Death on the Nile

Author - Agatha Christie

A small English village is shaken when a local newspaper announces that a murder will occur at Little Paddocks. Curious neighbors gather to witness the event—only for the lights to go out and a real murder to take place. Miss Marple steps in to untangle secrets, lies, and motives in this classic cozy whodunit.

Genre - Cozy Mysterious

Notes: Death on the Nile

• • Linnet Ridgeway, a wealthy heiress, is on her honeymoon with her new husband, Simon Doyle, on a Nile cruise.
• • Jacqueline de Bellefort, Simon's former fiancée and Linnet's former friend, is also on the cruise, causing tension.
• • Hercule Poirot, the famous Belgian detective, is also a passenger on the same ship.
• • The cruise stops at Abu Simbel, where Jacqueline throws a stone at Linnet's head, narrowly missing her.
• • Jacqueline also threatens Linnet and Simon, creating a hostile atmosphere.
• • Miss Van Schuyler, an elderly American woman with a penchant for expensive jewelry, is also on board.
• • Cornelia Robson, Miss Van Schuyler's companion, seems to be caring for her but also has her own secrets.
• • Mr. Ferguson, a socialist and a critic of the wealthy, expresses his dislike for Linnet.
• • Mrs. Allerton and her son, Tim, are also passengers, observing the unfolding drama.
• • Dr. Bessner, a physician, is present and offers medical advice.
• • The cruise continues, with Linnet feeling increasingly uneasy and threatened by Jacqueline.
• • Linnet confides in Poirot about her fears and the constant harassment from Jacqueline.
• • Linnet discovers that a valuable necklace is missing from her cabin.
• • The next morning, Linnet Doyle is found murdered in her cabin, shot in the head.
• • A tiny pistol is found, but it doesn't seem to be the murder weapon.
• • Poirot takes charge of the investigation, treating the ship as a closed environment.
• • Jacqueline de Bellefort claims she shot herself in the leg to escape the situation, but her story is questioned.
• • Poirot finds a bloodstained handkerchief near the scene of the crime.
• • The missing necklace is found to have been deliberately dropped into the Nile.
• • Poirot discovers that the stolen necklace was a fake, and the real one was hidden.
• • Several passengers have motives to want Linnet dead, including financial gain and revenge.
• • Mr. Ferguson admits to disliking Linnet but denies any involvement in her murder.
• • Miss Van Schuyler is suspected of stealing the necklace, but her motive is unclear.
• • Cornelia Robson appears to be a dutiful companion but might be hiding something.
• • Dr. Bessner's medical knowledge could be relevant to the cause of death.
• • Mrs. Allerton and Tim are observers but might have seen or heard something crucial.
• • Poirot interviews each passenger extensively, piecing together their stories and alibis.
• • He learns about Linnet's past wealth and her recent financial dealings.
• • The investigation reveals that Linnet was planning to change her will.
• • Poirot discovers that Simon Doyle was deeply in debt before marrying Linnet.
• • Jacqueline de Bellefort's seemingly erratic behavior is scrutinized.
• • Poirot finds a second, smaller pistol hidden in Jacqueline's bag.
• • He also finds a torn piece of paper with a coded message.
• • The coded message reveals a plan to stage the murder.
• • Poirot realizes that the murder was a carefully orchestrated deception.
• • He gathers all the passengers in the ship's lounge for the final reveal.
• • Poirot explains that Linnet was shot by Simon Doyle, not Jacqueline.
• • Simon killed Linnet to inherit her fortune, as he was still in debt.
• • Jacqueline, in love with Simon, agreed to help him stage the murder.
• • Jacqueline faked her suicide attempt and shot herself in the leg to create an alibi.
• • She then went to Linnet's cabin and shot her while Simon created a distraction.
• • The bloodstained handkerchief was from Simon, who pricked his finger to simulate a struggle.
• • The torn paper was part of a plan to make it look like Jacqueline was the sole killer.
• • Simon and Jacqueline planned to inherit Linnet's money together after the staged events.
• • Poirot reveals the true motive and the elaborate plot.
• • Simon Doyle confesses to the murder.
• • Jacqueline de Bellefort also confesses her part in the scheme.
• • Poirot explains how he deduced the truth through careful observation and logical deduction.
• • The necklace was a red herring to distract from the real murder.
• • The missing necklace was a fake planted to make the theft seem like the primary motive.
• • The real necklace was hidden by Jacqueline.
• • Poirot emphasizes the importance of understanding human psychology and motives.
• • The story ends with the arrest of Simon and Jacqueline, and the passengers left stunned by the revelation.