Ordeal by Innocence
By Agatha Christie
Read by Robin Baily The Audio Partners Publishing Corp., (2003)
An Unabridged Recording on Four Cassettes
ISBN: 1-57270-294-X
Genre: Mystery
Reviewed by Rochelle Caviness - March 7, 2003
Unlike most of Agatha Christie's mysteries, Ordeal by Innocence does not feature one of her serial detectives. Rather this is a totally independent story that Christie fans will love - despite the lack of their best loved detective - be it Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot. In this tale of intrigue, the main murder took place years before the story opened. The murder victim was Mrs. Argyle, and her son Jacko was convicted of the crime of matricide. He later died in jail. The story might have ended there, but it didn't.
Two years after the crime was committed, Arthur Calgary returns to England after a stint abroad, during which time he participated in an expedition to the arctic. Hearing about the murder, he realizes that he has proof that Jacko is innocent. After finding out that Jacko is dead, Calgary embarks upon the thankless task of discovering whom the real murderer is.
The Argyle family, however, would prefer that sleeping dogs were allowed to remain sleeping. Is there something that they are hiding that they are afraid that Calgary will uncover? Or could one of the surviving Argyle's be the real murder?
This unabridged audio edition of Ordeal by Innocence is read by Robin Bailey. A talented British actor, Bailey presents an excellent dramatic reading of this tale. In addition to recording this story, he also recorded several other Christie stories for Audio Partners, including The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.
This story is full of twists and turns that are so unexpect and skillfully rendered that Christie keeps you off balance throughout the entire story. Best of all, you'll never guess the shocking conclusion that she delivers for this incredible mystery. Calgary is a well-wrought character, who finds that he has an innate talent for detective work. While his personality is not as well developed as Christie's serial detectives, it is sufficiently fleshed-out for the purposes of this story. Because this story does not focus primarily on the detective's unique character traits, Christie is able to devote more time and effort to describing the other characters that people this book. To say that many of the characters in this story are dysfunctional would be an honest statement. This dysfunctionallity helps to enliven an already rich and realistic mystery.
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Related Reviews:
And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie.
Ten guests are invited to Indian Island by a mysterious figure who accuses each guest of murder, a crime which each is, in their own way, guilty of. With unrelenting regularity, the guests are murdered, one by one, all by methods outlined in old children's rhyme. This is one of Christie's best mysteries! (Audio)
By the Pricking of My Thumbs, by Agatha Christie.
Tommy and Tuppence Beresford are not as young as they use to be, but they haven't lost their knack for uncovering the odd mystery, nor their ability to uncover the truth. Follow them cautiously, as this is one of the 'darkest' of Christie's mysteries. (Audio)
