Taken at the Flood
A Hercule Poirot Mystery
By Agatha Christie Ulverscroft Large Print
F. A. Thorpe Publishing, (2011)
ISBN: 978-1-4448-0267-2
Genre: Crime, Mystery
(Also published as There Is a Tide)
Reviewed by Auggie Moore - July 22, 2011
When Uncle Gordon dies in the London Blitz without leaving a will that takes care of all his 'needy' relatives, his new, young wife gets it all, including the animosity of her new and disgruntled relatives. The Cloade family doesn't think that this is all very fair, especially as they believe that Gordon and his new wife had only been married a few years and he had always promised to take care of them. Shortly after the war (World War II) the family began to fall upon hard times and they need the money that should have been theirs. Taking things in hand, Katherine Cloade makes an appointment to see the esteemed Belgium detective Hercule Poirot. She peeks his interest when she insists that she has been informed by various spirits that Mrs. Rosaleen Cloade is really a Mrs. Rosaleen Underhay, who's first husband is still very much alive. So, would he be so kind as to prove that Underhay is a bigamist, so that the marriage can be declared invalid, and so that the Cloade family can get what they so justly deserve?
With his interest heightened, Poirot travels to the village of Warmsley Vale to uncover the truth of the matter, and what he finds there is - murder! Full of innumerous twists and turns, Taken at the Flood is a delightful mystery by Agatha Christie. It was also published under the title There Is a Tide.
In this delicious story about greed, murder, and questionable identities. Christie even throws in a little eavesdropping. You see, there are a lot of things that Poirot doesn't like, and bombs are high on his list! So while taking refuge during a bombing raid on London, Poirot put his little gray cells to work eavesdropping on other shelterees. When he takes on the Cloade case he discovers that some of what he overheard is pertinent to the current case. In addition, as with many of Christie's stories, time is of the essence. The longer Poirot takes to uncover the truth about Mrs. Underhay, the more the body count will rise!
Taken at the Flood is a fabulous Hercule Poirot mystery, and one of Christie's best books. The plot is finely honed, the characters numerous and quirky, and the ending wonderfully unexpected. This is a must read for all Poirot fans!
Taken at the Flood can be purchased directly from Ulverscroft.
Click Here for a complete list of all the books written by Agatha Christie.
Related Reviews:
Poirot Investigates, by Agatha Christie.
A witty collection of eleven short stories, all featuring the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot and his sidekick, Captain Hastings.
Five Little Pigs, by Agatha Christie.
Poirot has had a unique challenge set before him. Prove the innocence of a woman convicted of poisoning her husband to death. His two biggest problems - the woman is dead and the crime happened sixteen years ago. If anyone is up to the task of uncovering the truth, it is the esteemed Belgian Detective, Hercule Poirot!
