early. Miss Lawson carrying wool, spectacles, a large velvet bag and a book accompanied her employer to her bedroom chattering happily.

"Really most amusing, Dr. Tanios. He is such good company! Not that I should care for that kind of life myself….One would have to boil the water, I expect….And goat’s milk, perhaps—such a disagreeable taste—"

Miss Arundell snapped:

Don’t be a fool, Minnie. You told Ellen to call me at half past six?

Oh, yes, Miss Arundell. I said no tea, but don’t you think it might be wiser—You know, the vicar at Southbridge—a most conscientious man, told me distinctly that there was no obligation to come fasting—

Once more Miss Arundell cut her short.

"I’ve never yet taken anything before Early Service and I’m not going to begin now. You can do as you like."

Oh, no—I didn’t mean—I’m sure—

Miss Lawson was flustered and upset.

Take Bob’s collar off, said Miss Arundell.

The slave hastened to obey.

Still trying to please she said:

"Such a pleasant evening. They all seem so pleased to be here."

Hmph, said Emily Arundell. All here for what they can get.

Oh, dear Miss Arundell—

My good Minnie, I’m not a fool whatever else I am! I just wonder which of them will open the subject first.

She was not long left in doubt on that point. She and Miss Lawson returned from attending Early Service just after nine. Dr. and Mrs. Tanios were in the dining room, but there were no signs of the two Arundells. After breakfast, when the others had left, Miss Arundell sat on, entering up some accounts in a little book.

Charles entered the room about ten.

Sorry I’m late, Aunt Emily. But Theresa’s worse. She’s not unclosed an eyelid yet.

At half past ten breakfast will be cleared away, said Miss Arundell. "I know it is the fashion not to consider servants nowadays, but that is not the case in my house."

Good. That’s the true die-hard spirit!

Charles helped himself to kidneys and sat down beside her.

His grin, as always, was very attractive. Emily Arundell soon found herself smiling indulgently at him. Emboldened by this sign of favour, Charles plunged.

Look here, Aunt Emily, sorry to bother you, but I’m in the devil of a hole. Can you possibly help me out? A hundred would do it.

His aunt’s face was not encouraging. A certain grimness showed itself in her expression.

Emily Arundell was not afraid of speaking her mind. She spoke it.

Miss Lawson hustling across the hall almost collided with Charles as he left the dining room. She glanced at him curiously. She entered the dining room to find Miss Arundell sitting very upright with a flushed face.

Two

THE RELATIONS

Charles ran lightly up the stairs and tapped on his sister’s door. Her answering Come in came promptly and he entered.

Theresa was sitting up in bed yawning.

Charles took a seat on the bed.

What a decorative female you are, Theresa, he remarked appreciatively.

Theresa said sharply:

What’s the matter? Charles grinned.

"Sharp, aren’t you? Well, I stole a march on you, my girl! Thought I’d make my touch before you got to work."

Well?

Charles spread his hands downwards in negation.

Nothing doing! Aunt Emily ticked me off good and proper. She intimated that she was under no illusions as to why her affectionate family had gathered round her! And she also intimated that the said affectionate family would be disappointed. Nothing being handed out but affection—and not so much of that.

You might have waited a bit, said Theresa drily.

Charles grinned again.

I was afraid you or Tanios might get in ahead of me. I’m sadly afraid, Theresa my sweet, that there’ll be nothing doing this time. Old Emily is by no means a fool.

I never thought she was.

I even tried to put the wind up her.

What d’you mean? asked his sister sharply.

Told her she was going about it the right way to get bumped off. After all she can’t take the dibs to heaven with her. Why not loosen up a bit?

Charles, you are a fool!

No, I’m not. I’m a bit of a psychologist in my way. It’s never a bit of good sucking up to the old girl. She much prefers you to stand up to her. And after all, I was only talking sense. We get the money when she dies—she might just as well part with a little beforehand! Otherwise the temptation to help her out of the way might become overwhelming.

Did she see your point? asked Theresa, her delicate mouth curling up scornfully.

I’m not sure. She didn’t admit it. Just thanked me rather nastily for my advice and said she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. ‘Well,’ I said, ‘I’ve warned you.’ ‘I’ll remember it,’ she said.

Theresa said angrily:

Really, Charles, you are an utter fool.

Damn it all, Theresa, I was a bit ratty myself! The old girl’s rolling—simply rolling. I bet she doesn’t spend a tenth part of her income—what has she got to spend it on, anyway? And here we are—young, able to enjoy life—and to spite us she’s capable of living to a hundred….I want my fun now….So do you….

Theresa nodded.

She said in a low, breathless voice:

"They don’t understand—old people don’t….they can’t….They don’t know what it is to live!"

Brother and sister were silent for some minutes.

Charles got up.

Well, my love, I wish you better success than I’ve had. But I rather doubt it.

Theresa said:

I’m rather counting on Rex to do the trick. If I can make old Emily realize how brilliant he is, and how it matters terrifically that he should have his chance and not have to sink into a rut as a general practitioner… Oh, Charles, a few thousand of capital just at this minute would make all the difference in the world to our lives!

Hope you get it, but I don’t think you will. You’ve got through a bit too much capital in riotous living in your time. I say, Theresa, you don’t think the dreary Bella or the dubious Tanios will get anything, do you?

I don’t see that money would be any good to Bella. She goes about looking like a ragbag and her tastes are purely domestic.

Oh, well, said Charles, vaguely. "I expect she wants things for those unprepossessing children of hers, schools, and

Reviews for Dumb Witness

[therebelprince · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In which a woman asks Poirot to save her life, and a dog is blamed for murder.

"Dumb Witness" is a book where I worry that my own childhood bias moves it up the list. In retrospect, the eponymous canine – Bob – is overdrawn, and everyone acts like children. The suspects are varied, but none of them are well characterised. Beyond this, the question of who wears a hulking great brooch to bed has always confused me. Still, I’m sticking with my ranking: it may not have much nuance in either the characters or the mystery, but I find "Dumb Witness" to be intriguing. Most importantly, Poirot genuinely fears for the safety of his client here, which is always a nice element of his characterisation. This was Hastings’ last appearance – outside of short story collections – until he returned for his swan song.

[In the US, the book's title was changed to Poirot Loses a Client; I imagine due to concerns over understanding of the meaning of the word "dumb"?]

Poirot ranking: 15th of 38

[rosalita_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A rich elderly woman suspects someone in her family is trying to kill her to get their inheritance a bit early. She writes to Hercule Poirot but due to the letter being mislaid it isn't delivered until a couple of months later — when Miss Emily Arundell has already died and left her considerable fortune to someone outside of the family. Though investigating a possible attempted murder seems moot to that doofus Hastings, given that the target has died of apparently natural causes in the meantime, Poirot persists. He learns that all of the family members (nieces, nephew and assorted spouses) are desperate for money, giving them all a capital (no pun intended) motive. But did any of them actually initiate a fatal action?The "dumb witness" of the title is Bob, Miss Emily's intrepid wire terrier. He doesn't exactly solve the mystery but his actions and inactions are key to unraveling the case. I don't know much about Christie's personal life but I'm going to wager she was a dog lover, judging by the affectionate way she portrays Bob, even going so far as to give him actual dialogue. It's utterly charming and I'm glad Poirot was able to clear him of any wrongdoing in the case.The more Poirot books I read the more I dislike the Hastings character. I realize he's there to provide a handy vehicle for Poirot to explain the clues and solution to the reader, but good grief no one can be that stupid and still be able to tie his shoes. Unlike Watson, who has his own charm separate from Sherlock Holmes, this sidekick has no redeeming characteristics that I can discern. I far prefer the Poirot cases where he is absent in Argentina or wherever, but even he can't keep this one from being a winner.

[mrsrk-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved it, especially chapter 18! Very well constructed, difficult to figure who committed the crime. Highly recommend it.

[jrsearcher · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book. As long as you are willing to ignore Hastings (idiot), it's a good little mystery.

[jiraiya_5 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A disappointing book with the murderer being identified very early on. I chose a different person as my murderer, and stayed with it. The book, apart from what it tries to be, is a puzzlement in itself. There is no danger of being sidetracked. There are no meandering threads chock a block with false clues.For once Hastings didn't have an adverse effect on the flow of the telling. Usually Hastings shines in his stupidity. But here, not so. What's more, his Belgian mentor too is not his usual self. There are many accounts of the suspects and never have suspects spoken so truthfully in a mystery book. If they hide something...hey presto! Poirot duly eavesdrop on the naughty ninnies.Hercule Poirot is not as fun as Jane Marple. I pictured Miss Arundell like I pictured Miss Marple. Poirot is too noticeable. Marple's rich personality adorns her books with a flourish of confidentiality. I could imagine Marple young. Barely. But Poirot, not so much. Even here, with fewer foibles, he appears fake. And less fun. That is important.

[lycomayflower · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Husbeast and I listened to this audiobook on a long drive this past weekend. Was familiar with the story from the Suchet TV show (though that TV adaptation of this one did some very odd things to characterization and some smaller plot points), but hearing how Christie actually put the story together was entertaining anyway. There's some really funny social commentary (send-ups of various English village types, mostly) and the characterization of a dog who is important to the plot is a delight, perhaps mostly because of Hugh Fraser's reading--which was wonderful all around.

[figgles_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good fun Aggie

[bookangel_a · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I am a Poirot fan, so I enjoyed this mystery as I expected. The little dog in the story is precious and adds a new element to the plot. I don't remember an animal being featured this way in another Christie book. While I was reading, I kept thinking that the plot reminded me of another Christie book but couldn't remember which one. I thought I had guessed the killer but I was wrong. Which makes me like it more!

[riverwillow · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the first stories Christie wrote where Poirot solves a murder in restrospect. In this case he receives a letter some two months after Emily Arundell has died, of natural causes. But Poirot is unsatisfied, eventually proving that she was murdered. Wonderful.

[kathleen586 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was surprised by the amount of inconsistencies in the characters' names. Emily Arundell's father is referred to as Charles the first time (he is called John thereafter). Bella's maiden name is first Winter, then Biggs the other several times it is mentioned, and her son's name is Edward a few times, and then John the next few times.

[cbl_tn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Dumb Witness is vintage Christie. The deceased is an elderly woman whose family is attentive to her not from affection but because of the wealth she controls. Her nieces and nephew all have financial needs that would be greatly eased by their hoped-for inheritance. Her paid companion is overworked and under-appreciated, and might welcome the release from drudgery that would occur with her employer's death. The unusual twist in this case is that Hercule Poirot receives a letter from the woman requesting his services, but the letter arrives several weeks after her apparently natural death. Did one of her relatives or household staff do something to hurry her much-anticipated death? Poirot is on the case.I had read the book before, and this time I listened to the audio version read by Hugh Fraser, who plays Hastings on the British television series. I liked the book when I first read it, and liked it even more hearing Fraser's interpretation. Hastings is the book's first-person narrator, so it seemed right to hear Fraser's voice speaking the words. His pace is perfect, as are the character voices. Especially the dog, Bob, who plays an important role in the book. If you're a mystery fan who loves dogs, this is one to listen to rather than read.

[rubyscarlett-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really enjoyable but transcribing a dog's thoughts was incredibly far-fetched and I had trouble suspending disbelief.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In which Poirot investigates the death of a woman when he gets a letter from her after her death. Interesting.

[passion4reading_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Poirot receives a two-month-old letter in the post. In her correspondence Emily Arundell tells Poirot of her uneasiness because she suspects that her recent fall down the stairs was not an accident at all but a deliberate attempt by someone in her family to kill her. Intrigued, Poirot and Hastings make their way to Market Basing, only to discover that Miss Arundell has been dead for nearly two months. Poirot smells a rat and begins to investigate.A highly enjoyable and cleverly plotted whodunnit that manages to keep the perpetrator's identity concealed almost until the very end, and the ending, despite Poirot's legendary unveiling of the killer in the company of everyone assembled, is quite unusual. Agatha Christie never lets us forget that we're dealing with humans and their complicated emotions and to that end uses Poirot as the mouthpiece for those who can no longer speak for themselves to arrive at the truth. The only thing that grated a little was Hastings' putting words into the mouth of Bob the dog, but luckily those instances are rare.

[bearette24 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kept me guessing to the very end!

[xicanti_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Hercule Poirot answers a letter from a potential client, only to discover that the woman died two months ago.I know I'm in the minority here, but this is one of my favourite Christies. I found it absolutely delightful. The mystery itself is unconventional; Poirot must determine whether or not a seemingly natural death was, in fact, a murder. The cast is large and diverse; absolutely everyone is interesting. The ending is sensible, yet I didn't see it coming. I got a big kick out of it.I must confess, though, that I wouldn't have liked this book nearly so much had it not been for Bob, the deceased's terrier. Dame Agatha was very much a dog person, and it really shows here. Her portrayal of Bob is spot on; I especially liked the dialogue Hastings attributed to him. I'm sure other dog lovers will find just as entertaining as I did.

[auntie0nanuuq · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Also known as "Poirot Loses a Client".

You know, I just realised that many of Christie's are remarkably the same from book to book, as are the settings & circumstances..... as well as her prejudices. This time it was Greeks, Turks, & Argentines, which was mentioned more than once.... So I knocked off a star.

Aside from my little rant, I enjoyed the story. Aunt Emily is in her 70's and is not so well of health but is still as sharp as a tack and nobody's fool. She is the survivor of 3 sisters and a brother, all who lived well under their means, as does Aunt Emily.

Aunt Emily's two nieces, their husband & fiancee, and nephew come to visit, all looking for a handout. Emily knowing that they should all still have money from their previous inheritance denies them all.

Aunt Emily's dog, Bob, is a very intelligent terrier and is very good at playing ball. He likes to take his ball to the top of the stairs and push it down to whomever is at the bottom... when they toss it back up to Bab, he catches it and tosses it back down.

One evening close to Easter, Bob leaves his ball at the top of the stairs and Aunt Emily takes a tumble head first..... It is at this point she changes her will and writes to M. Poirot intimating she is in danger and requests his help...... It is several months later after Aunt Emily's family has once again visited (asking for money) and she falls ill and dies that M. Poirot receives her letter.

Suspects include: Nephew Charles (a bounder & a cad), Niece Natalie (a fast & loose woman who loves the finer things in life), Niece Bella (a dull woman & good mother married to the "Greek"), the Greek (a doctor of a charming & jovial nature), and Minnie (the most current of a long line of "spinster" companions).

Captain Hastings is along to help M. Poirot, but honestly, he is a right old ass and as obtuse as ever.

I liked the story, I especially like Bob, and I "got" the clue as to who done it.

[g33kgrrl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The main delight in this audiobook is listening to Hugh Fraser's interpretation of the dog's thoughts, which is fantastic. On the other hand, I dislike Dame Agatha having a murderer - spoiler - pretend to be an abused woman since she has a really unfortunate habit of being gross regarding domestic violence in other books.

[delphimo_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An old maid dies, but her will just recently was changed. What did Emily Arundell discover before her death that made her change her mind concerning her heirs? What a delicious story of a limited number of suspects like the previous story of Cards on the Table. This story presents a better story and with more understanding. Agatha Christie utilizes many quaint phrases such as “nigger in the woodpile” that would be very incorrect today. Poirot must wade through many piles of mud to uncover the most important source of greed. The killer attempts murder by leaving a thread for Miss Emily to catch her foot and fall down the stairs. This attempt fails. So, a second attempt does work, but the doctor states that Miss Emily died from pre-existing conditions and foul play is neglected. Enter Hercule Poirot and all his little tricks and of course, his little grey cells. So utterly delightful. Just wish I could talk with Agatha and find out the significance of the names of her characters.

[markatread · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Agatha Christie began writing the Hercule Poirot mysteries in 1920. Captain Hastings narrated many of the short stories Agatha Christie wrote about Poirot and by 1937, when Dumb Witness was published, Agatha Christie had also written 15 novels in which Poirot appeared. In 7 of the novels Captain Hastings is once again the narrator and friend that accompanies Poirot on his cases. But then after Dumb Witness, for the next 38 years and more than 20 books that Christie wrote about Poirot, Captain Hastings does not appear again until the final book, Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case (1975).Hercule Poirot is not an easy man to be friends with and even Captain Hastings becomes irritated with him from time to time. But when all is said and done, Captain Hastings is the only friend that Poirot ever had and as such, Dumb Witness holds a somewhat sentimental place for those that have read a lot of the Poirot mysteries. Many of the things that made all the Poirot/Hastings books special are in this one – Poirot makes fun of Hastings for not seeing what Poirot sees; Hastings becoming frustrated with Poirot for not playing fair when he eavesdrops on suspects or tells lies to get them to give him information, etc. But the thing that Dumb Witness has - as all the previous books have had that Poirot and Hastings appear in together- is that throughout the book it is clear that both men like each other and are truly friends.In the same year that Dumb Witness was published, so was Death on the Nile. Captain Hastings does not appear in that book and the difference is obvious. In Dumb Witness, the reader only sees the story through Captain Hastings eyes. But in Death on the Nile, Agatha Christie has multiple angles that she can tell the story from – not just from Captain Hastings view point. Christie’s ability to add different layers to the story increases and Death on the Nile is a more textured, less claustrophobic story. The mystery in Dumb Witness is a good one and is well told. The interactions between Poirot and Hastings are very good and the plot line and Poirot’s unraveling of the stories that each of the suspects tells is also very believable. The story does bog down with so much talking at times and all of the human characters are somewhat hard to like. The best of the human characters that Christie has in the story, the woman that is killed, is dead before Poirot even gets to the scene of the crime so she is not available to keep all the other characters interesting. The most interesting character in the book is the dumb witness –Bob the “frisky terrier” - that was the murdered woman’s dog. He and Captain Hastings quickly become friends and Hastings can hear what Bob is saying. These encounters are funny and add to the book.Agatha Christie was a dog lover and even dedicated this book to her own dog, Peter. It is only fitting that as Ms. Christie says goodbye to Captain Hastings for what would be 38 years that at the end of Dumb Witness she would have Poirot give Hastings the dog Bob to be his new friend.By letting Hastings go, Agatha Christie gained the ability to tell her stories the way she felt suited her best. But even as Agatha became tired of Poirot in later years (even was quoted as saying he was a “….tiresome, ego-centric little creep”) Captain Hastings never stopped supporting his friend and being someone Poirot could depend on. When it came time to solve his final case, Poirot called for his friend to come and help him and Arthur Hastings came and helped his friend Poirot - as he always had.

[lecari_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In this Poirot mystery, Poirot receives a vague letter from a woman that is dated to several months ago. This grabs his attention, so he goes to visit her and find out why she wanted her help – only to find that she died shortly after it was written. Although Captain Hastings is adamant that he should let it rest since she’s dead, Poirot insists he cannot, and investigates further.Again, full of the great sense of mystery and exciting twists at the end. I had no idea who the murderer was until the last chapter; Ms Christie manages to disguise it and keep you interested the whole way through. It was also full of the typical light humour, such as jokes about his moustache and the lies he tells people to get information. These books are a pleasure to read, I love hearing about Poirot’s way with people and his amazing way of reading the ‘psychology of the individual’ to assess the best way to get them to open up and to tell who committed the murder.This was a good, fun, short read (although slightly longer than the last few, at 400+ pages). It took me only a few hours to finish. Not really anything too taxing, but definitely enjoyable and I’d recommend these to anyone. Reading these past few Poirots I can definitely see why Agatha Christie is so revered as the queen of mystery novels!

[electrascaife · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Poirot gets a long-delayed letter delivery, in which an older lady requests his help because she fears someone in her family is trying to kill her. When the famous detective finally receives the letter it's too late and the woman has died. The doctor has declared it a death by natural causes, but Poirot isn't so easily convinced.Another excellent mystery nicely solved by the little man with the weird facial hair. Once again Christie completely fooled me and I love her for it.

[forsanolim · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

If only Emily Arundell would die, then her three nieces and nephews would finally be able to inherit her sizable wealth. She nearly does die, in fact, when she slips on her dog's ball in the middle of the night and is sent flying down the stairs. Luckily she doesn't die, after all, but she becomes suspicious both that she didn't actually trip on a ball and that her fall was no accident. She drafts a letter to Hercule Poirot before dying a couple months later. Only after her death does the letter end up in Poirot's hands, at which point he begins to investigate on behalf of his deceased client.Another fun mystery (this is definitely my year of Agatha Christie). I don't think this was my absolute favorite, though I haven't yet read many other Poirot books that I can compare it to.

[alanwpowers · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fortunately saw the T.V. version the night before I picked this up randomly, delighted to have seen Bob the dog, wire-haired Terrier, and his trick rolling the ball down the stairs, running down and catching it himself. Not in the book, where he pushes the ball downstairs, and Charles catches it, throws it back up. Also, Bob's not on a "lead" in the book; he heels, though Poirot in the film has him leashed. Nor does Poirot himself advise Emily Arundell on making a new will; in fact, Poirot only arrives after Miss Arundell has died. Nor does Charles have a grand, fast boat in the novel, though he does still need money.Serious personality differences such as the Greek Dr. Tanios, who is fat, jolly and amusing in the novel, and yes, despised as a foreigner (from Smyrna) in both. In the film, he's another handsome actor, a loss in variety. At dinner, Dr. Tanios amuses; not in the film, where it's hard to see his charm.Poirot finally arrives in Chapter V, at breakfast, reading letters and sorting into four piles; he re-reads the one, cross-written, from Emily Arundell, months earlier. Hercule drinks chocolate eveyr morning at breakfast. Hastings' car is a second-hand Austin.The T.V. film made several improvements in addition to the dog's great trick: Poirot meets Emily Arundell, and even advises her to make a new will, whereas in her novel Poirot only arrives after she dies. Also, the inheritrix Lawson lives in Bayswaater, in a flat crowded with too much furniture, while the spendthrift niece Theresa lives in Chelsea, on the river, in a house almost without furniture, probably sold as she works through her 30K pound inheritance. Her fiance Dr Donaldson is "a stick" who also needs money, not personally, but for lab research. Bella and Dr. Tarios live at the Durham Hotel, Bloomsbury, a part of London I know well from stayig at B&B's nearby, and of course the British Museum, as well as the literary Bloomsbury Group.Theresa's brother Charles has no fancy motorboat (a fine film addition) but whiles away money on gambling--visually so much less interesting (107).The novel has a great scene on Dr. Grainger's "bullying" Miss Emily into taking her medicine because "You show me anyone who's lived to over seventy [in the late 1930's] and you show me a fighter, someone who's got the will to live"(54). Charles confesses that Atty Purvis tried to dissuade Aunt Emily from her 2nd will. And after Charles tells the narrator Hastings that Aunt Emily showed him the new will, Poirot exits, and slams the door as if he's left, but goes back to hear at a crack in the door, Theresa shout "You Fool!" to her brother (111, end of Ch.XIV). Poirot then exits quickly, shutting the door silently. Evidently a detective's skill, how to shut the door quietly or... with a bang.

[funstm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

“I’m still a little fogged. Who exactly do we suspect?” “I really could not say who you suspect, Hastings! Everybody in turn, I should imagine!”Christie, Agatha. Dumb Witness: Hercule Poirot Investigates (Hercule Poirot series Book 16) (p. 300). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.I'm afraid I often feel like Hastings reading Agatha Christie. I have lots of ideas and lots of suspects and I go back and forth with no clue. This time, Poirot receives a letter dated two months earlier and is intrigued enough to visit the lady in question - only the lady in question is dead and died not long after the letter was written, leaving her fortune to her lady companion. I was highly amused at the investigation into this one. Poirot was busy with his creative truth telling and pretty much all the suspects had plans for murder. I jumped back and forth over who was guilty and I was wrong about pretty much everything. But it was fun speculating and it was interesting to see the actual conclusions. And I found it rather funny too - although my favourite lines were the following;“Love affairs?” “Plenty in the past.” “And the present?” “Only Rex.” “That is Dr. Donaldson?” “Yes.” “He seems, somehow, very alien from the life you mention.” “Oh, he is.” “And yet you care for him. Why, I wonder?” “Oh, what are reasons? Why did Juliet fall for Romeo?” “Well for one thing, with all due deference to Shakespeare, he happened to be the first man she had seen.”Christie, Agatha. Dumb Witness: Hercule Poirot Investigates (Hercule Poirot series Book 16) (pp. 141-142). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition. I mean he's not wrong. But it's still pretty funny. An enjoyable read, 3.5 stars, rounded to 4.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie is a 1937 mystery story that features Hercule Poirot and is narrated by his friend Captain Hastings. The story opens by introducing Emily Arundell, a wealthy elderly spinster, and her family, a motley collection of greedy relatives. When Emily takes a fall upon the stairs, it is blamed upon her dog leaving his ball at the top of the staircase, but Emily is greatly afraid that it wasn’t a ball that she tripped over. She writes to Hercule Poirot, wanting his help and very importantly, his discretion.Unfortunately by the time Poirot receives the letter Emily has died presumably of natural causes. After reading the letter Poirot isn’t convinced that her death was natural so, with Hastings at his side, he sets out to investigate. Dumb Witness definitely showcases the intelligence of Hercule Poirot, but I felt that his manner of solving the crime was a little extreme. However, the book has all the ingredients that we have come to expect from an Agatha Christie novel, plenty of red herrings, unreliable witnesses, interesting dialogue and a clever murderer who probably would have gotten away with it, if only Hercule Poirot wasn’t involved. I also enjoyed meeting Bob, the wire haired-terrier, the title’s Dumb Witness.

[richardderus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's all a bit silly, really; the entire plot hangs on the fact that a rather too easily manipulated old spinster (what a creepy word that is in today's world!) would not come right out and say.what.she.meant. Her leeching relatives need her money and she is so very inconsiderate as to decline to die. Without help, that is.She gets the help. Poirot, to whom she had appealed for protection but who didn't receive her plea until too late, arrives at her former home pretending to consider buying it. He solves the crime, of course, but the fact is nothing much happens as a result except the direct killer commits suicide. (Others had the idea of helping the tenaciously alive old dear to assume room temperature, but for a variety of reasons that frankly made my eyes roll so hard I saw my brain, didn't.)Honestly, I think this is why the story is narrated by Hastings. It is just too slight a structure to bear the direct involvement of Poirot. Best filtered through the deactivated charcoal of Hastings' brain. I gave the story as high a rating as I did because I love Bob the dog and his manic energy. The greedy relatives are bog-standard, uninteresting selfishness machines. (This has direct relevance to my own life the past few days.) But all in all, it was a good idea to read it right now, and Overdrive saved me having to buy it. I'd tell anyone who's already a Poirotian to read it without concern for being disappointed.

[smik_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I am re-reading this for my U3A Agatha Christie Reading class. I read it on my Kindle because it enables me to make notes as I go, so I can come up with discussion questions. I have found that these questions help to bring the plot back to the people in the class.So here are some of the questions I want to discuss: This novel leaps straight into the fact that Emily Arundell has died. Did you know straight away who the narrator was? What did you base this on? Do you expect this narrator to be reliable? What do you learn straight away about the Arundell family, and about Emily's character in particular? What does it mean to say the family were"service people"? When is this novel set? Are there any clues? Emily Arundell has not been well for a number of years. What causes her ill health? Why would various members of the family like to see her death? What caused Emily to fall down the stairs? When Emily wrote to Poirot she "crossed and recrossed the page". What do you envisage that to look like? Why did people do that? We find out in Chapter 5 that Hastings is the narrator. How did he come up with the detail evident in the first 4 chapters (dialogue, thoughts etc) Why did so much time elapse between the writing of the letter to Poirot and its final delivery? Hastings can't see why Poirot wants to follow this up. What is Poirot's reasoning? Bob the dog is made a real character. How does Christie do this? Hastings challenges Poirot's decision to tell "white lies" in his search for information about what happened to Emily Arundell. Do you think Emily meant to destroy her new will? Why? What caused the "halo" around Miss Arundell's head at the seance? If Emily had not made a new will, how would her estate have been distributed? If she hadn't told the family about the new will, would she have been murdered? Who did you suspect of plotting the murder? Did you change your mind? How difficult was it to work out? Bear in mind the fact that Poirot said he had concluded that there could only be one person, but Hastings could not work it out. What did you think of Poirot's account of what had happened? Why did he give Bella a copy of his conclusions? What he fear would happen if he didn't do this? Was justice done? How does Agatha Christie demonstrate her own knowledge of poisons? What happens to the dog Bob? Does he feature at all in later books? If Bob could talk.... Would he have been able to say who murdered Emily?

[bbbart-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very entertaining entry in the Poirot series. Just when you think you have gone through all possible Poirot story lines, Agatha Christie always manages to squeenze in an original one.

In `dumb witness', Poirot investigates a seemingly perfectly natural death of an old lady leaving her extraordinary wealth to her companion, as such disinheriting her family.

Very intriguing plot and again a very nice insight in the upper class society of the interbellum Great Britain.