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    Sad Cypress: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition
    Sad Cypress: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition
    Sad Cypress: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition
    Audiobook6 hours

    Sad Cypress: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition

    Written by Agatha Christie

    Narrated by David Suchet

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    In Agatha Christie’s classic murder mystery Sad Cypress, a woman damned by overwhelming evidence stands accused of murdering her romantic rival, and only Hercule Poirot stands between her and the gallows.

    Beautiful young Elinor Carlisle stood serenely in the dock, accused of the murder of Mary Gerrard, her rival in love. The evidence was damning: only Elinor had the motive, the opportunity, and the means to administer the fatal poison.

    Yet, inside the hostile courtroom, only one man still presumed Elinor was innocent until proven guilty. Hercule Poirot was all that stood between Elinor and the gallows.…

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateJul 3, 2012
    ISBN9780062232137
    Author

    Agatha Christie

    Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her books have sold more than a billion copies in English and another billion in a hundred foreign languages. She died in 1976, after a prolific career spanning six decades.

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    Reviews for Sad Cypress

    4.5/5

    203 ratings38 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Lots of intrigue in tragic romance crime story brings listener to the unknown of who did it...great plot filled with anguish as if writer experiences anguish in a way that is common to others.
    • 3/5
      Sad Cypress opens in a court scene at the trial of Elinor Carlisle for the murder of Mary Gerrard. In the dock Elinor starts to reflect on events which have led up to this moment and readers are taken back to when she received an anonymous letter suggesting that a young lady is ingratiating herself with Elinor’s bedridden Aunt Laura with the aim of being left the considerable fortune that Aunt Laura possesses. Elinor and her Aunt’s nephew by marriage, Roddy, to whom she has just become engaged leave London for Maidensford and find that Aunt Laura has become very fond of Mary Gerrard, the lodgekeeper’s daughter. Although they leave things unresolved for the moment a further stroke leads to another visit during which Aunt Laura dies. Activities involving the subsequent winding up of her estate ultimately lead to Mary Gerrard’s death and the arrest of Elinor for her murder. Hercule Poirot is called in by the village doctor, Peter Lord, who is somewhat smitten with Elinor and wants her acquitted.

      As usual with the best Christie tales the intricate plot is the standout feature of Sad Cypress. Although one always knows that the obvious answer cannot be the real solution everything points to Elinor’s guilt and I did wonder how Ms Christie (or M. Poirot) would work their way out of this particular corner. The resolution is clever and, at least by me, unexpected. The final portion of the book took readers back to the courtroom where the case for the defense is laid out and we see what Poirot made of all the odd little facts he has accumulated with his seemingly random conversations with all the players in the drama. I did find the ending a bit drawn out with several unnecessary repetitions of key information.

      I’m struck once again by the themes that recur in Christie’s work including her observations of how different classes of English society rub along together and her depiction of the damage that old family secrets can do. Although I sometimes find her characterisations a bit dated and stereotypical here she does an above average job of depicting interesting and believable people and Poirot seemed to be at his best: egotistical but not over the top.

      Finally, I’ll admit that though I alone think Peter Ustinov as the best Poirot (but only in Death on the Nile) I am myself smitten with David Suchet’s narration of Christie books. He makes reading them a delight (rating is 3.5)
    • 5/5
      One of Christie's best with a trial scene ending no less.
    • 4/5
      This is one of my favorite Agatha Christie stories. A girl is murdered. Her love rival is suspected. If she didn't do it, who did? The red herrings are all in place and it's difficult to figure out. Even though this was a re-read for me, I still enjoyed it very much. But I still don't know what a fish paste sandwich is.
    • 3/5
      Usually Christie's books rate higher for me but Sad Cypress just didn't pull me in to the mystery as so many of her other ones have. I found myself having to reread passages and often looking for other books to read instead. The lengthy exposition of the crime which takes half of the book breaks the usual pacing of a Christie mystery and the book never seems to recover from it.
    • 4/5
      The clues in this one are hidden well. A woman standing trial for murder seems to be the obvious, indeed the only possible killer. Maybe xer motives, mysterious pasts, and red herrings abound. Not the best Poirot, but certainly not the worst.
    • 4/5
      "Come away, come away, death,And in sad cypress let me be laid;Fly away, fly away, breath!I am slain by a fair cruel maid.My shroud of white, stuck all with yewO prepare it;My part of death no one so true;Did share it."Wm ShakespeareAnother innocent young lady charged with murder.Another crime solved by the magnificent Hercule Poirot.I am coming to love the Agatha Christies.I recommend this one as well and gave it 3 1/2 stars out of 5.
    • 4/5
      Come away, come away, death, And in sad cypress let me be laid; Fly away, fly away breath;I am slain by a fair cruel maid.My shroud of white, stuck all with yew,O, prepare it!My part of death, no one so trueDid share it.(Act II, Scene IV of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night)No. 21 in the Hercule Poirot series. Distant cousins Elinor Carlisle and Roddy Welman are engaged to be married when they receive an anonymous letter claiming that someone is 'sucking up' to their wealthy aunt, Laura Welman, putting their inheritance in jeopardy. Mary Gerrard, the lodgekeeper's daughter, has a close relationship with their aunt and is poisoned after Roddy in infatuated with her and calls off his engagement to Elinor. Poirot is persuaded to investigate the case, even though Elinor has already been arrested.
    • 4/5
      Really good story but it wasn't really a Poirot novel, it opens and closes with the characters involved in the murder and Poirot makes but a passing appearance. The end revelation is rather spectacular I must say and I don't think anyone would guess at the method used. I liked Elinor a lot in this.
    • 2/5
      I read this instead of a contemporary mystery for book group. I think the culture has changed enough, as well as the literary expectations, that this book seemed very black and white and flat. I missed description as well as little subplots. I appreciate her skill with the plot, but I think if it was presented to an editor today, it wouldn't pass muster.
    • 4/5
      I liked it, it's a nice easy read, and kept me guessing til the end.
    • 4/5
      Poirot investigates the murder of a young woman. Another woman, the only person with the opportunity and motive to commit the crime, stands accused. This is one of the more complicated Christie plots with a lot of misdirection and twists - almost impossible to guess who did it.
    • 4/5
      This is a somewhat typical country house murder with a typical cast of characters – a wealthy invalid with stylish young relatives who live a bit above their means, a beautiful but penniless neighbor, a handsome young doctor, a couple of private duty nurses. There's also a love triangle (or is it a rectangle)? What's atypical for this series is that Poirot isn't called in until a trial is imminent. Since he wasn't at the scene of the crime, he has to rely more than ever on his little gray cells to sort out truth from falsehood as he interviews witnesses.I don't think this structure suits Poirot very well. There's too much distance between Poirot, the evidence, and the suspects. Since a lot of the evidence is presented in the courtroom, the reader doesn't get the benefit of Poirot's cryptic comments on the significance of some apparently trivial clue or bit of information. He has to save it all for his summing up. While this doesn't rank among Christie's best, in my opinion, it's still better than the best of many other mystery authors. Readers who already have a few Poirot novels under their belts might enjoy the change of pace.
    • 3/5
      Another great Poirot read with everything hanging on a scrap of paper and seemingly meaningless lie. A heroine falsely accused but apathetic because she has condemned herself morally. Clever and tragic.
    • 5/5
      This was an unusual case because on the face of it the charges of murder against Elinor Carlisle were supported by irrefutable evidence.Hercule Poirot is brought into the case by Dr. Lord who is actually being called as a witness for the prosecution. He however has fallen in love with Elinore and believes she is innocent.Hercule Poirot is amazed by the fact that everyone he talks to tells him lies. Some are just small lies and he can understand why the person has lied. But then he comes across a lie that seems unnecessary. The other thing that prompts his involvement is that he becomes convinced that the truth lies not in what he knows about Elinor Carlisle, but in what he does not know about Mary Gerrard.SAD CYPRESS really has a very clever and intriguing plot. I liked also the way the reader gets to see things from Elinor's point of view, and is privy to her thoughts.
    • 3/5
      A return to Agatha Christie, that is always a delight. The title of the book emerges from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Two deaths enter into Hercule Poirot’s investigating. An rich, elderly lady dies and no thought of murder enters the picture. But a second death which involves a young woman and foul play creeps into the picture. The young niece of Mrs. Welman, Elinor Carlisle, falls under the suspicion of murder. And frankly, Elinor appears to gain from the two deaths. Elinor narrates the first and last part of the novel, while Poirot plods through his narrative to Dr. Lord. The presentation of the story provides intrigue and vivid characters. From the first page, Elinor becomes my favorite character and I hope she will not fall prey to being chosen as the killer.
    • 4/5
      Until Poirot's late first appearance in the book, the latter played like a different story. I pretended that it was so. There were none of Poirot's "beloved" eccentricities. Not once did he talk in french. The entire story was a well imagined mystery with a somewhat nebulous solution. Since the denouement was not as explicit as the usual showdown, I didn't fully understand the details, but on the whole I've read what I believe to be a very satisfactory murder mystery. But why Sad Cypress?
    • 4/5
      This was the first Agatha Christie I’ve listened to with a courtroom portion. I thought it was quite good, and kept me guessing until the end. At the beginning, it’s really hard to believe that Elinor didn’t do it.
    • 5/5
      AUTHOR: Christie, AgathaTITLE: Sad CypressDATE READ: 04/05/14RATING: 5/AGENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS: Mystery/1939/Putnam/271 pgs SERIES/STAND-ALONE: SATIME/PLACE: 1930's/UKCHARACTERS: Elinor Carlisle; Roderick Welman; Mary GerrardFIRST LINES: An anonymous letter! Elinor Carlisle stood looking down at it as it lay open in her hand. She'd never had such a thing before. It gave one an unpleasant sensation. Ill-written, badly spelled, on cheap pink paper. COMMENTS: Is there anyone better at the puzzle in mysteries? I have read Agatha Christie over the years. I think I read most years ago when I was in my 20's and still pick one up on occasion -- usually so many books so little time, I don't go back for re-reads-- I only get to one when chosen as a group read. And I am always glad to read a mystery by Agatha Christie -- they always hold my attention & I am always wondering who dunnit & usually have to wait until the final hour to be told who it is. I picked Sad Cypress because I had a copy I had gotten from library sale last year. Debated about giving it away/trading it but held on to it. At first I thought I had read this one recently because it had some similarities to The Crooked House I read 2+ years ago (in 2012) but then as I kept reading it became clear this was a different book. Not that I really remember all the details of Crooked House. In this book Elinor, Roderick & Mary knew each other as children. They have in common Aunt Laura -- Elinor's aunt, Roderick's aunt by marriage & Mary lived at the lodge nearby. Aunt Laura didn't have children & took a special interest in Mary so they grew up knowing each other. Now they are in their 20's. Elinor & Roddy are engaged and live in London. Mary has received an education thanks to Aunt Laura, altho' her father believes she is "moving beyond her station", and altho' is currently around to see to Aunt Laura while she is ill she is pondering what she shall do to support herself. Elinor & Roddy travel to the estate to visit Aunt Laura who takes a turn for the worse & dies rather suddenly. She died w/o leaving a will and since Elinor is the closest relative, she inherits. At the same time Roddy is fascinated w/ Mary and decides to break his engagment w/ Elinor. When Mary dies a month later, after having tea w/ Elinor -- almost everyone has presumed Elinor is accountable for the murder. However, there is one person who believes in Elinor, even if he is doubtful of her innocence & he calls in Hercule Poirot to ferret the facts from the lies.
    • 3/5
      I still can't decide if I actually liked this book. I slogged on through endless tendentious details, because (as is the way with all mysteries) I wanted to find out how it ended. But then the ending was much better than expected, and I rather liked it after all.
    • 5/5
      an unconventional telling of a poirot story, a fiendishly clever puzzle, and a master class in red herrings!
    • 4/5
      Poirot tackles a courtroom battle.

      "Sad Cypress" is a fascinating Poirot story, combining the weight of Christie’s most mature works with her more ‘classic’ mystery structure.

      "Sad Cypress" is a complex but believable mystery, not quite as flashy as Poirot’s most famous works, but very skillfully put together. Coming off of her most prolific decade, Christie was an unstoppable force. Like the carefree, decadent characters who pervaded films in spite of the Depression, the War really did nothing to quash the appeal of Christie’s cruel worlds. Here, Poirot gets to be a champion for justice – always one of his strongest suits – with some convincing courtroom drama (practically unique to Christie’s oeuvre). Perhaps a classic.

      Poirot ranking: 13th out of 38.
    • 4/5
      An Agatha Christie courtroom drama - this is the first book of hers I've read that takes place mainly in a courtroom. And there is NOT the usual dramatic scene where Poirot speaks to all the suspects and reveals the killer. That was a surprise. This is one of my favorites so far. Poirot is his usual self. There is a damsel in distress of course. But the plot has dramatic twists and complexities. I did have a hunch as to who the killer was, but did not know how or why. The love story is more developed than in other works, which I liked. The depth and complexity made me enjoy the story more and I could not put it down.
    • 4/5
      This wasn't great. Poirot didn't appear for ages and then a lot of the ground had to be covered over again for his benefit. Elinor was a hard heroine to root for - I don't think Christie made her 'love' for Roddy very believable, or any of her emotions actually. Still, the misdirection was excellent - I kept changing my mind about the identity of the murderer.
    • 4/5
      England, ca 1960Ellinor Katharine Carlisle er anklaget for mord på Mary Gerrard. Baggrunden er at Ellinors tante, fru Welman, er død og har efterladt Ellinor alt. Uheldigvis har Ellinors forlovede, Roderick Welman, ved samme lejlighed fået øjne for Mary Gerrard, som er datter af portneren men er blevet taget under fru Welmans vinger og har fået en god opdragelse. Forlovelsen bliver ophævet, men Ellinor er ved at gå til over det. Huset bliver sat til salg og Mary dukker op for at tømme portnerboligen efter at hendes far er død. Under oprydningen opdager hun at portneren nok var hendes mors mand men ikke hendes far. Samme dag dør hun af forgiftning og Ellinor er den oplagte at mistænke. En sygeplejerske Søster Hopkins mistede en flaske morfin lige inden fru Welman døde og som følge af Marys død, bliver fru Welman også obduceret og hun viser sig også at være myrdet med morfin.Huslægen Peter Lord er forelsket i Ellinor og kontakter Hercule Poirot. Poirot snakker med alle involverede og opdager at de næsten allesammen lyver eller skjuler noget.Ellinor viser sig at være uskyldig, og Poirot får hende frikendt ved at finde den virkelige morder. Det viser sig at være Søster Hopkins, der i virkeligheden er søster til Marys mor, der faktisk blot er hendes adoptivmor. Mary var datter af fru Welman og motivet til begge mord var at få fingre i fru Welmans penge. Søster Hopkins viser sig at hedde Mary Riley og være fra New Zealand og formentlig har hun også stået bag nogle mistænkelig dødsfald der.Undervejs er der nogle sjove overvejelser om det at elske en anden for meget.Vældig spændende krimi
    • 4/5
      Hercule Poirot is asked to help prove that Elinor Carlisle is innocent of the murder of her Aunt. The case against her is very strong. It had me wondering and suspecting every one. I love Poirot.
    • 4/5
      Entertaining enough. Once again she pulled a real murderer out of nowhere for the sake of shock value, but the explanation wasn't so bad she gets a pass here. A lot of dialogue in this one and not enough action, but David Suchet's wonderful way of narrating makes up for that.
    • 4/5
      Elinor Carlisle and her fiancé Roderick Welman travel to see their aunt, who is recovering from a stroke, after receiving an anonymous letter alerting them that their inheritance may be in danger. They meet with Mary Gerrard, a young woman and Aunt Laura's companion, and Roderick becomes infatuated with her, causing Elinor to call off the engagement. When Laura Welman dies intestate after suffering a second stroke, Elinor inherits her aunt's fortune. But then Mary dies suddenly and suspicion immediately falls on Elinor, and she is arrested and faces trial for murder. Hercule Poirot, at the request of Dr Lord, the family doctor, starts asking questions and soon discovers that several people have not been telling the truth about what has happened ...This book is unusual in several aspects: Poirot doesn't get involved until nearly halfway through the book, Elinor Carlisle is one of Agatha Christie's most complex heroines, and several clues are deliberately repressed by the author, even if the rest of the novel is pure Christie, and the mystery quite ingenious, though as ever quite unlikely. The reason I enjoy reading Agatha Christie's books is because I enjoy picking up on the clues left by the author and trying to guess the identity of the culprit before the big reveal; if clues aren't revealed then half the joy is gone. An entertaining read but one I'll probably not re-read.
    • 4/5
      Here we have two Christie mysteries (Sad Cypress & Why Didn't They Ask Evans?), both written around the same time, both make use of telephones and license plates and both have similar poison by morphia murders. I thought both were, as expected, fine mysteries with interesting twists and turns. Neither are the absolute best of Agatha Christie but the contrast between the two highlights just how great of a character Hercule Poirot is. Why Didn't They Ask Evans? comes across as an afternoon movie plot with its cast of Bobby Jones and Lady Frances doing the solving (barely) and Sad Cypress has the magisterial air of Poirot to give it a fine luster.
    • 5/5
      Good story and great reading by David Suchet. Thank you!