Five Little Pigs
Also known as Murder In Retrospect
SYNOPSIS
Carla Lemarchant requests the help of Poirot to investigate a historical case, that of the murder of her father, Ameas Crale, by her mother, Caroline. Although convicted and indeed hanged, years earlier, Carla wants Poirot's take on the case and sure enough, once he reviews the events of, and leading up to, the death of Ameas from the different perspectives of those who where there all those years years ago, things don't add up...
poirot
This is Poirot's 21st appearance where he is called in to solve a murder.
when to read
Set in the summer before school starts I always read this when the sun is out or in the spring. It's especially nice to drink an ice cold beer while doing so...
murder mystery
Visiting a historical crime with only a select group of suspects...Poirot does the rounds to find the culprit.
England
Set in England with the murder having occurred 16 years before the novel starts.
Publishing info
ACs 32nd novel, it was published in 1942 along with 'The Body in the Library' and 'The Moving Finger'.
overall rating
5/5
On Screen
Watching Agatha Christie
Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie was filmed as part of the ITV feature length episodes and is Season 9 episode 1 starring David Suchet.
David Suchet starres as Hercule Poirot alongside Aidan Gillen as Ameas Crayle, Toby Stephens as Philip Blake and Sophie Winkleman as Angela Warren. Rachel Stirling is the daughter of Diana Rigg who plays Arlena Marshal in the Peter Ustinov film ‘Evil Under the Sun’.
Five Little Pigs Character List
| Ameas Crale | Painter and victim. Husband of Caroline and father to Carla |
| Angela Warren | Archaeologist |
| Caleb Johnathan | Solicitors for the Crale family |
| Carla Lemarchant | Daughter of Caroline Crale |
| Caroline Crale | Wife of Ameas, accused of his murder, mother of Carla |
| Cecelia Williams | Governess to the Crales |
| Edmunds | Clerk at the Mayhew solicitor’s firm |
| Elsa Greer – Lady Dittisham | Girlfriend of Ameas Crale |
| George Mayhew | Son of Caroline Crale’s solicitor |
| John Rattery | Carla Lemarchant’s fiance |
| Meredith Blake | Herbalist, brother of Philip |
| Phillip Blake | Stockbroker, brother of Meredith |
| Quentin Fogg | Member of the prosecution team at Caroline Crale’s trial |
| Sir Montague Depleach | Counsel for the Defence at Caroline Crale’s trial |
| Superintendent Hale | Investigating officer at the original case |
SPOILERS BELOW!
Ameas Crale and, as she was hanged for a crime she did not commit, Caroline Crale.
Elsa Greer (now Lady Dittisham)
Elsa overhears that far from leaving his wife for her, Ameas intends to end his affair with Elsa so she kills him in revenge.
Ameas is poisoned with coniine which was put in his beer.
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