A Christie Common Bond Quiz / Test | Agatha Christie

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Major Despard and Rhoda Dawes first met and fell in love in 'Cards on the Table'. In which later novel do they reappear as a married couple?

Answer: The Pale Horse

Rhoda is the cousin of Mark Easterbrook, the principle narrator of 'The Pale Horse'. In this book, Major Despard has been promoted to the rank of Colonel. Two other earlier Christie characters also make an appearance - Mrs. Dane Calthrop from 'The Moving Finger' and Ariadne Oliver.

2. Which of the following was Agatha Christie's only period novel?

Answer: Death Comes as the End

'Death Comes as the End' is set in Thebes, Egypt in the year 2000 B.C. Christie changed the original ending of the book on the suggestion of a friend but was deeply dissatisfied with this move.
(Please send me a note if you do know how Christie originally intended to end this book.)

3. Agatha Christie sometimes repeated a particular plot device in two or more novels. One such theme was that of the co-conspirators pretending to hate each other in an effort to hide the fact that they are partners in crime. Which of the following novels was this theme NOT used in?

Answer: Death in the Clouds

In 'The Mysterious Affair at Styles', Emily Inglethorp's companion, Evelyn Howard, appears to hate Emily's second husband Alfred. Later Poirot reveals that they are actually cousins and possibly in love with each other. Similarly, Ellie Guteman's husband, Michael, and her companion, Greta pretend to dislike each other to hide the fact that they are lovers in 'Endless Night'. Yet again in 'Death on the Nile', Simon Doyle pretends to ditch Jacqueline de Bellefort for Linnet Ridgeway when actually they are both after Linnet's money. Another Christie novel 'Evil Under the Sun' also uses this plot device. Married couple Patrick and Christine Redfern appear to have problems over Patrick's affair with Arlena Marshall.

This is just an attempt to provide an alibi for Patrick when Arlena is murdered.

4. Which was the first Hercule Poirot novel to be set extensively in the courtroom?

Answer: Sad Cypress

'Sad Cypress' was published in 1940. In the book, Elinor Carlisle is charged with murdering Mary Gerrard. The novel is written in three parts with the third part set almost entirely in the courtroom.

5. Which Christie novel was an expansion of her earlier short story 'Yellow Iris'?

Answer: Remembered Death

The short story appeared in 'The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories' and featured Hercule Poirot. Later Christie turned it into a full-length novel titled 'Remembered Death'. By then she was tired of Poirot and brought in another recurring character, Colonel Race, to solve the mystery.

6. There are several interesting ways in which Hercule Poirot stumbled onto a case. Which of the following books began with the death of Poirot's dentist?

Answer: One, Two, Buckle My Shoe

When Poirot's dentist, Henry Morley, is found dead, the police dismiss it as a case of suicide. Poirot holds the efficient dentist in high regard and decides to investigate further.

7. Revenge, money, love - all of these murder motives have been used by Agatha Christie in various novels. However, one of the most interesting motives for murder I've come across was when the first murder was committed as a 'dress rehearsal' for the actual one. Which Christie novel did this occur in?

Answer: Three Act Tragedy

Sir Charles Cartwright, a theatre actor, wanted to take no chances when he committed the actual murder and so decided to have a 'dress rehearsal' before the main event. Clergyman Stephen Babbington is an unfortunate victim of Cartwright's practice session.

8. In 'Death on the Nile', Hercule Poirot attempts to warn the murderer before the crime has been committed. His advice, however, goes unheeded. In which later novel does he refer to this incident?

Answer: Curtain: Poirot's Last Case

'Curtain' is Poirot's last novel where he and Hastings return to Styles Court, Essex - the setting of the first Poirot book. Christie wrote the novel in the 1930s but had it locked in a vault and published much later. In it, Poirot mentions his 'recent' trip to Egypt (an anachronistic detail) and then goes on to refer to the incident which occurred in 'Death on the Nile'.

9. Policemen, doctors, narrators - Agatha has used all of these as murderers. In a shocking twist, a twelve-year-old girl is the murderer in one of the Christie novels. Which novel was it?

Answer: Crooked House

One of Christie's personal favourites, 'Crooked House', begins with the death of Aristide Leonides - the patriarch of the Leonides family. The obvious suspect is his much younger second wife, Brenda, whom the rest of the family views as nothing but a gold digger.

In a surprising twist of events, the book ends with Astride's unmarried sister-in-law driving her car over the cliff killing young Josephine, the child who murdered her own grandfather and nanny.

10. And finally, what connects the first nine novels?

Answer: Poison

In all the nine books, the murder victims have been poisoned. Agatha Christie put her knowledge of poisons, gained while working at hospitals and at a pharmacy, to good use in her novels. One of her famous quotes is "Give me a decent bottle of poison and I'll construct the perfect crime."
Here's a list of the poisoned murder victims in the above nine books:
1.'The Pale Horse' - Thomasina Tuckerton, Mary Delafontaine & Lady Heskith-Dubois
2.'Death Comes as the End' - Sobek & Esa
3.'Death in the Clouds' - Madame Giselle
4.'Sad Cypress' - Laura Welman & Mary Gerrard
5.'Sparkling Cyanide' - Rosemary & George Barton
6.'One, Two, Buckle My Shoe'- Henry Morley
7.'Three Act Tragedy' - Stephen Babbington & Sir Bartholomew Strange
8.'Curtain: Poirot's Last Case' - Barbara Franklin
9.'Crooked House' - Aristide Leonides & Nanny

Source: Author zorba_scank

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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A Christie Common Bond Trivia Quiz

Answer the first nine questions on different Christie novels and then guess the common bond. Caution: spoilers

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