Towards Zero (1944)

Since this is the first Agatha Christie I read, the ending really had me. It was one of those "how could I have not seen that coming?". It's a classic murder-mystery story which I love, and you can never forget the first novel of the author you read. Christie said this was one of her favorite novels to write, and I can see why. ( )

What is the connection between a failed suicide attempt, a wrongful accusation of theft against a schoolgirl and the romantic life of a famous tennis player? To the casual observer, perhaps nothing, but to Superintendent Battle of Scotland Yard, these are the only potential clues available to him when he's sent to investigate a murder that takes place during a house party being held at the seaside home of an elderly bedridden lady. I did really enjoy this book. It's actually the second Agatha Christie book that I've ever read and I give it an A! ( )

Quelle drôle d'idée ! Rassembler pour des vacances à La Pointe-aux-Mouettes l'ex-Mrs Strange - Mrs Audrey depuis son divorce - et Kay, la nouvelle tenante du titre, sous le prétexte d'en faire des amies... c'est de l'inconscience, pour ne pas dire plus. Car enfin, l'époux de ces dames n'a quand même pas la naïveté de croire qu'elles vont tomber dans les bras l'une de l'autre. D'ailleurs, si ces tigresses ne se sont pas encore écharpées, c'est qu'elles se retiennent. Pour l'instant. Les vertus calmantes de l'air marin, sans doute... Mais les choses n'en resteront pas là. Deux Mrs Strange sous le même toit, c'est une de trop…

The last time Superintendent Battle made an appearance was in 1939 in MURDER IS EASY (aka EASY TO KILL).

TOWARDS ZERO opens with a Prologue which introduces the concept of characters converging towards Zero Hour.

The book is broken up into sections, a feature that the reader barely notices.
'OPEN THE DOOR AND HERE ARE THE PEOPLE' introduces the cast of characters: Angus MacWhirter in hospital after attempting to throw himself off a cliff and failing; an unknown person plotting a murder; Superintendent Battle called to his daughter's school because she has admitted to pilfering, Nevile Strange, his wife Kay and his ex-wife Audrey; Lady Tressilian and Mary Aldin at Gull's Point which all the Stranges will visit for two weeks in September; Thomas Royde returning home to Gull's Point from Malaya; Mr Treves (whom we met in the Prologue) looking for somewhere to spend his holidays; and Ted Latimer, a friend of the Kay Strange.

The novel progresses, bringing the characters together at Salt Creek, closer and closer to Zero Hour.
And then two murders take place and Superintendent Battle staying with his nephew Jim Leach is pulled into the investigation.

Superintendent Battle comes over as a pretty stodgy sort of policeman who does things by the book. In fact I think Agatha Christie fans may well have been disappointed that the author didn't choose one of her other sleuths for the role. (The Agatha Christie site reveals that it was adapted for TV in 2007 with Geraldine McEwan as Miss Marple.)
Battle's plodding methods and determination to get irrefutable evidence win the day and eventually the right person is apprehended.

For much of the book TOWARDS ZERO feels rather like a romance, with eternal triangles, jealousies, and thwarted desires. And then it gathers pace, with only twenty or so pages to go, and we hear a point made before, by Treves and then by Battle, who makes a statement worthy of Poirot himself:

When you read the account of a murder - or say, a fiction story based on murder, you usually begin with the murder itself. That's all wrong. The murder begins a long time beforehand. A murder is the culmination of a lot of different circumstances, all converging into it from different parts of the globe and unforeseen reasons..... The murder itself is the end of the story. It's Zero Hour.

And then Battle goes on to nail the murderer and prevent another murder. The plot of the book is quite a clever one, but there were a couple of things that hung: Angus MacWhirter's role for instance: it almost felt as if Christie wanted to include another element of romance. Mr Treves' story of a child who kills another with an bow and arrow is never fully explained which was frustrating. The murder that takes place at Gull's Point has a clumsy explanation depending on the difference in left and right hand swings and I had great difficulty in imagining the murder weapon.

This is the last novel in which Superintendent Battle makes an appearance. With Inspector Japp as a foil in many of the Poirot titles Superintendent Battle outlived his usefulness. ( )

After reading a rave review on a book blog, I immediately placed this book on hold at the library. I'm so glad I did! I so enjoyed this mystery. I loved how she began the story; instead of with the murder, she traced it's origins through the various people involved. So clever! And the idea that each of us are valuable and have a purpose, even unknowingly being somewhere at the right time can affect a great many. Highly recommended!! ( )