Sparkling Cyanide

The mystery itself in Sparkling Cyanide was excellent. I had no idea how this one was going to puzzle out, and I was afraid that it would end up being an unrealistically convoluted Christie ending (I just finished Death in the Clouds, which has one of those). Instead, it was a very satisfying ending where a small revelation made everything else fall into place and seem simpler than before. Interesting that Col Race wasn't the one to figure it out, though I suppose he usually plays second fiddle in his stories.

I also really liked the structure of the book-- a chapter for each character in the first half, each remembering Rosemary, their relationship with her, and her death at her birthday party, leading up to the big turning point of the show more second deadly dinner party with the same six guests. show less

At a dinner party in a busy restaurant Rosemary Barton dies after drinking champagne laced with cyanide, ruled a suicide due to her depressed state. Some months later her widow George receives a note suggesting the death was murder. On the anniversary of Rosemary's death George arranges another dinner where he hopes to uncover the truth.

The book is neatly structured. The initial murder occurs very quickly and is followed by a long section told from the point of view of each attendee at the murder revealing their relationship with Rosemary. All of them have reasons to want Rosemary dead. Midway through the book George arranges his special dinner where a terrible event occurs. The second half of the book re-examines the stories and show more motives of the suspects based on this event; some suspects seem to be eliminated (why based on the first half of the book would they want the event to occur?) and some become more suspicious. The final resolution is based on a misdirection and a half twist in the motivations of a central character.

Colonel Race, a semi-retired secret service agent, is not really central to solving the murder, but acts more as a catalyst to allow each suspect to reveal a little more about their character and possible motivation for the crime.

This book shows Christie at the height of her powers. Her characterisation is so strong that the whole book rests on descriptions and explanations of the desires of the suspects alone. There is almost no action and little narrative drive.

The only reason I did not give this book five stars is that the solver of the mystery is the lesser Colonel Race rather than one of Christie's big hitters. show less

Based on the Hercule Poirot short story, Yellow Iris, Sparkling Cyanide tells the story of Rosemary Marle - a vibrant young woman who seemingly committed suicide after contracting the flu. One year to the date, her husband, George Barton hosts a dinner party with the exact guests that were with her when she died. Like all of his other novels, Colonel Race features only on the periphery, as an old friend to Rosemary's husband, George Barton.

This was good. I had read Yellow Iris previously so I had an inkling where things were going but I enjoyed it all the same. I was particularly fond of Vicky, Sandra Farrady's mum.

His wife still shook her head. “I still say he hasn’t got the nerve. You want someone who’s a gambler and capable show more of being reckless. I’m afraid, William, I’m horribly afraid.” He stared at her.
“Are you suggesting that Sandra—Sandra—?” “I hate even to suggest such a thing—but it’s no use being cowardly and refusing to face possibilities. She’s besotted about that man—she always has been—and there’s a queer streak in Sandra. I’ve never really understood her—but I’ve always been afraid for her. She’d risk anything—anything—for Stephen. Without counting the cost. And if she’s been mad enough and wicked enough to do this thing, she’s got to be protected.”
“Protected? What do you mean—protected?”
“By you. We’ve got to do something about our own daughter, haven’t we? Mercifully you can pull any amount of strings.”
Lord Kidderminster was staring at her. Though he had thought he knew his wife’s character well, he was nevertheless appalled at the force and courage of her realism—at her refusal to blink at unpalatable facts—and also at her unscrupulousness. “If my daughter’s a murderess, do you suggest that I should use my official position to rescue her from the consequences of her act?”
“Of course,” said Lady Kidderminster.
“My dear Vicky! You don’t understand! One can’t do things like that. It would be a breach of—of honour.”
“Rubbish!” said Lady Kidderminster. They looked at each other—so far divided that neither could see the other’s point of view.

Christie, Agatha. Sparkling Cyanide (pp. 186-187). William Morrow Paperbacks. Kindle Edition. I adored the ruthless in her and how absolutely gobsmacked the husband is by her.

The mystery is well plotted and unfolds at a steady pace. I liked the characters and the motives for everything and I was pleasantly surprised by the reveal of how it was all done. It's not my favourite Agatha Christie but it was a solidly written and fun detective story. 3 stars. show less

I read the first half of this one on a plane ride and it was a fun, quick murder mystery to get pulled into. I lost momentum after being home for a few days. The ending was still satisfying, but it’s not one of my new favorite Christie novels. It’s a slow burn and there was only one twist I really loved. Still a good easy travel read.

Ahh, thank goodness, back to the Agatha Christie I sometimes love and almost always like, where characters exist who say things like this:

"...I don't like the way she does her hair myself - it makes her face look so hard - but I should think she was a hard woman. And nervy, too. Everyone is nervy nowadays. When I was a girl people didn't know what nerves were."

I must have read this copy of Remembered Death (also published under the way better title of Sparkling Cyanide) several dozen times as a youth. The cover held a fascination for me, featuring a group of three party guests with a grinning skull looming behind them like a sinister moon. The story itself is not actually as creepy as the cover might lead you to believe, but it does provide plenty of guesswork and opportunities to be wrong in identifying the culprit. On this particular reread I remembered who had done it but couldn't remember how or why, but what little foreknowledge I had did not reduce my enjoyment of the story.

This was originally a short story called "Yellow Iris", which served as the basis for the Poirot episode of the show more same name. Poirot is not in Remembered Death, however; the detective role is much smaller and is filled by Colonel Race. Therefore, those who want to try an Agatha that doesn't feature one of her marquee detectives might want to try this one. show less

Another good murder in retrospect (2009 reading). Re-read in 2025, this is a Colonel Race book despite it being adapted for the Poirot TV show. The characterisation is what shines in this book - George Barton holds a macabre re-enactment of the dinner party at which his wife had died, supposedly by suicide. Each one of them had a motive to murder her, but instead of unmasking the murderer, George himself dies. There's plenty of misdirection before the denouement.