Btw, I looked up the children's rhyme when I first read this book -- like many of those that Christie uses in her books (e.g., also "Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?") it's in turn an allegory for something rather dark as well; in this instance, an attack by Blackbeard's pirates.
Funny, but the reference to pirates would even make sense in that Rex F. was a bit of a pirate, at least when telling tales of how he cheated his business partners.
I like the dark Christies generally - some of my favourite Christies are the dark ones - but this one just did not do it for me. I still liked it but it was not edgy enough to stand out that much.
Re: Rex F. as a pirate -- yes; there's certainly authorial method behind this, however it's actually played in the book.
Did you ever watch the Joan Hickson screen adaptation? It stars Peter Davison -- of insignificantly more than "All Creatures Great and Small" vintage -- as Lance ... (and Timothy West as Rex, and Tom Wilkinson as the inspector). One of my favorite installments in the series.
Well, this one might be worth it -- it's pretty close to the book ... and the cast is fabulous. (You'll be doubly sick of the nursery rhyme at the end, though. :D)
Btw, I looked up the children's rhyme when I first read this book -- like many of those that Christie uses in her books (e.g., also "Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?") it's in turn an allegory for something rather dark as well; in this instance, an attack by Blackbeard's pirates.
I like the dark Christies generally - some of my favourite Christies are the dark ones - but this one just did not do it for me. I still liked it but it was not edgy enough to stand out that much.
Did you ever watch the Joan Hickson screen adaptation? It stars Peter Davison -- of insignificantly more than "All Creatures Great and Small" vintage -- as Lance ... (and Timothy West as Rex, and Tom Wilkinson as the inspector). One of my favorite installments in the series.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdpP6ynPbiY