Five Little Pigs

Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie was published in 1942. The novel is another detective novel centred around the character Hercule Poirot. The title is derived from a nursery rhyme often referred to as This Little Pig which is frequently quoted in the book.

The novel is about an investigation by Mr. Poirot into the death of Amyas Crale – a famous painter. The investigation is conducted after sixteen years of his death upon the request of his daughter Carla. Amyas’s wife, Caroline Crale was previously convicted for the crime and died in the jail. There were only five people suspects: Elsa Greer – Amyas’s new girlfriend, Philip and Meridith Blake – friends of Amyas, Angela Warren – Caroline’s little sister, and Angela Warren – governess of Angela.

What makes this novel unique is the fact that it more or less feels like a puzzle. A reader with Poirot’s intellect could solve it – but obviously most of us don’t. All the accounts of the suspects are laid before the reader. Five different perspectives about the same incident confuses most of us and feels it as an unsolvable puzzle but to Poirot, things are pretty easy.

The intellect of the author creating the story, plot and the characters is admirable. Yet another classical Agatha Christie novel.